Ever since its primitive beginnings as “song plugging,” radio promotion at record labels has been a virtual boy’s club, a haven for hucksters and quasi-thugs who, in the Wild West days of the music business depicted in Fredric Dannen’s 1991 book “Hit Men,” famously plied programmers with payola, drugs and worse in exchange for airplay.
Few women managed to penetrate the upper echelons of that macho sanctuary, but through the years there were exceptions, most notably the grand dames of record promotion: Atlantic Records Evp Andrea Ganis, who started at the label in 1980 as director of secondary pop promotion, and Interscope Geffen A&M president of promotion Brenda Romano, a 23-year veteran at the house Jimmy Iovine built. Other female promotion execs rose to head their own labels, from the late Epic Records president Polly Anthony to the label’s current chief Sylvia Rhone, along with current Atlantic Records chairman...
Few women managed to penetrate the upper echelons of that macho sanctuary, but through the years there were exceptions, most notably the grand dames of record promotion: Atlantic Records Evp Andrea Ganis, who started at the label in 1980 as director of secondary pop promotion, and Interscope Geffen A&M president of promotion Brenda Romano, a 23-year veteran at the house Jimmy Iovine built. Other female promotion execs rose to head their own labels, from the late Epic Records president Polly Anthony to the label’s current chief Sylvia Rhone, along with current Atlantic Records chairman...
- 6/27/2018
- by Roy Trakin
- Variety Film + TV
Albert and Allen Hughes are revisiting the settings and themes of their 1999 documentary "American Pimp" with "Gentlemen of Leisure," a drama series project for HBO.
Set in Oakland, Calif., "Leisure," which will be written by "Rescue Me" co-executive producer Evan Reilly, explores the world of prostitution through the eyes of a legendary pimp contemplating retirement.
"It's about a guy who wants to get out but keeps getting sucked back in by the allure of the game and by extraneous circumstances that have to do with his family," Reilly said.
"Leisure" will explore the generational conflict of old-school pimps living by honor codes and creeds who are being pushed aside by violent upstarts who are coming "with their guns blazing," mixing prostitution with drugs and thievery, Allen Hughes said.
"These are some of the themes from 'The Godfather' but in the world of pimping," he said.
The brothers are set to direct the potential pilot as well as exec produce with Reilly and Interscope's Jimmy Iovine and Polly Anthony.
Allen Hughes said the idea for the show came after several of their friends suggested they should make "American Pimp" into a drama series for HBO. The two were resistant at first until they realized that there haven't been shows about that subculture.
"This is the last island that has not been reached in television or film," Allen Hughes said.
He approached Iovine, who had been looking to an urban mob drama set in the world of hip-hop, and he and Anthony came on board.
"I was captivated by it," Anthony said.
Like other Interscope-produced projects, "Leisure" will have a strong music component, she said.
The Hughes, who most recently shepherded the USA Network series "Touching Evil," are looking to push the envelope with "Leisure."
"We haven't done a movie in eight years, and we're really interested in trying do something new," Allen Hughes said. "You're not going to see a bunch of colorful, goofy '70's pimps. This is a film noir-style urban drama based in rich characters that will explore the human conditions across the board."
The Hughes brothers and Reilly are repped by Wma.
Set in Oakland, Calif., "Leisure," which will be written by "Rescue Me" co-executive producer Evan Reilly, explores the world of prostitution through the eyes of a legendary pimp contemplating retirement.
"It's about a guy who wants to get out but keeps getting sucked back in by the allure of the game and by extraneous circumstances that have to do with his family," Reilly said.
"Leisure" will explore the generational conflict of old-school pimps living by honor codes and creeds who are being pushed aside by violent upstarts who are coming "with their guns blazing," mixing prostitution with drugs and thievery, Allen Hughes said.
"These are some of the themes from 'The Godfather' but in the world of pimping," he said.
The brothers are set to direct the potential pilot as well as exec produce with Reilly and Interscope's Jimmy Iovine and Polly Anthony.
Allen Hughes said the idea for the show came after several of their friends suggested they should make "American Pimp" into a drama series for HBO. The two were resistant at first until they realized that there haven't been shows about that subculture.
"This is the last island that has not been reached in television or film," Allen Hughes said.
He approached Iovine, who had been looking to an urban mob drama set in the world of hip-hop, and he and Anthony came on board.
"I was captivated by it," Anthony said.
Like other Interscope-produced projects, "Leisure" will have a strong music component, she said.
The Hughes, who most recently shepherded the USA Network series "Touching Evil," are looking to push the envelope with "Leisure."
"We haven't done a movie in eight years, and we're really interested in trying do something new," Allen Hughes said. "You're not going to see a bunch of colorful, goofy '70's pimps. This is a film noir-style urban drama based in rich characters that will explore the human conditions across the board."
The Hughes brothers and Reilly are repped by Wma.
- 7/1/2008
- by By Nellie Andreeva
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Despite the seminude bedroom scenes and the occasional expletive, CBS Paramount International Television's Californication has gone over big with over-the-air broadcasters from Europe who say there will be no content problems for them.
The U.K.'s Channel Five signed a deal for the series Tuesday, a CBS Paramount spokeswoman confirmed. Numerous terrestrial channels also were known to be bidding for the David Duchovny-starring series, which is set to air in August on Showtime.
Five's deal, one of the earliest programming licensing agreements ever seen at the Los Angeles Screenings, was negotiated by Five controller of acquisitions Vanessa Brookman and Stephen Tague of CBS Paramount International Television.
" 'Californication' is a high-quality, sophisticated new comedy drama with Duchovny stylishly playing the troubled, lovable writer," Brookman said. "I am delighted that we have secured the rights for Five's family of channels."
Five has been a big customer for U.S. series, with Prison Break, the "CSI" and Law & Order franchises, The Shield, House, Grey's Anatomy, Shark and Dirt on its channels' slates.
Michael Murphy, the founder and head programr at Ireland's Channel 6, saw the Californication pilot Tuesday. He said the ability of the CBS Paramount international division to offer "edgy" programming like this from a pay cable network gives the studio a major new playing card.
Also attracting favorable comments was the Jimmy Smits vehicle Cane, about a rum-making sugar dynasty of Cuban immigrants and their offspring living in Miami. RTE deputy head of acquisitions Brian Walsh had high praise for the series, saying the international markets are more than ready for a return to the serialized formula that was epitomized by such shows as Dallas and Dynasty.
Smits, who shares the executive producer title with Jonathan Prince, Polly Anthony, Cynthia Cidre and Jimmy Iovine, said in an interview that he and his fellow exec producers were conscious of the international markets when developing the series.
The U.K.'s Channel Five signed a deal for the series Tuesday, a CBS Paramount spokeswoman confirmed. Numerous terrestrial channels also were known to be bidding for the David Duchovny-starring series, which is set to air in August on Showtime.
Five's deal, one of the earliest programming licensing agreements ever seen at the Los Angeles Screenings, was negotiated by Five controller of acquisitions Vanessa Brookman and Stephen Tague of CBS Paramount International Television.
" 'Californication' is a high-quality, sophisticated new comedy drama with Duchovny stylishly playing the troubled, lovable writer," Brookman said. "I am delighted that we have secured the rights for Five's family of channels."
Five has been a big customer for U.S. series, with Prison Break, the "CSI" and Law & Order franchises, The Shield, House, Grey's Anatomy, Shark and Dirt on its channels' slates.
Michael Murphy, the founder and head programr at Ireland's Channel 6, saw the Californication pilot Tuesday. He said the ability of the CBS Paramount international division to offer "edgy" programming like this from a pay cable network gives the studio a major new playing card.
Also attracting favorable comments was the Jimmy Smits vehicle Cane, about a rum-making sugar dynasty of Cuban immigrants and their offspring living in Miami. RTE deputy head of acquisitions Brian Walsh had high praise for the series, saying the international markets are more than ready for a return to the serialized formula that was epitomized by such shows as Dallas and Dynasty.
Smits, who shares the executive producer title with Jonathan Prince, Polly Anthony, Cynthia Cidre and Jimmy Iovine, said in an interview that he and his fellow exec producers were conscious of the international markets when developing the series.
- 5/23/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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