If everyone were to try to do his own little thing and contribute to saving the environment, then perhaps our world can stand a chance, don’t you think? The people of Hollywood – both stars and “common” people alike – are trying to help out in their own way. From the 8th of December to the 9th of December, the 2nd annual Hollywood Goes Green Summit is going to be held in Los Angeles. Naturally, this kind of event is slated to be very high profile and is already attracting a lot of attention. Marketwatch carries this press release:

iHollywood Forum, Inc. announced today that the second annual “Hollywood Goes Green” conference will be held this December 8-9, 2008 at the Hilton Universal in Los Angeles. The high profile conference, addressing environmental issues in entertainment and media, will host more than 40 speakers and exhibitors. The title sponsors are HP and General Motors.

“While celebrities have long been environmental activists, studios and production companies have been cautious about adopting the green philosophy as it applies to their business operations,” saysZahava Stroud, President and Cofounder of iHollywood. “Today, during an economic slowdown, implementing sustainable solutions is a necessity within global entertainment business operations to improve profitability. Studios and broadcast networks are committing resources to reducing their carbon footprint across the board in entertainment production, distribution, and marketing.”

I am thrilled that even the bigwigs of the industry are now realizing the need to go green. If these people – whose exposure extends to the whole world – are able to set a good example, then things are looking up for Mother Earth!

It is always heartwarming to see a good cause succeed. We all recently heard about the passing away of Hollywood icon Paul Newman. I am sure that if he had any way of knowing what is happening after his passing away, he would be quite happy. An annual fundraiser for a children’s camp for those with life-threatening diseases was held on Monday and the support that it received from the who’s who of Hollywood was overwhelming. More than actually turning up to help raise money for a good cause, the people also turned up to pay their own tribute to Paul Newman. The Associate Press has this report:

The lineup for a dramatic reading of “The World of Nick Adams” on Monday night at San Francisco’s Davies Symphony Hall already was set when the acting legend died of cancer Sept. 26 at the age of 83. The event benefited The Painted Turtle, a camp for children with life-threatening illnesses, that was started by Newman in 1999.

“We expected Paul to be with us and so this kind of turned into kind of a tribute,” said Danny Glover, who joined Jack Nicholson, Julia Roberts, Tom Hanks, Warren Beatty, Sean Penn and other big names in the reading. “This is the first time we are doing this without Paul — there is a void there, without a doubt.”

Some 2,500 people attended the star-studded benefit, which began with a video in which Newman discussed his work with the Association of Hole in The Wall Camps, which runs 11 camps around the world including The Painted Turtle.

Just take note of those names mentioned above and you will understand how big the event turned up to be. I am sure that the children involved – and Paul Newman, if he were alive – would deeply appreciate the gesture.

We all know who Sarah Palin is. The running mate of Republican presidential candidate, John McCain, Sarah Palin is the current governor of Alaska. She is known for many things – some funny, some positive, and some negative. It really all depends on your perspective. Now I am not about to cast any judgment here nor am I to further any political cause. What I am about to share is something that a Hollywood public relations consultant said.

Michael Levine, head of Levine Communications is reported to have said that she is “the hottest property in media.” Reuters has this write up:

“My sources confirm producers and agents all over showbiz are trying to figure out what to do with her. One serious possibility could be an Oprah-style talk show,” the head of Levine Communications said in a note circulated to reporters Friday.

He added that “she’s a perfect fit as a TV host, stirring passions on both sides, which is a winning formula for large viewership.”

In case you have not heard of Michael Levine and you do not know his reputation, here is a bit of info from their web site:

With over 25 years experience LCO - Levine Communications Office - has garnered a reputation as a leader in the field of Public Relations. Clients have and continue to include some of the most renowned people and corporations, names such as Barbra Streisand, Charlton Heston, Robert Evans, Michael Jackson, David Bowie, Nike, Sharp and Pizza Hut.

Those are big enough names to establish the reputation of the guy, aren’t they? So, Sarah Palin fans – you just might see more of her in the future, no matter what the results of the elections may be.

Universal Studios is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Hollywood. Every tourist who has plans of visiting this part of the world makes it a point to visit the studios. Not only does a tour offer real movie making experiences but they also have loads of other attractions such as rides and theme park features. More so, the people behind Universal Studios are always finding ways to improve their facilities and give people reasons to keep coming back.

Just recently, they launched the Simpsons Ride. In a few more years, they are coming out with one of the biggest rides ever. Dubbed the Transformers Ride, the new attraction is set to be launched in 2011. It will have 3D high definition footage and special effects and robotics. There is a lot of expectation riding on this attraction and the rumor is that it will be exceeding the $40 million budget for the Simpsons Ride.

The work on the Transformers Ride is set to start in 2009 and will hopefully be completed by 2011. True, the time frame seems to be a bit too long but if you think about the work that they will be doing, it should be a reasonable time. More so, the Transformers Ride will not be limited to the main Universal Studios site. In fact, an identical attraction will also be built in the Singapore facility of Universal Studios. This means that people from the other side of the world will also be able to enjoy this cutting edge ride.

I don’t know about you but I can’t wait till they get this done!

Just because Hollywood is where some of the richest people on earth live, it does not mean that the community does not have a sense of social and environmental responsibility. Indeed, some of the most socially aware people are big figures in Hollywood. As another testament to how this part of the world is contributing to the effort to save Mother Earth, the first eco-friendly lounge is set to open in November of this year in Hollywood.

Dubbed Ecco, the lounge is located in the Cahuenga Corridor and is set to lay down the standards for an environmentally friendly night out. Ecco used to be the Tokio Hollywood, which was renovated and transformed into something which, many would say, is better.

So what makes Ecco different from the plethora of night clubs and lounges in Hollywood? Here are some of its features:

– Multi-colored state-of-the-art LED lighting, exclusively designed and installed by Disco Designer and Cosmos Lighting.
– Neutralized carbon emissions through LivClean.
– Green energy supplied by L.A. Department of Water & Power’s Green Power resources.
– Certified organic cuisine and beverages without fertilizers, pesticides, hormones or antibiotics.
– Energy efficient insulation, saving 20% more energy than standard insulation.
– Eco-friendly bathrooms with flushless toilets, Dyson “Airblade” hand dryers, and organic cleansers and hand soaps.
– Free valet service for hybrid vehicles.
– Paperless event ticketing, table and bottle reservations provided by UpCode Solutions USA/Mobile Access & Interaction technology (MAI)(TM).
– Custom audio provided by Turbosound, winners of the Best Club Awards

LED lighting, flushless toilets, organic food - you can’t get any “eco-friendlier” than that can you?

We can find museums of all sorts these days. They are not limited to natural history and things like that anymore. In fact, one of the more interesting kinds of museums that is set to make waves is the Gay Museum that is set to open in West Hollywood. Dubbed the ONE Archives Gallery and Museum, this establishment is located in a small office. Small as the physical location may be, the ONE Archives Gallery and Museum is full of information and other items on display.

The LA Times has this write up:

The museum — really a micro-museum at 600 square feet — has set a macro goal for itself: to bring little-known aspects of gay history out of the library closet and into the public sphere. The museum is an offshoot of the ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives, which is affiliated with USC. The old magazine covers dedicated to gay marriage come from ONE magazine, the first gay publication in the country.

Hawkins, a professor of anthropology and gender studies at USC, serves as curator of the museum. Because the archives are a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, the museum by extension cannot directly support political causes, including the effort to defeat Proposition 8. “Let’s just say we have to be extremely careful,” Hawkins said.

I am not gay but I do have a lot of friends who are and I am sure that they will be delighted to visit this museum.

The movie industry has gone a long way since the first moving pictures came out. Today, we see movies in full color and digital surround sound. We can even choose movie theaters with Lazy Boy seats. Add to that the best popcorn – and other munchies – and we can have the best movie experience ever. Or is it really the best?

We all know that despite the bounds and leaps that movies have made over the decades, the basic thing is that they still use celluloid film. This fact gives way to physical limitations. After a lot of runs and reruns, the film can get scratched and the quality of the movie can suffer.

All this can be done away with, however, if movies were digitally projected. This is what some groups are aiming for. The Baltimore Sun has this story:

An agreement last week by a consortium of five Hollywood studios to funnel more than $1 billion into making digital projection available to 20,000 U.S. theater screens should lead to better and more consistent picture quality, industry leaders say, and enable theaters to widen their programming by projecting concerts and other live events. In addition, bringing digital capacity to so many more theater screens will increase the number able to show 3-D films, which many industry analysts see as the next big thing in motion-picture technology.

We already know the potential that digitalization offers. From the DVD to Blu-Ray, we have seen all the changes. Who is to say that similar technology cannot be applied to the wide screen?

Everyone knows who Steven Spielberg is and we all know what Paramount Studios stand for. I bet that most any person in this world can recognize the face and the image behind these two Hollywood icons. Spielberg has been partnered up with the Studio for quite some time now and it is sad news indeed that he is set to leave. Actually, it is Dreamworks, Spielgberg’s baby that has been partnered up with Paramount. In the very near future, Dreamworks will pull out of Paramount and will subsequently be dissolved.

So what will happen next? The parent company owned by Spielberg - Reliance BIG Entertainment – will form a new studio, which is partly financed by investors from India. So it is basically Hollywood and Bollywood coming together. As of yet, there is no news as to what the new studio’s name will be. There is also very little news as to what projects will be coming up.

Here is what little I could find, courtesy of Contra Costa Times:

The Times of India reports in its Monday editions that Mumbai-based Reliance BIG Entertainment and JPMorgan-Chase will finance the $700 million deal.

In addition, Spielberg will continue to produce the “Transformers” franchise movies for Paramount and will also collaborate on three other Paramount films, including “When Worlds Collide,” the studios said.

As to the big director himself, he says that he is pleased with the recent developments.

We all heard about the writers’ strike that happened in Hollywood last year. Well, folks, the troubles in Tinsel Town are not over yet. Apparently, the negotiators for the Screen Actors Guild are calling for a strike vote. Mid last week, the negotiating committee of the Guild recommended that its 120,000 members vote on whether to strike or not.

According to their rules, at least 75 percent of their members should agree before a strike can be carried out. Hollywood Insider has more on this:

SAG is the lone holdout still negotiating a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (its previous deal expired in June). Guilds for the writers, directors, and daytime actors all signed new pacts with the major studios in the last year. Internet residuals continue represent a key sticking point in SAG’s stalled talks with the AMPTP. According to the advisory motion approved by the negotiating committee, “Negotiators…have requested that the AMPTP return to the bargaining table to negotiate a fair deal, and the AMPTP…has refused to change their position and continued to refuse to meet to attempt to advance the negotiations.”

The AMPTP responded by questioning whether this was really the time to talk about going on strike, especially given the dire situation on Wall Street. “Not only is the business suffering from recent economic decisions, but if ever there was a time when Americans wanted the diversions of movies and TV, it is now,” the AMPTP said in a statement. “The DGA, the WGA, and AFTRA reached agreements on comparable terms months ago, during far better economic times, and it is unrealistic for SAG negotiators now to expect even better terms during this grim financial climate. This is the harsh economic reality, and no strike will change that reality.”

Indeed, this is one of the worst times to go on strike – even those in power may not have the means to change things. We will see what happens on October 18, when the board meets.

We’ve known that Hollywood legend and American cultural icon has been battling cancer for quite some time now. Still, his passing away has caused ripples of emotions all throughout the country and even the rest of the world. Paul Newman, a man looked up to by many, passed away at 83.

AFP writes:

Paul Newman, a Hollywood legend and American icon beloved for his piercing blue eyes and roguish charm, has died after losing his fight with cancer, his family said Saturday. He was 83.
Newman, whose health had been the subject of intense speculation ever since photographs of him looking frail and gaunt appeared in the press in June, passed away on Friday, a spokeswoman said.

A devastatingly handsome leading man who appeared in scores of Hollywood classics, Newman’s death relegated the US presidential election and Wall Street’s financial meltdown to second place in news bulletins Saturday.

“Our father was a rare symbol of selfless humility, the last to acknowledge what he was doing was special,” Newman’s daughters said in a statement.

“Intensely private, he quietly succeeded beyond measure in impacting the lives of so many with his generosity.”

Tributes began flowing in from around the globe, with friends, co-stars and celebrities hailing an “exemplary life.”

Robert Redford , Newman’s friend and co-star in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and “The Sting,” led the emotional outpouring.

“There is a point where feelings go beyond words,” the 72-year-old said in a statement. “I have lost a real friend. My life — and this country — is better for his being in it.”

Though some of today’s generation may not know much about this man, those if us who witnessed his life and his work will certainly remember him for the man he was.