Asian stock markets soar amid US rescue talks

Asian stock markets soared today as a news of a US government plan to rescue banks from risky mortgage debt brought hope of a let-up in the world’s worst financial crisis in decades.

EA set for Asian online push

Business News: Gaming giant expands reach -- Games giant Electronic Arts aims to have 12 games online by the end of the year and also intends to expand soccer game "FIFA 2" to five new foreign territories.

Hollywood Interactive finds funding

Business News: Rivers duo to cover Emmy red carpet online -- Hollywood Interactive Group has announced the acquisition of $5 million in venture capital funding, while also securing Joan and Melissa Rivers for red-carpet Emmy coverage on its MyHollywood.com website.

Hader, Faris spice up 'Meatballs'

Film News: Caan, Mr. T round out 3-D project -- Bill Hader and Anna Faris have signed on to voice the lead characters of Sony Pictures Animation's "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs."

Eric Roth rides to New Regency

Film News: Exec tapped as exec VP of business affairs -- New Regency has tapped former Weinstein Co. exec Eric Roth as executive VP of business affairs.

Tokyo Film Festival unveils lineup

Film News: Four films to world premiere in competition -- The 21st Tokyo Film Festival unveiled its lineup Thursday, including four world preems in the competition section: Ivy Ho's helming debut "Claustrophobia, " Feng Xiaoning's disaster pic "Super Typhoon, " thesp Atsuro Watabe's helming debut "Echo of Silence" and Tetsu Maeda's school drama "School Days With a Pig."

Jaime Rosales tackles weighty issues

Film News: Goya winner and rising star upsets status quo -- If a cinema star's been born this year in Spain, it's director Jaime Rosales.

Groups sue Trade Representative

Business News: 'Property enforcement treaty' being questioned -- A pair of public interest groups have filed suit against the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to force disclosure of details about a "secret intellectual property enforcement treaty" that the Bush administration is currently negotiating with numerous countries.

SAG power shifts

Business News: Unite for Strength gains control of union board -- Dissidents have won control of SAG's national board in a surprise result that heightens the chances of an end to the guild's contract stalemate with the majors.

NATAS circles grow

Film News: Donahue, Bergen, Williams honored -- The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Pacific Southwest chapter, has inducted six new members into its prestigious gold and silver circles.

San Sebastian fest boosts niche biz

Film News: Event serves up specialty film players, initiatives -- When the charmingly humble Mahmoud al Massad presented a rough cut of "Recycle" at San Sebastian's Cinema in Motion last year, he was an almost totally unknown director.

Stars, bizzers head to San Sebastian

Film News: Celebs to see and industry events to attend -- Normally low on glamour, San Sebastian has turned up its own star quotient a few watts. "Tropic Thunder" will be tubthumped by Ben Stiller and Robert Downey Jr., while Meryl Streep and homeboy Antonio Banderas are being honored with Donostia Awards.

Galicians on parade at San Sebastian

Film News: Region will have strong presence at film fest -- Producers and companies from the region of Galicia will be out in force at the 56th San Sebastian Festival, a crossroads between Spain and Latin America. For the first time, the Galician Audiovisual Consortium will run a stand at San Sebastian's Sales Office film market.

Modest players pack multiplexes

Film News: Full frame vie for weekend box office -- After last weekend’s box office boom -- led by the Coen brothers’ "Burn After Reading" -- this weekend could prove a lull as several new modest players make their play before action-thriller "Eagle Eye" debuts a week from now. (Kate Hudson, right, stars in "My Best Friend's Girl")

Televisa, Univision trial postponed

Business News: Royalty case delayed for scheduling reasons -- The court faceoff between Mexican media conglom Televisa and U.S. Hispanic giant Univision Communications has been moved yet again -- this time to Dec. 2.

Galicia's film biz goes global

Film News: Spanish org extends co-production reach -- Some 2.7 million people live in Galicia; an estimated 10 million Galician emigres are spread worldwide and continue to maintain strong homeland links. Up to 1 million Gallegos dwell in Buenos Aires alone, endowing Galician cultural heritage with a fascinating mix of tango and bagpipes.

IFP grants, awards go to filmmakers

Film News: Org delivers indie awards on Sept. 18 -- The IFP gave out $130, 000 in grants and in-kind awards were handed out Sept. 18 at the annual Independent Filmmaker Awards ceremony.

'Fiction' heads into eighth season

Film News: Slate packed with Toronto documentaries -- IFC’s “Stranger Than Fiction” documentary series is heads into its eighth season with a slate packed with docus from Toronto.

IFC enters six in Fantastic Fest

Film News: Trio will be released simultaneously on VOD -- IFC has six films at the Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas, including two North American preems and three pics that will be released simultaneously on video-on-demand and at the cinema through IFC’s In Theaters program.

Foreign Oscar submissions pile up

Film News: Oct. 1 deadline has countries unloading pics -- With the Oct. 1 deadline for foreign-language Oscar submissions looming, a slew of countries unveiled their choices this week.

Report: A-Rod, Wife Reach Divorce Settlement

Yankees star Alex Rodriguez and wife Cynthia have settled their multimillion-dollar divorce case, the New York Daily News reported Thursday.

Briefs: Steelers' Farrior fined $7.5K for obscene gesture

Thursday's NFL news briefs: Steelers linebacker James Farrior was fined $7, 500 by the league for making an obscene gesture toward Browns fans Sunday night.

Grateful Dead to play for Obama

Music News: Band set to perform at candidate's fundraiser -- The Democratic presidential candidate's campaign has confirmed a long-rumored fundraising concert that will include four remaining members of the Grateful Dead at Penn State University's Bryce Jordan Center.

Bierman boosted at Warner Premiere

Film News: Exec promoted to senior VP of production -- Matt Bierman has been elevated to senior VP of production for Warner Premiere, studio's direct-to-disc arm.

Bierman boosted at Warner Premiere

Business News: Exec promoted to senior VP of production -- Matt Bierman has been elevated to senior VP of production for Warner Premiere, studio's direct-to-disc arm.

David Stone rocks Buena Vista

Film News: Exec named VP of development -- Disney's Buena Vista Prods. has named David Stone VP of development, focusing on nonscripted programming.

David Stone rocks Buena Vista

Business News: Exec named VP of development -- Disney's Buena Vista Prods. has named David Stone VP of development, focusing on nonscripted programming.

Abu Dhabi unveils lineup

Film News: Emphasis on socially conscious filmmaking -- Abu Dhabi's second Middle East Film Festival will open Oct. 10 with Rian Johnson's "The Brothers Bloom, " starring Mark Ruffalo and Adrien Brody and close Oct. 19 with Ridley Scott's "Body of Lies, " starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe.

Google CEO won't delay Yahoo deal

Business News: Duo wants to go forward with ad partnership -- Google Inc.'s chief executive said Wednesday the Internet search leader won't delay its proposed advertising partnership with rival Yahoo Inc. even if government regulators need more time to assess whether the alliance will diminish competition.

Luc Besson launches Blue

Film News: Company to produce 'advertainment' -- Helmer-producer Luc Besson is teaming up with advertising exec Christophe Lambert to launch Blue, Gaul’s first shingle devoted to “advertainment” — a blend of entertainment and advertising.

'Watchmen' fate goes to federal judge

Business News: Fox, WB forego jury trial on legal tussle -- Fox and Warner Bros. have decided to forgo a jury trial in their legal tussle over which studio has distribution rights to "Watchmen" and agreed instead to let a federal judge decide in two weeks whether Fox can block release of the pic.

ATAS pacts with Alan Perris

Business News: COO signs new multi-year deal with org -- Academy of Television Arts and Sciences chief operating officer Alan Perris has sealed a new multi-year deal with the org.

Journalists' woes trickle down to PR

Business News: Economic crisis hits both writers and praisers -- Misery love company, and if journalism plays a significant role in your professional orbit, there’s going to be plenty of it to go around.

Brad Grey stays put at Paramount

Business News: CEO to remain with studio through 2014 -- Despite a bleak economy and an uncertain media landscape, Viacom is very certain that Brad Grey is the man to run Paramount Pictures.

Family fare does well in down market

Business News: In tough economy, original DVD titles chug along -- As the DVD market plateaus and ever more releases vie for space on store shelves, the direct-to-video kidvid sector is proving resilient in tough economic times.

Home Entertainment Leader Report

Business News: The execs who guide the studios' made-for-DVD units -- Home Entertainment Leader Report: The execs who guide the studios' made-for-DVD units

Vidgames enter brave new open world

Business News: Wii, online gaming, sandbox games point to future -- Eight-year-old Rafael Solano can see the future -- or at least his future. Not content with the ease of use of his Nintendo Wii, he imagines a game system that features "controllers you could actually interact with that could go, like, on your knees or something, and on your arms.

RDF USA boosts Gellert to VP

Business News: Executive to report to Chris Coelen -- RDF USA continues to expand its ranks, tapping Lauren Gellert to serve as senior VP.

Homevid biz weathering the storm

Business News: Stability is the new growth in nontheatrical sector -- Contrary to claims made by some pundits back in the downturn of 2001, the homevid business isn't necessarily recession-proof.
But with numerous estimates for 2008 revenues down only 3%-6% from the nearly $23 billion generated in 2007, peddling discs has gone a lot better than, say, selling Detroit-made SUVs or condos in Miami.

Marketing the end of the world

Business News: Creatively marketing 'Day the Earth Stood Still' -- How do you promote the end of the world? That was the question facing 20th Century Fox as the studio pondered the marketing plan for "The Day the Earth Stood Still."