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'House Of Cards' Puts Season 3 Production On Hold In Hopes Of Snagging Lucrative Maryland Tax Breaks

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House of Cards

Season 3 of Netflix’s "House Of Cards" is holding off on beginning production until mid-June, pending the outcome of two separate bills in the Maryland Legislature that would ensure another season of lucrative state tax breaks for the political drama, which just launched its Season 2 on the streaming service last week.

The Emmy-nominated series, set in Washington, D.C., was officially renewed for a third season earlier this month.

Series producer Media Rights Capital, which planned to start shooting Season 3 in early spring, received more than $11 million in Maryland tax credits for Season 1, and Season 2′s incentives could reach $15 million, the Wall Street Journal reported today.

We hear that MRC is seeking a tax credit for Season 3 in line with Season 2′s $15 million, which as of now is impossible as Maryland’s current cap is $7.5 million. The two bills, which are languishing in committee, would raise the ceiling to $11 million or $18.5 million.

Deadline has confirmed that MRC has sent a letter to several politicians, including Gov. Martin O’Malley, regarding the bills. The letter (read it in full below) pulls no punches in saying that the incentives must be approved if the production were to stay in the state. “In the event sufficient incentives do not become available, we will have to break down our stage, sets and offices and set up in another state,” said the letter, signed by Charlie Goldstein, MRC’s SVP Television Production. The issue has been stirring a heated debate in the Maryland Legislature. “Is it possible that they would just leave after we gave them $31 million?” Del. C. William Frick, D-Montgomery, said during a contentious hearing last week, according to WSJ.

According to the Maryland Film Office, the 130 days of production on Season 1 and Season 2 of "House Of Cards" helped contribute to film and TV’s estimated $197.2 million in economic impact in fiscal year 2013. Season 1 “resulted in the local hiring of 2,193 Maryland crew, cast and extras, and the production purchased or rented goods or services from 1,814 Maryland vendors,” the office says on its website. Maryland also hosts the production of HBO’s White House comedy "Veep."

Here’s the full letter from MRC:

Honorable Governor Martin O’Malley 
State House 
100 State Circle 
Annapolis, MD 21401 

Dear Governor O’Malley,

Thank you again for taking the time to visit the "House of Cards" set last spring to announce the enhancement of the Maryland Film Production Employment Act. The passage of the legislation allowed MRC and the production to remain in Maryland. We appreciate your strong support for our business and for recognizing the jobs and economic impact it brings to the State of Maryland.

We know that the General Assembly is in session, and understand legislation must be introduced to increase the program’s funding. MRC and "House of Cards" had a wonderful experience over the past two seasons and we want to stay in Maryland. We are ready to assist in any way possible to help with the passage of the bill.

In the meantime I wanted you to be aware that we are required to look at other states in which to film on the off chance that the legislation does not pass, or does not cover the amount of tax credits for which we would qualify. I am sure you can understand that we would not be responsible financiers and a successful production company if we did not have viable options available.

We wanted you to be aware that while we had planned to begin filming in early spring, we have decided to push back the start date for filming until June to ensure there has been a positive outcome of the legislation. In the event sufficient incentives do not become available, we will have to break down our stage, sets and offices and set up in another state.

Thank you again for the support and assistance that "House of Cards" has received from the State of Maryland and your agencies, Baltimore City, as well as Harford County, the Maryland Film Industry Coalition, the unions, and Maryland’s citizens and thousands of small businesses, I hope this legislative session will be successful and that you will be able to visit "House of Cards" and spend time with our cast and crew once again.

Charlie Goldstein 
Senior Vice President, Television Production

Cc:
Dominick Murray, Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development 
Hannah Byron, Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development 
Jack Gerbes, Maryland Film Office 
Debbie Dorsey, Baltimore Film Office 

SEE ALSO: A Lot Of People Have Already Binge Watched The Entire Season Of 'House Of Cards'

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This Year's Oscar Presenters Are More Star-Studded Than The Nominees – A Complete List

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Brad Pitt Angelina Jolie

Jennifer Lawrence, Matthew McConaughey, and Leonardo DiCaprio are just a few of the A-list names up for awards during this Sunday's Oscar telecast.

While Ellen DeGeneres will be hosting the show, producers just announced the full lineup of presenters. And it's a lot of star power:

This year’s 46 Oscar presenters, in alphabetical order:

  1. Amy Adams
  2. Kristen Bell
  3. Jessica Biel
  4. Jim Carrey
  5. Glenn Close
  6. Bradley Cooper
  7. Penélope Cruz
  8. Benedict Cumberbatch
  9. Viola Davis
  10. Daniel Day-Lewis
  11. Robert De Niro
  12. Zac Efron
  13. Sally Field
  14. Harrison Ford
  15. Jamie Foxx
  16. Andrew Garfield
  17. Jennifer Garner
  18. Whoopi Goldberg
  19. Joseph Gordon-Levitt
  20. Anne Hathaway
  21. Goldie Hawn
  22. Chris Hemsworth
  23. Kate Hudson
  24. Samuel L. Jackson
  25. Angelina Jolie
  26. Michael B. Jordan
  27. Anna Kendrick
  28. Jennifer Lawrence
  29. Matthew McConaughey
  30. Ewan McGregor
  31. Bill Murray
  32. Kim Novak
  33. Tyler Perry
  34. Brad Pitt
  35. Sidney Poitier
  36. Gabourey Sidibe
  37. Will Smith
  38. Kevin Spacey
  39. Jason Sudeikis
  40. Channing Tatum
  41. Charlize Theron
  42. John Travolta
  43. Christoph Waltz
  44. Kerry Washington
  45. Emma Watson
  46. Naomi Watts

SEE ALSO: The 9 Biggest Snubs And Surprises From The Oscar Nominations

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Harold Ramis' Character In 'Ghostbusters' Would Probably Be A Tech Billionaire Today

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Harold Ramis, famous for his films such as "Ghostbusters," "Caddyshack," "Groundhog Day," and "Animal House," died today at age 69 after a battle with an autoimmune disease.

While Ramis was a director, producer, and screeenwriter, his most memorable role as an actor was as Egon Spengler in "Ghostbusters."

And given that the tech world leads, he probably would have been a billionaire. 

Unlike Venkman (Bill Murray), the mouth, and Ray (Dan Aykroyd), the dweeb, Spengler was the most brilliant guy on the unit, having engineered their incredible ghostbusting equipment.

He was also a futurist with extremely quirky hobbies.  

The following clip shows what we mean:

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It Looks Like 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' Is Changing An Iconic Comic Scene

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We have seen a lot of trailers for "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" and we still have another few months until its May release.

Sony just put out a new international trailer for the film that shows NYC getting torn apart. However, any eagle-eyed viewers will be quick to notice that it also gives away a potentially huge spoiler for the film. It appears Sony is taking liberties with altering an iconic comic book moment in Spidey history.

First, check out the trailer below:

Warning: Major potential spoilers follow:

 

 

In the new film, three new villains will join Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man: Electro (Jamie Foxx), Rhino (Paul Giamatti), and the Green Goblin (Dane DeHaan).

Fans of the comic will know Gwen Stacy (played by Emma Stone) dies during a big iconic battle between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin. A scene hinting at this very storyline has been teased throughout recent trailers, but in this latest one it appears the film may be altering that scenario.

In the The Amazing Spider-Man issue 121, the Green Goblin abducts Gwen Stacey and she gets caught in a battle between both he and Spider-Man.

Here's how it plays out:Spiderman gwen stacy death

The Green Goblin tosses Stacy off a bridge and Spider-Man thinks he saves her by using his spidey web to catch her by her legs. Unbeknownst to him, Stacy's neck snaps in the process, instantly killing her.

Here's a similar scene in the new trailer that takes place in what appears to be some sort of clock tower. Notice Stone is wearing a similar outfit to the one in the comic.

Here's the Goblin with Stone.green goblin gwen stacy the amazing spider man 2

We can see her falling dramatically through the air.gwen stacy falling the amazing spider man 2

This time when Spidey goes to save her, she catches his web!spidey saves gwen amazing spider man 2

Will Stacy live to see another sequel? 

It's a fair question to ask. Originally, Shailene Woodley was going to join this film as Mary Jane Watson — another love interest for Spidey. However, her role was cut out of the final film

For the storyline to continue, it makes sense for Stacy's character to eventually pass away.

Stone has previously hinted to Ryan Seacrest that her character's storyline will stay close to the comics.

“I think the intention the whole time has been to tell Gwen’s story has closely to the comic as possible," said Stone.

SEE ALSO: Check out another trailer for "The Amazing Spider-Man 2"

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JOB OF THE WEEK: Account Director

Hollywood Remembers Comedy Legend Harold Ramis

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Steve Carrell Harold Ramis

Veteran actor, director, producer, and screenwriter Harold Ramis died Monday in Chicago at age 69 following a battle with a rare autoimmune disease.

Ramis will forever be remembered for his work on films such as "Ghostbusters," "Caddyshack," "Groundhog Day," and "Animal House."

Hollywood has been grieving via Twitter since this morning's news of the comedy legend's death:

Ramis recently worked on "The Office," and many cast members have been expressing their condolences:

"The Office" actor B.J. Novak appeared on ABC 7 Chicago’s "Windy City Live" today and recalled working with Ramis.

“He was a very beloved member of the extended family of 'The Office,' says Novak. "He was funny and warm and slightly lazy….but he was the first to tell you that! He’s like 'I’m a little lazy, I’m going to sit in this chair and let you guys do your thing!'”

Novak continued, “He gave the most insightful suggestions. He really knew human nature very well and that’s what made him so funny. I think 'The Office' was very much in the shadow of a style that he helped pioneer in which comedy really comes from honesty and honest emotional portrayals of real people being their best and their worst.”

SEE ALSO: Harold Ramis' Character In 'Ghostbusters' Would Probably Be A Tech Billionaire Today

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Chelsea Handler Slams NY Times Article For Sexism: 'No One Puts Baby In Parentheses'

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Chelsea Handler

Chelsea Handler is furious after Bill Carter wrote an article for the New York Times about Jimmy Fallon’s “Tonight Show” and placed her existence inside parentheses.

In the article titled "Bullish On Boyish," Carter discusses how NBC hopes Jimmy Fallon will bring younger viewers to "Tonight." Chelsea Handler, host of "Chelsea Lately" on E! for the past six-plus years, is mentioned just once throughout the lengthy piece.

Even with potent competition for younger viewers all over cable, from the likes of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert on Comedy Central and Mr. O’Brien on TBS, the host NBC is clearly most concerned about is Mr. Kimmel, who is 46. (The only female host in late-night is Chelsea Handler, 38, on E!) 

Handler did not appreciate being placed inside those parentheses.

In response, the late-night host wrote an essay for The Huffington Post, titled "No One Puts Baby In Parentheses."

"I am always asked what it's like to be the only female in a so-called "boys club," she begins. "To me, it's never been about being a woman in a man's world; it's been about delivering a consistently funny and entertaining show each night."

But, she says, that all changed when "this past Sunday I was referenced in a New York Times piece about Jimmy Fallon and his taking over of the 'Tonight Show.'"

"I obviously didn't expect or want to be a focal point of the piece," she states, "What bothered me was that when I was listed in a paragraph with the late-night hosts, I was the only name put in parentheses."

"I wanted to confirm what a parenthetical suggests, so I looked up the definition. The first few definitions that came up were: incidental, subordinate in significance, minor or casual."

"The particular paragraph I was mentioned in was about the competition Jimmy faces for younger viewers," and as Handler points out, "Depending upon whose research you look at, I share the distinction of having the youngest average viewership with Colbert, 'The Daily Show' and Conan. So from a purely statistical standpoint how, in this paragraph, could I only be mentioned as an aside? Was it because I'm a woman?"

Handler explained that she wanted to speak up about the issue because "it would be a disservice to all of the hard working women in entertainment, including Joan Rivers, who was the first woman to have her own late night show. Not to mention how this minimizes the efforts of the 100+ staff members who work hard on my show every day."

At the end of the day, Handler says, "This isn't about Bill Carter. This is about being noted as a parenthetical, reaffirming what I feel has been an underlying, yet consistent inconsistency with how I am handled as the only woman in a traditionally male field."

To read Handler's full essay on The Huffington Post, click here >

SEE ALSO: Alec Baldwin Quits Public Life And NYC While Bashing Rachel Maddow, Anderson Cooper, Shia LaBeouf, And More

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Here's What The 'Today Show' Hosts Look Like Without Makeup

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The "Today Show" hosts bared all Monday in a segment called “Love Your Selfie.” 

Dubbed "No Makeup Monday," Matt Lauer, Savannah Guthrie, Natalie Morales, Al Roker, Tamron Hall, Carson Daly, Willie Geist, Hoda Kotb, and Kathie Lee Gifford all went au naturel on high-definition TV.

Matt Lauer Savannah Guthrie Natalie Morales Today Show

Kathie Lee no makeup today show hoda kotb

Kathie lee no makeup

Hoda Kotb

Matt lauer no makeup

The hosts then explained what part of themselves they are most uncomfortable with.

Matt Lauer revealed, "The hair thing bothered me for a short period of time. There was a point where I actually had too much hair, this kind of awful bouffant. And I had people make fun of me saying 'you can pick Matt out by his bald spot.'" So I woke up one day and said, 'let's cut it off.'"

Matt Lauer Today Show hair

 Savannah Guthrie admitted, "When I was younger, I didn't like that I was so tall. I actually tried to drink coffee because I heard it stunts your growth. Obviously that didn't work out for me, but now I have a life-long coffee addiction."Savannah Guthrie kid

"Weight is a big issue and I've always been heavy," said Al Roker. "As I got older, I got heavier."

Al Roker

 Natalie Morales "had a serious case of buck teeth. My smile was something I was always insecure about."

Natalie Morales

Carson Daly said "I had a big head so in high school they called me Jughead."Carson Daly

Hoda Kotb humorously revealed, "I was the kid with the crazy, frizzy hair, the stop sign glasses, and the weird name. It was the trifecta of woof."

Hoda Kotb

Kathie Lee Gifford said, "We had something in our family called 'wuggies,' that part on the top of the things that has a little too much to love."

Kathie Lee Gifford

Willie Geist "was a tall, scrawny kid. When I hit puberty I looked exactly like Anthony Michael Hall in 'Sixteen Candles.'"

Willie Geist

New "Today" host Tamron Hall says, "I had braces for six years! Kids would call me 'big teeth' or 'rabbit teeth.'"

Tamron

Watch the full "revealing" segment below:

SEE ALSO: 'Dallas Buyers Club' Nominated For Makeup Oscar Despite $250 Budget

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HOUSE OF THE DAY: Inside the $45 Million Aspen Mansion Where Rihanna Celebrated Her 26th Birthday

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rihanna 26th birthday Aspen Cabin

Grammy award-winning singer Rihanna recently celebrated her birthday at a gorgeous $45 million mansion in Aspen, according to real estate website Trulia.

The home — which is currently on the market with Aspen Homes Realty Group— is within walking distance of downtown Aspen with ski access to Aspen Mountain.

The singer posted ample pictures of herself on Instagram enjoying the slopes, as well as partying at the 18,750-square-foot cabin, which has a pool, movie theater, bowling alley, and seven bedrooms.

The open-air style home is perfect for entertaining, with a 40-foot-high foyer entrance, 5 car turntable garage, and even private elevator access to the master suite.

And if Rihanna's snaps of the weekend are any indication, she had a great time turning 26.

Welcome to 1011 Ute Avenue in Aspen, Colorado — the $45 million mansion where Rihanna celebrated her 26th birthday.

Source: Aspen Homes Realty Group



The home sits on .75 acres in CO, and is the perfect place for entertaining.

Source: Aspen Homes Realty Group



It has ski access to Aspen Mountain, which Rihanna took ample advantage of.

Source: Aspen Homes Realty Group



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These Are The States That Care The Most And Least About The Oscars [MAP]

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Jennifer Lawrence Anne Hathaway Oscars

The Oscars are this Sunday and while we can’t wait for them in New York, the entire country isn't as psyched for the upcoming ceremony.

Outbrain, a content recommendation engine, compiled which states care the most and least about the Academy Awards.  

To do this, Outbrain tracked 36,636 different stories with the word “Oscar” or “Academy Award” in its headline between January 16 and February 16. They then calculated the percentage of each state’s total page views on those stories. 

According to their findings, people in large metropolitan areas — New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. — have the most interest in Oscars. It should come as little surprise that both California and New York are at the top of the list. According to Outbrain’s data, West Virginia and North Dakota care the least about the awards’ ceremony. 

Check it out the map along with a full ranking below:

people who care about oscars most map

states that care most least about oscars

SEE ALSO: The most powerful people in Hollywood

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Seth Meyers' First 'Late Night' Monologue Tackles Olympics, Taco Bell, And Jimmy Fallon

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Seth Meyers opened his first monologue as host of “Late Night” on Monday by thanking his predecessor and pal, Jimmy Fallon.

In a Fallon-like "Thank You Notes" segment, Meyers wrote a letter aloud, saying, "Thank you, Jimmy Fallon, for taking over 'The Tonight Show' at 11:30, so I could take over 'Late Night' at 12:30. I promise to treat it with respect and dignity, and to only use it to do completely original comedy pieces...Starting now."

Meyers then tackled jokes about Toronto "Crack Mayor" Rob Ford, not being able to change his wife's flat tire, the new Taco Bell breakfast menu, and the Olympics.

Meyers joked about Sochi, saying, "The Olympics are over, so for the next four years, if you go skiing with a rifle on your back, you're just a crazy person." As for the new Taco Bell breakfast menu items, he says they are "perfect for those occasions when you wake up drunk." 

Meyers then introduced his former "Saturday Night Live" co-star and new "Late Night" bandleader, Fred Armisen.

Watch Meyers' first-ever "Late Night" monologue below: 


SEE ALSO: Amy Poehler And Joe Biden Get Goofy As Seth Meyers' First 'Late Night' Guests

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Netflix Employees Mock Amazon With 'Drone To Home' Parody Video

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Last fall, Amazon announced that it would be experimenting with drones that could deliver anything that you ordered to your door in thirty minutes or less. 

After the announcement, a bunch of parodies popped out of the woodwork from the likes of Groupon and  redpepperlab. This new one might be our favorite so far.

Engadget reports that the video was created by a couple of Netflix employees for the DVD division's annual meeting, and it hilariously describes Netflix's "new plan" to deliver you DVDs seconds after you order them. 

Check it out:  

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Amy Poehler And Joe Biden Get Goofy As Seth Meyers' First 'Late Night' Guests

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Amy Poehler Joe Biden Seth Meyers

Amy Poehler appeared on "Late Night" on Monday as new host Seth Meyers' very first guest.

The two, who started in the same class together at "Saturday Night Live" in 2001 and went on to co-anchor "Weekend Update," were instantly at ease.

Poehler says of those early years on "SNL": "That was before I fixed my teeth! All my teeth are fake now. I pulled them all out and I got new ones." Meyers jokingly responded, "Oh yeah, I remember that! There was that one year at SNL where you had no teeth." 

Poehler then addressed her other "SNL" co-star and new "Late Night" bandleader Fred Armisen, with whom there was clearly tension.

"It's hard sometimes to be friends after being very turbulent lovers," Poehler joked.

Poehler then addressed her current prank war with George Clooney that started when she jabbed him while hosting the Golden Globes.

"I want to use your show to waive the white flag, I surrender," Poehler pleaded, "because Clooney is the master prankster and I want to say something to him that no woman has ever said, 'George, please stop.'"

Meyers' second guest was Vice President and "Parks And Recreation" guest star, Joe Biden, who he mocked for making funny faces during the last State of the Union.

When Meyers asked the politician about his plans for 2016, Biden replied, "I was planning on making a major announcement tonight, but I decided tonight's your night. So, I hope you'll invite me back."


SEE ALSO: Seth Meyers' First 'Late Night' Monologue Tackles Olympics, Taco Bell, And Jimmy Fallon

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Obama Makes 'Caddyshack' Joke During Harold Ramis Tribute

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Obama Bill O'Reilly

Both President Obama and the late comedy legend Harold Ramis have deep roots in Chicago, so the "Ghostbusters" writer-actor's death yesterday hit the POTUS especially deep.

In a statement released through the White House on Tuesday morning, Obama said:

“Michelle and I were saddened to hear of the passing of Harold Ramis, one of America’s greatest satirists, and like so many other comedic geniuses, a proud product of Chicago’s Second City. When we watched his movies – from ‘Animal House’ and ‘Caddyshack’ to ‘Ghostbusters’ and ‘Groundhog Day’ – we didn’t just laugh until it hurt. We questioned authority. We identified with the outsider. We rooted for the underdog. And through it all, we never lost our faith in happy endings. Our thoughts and prayers are with Harold’s wife, Erica, his children and grandchildren, and all those who loved him, who quote his work with abandon, and who hope that he received total consciousness.”

Harold RamisThe last line is a nod to Bill Murray’s famous remarks in “Caddyshack,” which Ramis wrote and directed.

In case you forgot, here's the line:

Carl: And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know?" And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness." So I got that goin' for me, which is nice.

The character "Carl," who says the line, was played by Bill Murray, who worked with Ramis on six projects and released a statement yesterday following his death:

“Harold Ramis and I together did the National Lampoon Show off Broadway, MeatballsStripes, Caddyshack, Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day. He earned his keep on this planet. God bless him.”

Director Judd Apatow, too, released especially touching condolences:

“Harold Ramis made almost every movie which made me want to become a comedy director. I interviewed him when I was 16 years old for my high school radio station and he could not have been more gracious and hilarious. I looked up to him as a director but even more so as a man. We hired him to play Seth’s father in ‘Knocked Up’ because we all saw him as the dream dad – funny, warm and wise. Harold was one of the nicest people I have ever met and he inspired countless people to go into comedy. His brilliant work will make people happy forever.”

Remember Ramis' incredible career below:

SEE ALSO: More of Hollywood remembers comedy legend Harold Ramis

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We Finally Figured Out How To Pay Less For Cable TV


Here's What's Inside The 'Gravity' Blu-Ray Combo Pack

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gravity sandra bullock

Oscar-nominated "Gravity" is out on Blu-Ray and DVD today ahead of the Academy Awards Sunday.

We were able to get an early copy of the film and check out the special features. 

It took director Alfonso Cuarón four years to bring the movie starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney to screen. 

Basically anything you want to know about the making of the movie is included in the Blu-Ray features. You get to see the lightbox where Bullock spent up to 11 hours a day filming and much of the previsualization shots used to set the film in motion. You also have the option to watch the film in a silent space version.

Here are the special features found on the Blu-Ray disc:gravity special features

BEHIND THE SCENES

It Began With A Story — How "Gravity" was adapted to the big screen from Alfonso Curaon and Jonas Cuaron's screenplay. It's worth noting the original screenplay was titled "A Space Suspense in 3D," but that the entire film as you see it was all in the original script.

Initial Challenges— The difficult hurdles the crew had to overcome to create the feel of zero gravity to make the film look real and to get all of the long shots in the movie. They used real footage of the moon landing for inspiration of long shots. 

Previsualizing Gravity— Everything except the faces in the film are CGI. This clip shows how British visual effects company Framestore spent 10 months mapping the entire film out in CGI before filming began. 

Here's a video of some of the effects Framestore put in place:

The Hues of Space— How Framestore spent about four months lighting the entire movie making people's faces, space suits, space stations, and the earth look realistic.

Physical Weightlessness — How production achieved the appearance of zero gravity with the use of rigs and how Sandra Bullock worked out six days a week, two hours per day to physically maneuver through the many rigs.

Space Tech — A look at the real space props, including space suits, used to inspire and design the ones used in the film.

sandy's cage gravitySandra and George: A Pair in Space — You get to see visuals of Clooney and Bullock interacting on set. Clooney goofing around during filming is absolutely priceless.

Final animation — The grueling process of editing and re-editing the film during previsualization including how small props from nuts and bolts, cloth, and space shuttles were added into the film.

Complete Silence — Of course, there's no sound in space. However, director Alfonso Cuarón figured the movie would alienate the audience without any noise. Sound was added though touch in the film in addition to music and the sound of Sandra Bullock's breathing. Some of the best sounds in the film came from wine glasses. 

SHOT BREAKDOWNS

Behind the visor — How they made the visors on the astronaut's helmets look real on screen.
The three features — Fire in the International Space Station, Dr. Stone's Rebirth, and Splashdown — show how those individual sequences were made.
The Sound of Action in Space 
is reminiscent of the "Complete Silence" behind-the-scenes feature.

COLLISION POINT: THE RACE TO CLEAN UP SPACE
The 20-minute documentary narrated by Ed Harris — who also voices mission control in the film — explains the phenomena shown in the film known as The Kessler Effect. The theory predicts a giant domino effect would occur if space debris began colliding. After a while it begins to sound like a PSA for cleaning space; however, it's a really in depth look at a very real problem you probably didn't know existed.

ANINGAAQ
Remember the scene in "Gravity" where Sandra Bullock was speaking to a man with a baby and dogs? You can watch the entire scene from his perspective in a short from Alfonso Cuarón's son, Jonás.

According to Jonás, the entire 7-minute short took two days to shoot in Greenland.

The short was released online last year. You can check it out below.

SEE ALSO: The states that care the most and least about the Oscars

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'American Idol' Will Lose Money For First Time Ever Thanks To Stars' Ridiculous Salaries

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Jennifer Lopez Ryan Seacrest Randy Jackson American Idol

"American Idol" has been one of the most successful reality competition shows of all time  until now.

The show that once made billions of dollars in profits will actually lose money in its current 13th season, multiple sources connected with the show tell TMZ.

The projected  losses are a result of sky-high salaries and decreased ratings. This week, the Olympics pushed "Idol" ratings to a record low with 9.2 million viewers.

Here's a breakdown of the show's massive current costs, per TMZ:

  • Judge Jennifer Lopez's salary: North of $15 million. (MailOnline reports Lopez made $17.5 million deal to return to her judge post a third season. She is considered the bigger star on the judges panel which also includes singers Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr.)
  • Host Ryan Seacrest's salary: North of $15 million
  • New set: Between $5 and $7 million
  • Viewer phone calls: $5 million
  • They are also still paying the salaries of two executive producers who were fired last season.

And with ratings down 26% from last season, so are advertising dollars.

Yet despite the financial loss, don't expect "Idol" to be axed from the airwaves anytime soon.

TMZ reports the show will be back for a 14th season next year thanks to Simon Cowell's other baby, "X Factor," getting cancelled — leaving plenty of Fox airtime for "Idol."

SEE ALSO: Networks, Netflix, And What Makes 'House Of Cards' A 'Hit' Show In Today's TV Landscape

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Here's What The Inside Of An Oscar Envelope Looks Like

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natalie portman 2012 Oscars

When the 86th Academy Awards air this Sunday, you’ll tune in to watch presenters tear open 24 little envelopes to deliver the night’s Oscar trophies.  

While we only get to see the outside of a golden envelope, presenters get to see much more than just a winner's name.

The envelope and inside nominee card were simply cream up until four years ago when the Academy hired Marc Friedland, CEO of Couture Communications, to liven up the stationery.

Since then, the winner's names are housed inside a golden envelope. We spoke with Friedland to find out more about the creation of the envelopes.

3 sets of 24 envelopes and 121 nominee cards will be made for this year’s Academy Awards.



Here's how we'll see the envelope Oscar night.



And here are what this year's award envelopes will look like from presenters' points-of-view:



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Bryan Cranston Is Amazing In The New 'Godzilla' Trailer

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Warner Bros. and Legendary just released the second trailer for "Godzilla" and it's absolutely amazing — but not for the reason you think.

While we finally get our first look at monster head on, it's the harrowing voiceover of Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad") narrating the entire trailer that has us excited.

Elizabeth Olsen, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ken Watanabe also star.

"Godzilla" storms into theaters May 16.

Here's your first view of the monster head on:godzilla reboot monstergodzilla monstergodzilla reboot monster

SEE ALSO: This is what movies look without visual effects

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Here's Every State's Favorite Band

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Paul Lamere is the director of developer platform for The Echo Nest, a group that calls itself a "music intelligence company" for major music firms.

In his latest study, Lamere calculated the relative number of streams for a given artist for all 50 states, using a database of his clients' users.

The result: A map showing each which artist enjoys the most outsized support in each state. To be clear, these aren't necessarily the most-listened to bands in each state, but rather the bands that have unusually high support in each state. So for example, Vermonters skew more toward Phish more than other Americans do, and Texans are bigger George Strait fans than anyone else. (Via Digital Music News)

distinctive_artist_map1 (2)

His model also allows users to comparing two states' favorites.

Here's New York vs. California:

state listening habitsAnd California vs. New York:

state listening habits


NOW WATCH: These Maps Prove Americans Speak Totally Different Versions Of The English Language

 

SEE ALSO: The Most Powerful Person In Hollywood At Every Age

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