'Dark Knight' brightens LA film prod'n

"The Dark Knight Rises" continued to brighten Los Angeles film production, as the latest Batpic was the most active offlot shoot last week for the third week in a row -- and the fourth week in the last five. The Batman sequel from director-producer Christopher Nolan -- listed on permits as "Magnus Rex" -- racked up 35 permitted days last week, according to figures provided Tuesday by the FilmL.A. permitting agency. Warner Bros. has set July 20, 2012, as the release date for the last installment in Nolan's trilogy, which has done much of its shooting in Pittsburgh. Total feature days permitted last week were up 47% to 176. Other features currently shooting in Los Angeles include "Argo," "Benjamin Troubles," "Gus," "Safe House," The L Lounge," "Water & Power" and "Tag." Feature activity reached its peak this year during the last two weeks in June, when permitted days totaled over 200 both weeks. Due to the lure of incentives outside California, feature production is about half the level it was 15 years ago, when tracking began. Total permitted production days climbed 16% to 690 last week as third quarter production remained well ahead of the same period in 2010. TV shooting declined slightly to 325 days, off 12 from the same week last year. Sitcoms "Up All Night" and "Raising Hope" were the most active last week with 11 days each. Other television productions currently shooting in Los Angeles include "Prime Suspect," "The Office," "Celebrity Wife Swap," "Face Off," "How Do I Look" and "Shahs of Sunset." Commercial shooting was up 39% to 189 days with Picrow's CCI commercial shot racking up the most days at 40. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

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As Obama Arrives in Hollywood, Showbiz Heavies Plan More Democratic Party Fundraisers

our editor recommends'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition': Michelle Obama to Guest Star on the ABC Reality Series'American Idol' Judge Jennifer Lopez to Watch Super Bowl With ObamaMorgan Freeman Tells CNN's Piers Morgan That Tea Party Is Racist President Obama may be coming to town Monday afternoon for a pair of fundraisers, but those events are just the start of a busy week for many of the Democrats' major Hollywood donors. A series of gatherings in support of the party's Congressional candidates also are planned. House minority leader Nancy Pelosi will be the big draw at a Tuesday night fundraiser hosted by director J.J. Abrams and his wife,Katie McGrath. The event will be held on the rooftop of Abrams' Santa Monica production studio Bad Robot, with all proceeds going to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. PHOTOS: Actors Who've Played Politicians Dems willing to pop for $10,000 and $5,000 tickets will get an exclusive half-hour alone with the former Speaker at 5:30 p.m. A $1,000 contribution makes you just another face in the 6-8 p.m. crowd. Abrams and McGrath have become one of the Democrats go-to Young Hollywood power couples. In June, they hosted First Lady Michelle Obama and, earlier, played a pivotal role in introducing Kamala Harris, then District Attorney of San Francisco, to the entertainment industry's Democratic community. Harris, currently the California party's brightest star, went on to win a down-the-wire election as State Atty. General, with much of her crucial financial support supplied by Hollywood. The Pelosi event's list of co-hosts is a virtual who's-who of Democratic Hollywood's heavy-hitters, including Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg, Marilyn and Jeffrey Katzenberg, Ari Emanuel, Barbara Mandel and James L. Brooks, Barbra Streisand and James Brolin, gay rights activist and political strategist Chad Griffith and Barack Obama's man-on-the-scene Andy Spahn. STORY: Obama Hollywood Fundraising Event Sets Entertainers Abrams and McGrath have already given $35,800 to Obama's re-election campaign this year, plus another $100,000 to the Democratic Super Pac, Priority USA Action. Abrams' efforts dovetail those of Katzenberg, who has become one of the Dems' key money raisers. (Katzenberg recently gave $2 million to Priority USA, plus thousands more to the Democratic Party.) Katzenberg and Obama's other Hollywood supporters have been busy drumming up support for the president's gatherings Monday at the House of Blues and Fig & Olive on chic Melrose Place, where the per-couple tariff is $33,800. (If you're planning on driving on the Westside, beware: Guests will begin arriving at House of Blues at 4:30 p.m., just in time to complicate rush hour traffic along Sunset Boulevard. The dinner on Melrose Place will get under way around 6 p.m.) STORY: Disappointed Hollywood Giving Obama Cold Shoulder The president's two gatherings, however, won't be the only political fundraisers on the Westside on Monday. Sid Sheinberg and his wife,Lorraine,are set to host an evening fundraiser for Congresswoman Lois Capps, who is running against former California Lt. Governor Abel Maldonado. Maldonado has received extensive support from the Republican Party and from the Super Pac run by former Bush White House political strategist Karl Rove. As Monday's full dance card suggests, it's going to be a frenetic fund-raising season west of La Cienega between now and November 2012. STORY: Morgan Freeman on Barack Obama: 'He Might Be a Little Bit Too Regular to Be the President' During last year's mid-term elections, the entertainment industry raised more than $30 million to help fund the battle for control of the House and Senate. Even though some Hollywood activists are chilly on giving to Obama at the moment, the Industry still is keen to support its congressional favorites. Email: TinaDaunt@gmail.com Related Topics Barack Obama J.J. Abrams Jeffrey Katzenberg Kate Capshaw Steven Spielberg

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New York TV Fest announces deals

The NY Television Festival closed on Saturday evening with a ceremony announcing the deals for winners of its network-sponsored contests, including the Fox-NYTVF comedy script contest, which offered $25,000 and a development deal with Fox to Robby O'Connor for his pilot script "Adulthood for Beginners."The fest is designed to provide a foot in the door to would-be TV talent. Competitors are given the chance to hear professional feedback on their pitches and pilots from industryites at broadcast and basic cable outlets, and winners earn both cash prizes and pilot opportunities. This year's keynote speaker was Damon Lindelof.A&E sponsors an unscripted development contest - its five winners each get $2,500 and a budget of $1,500 to shoot additional tape before a decision is made as to which show will get a pilot.The 2011 independent pilot competition landed Nathan Gotsch $25,000 and a deal with FX for his "Josh Jennings for Congress;" IFC did the same for Ross Patterson's "St. James Presents: Delirium Cinema." Mike Salva's "Pound Dogs" picked up a similar deal with $5,000 attached from MTV, and Syfy Digital Studios will take a look at Al Thompson's "Odessa." Contact Sam Thielman at sam.thielman@variety.com

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Emmy Analysis: Is Cinemax Losing Its Touch?

Boardwalk Empire Cinemax is constantly on the dominate the Emmys, beating other shops this season with 19 total wins. But may be the pay cable network's Emmy stranglehold around the wane? HBO's tally was lower from last year's 25 wins, and symbolized the channel's littlest Emmy haul since 2003 (if this won 18). And Cinemax won just four honours throughout the Primetime Emmys telecast on Sunday evening, in comparison to eight on last year's broadcast. (It has been a lot more than fifteen years since Cinemax won so couple of throughout the telecast.) Executives in the funnel say they are pleased with their results - and even, HBO's streak as Emmy's top dog shows no immediate signs and symptoms of abatement. However the TV Academy's decision this season to merge the outstanding TV movies and outstanding miniseries groups - cutting among the honours show's key honours -- ultimately hurt Cinemax probably the most. Associates say Cinemax wasn't consulted once the decision is made captured. Prior to the groups were combined, the television movie category would be a reliable Emmy win for Cinemax. The pay cable funnel had won that category basically two times since 1993, including this past year (Temple Grandin). This season, PBS' miniseries Downton Abbey (a Masterpiece co-production using the BBC) won most of the top movie and minis awards, such as the first-ever merged outstanding movies/miniseries Emmy. But which means Cinemax could not rely on individuals groups to boost its Emmy count. (Contributing to the sting: Because Downton Abbey is really a ongoing series, with another edition in route, its inclusion within the movies/minis category has elevated eye brows.) Associates in the funnel believe challengers like Too Large to Fail might have were built with a shot at winning a TV movie Emmy had the groups not been merged. The choice to mix the films and miniseries came after last year's outstanding miniseries competition ended up with only two nominees. The Television Academy has lengthy fought against "honours proliferation," using the organization making several tries to pare back the amount of statues it hands out. But gleam broadcast versus. cable competition at play. The 4 broadcast systems, which rotate the Emmys telecast with an annual basis, haven't been thrilled with featuring a lot of movies and miniseries groups. The Emmycast, they contended, had converted into a 3-hour commercial for Cinemax. This season, using the movies and minis category merging, they were given their revenge. But that brought to concerns the TV Academy had produced an unfair contest, pitting large-budget miniseries against more compact TV movies. "To associate a miniseries such as the Off-shore or John Adams -- where 100s of huge amount of money are allocated to multiple episodes utilizing numerous company directors, authors and editors -- having a single movie whose finances are frequently under the price of one episode of stated miniseries is very unbalanced," Temple Grandin editor Leo Trombetta told The Hollywood Reporter captured. Adds an Cinemax insider: "You will find only five slots, also it ultimately hurt movies. It's apples and oranges, and (the Academy) isn't acknowledging some physiques of labor.Inch Meanwhile, Cinemax can also be facing elevated competition for Emmy gold around the series side. The funnel first started getting top series awards from the broadcast systems within the late the nineteen nineties with shows like Ray Sanders. By 2004, Cinemax obtained its most-ever Emmys (with 32 wins) because of The Sopranos, Deadwood and Sex and also the City. Consider then, systems like Forex, AMC and Showtime took a number of HBO's playbook, acquiring their very own large Emmy wins in most of the key series groups. The proliferation of shops doing original fare implies that the television Academy is distributing the Emmy wealth: In 2001, 16 systems walked away with Emmys. This season, 28 shops (together with a couple of websites) obtained Emmys. This season, even DirecTV drawn off a couple of upsets, because of the ultimate season of Friday Evening Lights, which won two major honours (for the best drama actor Kyle Chandler and outstanding drama writing champion Jason Katims). And Reelzchannel, a formerly overlooked cable network, surprised the with four wins (because of The Kennedys). HBO's greatest heartbreaker on Sunday evening came at the fee for Boardwalk Empire. The Prohibition-era series, starring Steve Buscemi, had already won seven groups in the Creative Arts Emmy honours a few days before. Two more wins, and Boardwalk Empire might have tied Free Airline Wing which are more wins ever in one year (nine, which that demonstrate won in 2000). But Boardwalk Empire could only eke out yet another win on Sunday evening, for outstanding director Martin Scorsese. Boardwalk Empire was still being probably the most-honored program of the season, with eight Emmys, however it just skipped tying that best-ever record. Cinemax can at any rate take solace in the truth that, while its Emmy tally has rejected, it's still seen as an tremendous pressure and also the network to conquer. Masterpiece executive producer Rebecca Eaton, who had been behind the Downton Abbey broadcast on PBS, was surprised at her wins. "It's David and Goliath," she states. "Cinemax has tremendous advertising and marketing muscle behind it." Meanwhile, the broadcast systems aren't faring much better. Despite talk of the good year for that broadcast systems in the Emmys, it had been really mostly a great year for just one show particularly: ABC's Modern Family. Among all broadcast network programs, only five series received several Emmy this season: Modern Family (5), Saturday Evening Live (4), Which Means You Think You Are Able To Dance (3), The American Idol Show (2) and Glee (2). Sign up for TV Guide Magazine now!

Debate Surrounds Auction of 'Some Enjoy It Hot' Actor Tony Curtis' Possessions

Beverly Hillsides ah Julien's is previewing a significant purchase Sept. 17 from the possessions from the late Tony Curtis. But none of them of Curtis' six children -- already virtually disinherited from his will after Curtis died Sept. 30, 2010 -- are receivers from it. The products, including prints by Balthus (three worth about $35,000 each) and Andy Warhol (worth $20,000 to $30,000), happen to be set up available for around $600,000 by his sixth and last wife Jill, who inherited the majority of the Curtis estate. But based on Allegra Curtis, daughter of Tony's second wife, actress Christine Kaufmann, Jill neither informed the relaxation of his family the purchase was happening nor permitted these phones have sentimental products. "Jill Curtis may be the only beneficiary of the auction. She didn't consult us. This isn't what my father might have wanted. Jill's even selling off charge cards and driver licenses. She's also selling my father's letters to Cary Grant, Jerry Lewis, Picasso -- these belong inside a museum. It's the distribution from the estate of Tony Curtis. He warrants better." Meanwhile, Julien's Auctions owner Darren Julien states: "Tony found a number of our auctions with Jill and stated he wanted Julien's to deal with his auction after he died. I understand this is just what he wanted." Related Subjects Tony Curtis

Marisa Tomei On For Us & Them

She's joining the comedy castWhile there's a little shiver of fear that runs down our backs whenever we hear the phrase "family comedy", we're willing to shove the creeping tendrils of worry aside given that Us & Them features Billy Crystal in a lead role. While he's no guarantee of quality, he is at least funny. Now Marisa Tomei will be playing his estranged daughter in the movie. Us & Them finds Crystal and Bette Midler as a couple who are suddenly forced to care for their three grandkids (including Bailee Madison, who appears in next month's horror Don't Be Afraid of the Dark). Naturally, the generation gap is like a yawning chasm for everyone involved and the older folks simply don't understand the youngsters' modern ways. But they somehow struggle through and even try to repair the fractured bond with their daughter Alice (Tomei). Forgive us for letting the fear back in at this point, but the script's latest draft is by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel who, despite having some solid credits to their name (including City Slickers, one of Crystal's career highlights), last brought the world Tooth Fairy. And Andy Fickman, who dabbled in multi-generational comedy with the decidedly dodgy You Again, is behind the camera. Our fingers, however, remain crossed. It all kicks off shooting later this month in Atlanta.

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Emmys Poll: Who's Your Pick to Win Drama Series?

Boardwalk Empire Boardwalk Empire won big at the Creative Arts Emmys, but can it win the biggest prize of all?Emmys poll: Who's your pick to win lead drama actor?The HBO series will duke it out for the Best Drama Series trophy against fellow heavy hitters Dexter, Friday Night Lights, Game of Thrones, The Good Wife and Mad Men, which is going for a four-peat.Who's your pick to win? Vote below.The 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards airs Sunday, Sept. 18 at 8/7c on Fox. Which show do you think should win the Emmy for Oustanding Drama Series? Boardwalk Empire Dexter Friday Night Lights Game of Thrones The Good Wife Mad Men vote view results