or


[09/20/07 - 10:35 AM]
Showtime, Lionsgate and Spitfire Pictures Partner on New Untitles High School Musical Documentary
The film "captures the drama, both on stage and off, when three Southern Indiana high schools spend tens of thousands of dollars on their musical productions in order to compete for admission to the prestigious International Thespian Festival."

[via press release from Showtime]

SHOWTIME, LIONSGATE AND SPITFIRE PICTURES PARTNER ON NEW UNTITLES HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL DOCUMENTARY

LOS ANGELES, CA - (September 20, 2007) - Showtime, Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), and Spitfire Pictures have teamed up on a new, as yet untitled, documentary which will present a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the cutthroat world of high school musicals in Southern Indiana. The announcement was made today by Robert Greenblatt, President of Entertainment for Showtime, and Kevin Beggs, President of Television Programming and Production for Lionsgate.

Written and directed by Barry Blaustein, whose work includes the award-winning documentary "Beyond the Mat" about the world of professional wrestling, the project is being co-produced by Lionsgate through its highly successful feature-length documentary unit, Showtime and Spitfire Pictures. Blaustein is producer, along with Spitfire's Nigel Sinclair, who produced the Grammy Award-winning documentary "No Direction Home: Bob Dylan," directed by Martin Scorsese. Spitfire's Guy East and Tobin Armbrust are executive producers.

The film captures the drama, both on stage and off, when three Southern Indiana high schools - Floyd Central High School, New Albany High School and Jeffersonville High School - spend tens of thousands of dollars on their musical productions in order to compete for admission to the prestigious International Thespian Festival. The documentary follows the students who become involved in these musicals, as well as their parents, teachers, school administrators and local politicians, all of whom are heavily invested in the success of their shows.

"As someone who flourished behind-the-scenes in my own high school musicals in Rockford, Illinois, this documentary really speaks to me," said Greenblatt. "Each year millions of young people in this country face exhilarating highs and lows in high school musicals and this is the wonderful story of three schools in Indiana."

"We immediately recognized this project's tremendous potential to resonate with audiences everywhere," said Beggs, who also heads up Lionsgate's feature-length documentary unit with Sandra Stern, COO of Television. "It exemplifies the kind of distinctive programming we set out to produce across all of our company's divisions and we're delighted to be in business with Spitfire and Showtime."

"I want to show what high school musicals are really like; all the joy, all the love, all the backstabbing," said Blaustein.

Lionsgate will retain worldwide rights distribution rights to the film, which is expected to be released in 2008.

This latest production continues Showtime's commitment to supporting documentary filmmakers by giving them an outlet to air their relevant and provocative films. Most recently Showtime has produced and aired the award-winning documentaries Shame, After Innocence, Shine and Semper Fi: One Marine's Journey.

This marks the fourth production from Lionsgate's feature-length documentary unit for which Erik Nelson runs development as senior vice president. The division's past releases include Werner Herzog's critically acclaimed GRIZZLY MAN about the life and death of amateur grizzly bear expert Timothy Treadwell; LEONARD COHEN I'M YOUR MAN about one of music's most celebrated troubadours; and THE U.S. vs. JOHN LENNON, which recounts the story of Lennon's transformation from musical artist to anti-war activist and the U.S. government's efforts to silence him.

# # #

About Showtime

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME�, THE MOVIE CHANNELTM and FLIX�, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME� TOOTM, SHOWTIME� SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME�, SHOWTIME BEYOND�, SHOWTIME NEXT�, SHOWTIME WOMEN�, SHOWTIME FAMILYZONE� and TMC XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD�, THE MOVIE CHANNEL HDTM, SHOWTIME ON DEMANDTM and THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMANDTM. SNI is also an owner and manager of SUNDANCE CHANNEL, a venture of NBC Universal, Robert Redford and SNI. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME� PPV.

About Lionsgate

Lionsgate is the leading independent filmed entertainment studio, winning the 2006 Best Picture Academy Award � for CRASH and operating as a premier producer and distributor of motion pictures, television programming, home entertainment, family entertainment, and video-on-demand content. Its prestigious and prolific library of more than 11,000 motion picture titles and television episodes is a valuable source of stable, recurring revenue and a foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate brand is synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world.

About Spitfire Pictures

Spitfire is currently in post production on "POSSESSION," a sexy psychological thriller starring Sarah Michelle Gellar (THE GRUDGE, CRUEL INTENTIONS) and is in production on the definitive documentary feature about The Who, currently titled AMAZING JOURNEY: THE STORY OF THE WHO, which it is producing with the band and Trinifold Management. This follows Spitfire's Grammy Award winning documentary of 2005, NO DIRECTION HOME: BOB DYLAN, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Martin Scorsese. Nigel Sinclair's and Guy East's long list of credits includes SLIDING DOORS, THE WEDDING PLANNER, IRIS, THE LIFE OF DAVID GALE, THE QUIET AMERICAN, and the box office smash hit TERMINATOR 3, THE RISE OF THE MACHINES.





  [september 2007]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
      


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





[08/26/26 - 09:14 AM]
The 41st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards, Hosted by Kirk Franklin, Airs Sunday, August 30, on BET
Taped in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the Spectrum Center under this year's theme, "Feels Like Home," the ceremony brings together gospel's most celebrated artists, trailblazers, and rising stars for a night of worship, inspiration, and world-class performances.

[08/26/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: Date, Key Art & Trailer Debut - Hulu's "The Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives" Season Five
Season five premieres with all five episodes on Thursday, September 10 on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally.

[08/26/26 - 09:01 AM]
"Jay-Z in 8," An HBO Original Documentary Series, Debuts September 18
In Rick Rubin's directorial documentary debut, the series unfolds over many hours of candid conversation between two creative superstars.

[08/26/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: BritBox Debuts Official Trailer and Key Art for "Agatha Christie's Tommy & Tuppence," Premiering September 15th
In the first contemporary English language television adaptation of Agatha Christie's stories, Tommy and Tuppence are a detective duo for the ages.

[08/26/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Wonka's The Golden Ticket" - Official Trailer - Netflix
In this one-of-a-kind reality competition, lucky players step inside Wonka's chocolate factory to face unpredictable games, tests and temptations.

[08/26/26 - 08:01 AM]
Unsuspecting Homeowners Get the Ultimate Renovation Surprise in New HGTV Series "House Shock" Premiering Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 9 pm ET/PT
Arielle Vandenberg will team up with expert contractor Steve Lewis to help pull off surprise overhauls of spaces the recipients have dreamed of updating, whether neglected, abandoned or just plain despised.

[08/26/26 - 08:00 AM]
Fever-Sky on "Sunday Night Basketball" on NBC and Peacock Is the Most-Watched WNBA Regular-Season Game Since Opening Weekend of League's Inaugural 1997 Season
The game peaked at 3.82 million viewers.

[08/26/26 - 07:46 AM]
Netflix Announces New UK Commissions at Edinburgh TV Festival
Highlights include Clive Owen, Orlando Norman, and David Shields join Anya Taylor Joy in "How to Kill Your Family," based on Bella Mackie's bestselling novel.

[08/26/26 - 07:31 AM]
Netflix Announces "On Campus: Game of the Week," A Weekly Video Series Following Real Students Living Out Game Week
Each week, two new students will host the series, giving viewers an inside look at college life around the biggest game of the week, from school traditions to tailgates and everything in between.

[08/26/26 - 07:20 AM]
"Alice and Steve" to Return for Season 2 on Disney+
The critically acclaimed and award-winning comedy series produced by Clerkenwell Films and starring Nicola Walker, Jemaine Clement, Yali Topol Margalith and Joel Fry to return for a second season.

[08/26/26 - 07:05 AM]
Maura Higgins to Host Highly Anticipated "Blind Date" Series for Disney+
The beloved Irish native's sharp wit and mischievous charm propelled her from a finalist position on "Love Island UK," to a hosting role on "Love Island USA: Aftersun."

[08/26/26 - 07:01 AM]
Netflix's "Emily in Paris" Bids Adieu - Sixth & Final Season Premieres December 24th
Stepping into a new era of ambition and romance, Emily faces defining choices that test her ultimate loyalties.

[08/26/26 - 07:01 AM]
Apple TV Unveils First Look at "12 12 12"
The thrilling eight-episode original series will premiere globally on Friday, November 13, 2026, with the first two episodes, followed by one episode every Friday through December 25, 2026.

[08/26/26 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "The Love Hypothesis" - Official Trailer - Prime Video
Based on the New York Times best-selling novel by Ali Hazelwood, "The Love Hypothesis" follows Olive (Lili Reinhart), a brilliant Ph.D. candidate focused on her future in academia.

[08/26/26 - 07:01 AM]
"Welcome to the Family: The Murder of Dan Markel" Streams Tuesday, Sept. 1, on Hulu
The four-part series reveals the dark secrets of a wealthy family centered around the brutal murder of a prominent law professor in Tallahassee, Florida.