Saturday, October 27, 2012

Alicia Keys Buys Eddie Murphy’s New Jersey Mansion


Alicia Keys and her husband Swizz Beatz, are making a big purchase. A $12 million purchase, according to New York Daily News.
Keys and Beatz have are gearing up to purchase Eddie Murphy’s old New Jersey estate Bubble Hill.
“The closing has been delayed for months but they’re almost there,” said a local real estate source close to the deal who wished to remain anonymous. “When she closes, she’ll buy the two-acre lot behind the house, too.”
The property includes a bowling alley, indoor pool, marble fireplaces, and private recording studio. It also has a wood-clad spa with multiple stations for hair and makeup.
Seven years ago the five-acre brick mansion named Bubble Hill, was put on the market for $30 million, but Alicia Keys and her hubby are getting a $18 million savings!
Their two-year-old son Egypt will have lots of space to run around.
Check out Bubble Hill below…
<br /><br /><br />
 October 23, 2012- Shown is an aerial photograph taken October 23, 2012.of actor/comedian Eddie Murphy's former mansion which was recently sold to singer/songwriter Alicia Keys in Englewood, NJ. Alicia also bought the parcel behind the house, extending her new property to 2 acres. (photo by Kevin Coughlin/FlyingDogPhotos.com)<br /><br /><br />
KEYS24N_1_WEB

Katt Williams Set To Star In ‘Scary Movie 5′


Comedian/actor Katt Williams has landed a starring role in Dimension’s Scary Movie 5.
Malcolm Lee is directing Scary Movie 5 from a script by David Zucker.
Williams will join fellow scandal-plagued stars Lindsay Lohan, Mike Tyson, Heather Locklear and Charlie Sheen in the fifth outing of the popular spoof franchise, reports The Hollywood Reporter.
Kate Walsh, Ashley Tisdale and Lil Duval also co-star.
Hopefully being in this movie will help keep Williams out of trouble.
Katt Williams was questioned and released by police last week after allegedly pulling a gun on Faizon Love outside Hollywood hotspot Supperclub.

LIL WAYNE SUFFERS SECOND SEIZURE


There's more shocking news from the YMCMB camp. Sources have confirmed that Lil Wayne has suffered another "seizure" while on board another plane. Apparently, Weezy was flying over Louisiana this time when he started convulsing.
TMZ Reports:
Weezy was on board a flight from Texas to LAX -- when he began to convulse. We're told the flight was immediately diverted to Louisiana ... and Wayne was admitted to a local hospital for treatment.
We broke the story ... Wayne had been hospitalized last night after a pilot reported that the rapper was experiencing seizures on board his flight.
Wayne was treated in Texas -- his rep insisted Weezy was only suffering from dehydration and migraines ... and was released hours later.

Sean “Diddy” Combs Confirms Injuries Due To Car Crash


Sean “Diddy” Combs Confirms Injuries Due To Car Crash
You always hear people say that the day or so after a wreck is when you feel the most pain. In Diddy’s case this is true.
At the time of his car crashing accident, which took place on Thursday, October 25, Diddy reported said he was fine but would ”seek his own medical attention.”
After the medical attention, it’s being confirmed by Diddy’s rep that he sustained multiple injuries in yesterday’s car accident including to his neck, ribs and collarbone.
He is currently receiving treatment for these injuries from his physicians and would like to thank all of his fans for the outpouring of support that he has received since the accident.”
Diddy’s Escalade collided with a Lexus outside of a Beverly Hills Hotel. Diddy’s chauffeur, Andre Harrell was driving.

The Great Simplifier: Play iTunes, Pandora, Spotify, and Rdio from One Mac App


Music apps have quote demonstrably given us more ways to access and listen to music than ever before. As cool as that is, it can also be a headache to jump between them - say, Pandora, iTunes, Rdio, and Spotify. Assuming you're a Mac person, an incredibly elegant solution exists to your problem: Americo Trading's Music Control, which streamlines the audio control process for Pandora, iTunes, Rdio, and Spotify into one seamless, unobtrusive menu bar app. Not only does this make them all easier to get to, but you no longer have to remember to turn off Pandora before firing up Spotify. Finally! (Bonus: If you have more than one Mac, things get even more interesting; Music Control can also control these apps to and from up to five Macs on the same local network, although this feature does not work with Pandora, as you'll see below.)

This allows you to control different audio players within the app (and on different computers, if you like). Open up "System Preferences" by clicking the Apple icon in your menu bar, and then click "Universal Access" (or "Accessibility" in OS X Mountain Lion). Select "Enable Access for Assistive Devices." Again, you'll have to do this on each computer with which you want to use the app. After testing out Music Control, we definitely recommend it if you regularly use any mix of iTunes, Pandora, Rdio and Spotify. It does exactly what it says it does, and installation and use couldn't be easier. We like the mini-dock's simple interface and the fact that it hangs out in the menu bar, without getting in the way. Yes, the $5 asking price might scare off some potential users -- but keep in mind that 20 percent of profits go to the VH1 Save the Music Foundation, to support their efforts to restore music education in public schools. Just by making your life easier, you're giving a dollar to a great program. Here's how to simplify your music life on OS X. 

1: Install Music Control


If your Mac is sporting OS X Snow Leopard, Lion, or Mountain Lion, head to the Mac App Store and install this $5 app. To use Music Control on multiple computers on a single network, you'll have to install the app on each computer. Each purchase can be installed on up to five computers, so long as they're all connected to the same iTunes account.

Music Control Step 1 

2: Enable universal access

3: Manage Your Music Control Preferences

Now that you have Music Control installed, you'll be able to access the mini-dock and everything else you need through the icon in your menu bar. 

music control 


Click the settings icon in the bottom right corner to open up Music Control Preferences.

music control 

From Music Control Preferences, you can:
  • display album artwork and artist/song title in your menu bar;
  • enable remote control capability by clicking "Control this Mac from other local network Macs;" and select a computer to control from a list of automatically detected Macs on your local network. Each computer must have Music Control installed to be detected by Music Control in order for this part to work.

4: Search for and Listen to Music on iTunes, Rdio, and Spotify

To begin searching for music, click the magnifying glass in the top right corner and search an artist name in the search box that appears. Your search will generate a list of available albums by the artist. Hovering over the album icon will show which music players the album is available on. Click on an album name to start listening immediately.
music control 

5: Manage Music Playback


Whether you're controlling music on your own computer or another one in your home or office, you can adjust volume, play, pause, skip, and switch between music players all in one place. Whenever you're connected to another computer, a cloud will appear behind the settings icon. 

music control 


To switch computers, just head back to the Music Control Preferences (see step 3) and choose another machine.
Other features:

  • Add songs to a favorites list by clicking the heart icon
  • Share what you're listening to on Facebook and Twitter
  • Scrobble to Last.fm

6: Add Pandora to the Mix


You can only use Music Control with Pandora on one computer. Make sure the app isn't controlling another remote computer, then head to Music Control Preferences, click the Pandora tab, and simply enter your account information. If you don't have a Pandora account already, you can register for one here.

 


After you've saved you're account information, click on the Pandora icon in the mini-dock and Music Control will sign into your account automatically. Now, you can access all of your previously made radio stations -- or click on the magnifying glass to create a new one. 

And that's basically all there is to setting up and using Music Control on a Mac. Enjoy!

Halle Berry Looking Fab At ‘Cloud Atlas’ Premiere


Halle Berry made a beautifully fabulous appearance  Wednesday night at the Cloud Atlas premiere.
Dressed in a glittering, strapless silver Dolce & Gabbana cocktail dress, the 46-year-old star lit up the red carpet outside Los Angeles’ Grauman’s Chinese theater in Hollywood.
Berry was arm in arm with her man, Oliver Martinez.
Cloud Atlas hits theaters today, Friday, October 26.   
Halle-Berry-Cloud-Atlas-Premiere-2

Major Labels, Artist Managers to Meet in New York, Nashville To Discuss Webcasting Rates


Labels and managers will meet in New York and Nashville next week to discuss their plans for addressing the Internet Radio Fairness Act and the coalition of webcasters and trade groups that support both versions of the bill, according to sources.

The three major labels have organized a meeting with artist managers on Tuesday that will cover the issues surrounding the Internet Radio Fairness Act (IRFA), legislation from Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Representatives Chaffetz (R-UT), Polis (D-CO), Issa (R-CA) and Lofgren (D-CA) that would change, among other things, the standard by which statutory royalties are set. IRFA is backed by Pandora, Clear Channel, the Consumer Electronics Association and Digital Media Association, among others.


Discussions between labels and managers will continue in Nashville. Many people from around the country will be in town for the CMA Awards on Thursday evening.

One major label executive stresses that next week's meetings are simply the beginning of an ongoing campaign to unite similar interests against a common foe. Neither the Tuesday meeting in New York nor the meetings in Nashville were called specifically to formulate a strategy. "It's going to be a long process," says the executive.

Opponents of IRFA have their own bill to support, a discussion draft from Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) that would apply the standard currently used for webcasters' rates - the "willing buyer, willing seller" standard - to satellite radio and cable. The Wyden and Chaffetz bills seek to replace the "willing buyer, willing seller" standard with the 801(b) standard, which instructs the Copyright Royalty Board to take into account a wider variety of factors when setting rates.

The other side of the issue is increasingly speaking with a common language. Pandora, Clear Channel, the Consumer Electronics Association and other organizations announced Thursday the formation of the Internet Radio Fairness Coalition, an advocacy group that supports the Chaffetz and Wyden bills.

The major labels meeting with managers story was first reported by CNET on Thursday.

NATINA REED OF GIRL GROUP BLAQUE REPORTEDLY KILLED IN HIT-AND-RUN ACCIDENT

The Atlanta music community is expressing their condolences after unconfirmed reports say that Natina Reed, the spunky spitter of girl group Blaque, has passed away.
The 32-year-old female rapper was said to be involved in a hit-and-run accident late Friday night (Oct. 26) in Atlanta. Songwriter/producer Isaac Hayes III was one of the first to tweet the news, posting "R.I.P. Natina Reed of the Group Blaque. Killed by a Hit & Run last night. So sad."
Reed was a protegee of TLC's Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, whose tragic death was at the hands of a car accident in 2002. Left Eye championed the pop/R&B trio, known for their hits "808" and "Bring It All To Me," even signing them to her production company, Left Eye Productions. Natina is also remembered for her role in the 2000 cheerleader chick flick Bring It On alongside Gabrielle Union, who tweeted, "#RIP #Sad #BringItOn."
Reed has a 10-year-old son Tren Brown from her relationship with rapper Kurupt. No immediate statements have been released from the family or members of Blaque.

UPDATE

Natina Reed, former member of the singing group Blaque, has been killed.
Reed was involved in a hit-and-run early this morning in Atlanta.  If alive, Reed would have celebrated her 33rd birthday on tomorrow, Sunday, October 28.
Blaque’s debut hit was “808.”
Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, from the group TLC signed Blaque to her production company, Left Eye Productions.
You may also remember Reed in the movie “Bring It On.”  Natina Reed is the cousin of former Destiny’s Child member Farrah Franklin.
In 2001, Reed was engaged to rapper Kurupt. In 2002, she gave birth to their son Tren Brown after the group was dropped from their label. Reed and Kurupt are now separated.
In 2010, Reed was arrested for disorderly conduct and riding around with an open container of alcohol.
Natina Reed was arrested and charged for DUI several times in 2011.
Natina Reed mugshot in 2010
Natina Reed pictured above, far right in “Bring It On”
Natina Reed pictured to far left
Natina Reed pictured to far right
Tweets courtesy of Twitter/Necole Bitchie

Layoffs at Universal, EMI Distribution and Nashville Offices


The Universal Music Group is consolidating its music distribution companies and its Nashville country music labels following its merger with EMI recorded music. According to sources, nearly 60 people were let go:nearly 50 from distribution and almost 10 from Nashville. Though the majority of those laid-off were with EMI, some Universal Music employees were let go as well.

As part of the move, several EMI distribution staffers such as EMI senior VP of sales John Nicholas and Joan Kane, who oversaw the EMI East Coast field sales staff, were offered different assignments with the Universal Music Group Distribution -- a senior catalog position and label liaison for Capitol, respectively.


In addition to those laid off today, some EMI distributions staffers were told they would only have their jobs for another 30 to 120 days, according to sources in both the EMI camp and UMG camp. One senior UMG executive, however, denied this saying the consolidation of the distribution company has been completed and going forward new staffers might be brought in for digital sales.

Meanwhile, sources said Dominic Pandiscia, who had headed up EMI's distribution company, will become head of sales for Capitol Records. There he will reportedly have on his staff Saul Shapiro, who handled Blue Note releases, and David Miller, who handles Astralwerks and some Capitol releases.

"Following our acquisition of EMI Recorded Music, UMG will be expanding key creative areas as part of our ongoing integration. While this restructuring will unfortunately result in some redundancies, it is essential to UMG becoming an even more agile and efficient company, not just for this year or the next, but for years to come," a UMG statement said. "Our goal is to maximize the resources available for reinvestment in our labels so they can do what they do best: develop and promote artists, increase the output of new music and expand opportunities for digital innovation."

Friday, October 26, 2012

Break Your Hit at the Palace

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Start by uploading your songs and photos. Next, choose the popular artists whose music is most similar to your own. 

2. Get played on Jango and collect fans 

Your music will get played to end users listening to radio stations that feature the popular artists you chose. These are the listeners most likely to become your fan. 

3. Get reports and data on your new fan base 
You will get detailed reports on your new fan base, a great resource for knowing your audience. 



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Diddy Involved in Car Crash, Suffers Minor Injuries


Yesterday, Diddy suffered minor injuries in a car crash outside of the Beverly Hills Hotel. The mogul was in the passenger seat of a Cadillac Escalade when it collided with a Lexus that was turning left. The front end of the truck was pretty badly damaged. According to Lt. Lincoln Hoshino, Diddy complained of pain and said he would seek his own medical care. No one was hospitalized despite the severity of the crash.
Bad Boy CEO Sean "Diddy" Combs found himself in a major car wreck after smashing his Escalade into another vehicle outside the Beverly Hills hotel Wednesday (Oct. 24).
He allegedly ran into a Lexus sedan that turned left in front of the black SUV, the NY Daily Newsreports. Though no one from either vehicle was hospitalized, Sean was found stunned and lying on the grass after the crash. Beverly Hills police Lt. Lincoln Hoshino told the AP that he said he would seek his own medical attention and didn't cite any injuries. As seen from the photo above, the Escalade will need some major repair.
The rapper-mogul took to Instagram Thursday morning, saying "Woah... that was a close one!" 

Prince Royce Fires Back at Top Stop, Files Counterclaim Against Label


After being sued by his label, indie Top Stop Music (TSM), for breach of contract and unjust enrichment last September, rising bachata star Prince Royce has responded to the complaint and filed a counterclaim of his own.

Royce's complaint, filed Oct. 18 in the Circuit Court of the 11th Judicial Circuit for Miami-Dade, Florida, not only vigorously denies the allegations of breach of contract, but alleges that TSM does not have the rights to his recording services, that he is not a TSM exclusive artist and that TSM does not have rights for future Royce recordings or any options to acquire Royce's rights in English language albums.

The suit also contends that Royce's contract with Top Stop Music Publishing has expired and that TSM has not properly accounted to Royce for the sale of his music nor has it paid him what is due to him in both recording and publishing royalties.


"Top Stop's case is nothing more than a desperate attempt to claim rights from Royce that it does not have," said attorney Kenneth Freundlich in a press release. "Royce's counterclaims seek a swift, just and public resolution of this matter to prevent Top Stop from causing any further damage to his career."  Freundlich in Los Angeles and Sean Santini of Miami represent Royce in this lawsuit.

The legal wrangling between Top Stop and Royce has been closely watched because Royce is without a doubt the most successful new act to be developed in the Latin marketplace in the past five years to the degree that his self-titled debut album was the top-selling Latin album of 2011, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

But even as sales of Royce's sophomore set, Phase II, have also remained strong, the relationship between Royce and his label has soured dramatically, to the degree that as part of his suit, Royce also filed a third party claim against producer Sergio George, president of Top Stop and the man who brought him to the label.

In that third-party claim, Royce alleges that George "engaged in a public campaign of words seeking to undermine Royce's reputation in the Latin American community" and seeks damages for this "wrongful conduct."

"By publishing false statements, including, without limitation, in a press release, on the internet, on Univision's television show "Primer Impacto," in Billboard Magazine and elsewhere, wherein George called Royce an ingrate and stated that he had breached his agreements with TSM and TSMP, was not loyal and was turning his back on the Latin community, George intended to communicate to others false and defamatory statements against Royce," reads the suit.

Top Stop's suit stated it discovered Royce in 2009, signed him and turned him into an international superstar who topped Billboard charts only to see Royce seek greener pastures.

"Ignoring the cautionary tale of 'never forgetting those who have helped you,' Prince Royce has turned his back on Top Stop, despite the fact that Top Stop has invested in excess of $2 million cultivating Prince Royce's career and was successful in propelling him from an unsigned MySpace artist to No. 1 on the Latin Billboard charts," reads the complaint.

Conversely, Royce's complaint tells "not a tale of ingratitude, rather it's an all-too-familiar case of a greedy record label taking advantage of a vulnerable and inexperienced 19-year-old, inducing him with empty promises of riches and a record deal."

Meantime, Royce is in the midst of his more than 25-date tour that includes stops in New York's Madison Square Garden and Los Angeles' Nokia Theater.

At press time, Top Stop had not responded to Billboard.biz's request for comment on the countersuit.

BOBBY BROWN ARRESTED FOR SECOND DUI OF THE YEAR



Bobby Brown just can't stop drinking... and driving.
For the second time this year, he faces a drunken driving charge after a Los Angeles police officer pulled him over in Studio City early Wednesday.
Brown's vechile was stopped on Ventura Boulevard and the officer said he smelled "a strong smell of alcohol" during the routine traffic stop. A quick field sobriety test proved that the singer was over the legal limit. Bobby was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and booked into a jail.
Police have confirmed that New Edition singer was released on bond.
Brown checked into a "confidential rehabilitation center" in August for treatment "relating to alcohol use," his spokesman said at the time.
Brown, 43, agreed to enter a 90-day alcohol treatment program when he pleaded no contest in Los Angeles County to driving with a blood alcohol content of .08% or higher in April. He also was sentenced to 36 months of probation, according to his attorney, Tiffany Feder.

Composers and Music Supervisors Talk Process, Problems and Importance of Networking at Billboard/THR Film & TV Conference


 
(L-R): Musician/composers Michael Andrews, Will Bates, Phil Mossman, 
Gingger Shankar and Nick Urata; music supervisor Gary Calamar 
(Photo: Arnold Turner) 

The key to survival is diversify. Always negotiate to retain ownership of your score when the upfront money is too low. Oftentimes the constraints of working for a director or producer will actually help the creative process. Regardless of his personal troubles or the tabloid headlines, Mel Gibson is a very dedicated director who knew exactly what he wanted with "The Passion of the Christ." He even did a bit of chanting in the studio. 

These were some of the big takeaways from the "Songs and Scores: A Gathering of Musicians" panel and Q&A at Billboard's Film & TV Music Conference at The W Hotel in Hollywood on Wednesday. A group of musicians who have learned to balance their own recording and touring schedules with professional work on movies, TV and commercials talked about the unique challenges and creative satisfaction with their respective transitions.

The "Songs and Scores" panelists were Nick Urata ("I Love You, Phillip Morris"), Gingger Shankar ("The Passion of the Christ"), Michael Andrews ("Bridesmaids"), Will Bates and Phil Mossman from Fall On Your Sword ("Another Earth"). Go Music/KCRW music supervisor Gary Calamar ("True Blood," "Dexter") moderated. Urata performed one of the songs his band, DeVotchKa, written with composer Mychael Danna for "Little Miss Sunshine." 

All of the former-bandmembers/solo artists-turned-composers seemed to agree that having a deadline and some other folks in the process can actually help when compared to the slower, more solitary process of writing and recording their own work. "You get it finished a lot quicker. If you have only yourself to answer to, you can procrastinate a lot," explained Mossman. "That's one of the big differences between films and albums. Having a definite goal and something else to serve other than yourself, like a film or a director's vision, can sometimes be really helpful. It's not necessarily a restrictive part of the process." 

Urata agreed. "It does get you out of your own head. You're forced to follow the story and the character's performances. In a lot of ways, that'll lead you down musical paths you never would have taken if you were sitting in a room alone with a blank page. 

"The hardest thing to get used to when you're collaborating is the rejection -- when you thought one of your songs was perfect for a scene," he added. 

Bates, who said he sang the entire score from "Star Wars" to his parents at age 5, said another challenge involves temp music. Oftentimes, editors and directors will get a bit too attached to the placeholder music. All of them agreed that it's important not to lose your own identity as a composer. 

 
(L-R): Nick Urata, Gingger Shankar, Will Bates, Phil Mossman, 
Michael Andrews 
(Photo: Arnold Turner) 

"I've definitely gotten fired because I said I wouldn't imitate certain things. You have to make a conscious decision to be yourself," said Andrews. 

Fall On Your Sword will often lean on commercial work when times are lean with films, and vice versa. Having their own studio helps when it comes to spreading around a budget, which they said are often delivered in a lump sum with which composers are expected to hire whomever they need. 

"To survive in music these days, you have to diversify a lot," insisted Bates. "It's a hustle," Calamar agreed. "Let's assume you're a fine composer. That's almost only half the job. Your networking skills and schmoozing are a big part of being successful in any business." 

All of them were very encouraging to one 16-year-old aspiring composer in the audience who was there to do some networking of his own. He asked each of them about their earliest influences. Urata named John Williams and John Barry. Shankar mentioned Alfred Hitchcock's movies and Clint Mansell's work on "Requiem for a Dream." The first record Bates ever bought was Ennio Morricone's score for "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly." Mossman cited pioneering electronic composer Wendy Carlos ("A Clockwork Orange"). For Andrews, whose first movie was "Donnie Darko," he cited "minimalist weird guys in their bedroom making electronic music." 

 
(L-R): Rajeev Dassani, Rhett Giles, Conrad Goode, Anna Granucci (all from 
"Watercolor Postcards"); Randall Miller, Jody Savin, Brad Rosenberger (all from 
"CBGB" and "The Drummer" and moderator Phil Gallo (Photo: Arnold Turner) 

Earlier in the day, a panel called "How Music Rights Paved the Way for Films: Music Supervisor-Producer Partnerships" talked about movies centered around certain songs or musically motivated stories, like the forthcoming film about New York's legendary punk club, CBGB, and its colorful owner, Hilly Kristal. Whereas many films start thinking about licensing after the fact, these particular projects involved an emphasis on music cues from the get-go.

Billboard's own Phil Gallo moderated the panel, which included two groups of people working on three upcoming flicks:  the Americana/country leaning "Watercolor Postcards" (director Rajeev Dassani, producer Rhett Giles, screenwriter/actor Conrad Goode and music supervisor/associate producer Anna Granucci); and "CBGB" (director/writer Randy Miller, producer/music supervisor Brad Rosenberger and producer/writer Jody Savin); the latter trio are also involved together on the movie "The Drummer," which tells the story of the Beach Boys' late drummer Dennis Wilson.

Rosenberger was working at Warner/Chappell Music when he said he presented the idea to the brass that as a publisher they were "sitting on a goldmine of stories. I found these guys and I told them about my passion for Dennis Wilson and two months later, Jody calls me back and says, 'We want to do this movie.' I said, 'What movie?' I was like, 'You're kidding!' My next thought was, 'Are they the right people to do this movie?' But when I looked back at why I liked their movies, I knew they were the right people. And then in Randy's awesome way, he was like, 'What else you got?'"

"I said, 'Dude, we don't even have a deal for this movie!' And that's where 'CBGB' came from," he explained.

(L-R): Rajeev Dassani, Rhett Giles, Conrad Goode, Anna Granucci, Randall Miller, 
Jody Savin, Brad Rosenberger, moderator Phil Gallo (Photo: Arnold Turner) 

Scheduling conflicts with some of the actors on "The Drummer" put "CBGB" into preproduction in April, which made for a scramble to secure licenses, among other things. "I basically called up all of my peers and told them 'CBGB' was a labor of love, a film that will not be made by a major studio but that it's an important film," Rosenberger said. "When I was at Warner/Chappell, I had dealt with a lot of them. My whole thing was to look at it as CBGBs as a museum: you're walking down a hallway and you see Talking Heads, Dead Boys, Blondie. It's not about them. They're important. But it's about the guy -- it's about Hilly. It's 'Night at the Museum,' and Hilly is Ben Stiller. It wasn't easy. We're still finishing up the movie. But I don't think people are going to be disappointed." 

"Watercolor Postcards" had a little bit of an easier road, licensing-wise. Laura Bell Bundy stars as Sunny, which includes several scenes of Bundy singing. She has a history with Broadway and released her debut country album through Mercury about three years ago. Granucci said Nashville singer/songwriter Andy Davis wrote many of the songs she sings in the movie and was often on-set with them. "He worked with Conrad a little bit on some things. He custom wrote the songs. The songs really paved the way for the other 18 cues that I selected and licensed for the soundtrack."

Idris Elba Could Be the First Black James Bond


Recently, there's been plenty of chatter surrounding the possibility of the first Black James Bond coming to the big screen. Current Bond girl, Naomie Harris, says she wants her fellow Brit Idris Elba to play the part—a role his name has been tied to for over a year.
The Sykfall actress told the Huffington Post, "I didn’t realize that there was this talk and then I did a film with Idris [Elba] and he said that he met Barbara Broccoli [James Bond producer] and that it does seem like there is a possibility in the future that there could very well be a Black James Bond. And I would have to vote for Idris because I just finished working with him and he’s a great guy."
In September 2011, Elba told CNN that if he does take the role, he doesn't want to be called the "first Black James Bond." "Sean Connery wasn't the Scottish James Bond and Daniel Craig wasn't the blue-eyed James Bond," said Elba. "So if I played him, I don't want to be called the Black James Bond."

Elba's meeting with Broccoli is a possible sign that a new Bond film is on its way.