INDUSTRY BRIEFINGS
Warner Bros Discovery creates CrewHQ W arner Bros Discovery (WBD) has officially opened CrewHQ, a dedicated on-site training centre at its Leavesden studio. This initiative will not only support existing crew members but also create careers for the next generation of talent, paying special attention to those ‘below the line’. CrewHQ will serve UK- based productions, including film and high-end television projects from Warner Bros Pictures, WBTV and HBO, allowing Warner Bros to introduce new jobs and thaw the ‘frozen middle’. “This new approach to training will have a significant impact in addressing industry skills shortages,” says Samar Pollitt, VP of physical production, film. CrewHQ’s initiatives include career days, leadership training, funded placements and work shadowing. The launch coincides with Warner Bros Studios Leavesden’s expansion announcement, which will introduce ten sound stages, 400,000 sq ft of studio space and around 4000 jobs.
Gothams ignite awards circuit I t’s that time of year – the 33rd annual Gotham Awards, held on 27 November 2023, have officially kicked off the awards season. The winners come from ten categories, including best documentary feature; best feature; best screenplay; breakthrough director; breakthrough series (over 40 minutes); breakthrough series (under 40 minutes); outstanding lead performance; and outstanding performance in a new series. The Gotham Awards also gave icon and creator tributes to Bradley Cooper, Ben Affleck, George C Wolfe, Michael Mann and Greta Gerwig. In 2022, Everything Everywhere All At Once and Ke Huy Quan received Gotham Awards for best feature and outstanding supporting performance respectively, before going on to claim Academy Awards in similar categories. This year, Celine Song’s Past Lives and Charles Melton ( May December ) are in the same position, leaving critics and audiences to wonder if history will repeat itself.
Taylor Swift breaks box office records T aylor Swift’s The Eras Tour broke box office records during its opening weekend, becoming the highest-grossing concert film in the US – and in the process knocking Justin Bieber: Never Say Never off its pedestal. Michael Jackson: This Is It stills stands as the global record holder at $261 million, though The Eras Tour doesn’t fall far behind, having surpassed $250 million at the time of writing.
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