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The REEL DEAL, by Anne Iverson

RICHARD FRANCESCHINI PROMOTED TO VICE PRESIDENT

Richard Franceschini has been promoted to Vice President of Production Resources at Warner Bros. Pictures. Richard has been with Warner Bros. for nine years and is currently the Studio Affiliate on the ERMA Board. Congratulations, Richard!

NEW MOM KATHI TALUTIS

Katherine Talutis, Sony Pictures Entertainment Vice-President Branded Integration, returned to work last week. Katherine recently gave birth to her and Patrick Tooley's first child, son Boyer Tooley. Welcome back, Kathi!

JOHN OWEN JOINS SET RESOURCES

John Owen, formerly with The Ant Farm, one of Hollywood's top ad agencies, is now President of Set Resources. Aaron Gordon, founder and partner will focus primarily on new business development.
John can be reached at 310.915.9180 or

JOSH RAVETCH DIRECTS CARRIE FISHER IN WISHFUL DRINKING AT THE GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE

Joshua Ravetch, Senior Vice-President Production Resources, New Line Cinema, will direct Carrie Fisher in her one-woman show called Wishful Drinking. Written and performed by Fisher, the play opens at L.A.'s Geffen Playhouse November 7^th and runs through January 14^th.

Wishful Drinking is the hilarious account of Carrie Fisher's theme-park-ride-through Hollywood delivered by the source herself! From Star daughter (her parents were Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher) to Star Wars, to Star Relations, Fisher tells all - and then some. In some ways, says its director, Joshua Ravetch, it's Fisher's "Unauthorized Autobiography" - now there's a first! Fisher has been quoted as saying that she "often talks behind her own back." In this first ever live tell all, Fisher will surprise or even shock with her disclosures, her humor, her unexpectedly remarkable singing voice and her tits!

ERMA Night at the Geffen is scheduled for Friday, November 24.

ANHEUSER-BUSCH HAS MOVED ITS OFFICES

Anheuser-Busch has moved its Entertainment Marketing offices into swanky new digs in Beverly Hills. The new address is: 100 N. Crescent Drive, Suite 117, Beverly Hills, CA 90210.

James F. Holleran: Director, Entertainment Marketing - 310.385.4495
Carlene V. Rowe: Sr. Manager, Entertainment Marketing - 310.385.4492
China Campbell: Administrative Assistant - 310.385.4493

NEW OFFICE OPENINGS FOR NORM MARSHALL & ASSOCIATES, INC.

On July 1^st, Norm Marshall & Associates, Inc. opened new offices in Boston, which makes five worldwide offices including Los Angeles, New York, Sydney, and Osaka. A London office is on its way! For more information call: Norm Marshall at 818.982.3505

ROGERS AND COWAN:
Rogers & Cowan has recently recruited Julie Baner from "CSI: New York" to handle TV placements. Meilani Lenart has been promoted to Director.
 
FROM FEATURE THIS!

NEW CLIENT NEWS:

From UPP Entertainment Marketing, these new clients:

For more information, contact Barbara Maultsby at 818.526.0111

From Feature This! these new clients:

Inre Miljo Goes Mobile - Creates Berazy Mobile Entertainment 

ERMA's Swedish member, Inre Miljo AB (IMAB), has taken their beautiful reproduction masterpiece artwork, along with other custom content, to mobile telephones, PDAs and other on-the-go devices with the creation of their new division, Berazy Mobile Entertainment. Represented in the Americas by Richard Firth and his Firth & Associates Entertainment Marketing, Berazy Mobile Entertainment is currently available in 60 countries worldwide.

If you would like to view a catalog of current content or would like to arrange a demonstration of Berazy Mobile's capabilities, call Richard Firth at 310.281.1184.

STUDIO SPOTLIGHT – Susan Safier – VP Product Placement – Twentieth Century Fox

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Susan Safier,Vice President of Product Placement for Twentieth Century Fox Pictures, has been a stable in the product placement/branded integration industry. Susan has been with Twentieth Century Fox a remarkable 15 years! The department has reported to different bosses but the job remains the same - both exciting and evolving.

When Susan first started out, the department reported into Marketing and Promotions, next it moved into Promotions and Licensing and now the department is under Physical Production. Although the needs of the job remain the same, as in the past, Susan notes that Producers are savvier, there are more companies out there interested in product placement and exposure opportunities and there is never a dull moment.

Susan feels it is important to meet with the film makers and get their perspective of what they need and what their priorities are and to work with agency and corporate partners that value placement and exposure opportunities.

An example of an upcoming production that both the studio and Susan are proud of is Twentieth Century Fox's, "A Good Year" starring Russell Crowe and directed and produced by Ridley Scott. The film is being released November 10th and is a true standout.

Both Palm Treo and Smart cars have wonderful placements and marketing promotional tie-ins. Susan says, " It is a case where you have a beautiful script, an A level star and products that work creatively. The brands are so thrilled with their exposure and have also benefited by doing global promotions to support the release of the film."

As for the rest of the year, it is business as usual with the focus on such productions as: " Live Free or Die Hard ", "Alien vs. Predator 2 " and many other exciting films.It has definitely been “A Good Year” and Susan is so happy with the "The Devil Wears Prada" where she had many successful placement deals. In addition, Susan is glad to work for Fox and have relationships with all the great agencies and corporate partners.

Indies are making it big at the box office It seems the Indie Film Market is creeping up on the North American Box Office.

Over the Labor Day Weekend all of the Indie Marketplace was successful. Fox Searchlights’s “Little Miss Sunshine, Yari Film Group’s “The Illusionist” and Lionsgate’s “Crank” all had impactful showings.

This certainly is noticed by Hollywood and of course, corporations and the agencies representing corporations looking for exposure for their products and clients.

Could it be low budget films will gain new partners interested in tapping into
new and interesting films that in the past were considered niche markets and that are
now getting widespread exposure……..

Roadshow Hollywood

THe Entertainment Marketing uPfront Join 100 entertainment marketing executives from more than 40 entertainment companies who will reveal their upcoming releases, promotional calendars and partnership opportunities in music, gaming, film and television. This event will have one day focused directly against the Music industry aptly titled Music Day, September 18, 2006. This day will be devoted to tie-in and licensing opportunities for the music world.

This Entertainment Marketing event is sponsored and supported by such folks as:
Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, Billboard, Country Music Association and Buena Vista Music Group.

Learn more by accessing the web-link below.LINK roadshowhollywood.com

Summer Box Office Results – The Summer Sizzlers

Hotlinks:

www.erma.org
www.Hollywoodreporter.com
www.adage.com/madisonandvine
www.pmalink.org (Promotion Marketing Assoc.)
www.www.IMDb.com (Internet Movie Data base)
www.MRQE.com (Movie Review Query Engine)
www.comingsoon.net