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With The Super Mario Bros. Movie coming to theaters later today, Illumination is ready to preview its next animated adventure for the silver screen. Today, the studio released a teaser trailer for Migration, an animated film about a family of ducks trying to convince their overprotective father to go on the vacation of a lifetime. Illumination’s Migration teaser trailer introduces the family and finds them taking to the skies for a breathtaking flight before being grounded by bad weather.

Benjamin Renner directs from a screenplay by Mike White. Illumination founder Chris Meledandri is serving as producer on the upcoming film. Initially, Illumination set Migration up for a summer release, but the film will flock to theaters during Christmas instead. While that’s a ways off, you don’t have to wait to check out the film’s gorgeous animation, quirky characters, and bold sense of adventure.

Migration centers on a family of ducks,...

Roadshow’s The Dry has enjoyed a stellar run since its release on New Year’s Day, taking in nearly $7 million to date.

Robert Connolly’s adaption of Jane Harper’s best-selling novel returned to the top of the box office last weekend with takings of more than $2 million, bringing its overall total to $6.9 million.

It comes after the film grossed $3.5 million on its opening weekend, joining Happy Feet and Mad Max as one of the biggest box office debuts for an Australian film.

Roadshow Films CEO Joel Pearlman said the results “absolutely confirm” Australian films can deliver blockbuster results alongside their Hollywood counterparts.

“This result is an incredible example of just how willing Australian audiences are to support their own cinema and stories and how important it is for the local filmmaking community to continue to be provided with opportunities to create great works of cinema for Australians to delight in,...

After nearly nine years as head of scripted at Fremantle Australia, Jo Porter is moving on to lead Playmaker Media.

Sony Pictures Television (Spt) announced her appointment as managing director today, starting in 2021.

Porter succeeds Playmaker founders David Maher and David Taylor, who announced their departure from company in July to return to independent production.

At Fremantle, Porter executive produced hits such as Foxtel’s Wentworth, which has sold to 171 countries worldwide and Picnic at Hanging Rock, which opened at Berlinale and sold to 160 territories, including Amazon for the US and the BBC for the UK. She also oversaw the production of Mary: Making of a Princess, Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted to You, Hoges and Wonderland.

Prior to joining Fremantle, Porter worked as a producer at the Seven Network, with credits that included Packed to the Rafters, Always Greener and All Saints.

Of her new role, Porter said: “I have...

Always Greener by Jrh Lawless features a cynical sci-fi world that pushes the limits of reality TV consumption and social satire. The book makes meta commentary on the real world outside the book while also showing the extremes that consumerism could reach in a plausible future.

It’s the groovy 70’s—the 2070’s, that is—and technology has advanced to the point where people have implanted special lenses in their eyes to access advanced Augmented Reality. This Ar doesn’t feature flinging of balls at a Pokemon sprite hovering awkwardly in real space, this technology is so ingrained in the public sphere that people cease to think of it as separate from their lives. With this system, you can order a car with a jerk of your thumb, access files with a flick of the eye, or watch telecasts. This tech has become as second nature as driving and wearing clothes.

Noel Mpofu and Anthony Ellis.

Seasoned writer and script executive Anthony Ellis has joined Screentime in the newly created role of head of scripted.

Ellis will work alongside head of production (scripted) Kerrie Mainwaring at the Banijay-owned production company headed by CEO Rory Callaghan.

Also at Screentime, chief financial officer Noel Mpofu has been promoted to chief operating officer. Earlier Screentime executive producer Johnny Lowry was upped to head of non-scripted.

These moves follow the retirement late last year of executive chairman Bob Campbell.

A former head of scripted content at Fremantle and Wentworth script executive, Ellis’ most recent credit was writing an episode of Breathless, Fremantle’s four-part thriller created by Neighbours executive producer Jason Herbison for Network 10 and the UK’s Channel 5.

Ellis said: “I am delighted to join Screentime and look forward to helping secure and build on its legacy of innovative, compelling and hugely popular drama.

Netflix already has a formidable line-up of exclusive content ready to unleash when it launches in Australia and New Zealand on March 24- and more is it come. The third series of Orange is the New Black, a Netflix production, will screen on the subscription VOD service after it premieres on Foxtel.s showcase in June. Moreover, the Us streaming giant is working on deals with MGM and Warner Bros which would mean their first-run movies will debut on Netflix at the same time as their pay-tv premieres on Foxtel Movies.

Neither has been signed but If understands the MGM arrangement is in final negotiations and WB is highly likely to pact with Netflix as its output deal with the Nine Network, worth a reported $150 million a year, has expired, and the studio needs to generate more revenue from its pay-tv and free-tv deals.

Netflix boasts an array of original...

Subscription VoD service Presto TV will commission original Australian programming and source other content exclusively for the platform.

A joint venture between Foxtel and Seven West Media, Presto TV launched last Sunday. Subscribers pay a monthly fee of $9.99 for the TV stream, the same amount for Foxtel.s 10-months-old Presto Movies, and $14.99 for both.

Presto TV will commission original productions including drama, Seven Network director of programming Angus Ross tells If.. "We will make stuff for Presto TV," he said, without giving any specifics.

As for acquisitions, he flagged the streaming service would buy content such as .binge-worthy dramas. and more children.s programming.

Ross said, .My mantra for Seven.s primary channel is that I will buy something if I think it will rate. That.s the same in finding content we think will work for Presto TV..

Pre-launch, Presto TV announced it had bought non-exclusive rights to a...

The first three series of Seven Productions. A Place to Call Home will screen in the UK on BBC Two.

That follows a deal announced at Mipcom whereby the period drama is screening in the Us on streaming service Acorn TV, which will be followed by DVD and syndication on public TV stations.

The BBC deal was announced today by Seven and Endemol Worldwide Distribution.

Foxtel commissioned a further two series, each of 10 episodes, of the period drama after Seven announced in June it would not proceed after series 2 because the show skews to an older demographic.

Rlj Entertainment bought North American rights and the first season has launched on Acorn TV.

Created by Bevan Lee (Packed to the Rafters, Always Greener,. Winners & Losers), the show stars Marta Dusseldorp, Noni Hazlehurst, Brett Climo, Abby Earl, Arianwen Parkes-Lockwood, Aldo Mignone, Craig Hall, Frankie J. Holden and David Berry.

Seven.s director of production Brad Lyons said,...

The fragmentation of the media landscape could erode popular TV while generating .a lot of rubbish. that might otherwise not see the light of day, according to Seven Network script executive Bevan Lee.

Speaking at Google.s Big Tent forum at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Lee said, .There are some fantastic opportunities which new technologies are giving us. But if they are hijacked by trivia and facile creativity and facile debate, then potentially they are a bad thing..

The creator of A Place to Call Home and Always Greener and co-creator of All Saints continued, .Some good projects will have the chance to shine, which may not have happened in the commercial arena.

.But the strong central core of commercial television may be eroded while we see the opening up of a lot of rubbish that may not otherwise have seen the light of day.

.I worry there...

Hell on Frisco Bay Silent Summer at the Castro. Love the poster for the Louise Brooks picture (such a great movie). This can be filed under the Grass is Always Greener. NYC has a ton of cool film programs and I'm always wishing I could go to the Castro's film programs.The Film Doctor good piece on a second look at the 'suicidal cool' of Tom Ford's A Single Man.

Serious Film File this one under Lines I Wish I'd Written. On Peter Jackson returning to The Hobbit "If only there was some convenient metaphor for some thing people just can't bring themselves to let go of."Movie|Line Angelina Jolie's "lightning round" of possible future projects. Why does the MTV reporter pronounce Maleficent so bizarrely. Did he never see the glorious Sleeping Beauty as a child? P.S. I love Jolie and I love Maleficent but for all...