News

Amazon Studios has closed a multi-year deal with Mattel for four live-action specials based on the toy manufacturer's popular "American Girl" doll franchise. Amazon Studios also has the option to produce multiple seasons of TV series with "American Girl" characters.

Two of the "Amercian Girl" specials will feature characters from the "BeForever" franchise of historical dolls, and one special will feature characters from their Girl of the Year franchise. The first special premieres later this year.

The pricey American Girl dolls were introduced in 1986 and have been adapted for several films in that time including 2008's theatrical release "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl" and HBO's "An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong".

Source: Variety...

"Mad Men" crew prove themselves that they work with the best. The AMC drama has just received three nominations at 2010 Directors Guild Awards. Three episodic directors, Jennifer Getzinger, Lesli Linka Glatter and Matthew Weiner, will compete against each other in Dramatic Series category.

The domination by "Mad Men" is almost being toppled by Fox's new series, "Glee", which nabs two under the category of Comedy Series. Similarly, HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" also has two candidates under Comedy, Jeff Schaffer and Larry Charles, who are both known as executive producers as well.

"Television directors play a crucial role in eliciting performance, advancing the story and establishing the look and feel in all genres of television," said DGA President Taylor Hackford. "The DGA Awards highlight the most outstanding examples of excellence in television each year, and our 41 nominees in eight categories have distinguished themselves with creative, compelling projects that entertained and informed a diverse worldwide audience.

The Directors Guild of America has revealed its nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television, Drama Series, Comedy Series, Musical Variety, Reality Programs, Daytime Serials, Children’s Programs and Commercials. Despite the shit TV directors get, TV is progressing toward a greater cinematic atmosphere and TV directors are having greater relevance in the medium. DGA President, Taylor Hackford said, “television directors play a crucial role in eliciting performance, advancing the story and establishing the look and feel in all genres of television”. There’s no better example than Lost, which feels more like an hour-long, big-budget film than a TV show. The two-part season 5 finale received a nod, and Curb Your Enthusiasim director’s Jeff Schaffer and Larry Charles were nominated for their work on the last two episodes of the fictional Seinfeld-reunion that took place on the show. Mad Men picked up three nominations for Drama and Glee,...

The Directors Guild of America has released its list of TV nominees.

While usual favorites "The Office" and "30 Rock" are conspicuously absent from the Comedy category, AMC drama "Mad Men" dominates the Drama category with three nominations. "Lost" and "In Treatment" nab the other two slots.

The full list of nominees is as follows:

Movies for Television

Bob Balaban, "Georgia O'Keeffe"

Thomas Carter, "Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story"

John Kent Harrison, "The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler"

Ross Katz, "Taking Chance"

Michael Sucsy, "Grey Gardens"

Dramatic Series

Paris Barclay, "In Treatment"

Jack Bender, "Lost"

Jennifer Getzinger, "Mad Men"

Lesli Linka Glatter, "Mad Men"

Matthew Weiner, "Mad Men"

Comedy Series

Paris Barclay, "Glee"

Larry Charles, "Curb Your Enthusiasm"

Ryan Murphy, "Glee"

Jeff Schaffer, "Curb Your Enthusiasm"

Jason Winer, "Modern Family"

Musical Variety

Joel Gallen, "The 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert"

Roger Goodman, "81st Annual Academy Awards"

Louis Horvitz,...