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)





[07/11/25 - 12:45 PM]
ABC Concludes September to May Season with Top Five Shows Among Adults 18-49 Including "High Potential," "Abbott Elementary," "The Rookie," "Shifting Gears" and "9-1-1"
Continuing to lead among broadcast series, ABC's "High Potential" stood as the No. 1 new drama among Total Viewers (16.41 million) and No. 1 new show among Adults 18-49 (3.85 rating).

[07/11/25 - 11:28 AM]
"Big Brother: Summer of Mystery" Premiere Up +10% from Last Summer
Last night, season 27 premiered to nearly 3 million viewers.

[07/11/25 - 10:01 AM]
FX's "Alien: Earth" Takes Fandom to New Heights with Premium Exclusive Content Including a Companion Podcast and Innovative Immersive Experiences
"Alien: Earth," a new drama series from Noah Hawley inspired by the acclaimed feature film franchise, will premiere on Tuesday, August 12.

[07/11/25 - 10:01 AM]
CBS Unveils Fall Primetime Premiere Dates for the 2025-2026 Season
Highlights include an early return for "Watson" on Monday, October 13 in place of the previously announced "FBI" spin-off "CIA."

[07/11/25 - 10:00 AM]
The "Outlander" Universe Expands in Hall H, as Starz Returns to San Diego Comic-Con
Look for can't miss panels for "Outlander" and "Outlander: Blood of my Blood" in Hall H on Friday, July 25 and an in-depth preview of the newest saga in the Spartacus franchise, "Spartacus: House of Ashur" on Saturday, July 26 in the Indigo Ballroom.

[07/11/25 - 10:00 AM]
Adult Swim Returns to San Diego Comic-Con with "Pirate Purrrty on the Green," Must-See Panel Events, and Exclusive First Looks and Giveaways
Adult Swim will bring its famed pirate ship outside the San Diego Convention Center (5th Avenue Landing and Convention Way), this time with a feline twist!

[07/11/25 - 09:01 AM]
HBO Max to Host Fan Experiences for Upcoming Seasons of "Peacemaker" and "It: Welcome to Derry" in San Diego
The festivities include a panel in Hall H, where showrunner/writer/director and Co-Head of DC Studios James Gunn and the cast of "Peacemaker" will share new details about the upcoming season and premiere the global trailer for season two.

[07/11/25 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Billy Joel: And So It Goes" - Official Trailer - HBO Max
There's always a message in the music.

[07/11/25 - 06:00 AM]
"Love Island (UK)" 10th Anniversary Special Date Announcement
The special premieres in the US on Friday, July 11.

[07/11/25 - 02:01 AM]
Netflix Will Release "Death Inc." Seasons 1, 2 and 3
The series is a comedy centered around a family-run funeral home and the relationships between the eccentric characters who inhabit it.

[07/11/25 - 12:01 AM]
"Too Hot to Handle: Italy" Is Coming on July 18 Only on Netflix
A special guest will guide the contestants in the first Italian edition of the reality show.

[07/10/25 - 07:01 PM]
Video: "The Winning Try" - Official Trailer - Netflix
After his career fell apart, a disgraced rugby star finds purpose coaching his old school's team - driving them and himself toward growth and redemption.

[07/10/25 - 07:01 PM]
Video: "The Nice Guy" - Teaser Trailer #3 - Disney+
He wants out for good. But the past comes with strings.

[07/10/25 - 05:03 PM]
Meagan Good Returns to Lifetime to Executive Produce and Star in the Alluring New Thriller "I'll Never Let You Go" Alongside Antonio Cupo and Thomas Cadrot, Premiering August 16 on Lifetime
Good stars as Emily Westover, a poised and successful art gallery director whose life takes a dark turn after a brief, impulsive affair with a magnetic Italian artist, Carlo (Cupo).

[07/10/25 - 12:01 PM]
"Virgin River" Is Returning for Season 8
"On behalf of myself and the whole 'Virgin River' family, we're eternally grateful to Netflix and to the fans for allowing us to continue on this journey with these beloved characters," said showrunner Patrick Sean Smith.