UNIVERSAL CLINCHES BILLION-DOLLAR DEAL
Marking one of the biggest movie-financing deals in Hollywood history, Relativity Capital has agreed to put up more than $1 billion to finance at least 75 percent of Universal Pictures films through 2011, published reports said today (Thursday). Daily Varietysaid that the deal would “funnel billions into the studio’s slate.” The Los Angeles Times observed that the deal, which is expected to cover about 45 films, will allow Universal to shift its focus away from financing movies to marketing and distributing them. “We always look to manage risk and volatility,” Universal executive VP Michael Joe told the Times. “A deal like this allows us to do that while keeping distribution rights to the movies worldwide.”
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CASTING DIRECTOR ASKS FOR “INBRED”-LOOKING EXTRAS, IS FIRED
The casting director for a horror movie being shot in West Virginia has been fired after putting out a call for extras with facial features that would make them look “inbred.” Casting director Donna Belajac was dismissed after Gov. Joe Manchin released a statement describing the casting call as “offensive.” He added that he thought that the movie, a horror flick titled Shelter
