Rich Ross is putting his mark on Walt Disney Studios, bringing over a technology guru from Pixar and promoting the home entertainment chief to a newly created job. In addition, Jim Gallagher, the president of marketing, has left the studio.
The moves reflect Ross' attempt, in close coordination with Walt Disney Co. Chief Executive Bob Iger, to remake the studio to better reflect the new ways audiences are viewing movies in theaters, at home and on digital devices.
"The studio restructuring will embrace new possibilities and opportunities and find innovative ways to provide quality entertainment that is readily available," Ross said in a statement.
Bob Chapek, formerly president of home entertainment, has been promoted to the newly created role of president of distribution, in which he will oversee distribution across all platforms, including movie theaters, DVDs, pay TV and digital. In recent years, Chapek has led the studio's digital initiatives, particularly with Apple Inc.'s iTunes Store. Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs is the largest individual shareholder of Walt Disney Company stock. Chuck Viane, previously president of distribution, will continue to oversee theatrical distribution and will now report to Chapek.
Greg Brandeau, who oversaw technology at Disney-owned animation studio Pixar from 1996 through 2001 and again starting in 2004, is taking the newly created role of chief technology officer.
Alan Bergman, a 13-year studio veteran who is currently president of Walt Disney Studios, retains that job and adds oversight of "studio franchises," an emphasis that reflects former Disney Channel chief Ross' emphasis on brands that can be utilized through the Disney company's many businesses.
Production President Oren Aviv, whose future has been the subject of much speculation in the industry, retains his job overseeing development of live-action movies.
Gallagher's departure leaves Disney without a president of marketing. According to a person familiar with the studio's plans, a replacement will be named later and report directly to Ross.
Since the ouster of former studio Chairman Dick Cook in September and his subsequent replacement by Ross, two other top executives already have left the company: Daniel Battsek, president of specialty label Miramax, and Mark Zoradi, president of the Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Group.
-- Dawn C. Chmielewski and Ben Fritz
Photo: Rich Ross with Robin Williams at the premiere of "Old Dogs" at the El Capitan theater in Hollywood. Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images.
Wiped: 'Dollhouse' goes inactive as Fox cancels the show
Well, this is sad but not unexpected news."Dollhouse" will not get a third season. It has been canceled by Fox.
However the network will air the remaining episodes that Joss Whedon & Co. shot for the mind-wipe drama. According to Dan Fienberg of Hitfix, we'll get two "Dollhouse" episodes on Dec. 4, Dec. 11 and Dec. 18. Then the last three episodes will likely air Jan. 8, Jan. 15 and the series finale will air on Jan. 22.
The show's cast and crew are working on the eleventh "Dollhouse" episode, and the creative team will have time to give the show a proper ending, according to news reports.
It's had a short, rocky lifespan, but I've been a staunch defender of and advocate for "Dollhouse" (all my stories on the show are here). It may not have been the most consistently great show out there, but here's my thing about consistency: Who cares?
OK, of course I care. Obviously we all want to watch TV shows that are good week to week. But if a show is taking chances and swinging for the fences, I'll give it far more leeway. I'd rather have quite a few amazing "A" episodes mixed in with a few "Bs" and "Cs" than a steady diet of predictable "Bs" or snoozy "B minuses."
Because when "Dollhouse" was firing on all cylinders, it was really something to see. It was, as I've written, one of the most thought-provoking shows on television. The best episodes have (and will) offer up twisty questions about identity, memory, morality and free will, all within the context of a tautly written hour of drama.
"Dollhouse," I'll miss you.
I've seen the first episode that will air Dec. 4, and it is a treat and a half (for a bit on why I liked that episode and the one that preceded it, look here). I'm certainly going to keep watching.
There's a chance I might be speaking to Joss Whedon in the next week or two. Again, it's just a chance -- a time/date has not been locked down yet.
But if I do speak to him, got questions for the man? Leave them -- and your "Dollhouse" thoughts -- below.
NOTE: I have an event to go to Wednesday evening -- I'll be participating in the Funny HaHa reading at the Hideout, do come! -- so it may take a while for your comments to be posted. Thanks in advance for your patience.
Knee surgery keeps pianist Toradze from performing this weekend at Stanford
Two of his protégés, Vakho Kodanashvili and Nikita Abrosimov, are to fill in for him at Friday and Saturday 'Prokofiev Project' performances.
From The Vaults, A Look At Early Indie-Movie History
Independent cinema is as old as movies themselves: For as long there have been major studios, there have been smaller rivals pushing back against the conventions of the system. Most of those little startup studios are all but forgotten — but one man has spent the past quarter-century trying to salvage that part of his family's history.
ARGENTINA: 'Grandma, Will You Read to Me?'
BUENOS AIRES, Nov 11 (IPS)"Moving," "rewarding," "therapeutic" are some of the terms used to describe their volunteer work by some of the women taking part in the Storytelling Grandmothers Programme aimed at awakening a love of reading among youngsters from poor families in Argentina.
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