Clerkenwell, BBC America ink pact

LONDON -- U.K. shingle Clerkenwell Films is to develop content for BBC America as the cable net beefs up original production. The non-exclusive deal involves funding potential projects over what BBC America's owner, BBC Worldwide, indicated was an 18-month period. BBC Worldwide said the initiative is aimed at conceiving series that will resonate with BBC America's audience. Additionally, Worldwide will seek co-production partners for commissioned shows. BBC America's first original scripted show -- period crime saga "Copper" from Cineflix Studios -- was announced in June.BBC America's general manager Perry Simon said: "Moving into original production is a big step for BBC America, and one that we hope can bring interesting new opportunities for U.K. indies."To stand out in this hugely competitive market we need access to the most creative talents and original shows in the world." Clerkenwell specializes in drama, and enjoyed a U.K. hit with "Misfits," which was commissioned for youth-skewed web E4, and won a BAFTA for best drama series. The show focuses on a group of teen offenders who gain super powers following a freak electrical storm.There has been a lot of speculation regarding a U.S. version of "Misfits," including reports that ABC is close to green lighting a U.S. adaptation. Clerkenwell's CEO Murray Ferguson added: "Having the chance to kick-start the development of shows that we know from the outset are targeted at a global audience is a really invigorating prospect." Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

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Eastbound & Down's Danny McBride Is really a Father!

Danny McBride Danny McBride and the wife, Gia, welcomed their first child, People reviews. Boy Declan George was created Monday, Sept. 26 in La, Calif. "Mother and boy (and father) do great," his repetition told playboy. Take a look at our fall preview for art galleries, scoop, premiere calendars and much more! McBride, 34, and Gia married in October 2010. McBride will next be observed in the 3rd season of baseball comedy Eastbound & Lower, which 35mm slides into Cinemax this The month of january.

Drafthouse snags rights to 'Comin at Ya! 3D'

Drafthouse Films, the film distribution arm of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, has acquired North American rights to "Comin at Ya! 3D" following the premiere of the restored film at Fantastic Fest. Drafthouse announced Thursday that it would re-release "Comin at Ya! 3D" next year. The original film -- replete with flying arrows and lunging snakes -- was released in 1981 as the first-ever 3D spaghetti Western, by co-writer/producer/star Tony Anthony and Italian genre director Fernando Baldi. "We felt that Drafthouse Films, with their young and aggressive leadership, combined with a new model for 3D distribution, gave us the best chance to reach both longtime fans of the film and new audiences," Anthony said. Drafthouse Films launched a year ago with Chris Morris' comedy "Four Lions." Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

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Trammell joins 'Long Time Gone'

Sam Trammell of "True Blood" has joined the cast of indie drama "Long Time Gone" opposite Virginia Madsen and Anthony LaPaglia.Smokewood Entertainment is producing "Long Time Gone," with co-founder and producer Sarah Siegel-Magness ("Precious") making her directorial debut.Production began Sept. 12 in Los Angeles. Trammell began work Monday."Long Time Gone" also stars Zach Gilford, Amanda Crew and newcomer Graham Rogers. Karen McCullah ("The Ugly Truth") wrote the screenplay based upon April Stevens' novel "Angel, Angel."The story follows a broken family who must cope when the husband (played by LaPaglia) leaves his wife, (played by Madsen) for another woman. Their sons have no idea what to do when their mother refuses to come out of her bedroom for days on end which turns into weeks.Trammell plays an easy-going landscaper who hires one of the sons as a day laborer and befriends his distraught mother.Bobbi Sue Luther, Gary Magness ("Precious") and screenwriter McCullah are producing. Andrew Sugerman and Seth Jaret are executive producing.Shooting will continue until Oct. 25. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

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China to likely bring 'Flowers' to Oscar

SHANGHAI - Zhang Yimou's WW2 epic "Flowers of War," which stars Christian Bale, looks set being China's entry for your foreign-language Oscar, as Ann Hui's "A Simple Existence" will probably be Hong Kong's entry for your award.Liu Chun, a spox for your worldwide part of China's Film Bureau, mentioned the best decision might be made on Friday, but "Flowers," formerly titled "Heroes of Nanjing" and China's most pricey movie ever getting a financial budget of $93 million, was really the only candidate to represent China inside the category.Pic handles the Rape of Nanking, the massacre that adopted the invasion of China's war time capital, now referred to as Nanjing, on 12 ,. 13, 1937.The pic will screen for just about any week from Sept. 24 to fulfill the Oscar screening requrirements.The "Boost the Red-colored-colored Lantern" and "Red-colored-colored Sorghum" helmer is wanting that "Flowers" will open china biz overseas."A Simple Existence," which acquired kudos within the Venice Worldwide Film Festival, remains selected as Hong Kong's contender for your foreign-language Oscar.Hui's film features Andy Lau just like a film producer, and veteran thesp Deanie Ip acquired Venice's Coppa Volpi for top actress on her behalf role inside the pic."A Simple Existence" may also be acquiring a small theatrical release to fulfill the Oscar needs. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Emmys where it begins for your TV biz

The big syndie deal for Modern Family, which won large within the Emmys, has aided fuel trading within the broadcasts nets. One of several versions involving the Oscars as well as the Emmys might be the timing in the ceremony concerning the industry's work cycles.The Academy awards mark the culmination of filmdom's difficult honours-season gantlet, however, if it's all regulated controlled over, bizzers can generally relax, no less than for some time. For your TV troops, the Emmy Honours come at the outset of the race -- not only while using onslaught of fall series premieres however the chase for warm development characteristics for the next season.This year, there is no resting following a Emmys since the nets dive in to a shootout including greater than 24 new series preems through the following day or two (which doesn't even count midseason). As well as the development derby is on the strong and competitive start. Numerous projects have showed up substantial obligations, including some from authors who haven't yet showed up at boldface title status.Industry affiliates say there's plenty of battling between NBC and ABC particularly going after the identical projects, an engaged that has aided bid in the industry for everyone (for the delight of tenpercenters). Fueling the largess within the systems might be the rebound inside the distribution market as evidenced with the megabucks deals commanded by Emmy darling "Modern Family" and "The Big Bang Theory," additionally to such dramas as "Hawaii Five-" and "Castle."The selling season got on a bit of the late start since the creative community anxiously anxiously waited for Bob Greenblatt's new team to organize -- Jennifer Salke at NBC Entertainment and Bela Bajaria at Universal TV. Greenblatt and also the lieutenants bring a good amount of strong associations inside the creative community. There are many goodwill around toward the completely new regime, and you'll find plenty of people depending around the extended-term upside of helping them begin the primetime turnaround within the Peacock.Once the selling season got going, it absolutely was as if pitches and spec scripts and remake/reboot concepts were shot from the cannon. Extended gone might be the protocol of drama pitches going first then comedy. Now it seems being everything at one time, as well as the selling craze is not limited to tv producers. TNT, USA, Lifetime, Foreign exchange together with other cablers are actually busy getting scripts and greenlighting aircraft aircraft pilots.There are many exciting projects available," mentioned Warner Bros. TV Group topper Bruce Rosenblum. "You've quite recent senior management at a few the systems (ABC and NBC) that are anxious to do this season. There are many excitement in regards to the (TV) business at this time around.InchDealmaking is increasingly more complicated, particularly for shops like Warner Bros., last century Fox TV and also the new the new sony Pictures TV that play in the area in shopping projects along with other systems. (If Greenblatt has his way, Universal TV will probably be because fray by next season.) Wrangling inside the extended-term control of Web streaming rights will be the next frontier of fierce fighting for nonaligned systems and art galleries, biz vets predict, as people rights are starting to yield actual money. At this time around in the development cycle, however, really the only component that really matters may be the standard in the work. All people put pilot orders and hefty penalties won't mean much come The month of the month of january unless of course obviously professionals believe the script might be well worth the gamble. In the event that's the situation, people large upfront deals can ensure a larger pilot budget together with a far more generous license fee when the project go completely with a series order. Otherwise, the penalty might be the price to conduct business, and usually, individuals funds migrates to home based business involving the same internet and studio.No a person's can make an undesirable pilot due to the fact there's a problem,Inch mentioned a higher TV talent repetition. "People large obligations don't help much the (creatives). They basically matter if the allows you to produce a better pilot." Contact Cynthia Littleton at cynthia.littleton@variety.com

Taylor Remedy to confess Husband's Abuse in First Interview Since His Suicide

Taylor Remedy In their first interview since her husband's suicide, Taylor Remedy look on Entertainment Tonight and discuss bruises they states were triggered by her husband, Russell Remedy. Armstrong's sit-lower with Nancy O'Dell will air Tuesday, Sept. 20, each week following a entertainment newsmagazine released pictures showing The Particular Regular folks of Beverly Slopes star getting a black eye. The show does an analysis now into mentioned black eye, together with other alleged bruises. Remember other stars we lost this season An origin notifies ET that Taylor experienced Laser eye surgery eye surgery about this summer time 5, but that her cornael flap was dislocated a couple of days later when Russell hit her. Taylor did not make any public looks until August. 1. Taylor declared divorce from Russell within this summer time and told People their marriage was "abusive" inside an interview right after she filed. "Did I push her? Yes, maybe things happened inside the warmth as soon as, nevertheless it was within a period inside our lives that was not manifestation of who i had been,In . Russell told People in those days. "This show has literally pressed us for the limit." Russell committed suicide on August. 15. Will you stay updated for Taylor's interview?

Gentilli upped at Mark Gordon Co.

Mark Gordon Co. has upped Veronica Gentilli to chief operating officer. Previously senior VP business affairs, she will oversee business development, legal affairs, human resources and general operations for the company. Gentilli started at the company in 2007 having come over from ABC Studios, where as VP of business affairs her responsibilities included shepherding Gordon-produced series including "Grey's Anatomy." Prior to ABC Studios, Gentilli served stints at the business affairs divisions of Big Ticket TV, Viacom Prods. and Paramount Domestic Television. Gentilli will report to Gordon. Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com

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NBC Gives Put Pilot Resolve for Crime Drama From Maggie Friedman/Greg Berlanti

EXCLUSIVE: Greg Berlanti went 3 for 3 to date this development season having a third major purchase. He's teamed with friend and frequent collaborator Maggie Friedman for any high-concept crime drama project, that has arrived at NBC having a put pilot commitment. Friedman is writing the script from the untitled project, which follows two connected cases that exist in two different cycles. Friedman and Berlanti are executive creating for Warner Bros. TV and studio-based Berlanti Prods. Berlanti has put a higher-concept spin on the classic drama genre before using the ABC legal drama Eli Stone, in regards to a lawyer with prophetic visions. Friedman and Berlanti happen to be close given that they labored together on Dawson’s Creek. They did an airplane pilot for ABC together in 2004, that also was written/professional created by Friedman, professional created by Berlanti and created by Warner Bros. And Friedman offered like a talking to producer on Berlanti’s WB/Warner Bros. series Jack & Bobby. Carrying out a break, Berlanti gone to live in ABC Galleries, where he went Siblings & Siblings and co-produced Eli Stone with no Regular Family. Friedman remained at WBTV, where she developed and executive created the short-resided ABC series Eastwick. The 2 found themselves underneath the same roof again this summer time as Berlanti came back towards the WBTV fold with a brand new mega deal andFriedman had designed a blind cope with the studio. This is actually the third project removed by Berlanti this development season, his first under his new WBTV pact. The 3 have offered with put pilot obligations: one at Fox (legal drama composed by Marc Guggenheim), one at CBS (cop drama at CBS compiled by Nick Wootton) and something at NBC. Oddly enough, the only real network to not snag a Berlanti-created project yet is his former longtime home ABC. Friedman is by using CAA, Berlanti with WME.