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Last Friday saw the birth of the ChatGPT browser, which already promises to visualize your data, coach your workouts, and trade your stocks; we must now contend with Velvet Sundown; and before the summer’s out, we expect the quantum leap of ChatGPT-5. It felt like a good time for In Development to offer some optimism to anyone worried AI might soon take over all that’s good in Hollywood.

I’m certain AI is transforming the entertainment industry for better and worse. I have zero faith in Hollywood’s ability (or inclination) to “control” it, if that were possible. AI can radically increase output and reduce costs (and: jobs), and of course, the industry will follow that path until it hits a wall.

So where’s the optimism? I think I found a wall.

The insight isn’t solely mine. Credit goes to Ethan Helvering at audience intelligence firm...

This City Is Ours is a crime drama epic filmed in Liverpool and Spain that comes with creative pedigree. The series stars Sean Bean and comes from The Crown producer Left Bank Pictures. All episodes will become available on the BBC iPlayer streaming service from 6 a.m. London time Sunday, with the series beginning to air on BBC One in its weekly 9 p.m. time slot that night. Sony Pictures Television is distributing the series internationally.

The eight-part show was created and written by Stephen Butchard (The Good Mothers, The Last Kingdom, Five Daughters) and directed by Saul Dibb (The Salisbury Poisonings, The Sixth Commandment) and John Hayes (Nightsleeper, Dublin Murders).

Bean (Marriage, Time) plays crime gang leader Ronnie Phelan, with James Nelson-Joyce (Bird, A Thousand Blows) portraying Ronnie’s friend Michael Kavanagh. Hannah Onslow (Empire of Light, This Is Going to Hurt) plays Diana Williams, Michael’s partner, while Jack McMullen (Hijack,...

BBC One brings us a new crime drama set in the heart of Liverpool, a city pulsating here with both vibrant life and a dark undercurrent of criminal activity. “This City Is Ours” follows the intertwined fates of Michael Kavanagh (James Nelson-Joyce), a man caught between his love for Diana Williams (Hannah Onslow) and his […]

This City Is Ours: Series Premiere...

The BBC has revealed the first official images from This City Is Ours, an ambitious new crime drama set in Liverpool, with Sean Bean taking centre stage as gang leader Ronnie Phelan. Created by Stephen Butchard, the writer behind The Last Kingdom and The Good Mothers, and directed by BAFTA-winner Saul Dibb, the eight-part series promises an intense exploration of loyalty, love, and betrayal within a world of organised crime.

Filmed on location in Liverpool and Spain, the series follows Michael Kavanagh, played by James Nelson-Joyce, a lifelong criminal whose devotion to the underworld starts to unravel when he falls in love. After years of working under Ronnie Phelan’s leadership, Michael begins to contemplate leaving the business behind, dreaming of a future with Diana Williams, played by Hannah Onslow. But with tensions brewing within the gang and Ronnie hinting at retirement, Michael soon finds himself battling for survival.

The...

The Red Sea International Film Festival (Rsiff) has announced its full industry programme. Running from December 7th to 11th, 2024, in Jeddah’s vibrant Al Balad district, this year’s expanded five-day program offers an exceptional line-up of activities bringing together new talent, emerging filmmakers and established regional and international industry leaders for a series of events, talks and networking opportunities. The Red Sea Souk activities will take place alongside the growing marketplace which features 142 exhibitors from 32 countries this year.

Shivani Pandya Malhotra, Rsiff’s Managing Director, said: “The Souk is a vital part of the Rsiff experience, serving as a hub for collaboration, innovation, and opportunity. This year, we are more committed than ever to creating an environment where filmmakers, producers, and industry professionals can come together to share knowledge, forge meaningful connections, and shape the future of cinema. We are excited to present this year’s events and thankful...

No one confused early Sora demonstrations with art, but what startled filmmakers is these semi-professional and quasi-lifelike images introduced a doomsday scenario: Studios will use this rapidly evolving tech to replace them.

It’s a pervasive fear — with the notable exception of those filmmakers who are early adopters of generative artificial intelligence tools.

Over the last three weeks, I spoke to dozens of film and television creatives who use AI-based software programs like Midjourney, Adobe Firefly, Runway, and Stable Diffusion. They’re excited by the tools and their applications — but they also see their massive and inherent limitations.

“It’s a fraught time because the messaging that’s out there is not being led by creators,” said producer Diana Williams. A former Lucasfilm executive who is now the CEO and co-founder of Kinetic Energy Entertainment, she spoke at the 2024 SXSW panel “Visual (R)evolution: How AI is Impacting Creative Industries.

SeriesFest has set its lineup and it now includes the likes of New Amsterdam star Jocko Sims and creator David Schulner, All American’s Nkechi Okoro Carroll and Dr. Death creator Patrick Macmanus.

This comes as the event, which is held in Denver between May 1 and 5, previously revealed stars such as Minnie Driver, the cast of Grey’s Anatomy and Hasan Minhaj to its lineup.

It has also added a full lineup of panels for its tenth iteration

There will be interviews with the likes of Beatrice Springborn, President, UCP and Universal International Studios, Grey’s Anatomy producer Betsy Beers and Mark Duplass and Mel Eslyn, the team behind Penelope.

The event will also showcase a number of international shows including This is Not Sweden, Zorro, Estonia, Haven of Grace, Lost Boys and Fairies and Split.

“Season 10 of SeriesFest marks a milestone in our journey to elevate emerging and underrepresented voices in episodic storytelling.

Doug Jones, an independent film programmer with almost three decades of experience in film exhibition, contributed to the development of film culture across the U.S., and a former contributor to IndieWire, died November 2.

The news was announced on Instagram by Vidiots, the Los Angeles non-profit video store and cinema where Jones had worked as a buyer and programmer since May. On November 3, the video store announced that its screenings would be canceled through November 5, due to losing “a dear member” of its team. On November 4, it paid tribute directly to Jones.

“It breaks our heart to share that we have lost the great and wonderful Doug Jones, a beloved and indispensable member of the Vidiots family and a cornerstone of the global film programming community,” reads that statement posted on Vidiots’ Instagram account. “Doug is forever loved by his beautiful son and family, and an enormous network of devoted friends and colleagues.

Updated with awards dates: The Peabody Awards said Tuesday that it will announce the winning projects in its newest category, Digital and Interactive Storytelling, on March 24. The inaugural awards will be given to legacy media projects, with the category being folded into the main Peabody ceremony beginning in 2023.

The news comes after the organization last year introduced the expansion of categories to recognize storytelling achievements across interactive and immersive categories. A newly created Interactive Board is screening projects across Gaming, Interactive Journalism, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Social Video, Interactive Documentary, Transmedia Storytelling and more.

Kinetic Energy Entertainment CEO and co-founder Diana Williams is chairwoman of the new board, which has added Gabriel J.X Dance, Yasmin Elayat, Navid Khonsari and Opeyemi Olukemi to a group that already includes Lars Bastholm, Jay Bushman, Aymar Jean Christian, Katerina Cizek, Amy Hennig, Al Shaw, Kamal Sinclair, Sara Thacher and Lance Weiler.

The Peabodys,...