Chapman University

Marketing a movie always poses challenges, but facing the absence of a charismatic lead to promote it on the press circuit adds a hurdle. This is a scenario that many film teams are experiencing or will soon encounter as the SAG-AFTRA actors' strike begins in Hollywood. An example of this predicament was observed during Netflix's premiere event for "They Cloned Tyrone" in Los Angeles ahead of its scheduled release on July 21. However, the film's star, Jamie Foxx, was notably absent, having been out of the public eye since his daughter announced his recovery from an undisclosed health issue in April. Other stars have also been missing from red carpet events for various reasons, such as Jonah Hill citing mental health concerns in declining to promote Netflix's "You People" and Ezra Miller avoiding media interactions for Warner Bros.' "The Flash" due to personal life headlines. Compounding the issue, the ongoing writers' strike has prevented some prominent creatives from supporting their work, as when Noah Baumbach skipped the premiere of "Barbie" in support of the Writers Guild of America. The strike has also limited the use of late-night TV interviews and SNL as promotional tools. With the SAG-AFTRA strike threatening further limitations, talent from high-profile releases is scrambling to utilize every last opportunity, as seen with actors from "Oppenheimer" and "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One" going through previously scheduled press interviews before the strike's commencement. Stephen Love, producer of "They Cloned Tyrone," acknowledges the difference in promoting the movie without Jamie Foxx's presence but believes that Foxx's legendary status and acclaim can still be felt through the film's marketing and involvement in the project. A press tour is an essential weapon in a movie's marketing arsenal. Jason E. Squire, USC School of Cinematic Arts professor emeritus and host of the podcast "The Movie Business," emphasizes the importance of critical stars participating in the required publicity tour to support their films. He acknowledges that medical reasons can be a valid exception. Engaging in press tours benefits the movie and enhances the artist's career. Promoting a film without its star is not an entirely new dilemma. Russell Schwartz, associate professor at Chapman University and former president of marketing for New Line, recalls similar challenges. "The New World" had to navigate its marketing without the support of press-averse Terrence Malick and absent stars Colin Farrell and Christian Bale. These situations require creative strategies to maintain momentum. In today's digital age, social media is significant in reaching audiences. Stars like Foxx sharing trailers on platforms like Instagram can impact awareness. However, striking a balance is essential, as excessive attention on personal matters might distract from the film's promotion. The writers' strike has forced marketers to explore less conventional platforms for movie promotions like Jennifer Lawrence appearing on YouTube's "Hot Ones" in addition to traditional late-night shows. Debates continue on the actual box office impact of press tours, with some suggesting that star attraction only sometimes translates into ticket sales, mainly when the movie already carries the appeal of a famous brand like DC Comics. As the actors' strike unfolds, Hollywood PR firms seek alternatives to traditional press tours. Influencers might play a more prominent role in marketing strategies, with actors needing more time to promote their projects. In conclusion, marketing a movie without stars requires creative thinking and adaptation to alternative platforms. While the absence of star power poses challenges, a well-crafted marketing campaign, leveraging social media and other unconventional means, can still drive awareness and success for the film. More Project Casting Entertainment News: SAG-AFTRA’s Negotiating Committee Unanimously Recommends Strike as Contract Deadline Passes Without a Deal SAG-AFTRA's Negotiating Committee Unanimously Recommends Strike as Contract Deadline Passes Without a Deal. SAG-AFTRA, the Screen Actors Guild, and the American... WGA Strike Won’t End Soon: Hollywood Studios Have A Long-Term Plan The ongoing 2023 Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike, which commenced on May 2, 2023, has caused significant disruptions within the industry. Particularly aff... How to Get Cast in Disney's 'Moana' How to get cast in Disney's 'Moana'. Disney's 'Moana' is now casting and hiring actors to work on scenes filmed in Hawaii. Casting directors are now casting and...

The Los Angeles housing crisis rocks Hollywood as entertainment workers are forced to live in their cars to save money and keep their jobs. Chris Pratt, Tiffany Haddish, Halle Berry, Drew Carey, and Kelly Clarkson all said they were homeless before becoming famous. The entertainment industry is arguably one of the biggest employers in Los Angeles, California. However, the number of people working in the film industry living in their car has risen. According to a report by The Hollywood Reporter investigating the lives of film industry workers living in their cars, there is a “small but visible population” of actors, film crew workers and other workers in the film industry living in their cars. Safe Parking L.A. is an organization that launched in 2016 and opened their first facility this year providing guarded, secret lots for people living in their car to sleep in. According to the reports, “ an actor and a couple of part-time production or lighting professionals usually show up, founder Scott Sale says.” [caption id="attachment_151907" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Canoga City, California, USA, November 5, 2017: A homeless sleep on bench - Image (behzad moloud / Shutterstock.com)[/caption] Engagement manager Jonathan Hans told The Hollywood Reporter entertainment industry types are a common group that frequent the Safe Parking L.A. facilities. "Especially within our younger population, it's not necessarily uncommon that a group of young kids came out [to L.A.] because somebody told them that they would get them a record deal and then they ended up living out of their van," he says.  There are some upsides but more downsides to “transit living”. The news out interviewed Noelle, an Iowa native who graded from Chapman University in 2016. She says she can afford to rent a room in Los Angeles but, it is still too expensive. Noelle said she found a way to make it in Los Angeles and save money on Instagram - living in a van. “Noelle has one closet and says she's constantly throwing things out. Her bathroom is a tiny portable toilet stashed beneath her hanging clothes (it is emptied at RV dump stations); running water is provided by 5-gallon freshwater jugs stored underneath her small sink. She, like many who live in their cars, showers at the gym.” About the California Housing Crisis: [caption id="attachment_151906" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] LOS ANGELES, CA, USA - APRIL 14: Poster in Hollywood style for poor homeless people in the city in California, on April 14, 2018 in Los Angeles, USA - Image (fritz16 / Shutterstock.com)[/caption] Since the 1970s, California has been experiencing a housing shortage such that by 2018, California has the 49th lowest ration of housing units per resident. With such a shortage, basic economics come into play with an increase in demand for the short supply of homes. California has created hundreds of thousands of new jobs, which increases demand for housing and the insufficient construction of new homes and apartments has caused rent and home prices to skyrocket. In 2017, the median price of a home in California was more than 2.5 times higher than the median home price in the United States. The median home price in San Francisco is $1.3M and $600,000 in Los Angeles. In the rental market, California has the lowest vacancy rate ever while the median rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $2,400. The median rent for cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco is over $4,000 per month. Related: Los Angeles Has a Major Homeless Problem as Numbers Skyrocket Los Angeles TV Pilot Location Filming Increases 90% 5 Famous Actors Who Were Once Homeless

Stranger Things spoiler alert Millie Bobby Brown's beloved character "Eleven" was not originally supposed to make it past the first season. In fact, there was not even going to be a second season based on the show's creators first pitch. “Maybe I shouldn’t say this because I like to pretend that it was all planned out, but it was originally pitched as a limited series,” Ross Duffer said during a recent Master Class Q&A session at Chapman University (via Cinemablend). “So it was like, Eleven was gonna sacrifice herself and save the world and then that was gonna be it, because there was a moment where limited series were a big deal.” But the Duffer Brothers were instructed to expand the story while pitching to Netflix, thankfully saving Eleven. “This is where the business side comes in,” Ross Duffer continued. “When we started pitching it, it was like, ‘We don’t make money off of limited series.’ And I remember when we went into Netflix and we pitched this they were like, ‘Well, we like this but how could it keep going?’ And you’re just sort of riffing in the moment and we were like ‘well Will’s back from this other dimension and he’s not doing very well.’ And they were like, ‘Great!'” Eleven sacrificing herself at the end of Season 1 makes a lot of sense, but we can not imagine Season 2 without Millie Bobby Brown's character to save the day.

Want to go to film school? Get your bookbag because here are the top film schools from around the world! Are you thinking about going to film school? Are you interested in what school you should go to? Well according to recent reports here are the top film schools in the United States and across the world. Some people believe that they will be "discovered". That miraculously a famous director will see them on the street and hire them for their next motion picture. The chances for this happening are slim to none. Then there are others that are heavily invested in joining the film industry. Motivated students that are paying nearly $50,000/year to attend top schools. In a recent report from 'The Hollywood Reporter', the best film school was the University of Southern California. With support from legendary directors such as George Lucas, USC has the ability to support their students and professors. Colorado Film School was ranked 25th and features guest teachers such as Spike Lee and cinematographer Mauro Fiore. Here's the list of the top 25 film schools in the United States. If you are interested in the full analysis, visit THR. 25 Top Film Schools in the United States 25. Colorado Film School 24. Ringling College of Art and Design 23. San Francisco State University 22. California State University, Northridge 21. Savannah College of Art and Design 20. Columbia College Chicago 19. Florida State University 18. Rhode Island School of Design 17. DePaul University 16. Stanford University 15. Wesleyan University 14. Northwestern University 13. University of North Carolina School of the Arts 12. Boston University 11. Syracuse University 10. University of Texas at Austin 9. Emerson College 8. Loyola Marymount University 7. Chapman University 6. Columbia University 5. California Institute of the Arts 4. American Film Institute 3. University of California, Los Angeles 2. New York University 1. University of Southern California Are you more interested in studying abroad? International Film Schools definitely provide an opportunity for students that are interested in learning movie magic. According to reports, here are the top 15 international film schools Top 15 International Film Schools 15. Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography 14. Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia 13. Australian Film, Television and Radio School 12. Tel Aviv University 11. Korean Academy of Film Arts 10. Whistling Woods International 9. University of Television and Film, Munich 8. Beijing Film Academy 7. National Film School of Denmark 6. London Film School 5. Norwegian Film School 4. FAMU 3. La Femis 2. Lodz Film School 1. National Film and Television School Discuss this story with fellow Project Casting fans on Facebook. On Twitter, follow us at @projectcasting.