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Tobi De Graaff Joins Sky Studios

Veteran UK exec Tobi de Graaff is joining Sky Studios as Senior VP of Commercial. The former BBC Studios Director of Commissioning and Co-Production has most recently been running his own business, Beiboot Representation, but is now stepping into an international role focused on commercial and co-production partnerships, including Sky’s distribution relationship with Comcast cousin NBCUniversal Global Distribution. He’ll work closely with Sky Studios’ editorial and commissioning teams across Europe. He’ll also take charge of the international scripted team, which is currently headed by Jason Simms in the UK and LA-based SVP Rebecca Segal, accorifn to an internal note from Sky Studios COO Caroline Cooper seen by Deadline. Both Simms and Segal will report to de Graaf, who has also worked for ITV Studios, when he joins in July.

Chris Kattan Joins Indie LA Drama ‘Angel City’

Chris Kattan (Saturday Night Live...

Being able to get a project off the ground, to secure its financing and the talent to act in front of the camera is not the most challenging part when it comes to filmmaking, according to a statement by Turkish producer, screenwriter and director Pelin Esmer. Ever since the foundation of her production company Sinefilm, she has managed to make her features independently, without having to make any compromises to her vision as the creator of the story and the characters. As a result, her projects, documentaries and feature films alike, share a unique approach when it comes to human conflicts considering responsibility, relationships and guilt. In her 2012 feature “Watchtower”, she presents two characters running from a responsibility after having been through a traumatic experience, using an approach which does not emphasize the full frontal-drama, but rather looks for quieter, more subtle tones when it comes to her characters and their world.

“Versailles” star Alexander Vlahos has partnered with German executive producer Nicole Oebel (“Lola”) to form independent film production company CowHouse Films.

The Welsh-German company will kick off in early 2021 with principal photography on “Watchtower,” a film that explores the inner conflict of isolating oneself and allowing the presence of a loved one to be a source of strength.

Starring Sophie Hopkins, the film will be directed by Vlahos.

Vlahos’ acting work includes “Merlin” and “Privates,” and he will next be seen in Zdf Enterprises and Fuji TV’s soccer drama “The Window.” He made his directorial debut with the short “Lola,” which won best first time director at the Independent Shorts Awards earlier this year.

After a few years of experience as a producer at Deutsche Welle TV, Oebel executive produced “Lola,” and his Welsh follow-up short film, “Here We Are.”

Vlahos said: “I’ve been fortunate to work as an actor for 18 years,...

Barcelona— Tasos Gerakinis’ “A Simple Man,” Pelin Esmer’s “Queen Lear” and Ignas Jonynas’ “Invisible” compose the pix-in-post selection for the upcoming Glocal in Progress sidebar at September’s San Sebastián Film Festival.

Greek director Tasos Gerakinis will attend with his feature debut, a Greece-France co-production following a convict who flees prison and manages to arrive in the neighbor country where he holds up at a farm, taking a winegrower hostage. The relationship between the winegrower, his daughter and the convict will evolve in divergent directions.

Turkish director Pelin Esmer has previously participated in San Sebastián’s main competition with “10 to 11,” a Special Jury Prize winner in Istanbul festival in 2009. She was also part of the Zabaltegi-New Directors section with her feature debut “The Play,” turning on three women aiming to stage a play in a small village. That feature earned kudos at Tribeca in 2006. “Queen Lear” is a follow-up to “The Play,...

Amazon has dropped a new clip for Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan titled “Presidents” on this Fourth of July.

Set to Bob Dylan’s iconic “All Along the Watchtower,” performed by British rapper Devlin featuring Ed Sheeran, the 36-second clip has no dialogue and focuses on title character Jack Ryan (John Krasinski) on the job battling terrorism. It opens with Sheeran’s rhythmic guitar in the opening strains of “Watchtower” followed by memorable quotes from the inaugural addresses of Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and John F. Kennedy. We first hear the voice of Clinton, “Though our challenges our fearsome, so are our strengths,” followed by Trump, “There should be no fear, we will not fail”, and closing with Kennedy, “We stand today on the edge of a new frontier.”

Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan centers on Jack Ryan (Krasinski), an up-and-coming CIA analyst thrust into a dangerous field assignment for the first time.

“American Idol” finalized the line-up for the Top 10 at the end of Monday’s episode when Ryan Seacrest revealed the last of the Top 14 artists to make the cut. Six of the finalists were the top vote-getters based on Sunday’s performances: Gabby Barrett, Cade Foehner, Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Maddie Poppe, Catie Turner and Michael J. Woodard. The remaining four — Dennis Lorenzo, Jurnee Siani, Michelle Sussett and Ada Vox— won over judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie with their songs on Monday’s show.

Regardless of how they made the Top 10, which of the contestants do you think will win season 16? Take a closer look at each of these artists in the photos above and review the roster below of the songs they’ve sung to date as well as their celebrity duet partners in the Top 24 round. Then vote for the winner of this ABC revival of...

“American Idol” has reached the Top 14 stage of the competition for season 16. These artists are still in the hunt to win this reality competition series hosted by Ryan Seacrest. They will sing for America’s votes for the first time on Sunday, April 22. Take a closer look at each of the 14 artists in the photos above and then vote for the winner of this ABC revival of “American Idol” at the bottom of this post and be sure to sound off on your favorites in the comments section.

This pool of talent was selected by judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie in a series of auditions. First, they caught the eye of the panel at one of the regional auditions. That won them a trip to Hollywood, where they numbered among the 169 would-be winners. They then made the cut down to the Top 50.

At that point, they had...

It took five weeks of episodes on the “American Idol” revival on ABC but we finally have the top 14 who will sing for your votes beginning on April 22. We asked you which of these are the early favorites to win season 16, which is hosted by Ryan Seacrest. Four of the finalists – Gabby Barrett, Cade Foehner, Jurnee and Ada Vox — are the only ones to register double digits in our poll. Each was a clear favorite for at least one of the three judges: Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie.

None of the other 10 other artists in the Top 14 — Jonny Brenns, Marcio Donaldson, Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Garrett Jacobs, Mara Justine, Dennis Lorenzo, Maddie Poppe, Michelle Sussett, Catie Turner and Michael J. Woodard — merited more than nine percent of the vote. Are we underestimating one of these talents?

If you haven’t voted yet, be sure to cast your ballot in...

“American Idol” finalized the line-up for the first live show on April 22 at the end of Monday’s episode when Ryan Seacrest revealed the seven artists from the remaining Top 24 to make the cut. These lucky seven join the same number who were announced last week. But which of these Top 14 will win season 16? Take a closer look at each of thes artists in the photos above and then vote for the winner of this ABC revival of “American Idol” at the bottom of this post and be sure to sound off on your favorite in the comments section.

All 14 of these contestants have survived a grueling process that began with winning over the three judges — Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie — at a regional audition and getting a ticket to Hollywood. A whopping 169 would-be winners made the trip to La La Land, before being cut to 50. That group...

The revival of “American Idol” on ABC is following the same format that worked so well for 15 seasons on Fox. This new season 16, which is also hosted by Ryan Seacrest, has moved on to the Top 24. They now compete to make the cut and get a chance to sing on the first live show on April 22. They have to sing both solo and in duets with celebrities and convince the three judges — Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie — that they deserve a place in the Top 14.

These four episodes, in which these two dozen artists were divided into two groups, were already taped and will air on April 8, 9, 15 and 16. If you can’t wait to find out the results scroll down to see the names of the six women and eight men that made it through to the Top 14. We’ve also listed the titles of the songs they...

“American Idol” won’t reveal the 14 contestants to perform on the live shows till April 16. If you can’t wait till then to find out who will be competing for the season 16 title beginning on April 22, we have all the details. In segments that were already taped, the Top 24 — who were announced on April 2 — sing solos and duet with celebrities, often on their most famous songs. These performances will be featured in the four episodes to air on April 8, 9, 15 and 16.

But we already know which 14 made the grade with the judges — Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie — and which 10 were sent home. Scroll down to see the names of the eight men and six women that made it through to the Top 14 as well as the songs they sung that won over the judges as revealed in spoilers by The Idol Pad. And find out the names of the...

On the April 2 episode of “American Idol,” host Ryan Seacrest revealed the Top 24 contestants chosen by the three judges — Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie. These two dozen would-be winners of season 16 have to fight it out for the 14 places on the live shows that start on April 22. In episodes that were already taped, they sing solos and duet with celebrities, often on their most famous songs.

These performances will be featured in four episodes that air on April 8, 9, 15 and 16. If you can’t wait till then to find out the results scroll down to see the names of the eight men and six women that made it through to the Top 14 as well as the songs they sung that won over the judges as revealed in spoilers by The Idol Pad. We’ve also included the names of the 10 contestants that didn’t make the cut and their...