Studio Screenings Expected to Proceed in May

LOS ANGELES, February 15: The Hollywood studios are expected
to go ahead with their screenings for international buyers this May, according
to sources in Los Angeles.

The three-month-long strike by the Writers Guild of America
had put the annual L.A. Screenings in doubt, with concerns that new pilots
would not be ready in time. Speaking off the record, several studio executives
have indicated to World Screen Newsflash
that with the writers back to work this week, there should be some product
available to screen for international broadcasters once the networks announce
their new schedules.

CBS has said it is going ahead with its annual Upfront
presentation, where the fall season is unveiled for the press, advertisers and
affiliates. CBS is hosting its Upfront at Radio City Music Hall on May 14. ABC,
too, is proceeding with its Upfront at Carnegie Hall on May 14. FOX is
announcing May 15. NBC’s plans have yet to be confirmed; Jeff Zucker, the
president and CEO of NBC Universal, said at NATPE last month that its annual
glitzy event at Radio City Music Hall may not be necessary.

Meanwhile, on the feature-film side, DreamWorks and
Paramount Pictures are hosting a screening for Latin American buyers on May 15
via their distributor for the region, Ledafilms. And MGM will be highlighting
its new James Bond feature, among other properties, at a small screenings and
reception for Latin American broadcasters, according to a spokesperson at the
studio.

—By Mansha Daswani