The film will open in theaters on Friday, April 20th, launching day and date with all VOD and digital platforms.

VH1 has come onboard to license the first TV Window of the film as part of their Emmy-Award winning VH1 Rock Doc franchise and will work with Magnolia and the filmmakers to promote the film across their music lover channel.

Made with the unprecedented support of the Marley family, MARLEY is the first film to tell the definitive life story of the musician, revolutionary, and legend, from his earliest days to his rise to international superstardom. Along with an incredible soundtrack, the film features rare footage, archival photos, and incredible performances and interviews with his family, friends, and bandmates – the people that knew him best. The film is sure to be a revelation to Bob Marley fans, of which there are many (the triple-platinum artist has nearly 35 million fans on his Facebook page alone), and newcomers alike.

“Bob Marley is a fascinating, towering figure in musical history, and MARLEY is the biography that he deserves,” said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles. “Kevin Macdonald has once again shown himself to be a master documentarian with this eye-opening, entertaining, beautifully crafted film.”

“This documentary is the ultimate revelation of my father’s life,” said Executive Producer Ziggy Marley. “The family is proud to be able to have the world finally experience this emotional journey.”

The deal was negotiated for Magnolia by SVP of Acquisitions Dori Begley and Head of Business Affairs Chris Matson and for VH1 by Ben Zurier and Brad Abramson with Liesl Copland of WME Global on behalf of the filmmakers.

The downfall of Megaupload has opened up another debate about the copying and sharing of files in the face of legislation like SOPA and other initiatives.

While Hollywood and most of the entertainment world will rightfully want a solution to stop digital piracy, legislation currently does not exist that stringently takes down offending websites. However, the problem with taking action against sites that are violating copyright is that there are many users who use these services for legitimate use. What happens when sites like Megaupload get taken offline for good? As we can see in today’s report via AP, the 150 million + members of Megaupload would appear to have no choice in the matter as to what happens to their data. This intellectual property, created individually or in groups has been transferred through the website, and stored remotely.

Now that Megaupload is shut down, the data centres storing user files (Carpathia Hosting and Cogent Communications Group) may decide to delete legitimate content. This poses a problem for legislation because if web users are duped into using a service that has illegal content, would it not be wise to allow a recovery process for data that is legitimate, stored by 3rd parties?

It is clear that web legislation is still in its early days, and from what we’ve seen so far, it is fundamentally flawed. There are so many aspects of content, intellectual property rights and freedom of information that finding the right balance to suit all parties will not be easy. At least those who created unique digital content on Megaupload should be given the chance to take back their data.

Earlier this month George Lucas revealed the shocking truth about how it took him 23 years to get his movie ‘Red Tails’ made because no one would fund an “all Black cast”. While the debate has reached every film magazine, journal, and all those working in the industry, it leaves the question : “Is Hollywood too white?”

It is true that a minority of successful actors in the business are African Americans, and Hollywood movies are dominated by white protagonists. Is there a lack of diversity at the cinema, or is it a fact that the African American cinema going audience is just not bringing enough returns for producers? What about Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Eddie Murphy or Will Smith? These are some of the most inspiring people in the business and they surely have a huge fan base, not just African Americans. So why should there not be an audience for ‘Red Tails’?

The story behind the making of ‘Red Tails’ seems to be more relevant to people today than the movie itself, set in WW2. While Lucas’ epic highlights these courageous airmen who were part of the American war machine back in the day, will we ever see a blockbuster of this type again with a leading Black cast? Is Lucas really the first, and last producer to make this happen? I hope not. Hollywood for me would not be the same without African American actors.

Red Tails Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpA6TC0T_Lw

There has been much talk of websites shutting down in response to the SOPA Bill (anti-piracy legislation), but amidst the outcry, the entertainment industry will become a much stronger union thanks to this opposition.

It is to go without saying that the SOPA bill and the protect IP act (PIPA) have fundamental issues that go against the principles of freedom, and it is unfortunate that their elements cannot be refined to address these important issues that are the founding blocks of the web. How we surf and our freedom to navigate is at the heart of this anti-SOPA movement, but we must not forget the real issue is that of digital piracy, and the theft of people’s work. There are over 2 million employees in the American entertainment industry. Each person has a vested interest in knowing that protections exist in the 21st century to prevent piracy, which affects jobs, and takes away revenues from hard working people. They deserve that respect, and I would expect these safeguards in any other industry. Having that protection is after all one of the main values of society we live in, and should be respected by all parties.

The SOPA Bill doesn’t just affect Americans as it has repercussions abroad, and also within the wider entertainment industry. It’s a message that the web has become so interconnected, that all industries are somewhat affected by legislative decisions, and therefore it is far reaching across the entire web, as we have seen these past few days. There is a growing trend that people are far more united because of the web, so the voices we hear today that go against the SOPA legislation Bill are just, and should be heard. However those for it should not be forgotten, because their arguments are just as valid, as the Bill’s intentions are not to punish ordinary web users, but to protect and remove offenders exploiting the work of others.

I do feel that this movement is a wake up call to the entertainment industry, from Hollywood studios to the MPAA that the issue of anti-piracy goes far beyond our industry. Whilst many if not everyone in the business will be for an anti-piracy legislation, this process is far from over. The SOPA Bill is just the beginning of awareness, and thanks to this movement against it, more people than ever before will learn to understand its implications. This in turn will make it so much more important and valued, so that the day an anti-piracy law is passed, it will fundamentally re-create the rules of the web, in the interest of all.

The ‘No Pants Subway ride’ features thousands of people who collectively took off their pants in major cities around the world to mark the 11th Annual No Pants Subway ride. While the cultural phenomenon may seem bizarre to many, the video has certainly caught the attention of the web, passing 4 million views in just 72 hours. That’s more viral than Rihanna videos which don’t get more than 1 million views a day at their most viral.

Created by Improveverywhere, the video features a montage of people in their undies (men and women) getting onto metros in New York.

Cultural videos that involve large groups of people tend to go viral very quickly as participants share it with their friends and family (if they dare). This then gets picked up by more people, and hence the video gets a lot of shares. However this particular video is a catchy, in your face, type message, that shows how people can have a good laugh if they get together to do something daring. It deserves a big thumbs up for entertainment value alone and the guys behind it have done a superb job in capturing this

No Pants Subway video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF9FM6KqCu4

Even getting into the nomination categories before the official nominations are out is a big deal, because it can generate a huge buzz around relatively obscure films.

Filmmakers currently in production looking to enter their films into major festivals should consider the Oscars before they even get up in the morning to head to the set. Why aim for 2nd, 3rd, or 4th place at an indie Festival, when Oscar glory will do? The filmmakers that do choose to start with this mindset are far better placed to make their films as good as possible and get into many festivals. (This is not to say that Indie film festivals are not credible, which they very much are. You should also submit to them without a doubt.)

There is however the argument that simply aiming for an Oscar defies the purpose of making a movie, but it’s the idea of what the Oscars represent that I think is more important. For me the Oscars represent recognition at the highest level from a professional stand-point. There is nothing better than getting votes from industry members about the quality of your film technically, and from the viewpoint of performances and storytelling. It’s the voice of Academy members in numbers that decide the winning or losing fate of each film, and it’s credible despite the gossip side of the press that fabricates theories ahead of the show for your entertainment.

Moving on, if you are heading into film production in 2012, consider a 2013 Oscars submission because you never know what chances that will bring you. Just to get in a nomination category is already a gift, and it will propel you to make better films, and refine your storytelling. Think big, and you will earn big.

Gene Hackman in 'The Conversation'

Technology this year is bringing our world closer together. The filmmaker in Detroit has just as much chance to succeed as the actor in Berlin. What sets these two individuals apart is geography and culture. Both countries have two different markets, languages and job rules. However, the ‘globalisation’ of technology means that Detroit filmmakers and Berlin based actors can access the same knowledge, gain the same advantage, and become better at what they do at the same speed.

It’s no longer a good excuse to blame a lack of resources for not being able to learn the skills needed to become better, or greater at something. There is so much information out there, you can learn the skill by taking online courses, learning from the success of others, and getting the best reading material for your specific skillset.

When you consider the wealth of information available to us, there are infinite opportunities to seek a way to earn a living, and not just based on the current rules of your local film community or even local jobs. 2012 will be the year to forge closer relationships with people around the world in this spirit.

I couldn’t get to where I am without teaming up with people thousands of miles away. It’s not just on a personal level, but a professional one too. The whole concept of the web makes us very close, and I wish for you to seek out those impossible answers from people that might even be 10,000 miles away.

So to the indie filmmaker, the struggling actor, or the seasoned pro, if you are lacking initiative, a job, or motivation, look to the web to find new skills, new opportunities. Even start a business with your unique skills and export them abroad. Anything is possible and I hope this encourages you to do it right now, this second, this instant.

Harrison Ford in 'Cowboys and Aliens'

Reviewing some of the Box Office flops, a lot of the worst performing titles for studios in 2011 had a pre-existing ‘character’ history or similarities to other movies we’ve already seen. ‘Cowboys & Aliens’ starring Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford tied two leading men in a the kind of ‘Alien Vs Predator’ style remix of the wild west meets Men in Black. It looks catchy as a one liner, but we’ve seen Indiana Jones trilogy, and Men in Black 1 and 2, and well, this just felt like a combination of other movies.

Schwarzenegger guaranteed controversy when he revealed he had fathered a love child, but this was not enough to resurrect a movie starring Jason Momoa entitled ‘Conan the Barbarian’. It was obvious that this movie didn’t need to be seen. Fans of Schwarzenegger would have unlikely flocked to support a Schwarzeneggerless muscle bound hero with zero cult classic status, in a movie that even diehard Arnie fans will have practically forgotten. 10 years too late in my view and why not Patrick Schwarzenegger?

Universal’s announcement to remake ‘The Thing’ was a big disappointment. Not only was the Kurt Russell original an absolute classic, but remaking it to fit a modern audience didn’t add significant desire for fans to go back and ‘watch it again in a whole new setting’.

Johnny Depp‘s unstoppable box office power with Pirates of The Caribbean 4 was essentially demolished when ‘The Rum Diary’ hit theatres in late October. It showed promise but in truth Hunter S Thompson’s already well known character in this movie didn’t enthuse fans to head to theatres. ‘Fear And Loathing in Las Vegas’ was a classic, and a hugely enjoyable movie, but we’ve had enough of cocaine, alcohol fuelled characters with absurd one-liners.

Each of these movies had a past, with characters we’ve already seen, concepts and genres already cross mixed, and remakes not enticing enough for fans of original movies to care.

It would seem that franchise fatigue has transitioned into ‘character fatigue’ and similar stories we’ve seen time and time again have made a string of movies fail in 2011. Studios are struggling to come up with new concepts, new scripts, original movies. Sequels are far too high in number, and there seems to be in my view ,a lack of investment in new writing talent. It’s inevitable that if the quality of your product continues to fall, so will the demand of it’s audience.

It’s a wake up call, for studios and the industry as a whole. Film quality has to go up. We need a new golden age for storytelling, with character’s we’ve not seen before. 3D should not be used as a concept either to make money. Special effects are losing their novelty, and story must come first.

For filmmakers, the process of film production will evolve, HD costs will continue to fall, and editing innovation will go up. Studios may find themselves competing this year for originality as a new generation of 3D animators and graphic designers create exceptional imagery from the comfort of their own homes.

The idea of low budget and high production values exists, but until now distribution has lagged behind. Animation is really a booming business, and 3D will fuel the rise in it’s demand once the bumps have been ironed out and the standards increase. What will be important for filmmakers is to stay original and not to get sidetracked by silly green screen style movies with poor stories despite good visual aesthetics.

The power of short films in 2012 will also go up as we see sites like Vimeo giving a voice to independent filmmakers. It is really the era for film producers to get their creations seen and to bridge the gap between traditional distribution and online distribution. Will we see the rise of indie films at the cinema? It’s not impossible given that the tools available to the studios are now virtually accessible from the comfort of the home. Expect to see the power of films go up as digital distribution takes the format to new heights this year.

Christian Bale will be in his final outing as Batman along with Christopher Nolan directing. There is a lot of anticipation that it could be the last ‘ever’ Batman film we see, but that is highly unlikely. The Batman movies have been incredibly successful and beyond 2012 it will be interesting to see where producers take off from ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ in the future. Just like the Star Trek reboot, Batman is never over until they say it is.

As for MIB 3, Will Smith and Tommy Lee jones make a comeback after nearly a decade off screen together. MIB 2 was a huge success but a critical flop. I have to say it was not a fun ride compared to the original, but where they went wrong in the second, may change in the 3rd. The casting for MIB 3 includes Josh Brolin and X factor judge Nicole Scherzinger. Is this a good or a bad thing?

For The Dark Knight Rises, we can only anticipate the coming of supervillain ‘Bane’ will be one of the most memorable bad guys of the year. Let’s see how this ends.

MIB 3 Trailer

The Dark Knight Rises Trailer

The sequel to popular ‘Star Trek’ directed by J.J. Abrams will begin shooting in 3D this month, and fans of the franchise couldn’t be more excited.

When ‘Star Trek’ hit theatres in 2009 it was a refreshing, and completely re-vitalized adaptation of the Star Trek universe. It kept die-hard fans content and proved to be even more tantalizing for sci-fi fans who love an adventure movie in space. Paramount made all the right decisions, and included original Star Trek series Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and new characters, which were all introduced cleverly into the 2009 hit.

The hype has been huge for another Star Trek movie but Abrams didn’t want to rush a sequel as he had other projects in the pipeline, most recently directing ‘super 8’. Whether the Star Trek sequel will match the stakes of the previous one is yet to be seen but after giving new life, to an edgier young captain Kirk, it’s fair to see we hope our new hero will face even stronger challenges in the universe.

Final Cut Pro X was released to cater to semi-professional content creators and consumers looking for an easy to use tool to edit their videos. It’s no secret that short films and viral videos have become a big thing, and it was inevitable that Apple would have to make a product for this gap in the market, but we didn’t expect to see such a radical change.

Editors who invested thousands in Final Cut Pro 7 and editing suites built on that framework were resoundingly furious. Would there be any support for Final Cut Studio in the future? Eventually Apple put back the old Final Cut Pro for sale, and would support it with the latest plugins, but what about the future of editing?

Some editors called Final Cut Pro X “Apple’s Windows Movie Maker” with more features but in the end, editors will have to either switch to AVID, grumble and moan with Final Cut Studio as it gets phased out in a few years, or buy a much cheaper (but far less professional looking) Final Cut Pro X.

Have you got Final Cut Pro X? What do you think of it’s features and usability? Did Apple make a mistake this year?

Digital marketing in the web space is of paramount importance as we move into the New Year, and what filmmakers must understand is that they have the capabilities to use the power of the web to their advantage.

There are many websites out there streaming digital content, which are all accessible, including rev shares, content syndication schemes, without forgetting the power of blogs. I am not going to put an exhaustive list of examples in this article, but what I am going to reveal to you is just the kind of attitude you should adopt to really push your films out there.

For indie filmmakers, and even actors who have participated in low budget movies, you can further boost the success of films by understanding the concept of digital marketing. Viewership is a great performance indicator of success, particularly with engagement on Youtube but promoting videos on a wide variety of outlets including Vimeo should be a priority. Many Film festivals and most, if not all TV distributors, won’t accept that you put your film’s online, but you can put up trailers, and previews of your content. Don’t let yourself do 10% of the work when the other 90% is what really matters.

It’s so easy to create video content, so get creative, don’t just think about your movie, think about it’s shelf life online. Go beyond the call of the movie and reach out to the people that will become your biggest fans time and time again.

Meryl Streep in 'The Iron Lady'

Meryl Streep interprets one of Britain’s most iconic leaders, who not only defied history and became the first female leader in the western world, but she also overcame prejudice and isolation with her determination to get things done. Dubbed as ‘The Iron Lady’, Thatcher had extraordinary charisma and faced many challenges during her time in power including the 1982 war with Argentina and the Miner’s strike which guaranteed till this day that no Conservative government could ever again have power in Scotland.

Despite the turbulent history and the difficulty the UK faced in the late 70s and early 80s, Thatcher is a symbol of defiance in an otherwise male dominated world. She has inspired many of today’s world leaders, and without her success story it is far less likely that other women would be as encouraged to seek power today.

‘The Iron Lady’ stars Jim Broadbennt, Iain Glen, Richard E. Grant and Roger Alum and will be released nationwide (US) 13th January.

The Iron Lady Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDiCFY2zsfc

The Arab Spring has been one of the fastest moving phenomenons we have ssen ths year, and countless videos have surfaced on the web showing a popular uprising that continues even to this day.

I recently discovered a very interesting interpration of the Arab Spring created using motion graphics. This is nothing politically motivated, nor does it feature any protests, riots, or people versus regimes, but an abstract visualization of the Arab Spring’s meaning.

The Middle East will take centre stage in 2012, particularly because of its emerging Film Industry and it will be interesting to see how the Arab Spring is represented in film over the coming decade. Take a look at Australian filmmaker Raoul Mark’s latest creation which includes an atmospheric build up using sound effects and motion graphics to illustrate the symbolism behind the Arab Spring.

The Arab Spring by Marx