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And The Winner Is… Kirill!
Online drama was a new, exciting and ever-so-slightly intimidating field for us at MSN. We took the plunge in 2008, producing a 10-episode sci-fi series entitled Kirill with the help of renowned reality TV producers Endemol.
And would you believe it, we just won a Webby award for best individual episode in an online drama.
Peter Bale, Executive Producer at MSN UK said, “The Webbys have become a significant celebration of talent across the web and I could not be more pleased that MSN and Endemol have been recognised in this way.”
Chris Lunn, MSN Video channel manager commented, “With Kirill, we aimed to create something unique, exciting and completely different to other made-for-web series. It was a risk as we didn’t know how our users would react, but we were pleased that it turned out to be one of genuine delight and enjoyment.
“To then receive a Webby for the project – a reward renowned for recognising innovation and execution at a global level – is extremely humbling, especially when you consider the excellent competition who were also nominated.”
Evidently, we’re proud of Kirill – it’s an immersive sci-fi series utilising more than just than great video but blogging and audio as well. Go ahead and dive into the (ahem…) award- winning Kirill experience.
Angels, Demons, Hadrons…
Angels & Demons might just be the sleeper hit of 2009. The momentum is building and the sequel to The Da Vinci Code seems to be escaping the shadow of its critically distained forebear.
In the books, this is actually the prequel (and by far the better of the two in my opinion). I had a chance to look into all these details when I was invited to chat to director Ron Howard and Tom Hanks at CERN in Geneva – the European super-lab designed to recreate the beginning of the universe by smashing particles (hadrons) together in a gigantic underground tunnel.
It’s a key set in the film – lending a near-supernatural element to the action. And I was fine with that. But teaching a film journo particle physics was always going to be tough. I was keeping an open mind and looking to learn.
Obviously, The Da Vinci Code was littered with dubious readings of history – just one of the reasons it didn’t go down so well. Angels & Demons continues to make historical assumptions, centred around an ancient anti-religious sect called “The Illuminati” (I actually have the T-shirt now). But Dan Brown has also tinkled with the science in this one, imagining that the brain boxes at CERN are capable of producing a briefcase of “anti-matter” that could blow up Rome.
Needless to say – this is all pretty much impossible. Physicist Markus Nordburg is explaining just how unlikely much of the material in the book is here as some Japanese journalists and I dive past the eye-scanner and into the gigantic CERN tunnel (excuse my shoddy camerawork).
Someone commented that it felt a lot like visiting the set of moonraker…
Angels & Demons is evidently not afraid to take liberties with the truth. But Ron Howard sees it as fiction in both senses: “The movie doesn’t go to great lengths to explain the science or the history. In fact the rhythm of this movie doesn’t allow for that. It’s a ticking bomb story.” In fact, during my interview, he referred to Angels & Demons as “science fiction”.
So what we are seeing in Angels & Demons is an alternate reality. The rewards will be there if we’re able to overlook the occasional scientific and historical liberty. As Tom Hanks said to me, “Don’t discount how cool a movie can make something mundane look.” And he’s quite right – though perhaps the particle physicists among you should watch something else…
How Very Dare They!?
Came in this morning to find an exciting package on my desk. Was it the Wolverine people finally sending me my own claws?! No! It was this metal desk-name thing from the people who brought out state of Play. They say it made them think of me!!
Harsh to say the least. Have you seen it yet? It is rather good. Here’s our review.
My First Movie Premiere…
…by Hayley Kaplan, MSN Entertainmen
World Premiere State of Play blog entry
Hi! I’m an intern for Entertainment at MSN. Thanks to my wonderful colleagues here, I was lucky enough to get two tickets to the world premiere of State of Play in Leicester Square.
I am just a university student here for a few months from the States, so this opportunity is basically a movie-goers dream come true. I was very excited. I was even more excited when the tickets were delivered right to my desk because I never get mail at MSN, never mind getting mail from Universal Studios.
I decided to take my friend Linda to the premiere as my date because she is equally as obsessed with movies as I am, and was possibly more excited about the premiere than I was. The invite said that doors open at 6:00 and that everyone must be seated (in big bold letters) at 6:45.
Advised by my colleagues not to go to the premiere too early, Linda and I strolled down the red carpet at 6:30 proudly clutching our tickets because they were the reason we got passed the numerous security to get in. We were the envy of every face on the other end of the barricades.
We walked in with all the other guests who were not famous. The red carpet was rather long for this premiere, so strutting down it was a dream within itself. Once we got passed the red carpet, everything was not as exciting as one would think. There were queues for popcorn and a crowd moving anxiously into the theatre. It was like seeing any other movie.
Linda and I took our seats and immediately opened our complimentary water bottle and chocolate bar. We then waited for the film to start. And waited. And waited. It was not until 7:30 that the real action actually started.
Ed, the movies editor who usually blogs here, told me the next morning that the whole “doors close at 6:45” thing was just a rouse, but I am naturally a prompt person and this was my first premiere (and possibly only), so how was I supposed to know?
And then…Kevin Macdonald, the director, walks in and introduces the film. I was in awe to be sitting in the fourth row just feet away from him. And then…he introduces Helen Mirren and Russell Crowe.
Linda and I are huge fans of Helen Mirren and were thrilled to hear her speak. I honestly was so stunned I don’t remember much of her little speech, besides her saying how grateful she was to Russell Crowe for taking over the lead role in the film at the last minute because Brad Pitt dropped out (although she didn’t mention Brad Pitt).
Then it was Russell Crowe’s turn to speak. I’m not a huge fan of his considering all he’s done to journalists and his less than stellar reputation, but I was excited to see him nonetheless. However, he got handed the microphone said that what he was about to say was per tradition and recited a brief poem about how much he loved Australia. Or at least that was what I got out of it. Anyway, he didn’t make the best impression.
The lights dimmed and the curtains opened and from there on out it was like any other film-going experience. The film itself was pretty good. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to any movie fan.
That was my first premiere experience. It was very exciting to be in Leicester Square in the thick of it all, but I do have to say that the whole process is a little overrated. I guess I can be arrogant enough to say that now that I’ve been to a premiere, but it is really just watching a free movie with some famous people speaking before it. The whole red carpet event outside was a much bigger deal than what actually happens when stars go through the theatre doors. Helen Mirren actually stayed through the whole film because I’m pretty sure I saw her leave afterwards, but for the most part stars do not stay through the film at all.
Anyway, it was a great opportunity to go the premiere, and one that I enjoyed very much. Everyone go and see State of Play in theatres on Friday.
By George! George at ASDA voted the nation’s favourite George
The budget savvy supermarket clothing label GEORGE, has today been voted Britain’s favourite George in a poll of 36,259 readers of MSN Entertainment, beating rivals from Hollywood and even Royalty.
In the poll, launched to celebrate England’s patron saint St. George’s Day on the 23rd April 2009, the supermarket label romped home to victory with more than 7,000 respondents (20%) voting for it to hit the top spot.
The clothing brand came ahead of Hollywood hunk George Clooney (19%) and guitar hero George Harrison (17%) to win its place as the nation’s favourite namesake. Historic importance had little bearing on the poll, with George VI receiving a mere 5% of the nation’s votes, saved from total humiliation by TV personality George Lamb, who received a menial 3% of votes.
Britain’s favourite George
- George at ASDA: 20%
- George Clooney: 19%
- George Best: 17%
- George Harrison: 17%
- George Sampson: 10%
- George Michael: 9%
- George VI: 5%
- George Lamb: 3%
“The results of the poll were certainly a little surprising; celebrities such as George Clooney and George Michael are never far from the headlines, but the fact that a budget clothing brand has topped the polls is undoubtedly a sign of the times.” Colleen Last, MSN Entertainment.
Wiley Old Walt…
Walt Disney was a clever old cat in more ways than one. I was fascinated by the YouTube phenomenon that reveals later Disney movies copying frames from earlier ones. London’s Metro newspaper put it well yesterday – there’s truth in their assertion that this might have something to do with the “reassuring familiarity” of Disney flicks.
The latest on Lindsay and Sam
By now everyone would have heard that Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson are kaput, after about a year of dating.
Lindsay’s been quite vocal about the breakup and how she feels hard done by. “I’m not a bad person and this is what happens,” she told Us Weekly magazine. “I was raised to treat people well, and I’m so tired of this drama… I’m a 22-year-old girl who’s in love. I felt like I was in Mean Girls, but worse: Mean Girls was a movie.”
But she didn’t stop there, just a couple of days later, Lindsay made a spoof dating advert for Funny Or Die, poking fun at her and Sam’s tempestuous relationship.
“I just think it’s better to take something negative and turn it into something good,” Lindsay later explained on her MySpace blog. “Laughter is the BEST medicine.”
Now, finally, Samantha has popped her head over the parapet and had her say. “I don’t talk about my personal life,” Sam told a US magazine, “but I will say that any rumours that I hate Lindsay are false. She’s an amazing girl, and I wish her all the best. It’s not that dramatic.”
With A Lil Help From My Friends
Today’s Sun has a story about how Lily Allen rescued a substandard vocal performance by Atomic Kitten back in 2001.
Apparently the then-popular girl-band were recording a track called On Me ‘Ead (written by Lily’s dad Keith) for the soundtrack to Brit flick Mike Bassett: England Manager.
The original Atomic Kitten performance wasn’t up to scratch (if you’ll excuse the feline pun) and they didn’t have time to record another given their tight deadlines and the fact one of the band was ill.
So Keith suggested his 14 year-old daughter have a go. According to ‘a source’ quoted in the Sun’s report, "It only took her half a day to nail it. Liz and Jenny are on the finished song but Lily was the third member, with the strongest vocal, patching the whole thing up."
This story sums up the problem some people have with Lily Allen. On one hand she is a genuinely talented singer, on the other, however much she plays it down, she has clearly benefited from her Dad’s position.
But you know what? Who cares about the second bit?
Thanks in no small part to Lily Allen, who opened the door for many who followed, this country now boasts an unprecedented number of female pop stars who are the envy of the world.
Not only can Lily, Amy, Adele and the rest sing better than Atomic Kitten, they write their own material and do, say, and wear what they like.
In this context, where Lily’s first leg-up into the business came from is irrelevant.
Jack Tweed jailed for 12 weeks
Jack Tweed has been sentenced to 12 weeks in jail for assaulting a cabdriver.
The court in Harlow heard how the 21-year-old grabbed cabdriver Stephen Wilkins around the throat and threatened to stab him as he drove Jack and three friends home from a nightclub last May.
Jack’s lawyer attempted to get her client’s sentence reduced by detailing how much he has grown up since wife Jade Goody’s illness and death. "Mr Tweed is 21. He was 20 at the time of this offence that took place 11 months ago. There has been no re-offending since that date… He has had to mature, and mature very quickly, in the last few months.
“To say that he is a changed man since May 2008 is perhaps an understatement. He has endured with dignity and maturity very difficult personal circumstances that have been well documented. He is a widower at the age of 21. His previous routine of going out with his friends and getting drunk, like he did in May – all that has been replaced.”
When the sentence was handed down, the magistrate said Jack’s recent good behaviour had been taken into account, and that the normal sentence for such a crime is 18 weeks.
Madonna releases Mercy photo
Madonna isn’t giving up on her failed adoption bid – last week she launched an appeal against the judge’s ruling, and now she’s released a black and white photo of her cradling four-year-old Mercy James to media outlets across the world. It shows the girl asleep in the star’s lap when she visited the orphanage in Malawi in March.
Madonna has spoken publicly for the first time since her attempt to adopt the four-year-old girl was rejected. “I want to provide Mercy with a home, a loving family environment and the best education and health care possible,” the star told Nation newspaper in Malawi this week. “Though I have been advised that I cannot publicly discuss the pending appeal regarding my desire to adopt Mercy, I do want to say how much I appreciate the level of support that I have received from the people of Malawi and my friends around the world.”
What do you think of this new photo? Is it proof that the young girl and her would-be mother shouldn’t be parted, or is it an attempt by the star to sway public opinion and pressure the Malawi court to allow Mercy to leave the country?
