The Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix movie collected nearly $1 billion (the ninth-highest grossing film of all time) and still came in at a loss.
Seriously. After loans, distribution costs and interest charges the film comes in $167m in the red.
Time to send in the demontors!
Click for a larger pic of the P&L report.
Time on your hands this long weekend? How about making some 3D comics??
Matt Bogart has the lowdown on how to get bring your creation to a new dimension… and has a comic of his own to see how it works. Go on – give your pictures some depth!
Pope Benedict XVI has joined the ranks of celebrities writing children’s books… Gli Amici di Gesu (The Friends of Jesus) is to be the first book published by any pope.
The characters in the book include each of the original 12 apostles, including Judas Iscariot; Matthias, who replaced Judas after the betrayal, and St. Paul.
The 48-page volume produced for the youngest of readers is a “route that takes the reader to the origins of the Church, through the events of the first people who found Jesus and became his friends,” according to the publishing house.
Shelflife has the scoop – and puts the book in the same ranking as Madonna, Tim McGraw, Brooke Shields, Julianne Moore, Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, Jimmy Buffett and Whoopi Goldberg…
Let the puns begin!
LEGO run a workshop to train business facilitators “to develop powerful and compelling solutions to business problems.” Apparently used by some of the worlds leading organisations, SERIOUS PLAY enables teams to address complex issues… and put all the pieces together. (Mandatory pun)
It sounds incredible – any excuse to apply LEGO to life – but at a whopping €675 learning through LEGO could get expensive.
Plenty more details at roryoconnor.ie (found via Kieth)
I had no idea there was a Yogi Bear movie coming. (Thanks to scannain.com for telling letting it slip) Can’t say that I’m too convinced by the CGI Yogi and Boo Boo but… it’s Yogi Bear!
Be smarter than the average bear… watch the trailer!
Uri Shulevitz’s Writing With Pictures: How to Write and Illustrate Children’s Books has long been respected as the bible of how-to’s for picturebooks – and now thanks to the Mighty Art Demos you can read some of that tome online… namely How to Make a Storyboard.
This makes for essential reading – even if you can’t draw to save your life!
(found via the folks at FPI)
Moviefone has some suggested titles for Hollywood book adaptations – including In The Night Kitchen, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret and Anastasia Krupnik.
Blume’s book has a solid status in the annals of popular culture: ‘Margaret’ has inspired everything from a ‘South Park’ episode to rock song titles to, most recently, Chelsea Handler’s 2008 best-seller ‘Are You There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea.’ With that kind of following, a movie version of ‘Margaret’ is nearly guaranteed to go gangbusters at the box office.
I’d love to see a film of Under The Hawthorn Tree. Or even a screen adaptation of Mr Gum – now that would be fun!
Any suggestions for books that should make it to the silver screen?
Have a look at the incredible quality of this – shot wholly on iPhone 4:
iPhone 4 film – “Apple of My Eye” from Michael Koerbel on Vimeo.
Joining the elite – namely J K Rowling, Dan Brown and Mark Haddon – Stephanie Meyer has reached the two-million-in-the-21st-century book selling landmark.
What that means is that last year, one in every 47 books bought in the UK was penned by Meyer.
And as if that nugget wasn’t enough news for you – Forbes magazine has a breakdown of the Twilight fortune and where/who is making money.
This sees Meyer earn $40 million – ranking her 59th on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list. Last year ranked 16th with $50 million.
Nickeloden – the TV giant with characters such as Spongebob Squarepants, Fairly OddParents and Dora the Explorer – have agreed a whopping theme park deal on Blackpool’s Pleasure Beach.
The deal will see the the shows and characters appear at the resort – and construction of Nickelodeon Land begins in September rides, shops and games to look forward to.
Somewhere along the way last week I mentioned an article that reckoned Bella just didn’t cut it as a strong willed woman. And followed it with some heroines who do.
And now Sophia Bennett has pitched in her favourite heroines – strong willed and not-so-strong-willed (though I think they all meet the criteria)
Posy Fossil from Ballet Shoes
Posy talks with her feet. She revises with her feet. She is stubborn, dedicated and deeply talented. She just gets on with doing what she’s brilliant at (ballet) and one day you know, for sure, she’s going to be a superstar. Posy would be a deeply annoying little sister to have, but you’d be so proud of her. I think Noel Streatfield was very brave to create someone as young, focused and amazing as Posy. Then I tried to do a similar thing when I created Crow. Thank you, Ms Streatfield!
The Kilkenny Arts Festival is just around the corner (okay so festivals can’t actually turn corners but if they could this one would be just about to spring a surprise corner-turning maneuver.)
And this years festival has a huge children’s literature/theatre lineup including a cartoon creating workshop with Fabian Erlinghauser and Roxanne Burchartz from the Cartoon Saloon (the folks behind The Secret of Kells) and the terrifyingly mean Derek Landy (as they say, behind every skeleton detective is a great munchkin army general).
Curious to find out more?? Have a click!
Some people, eh? Not content with ruling the airwaves the very lucky duck Jonathan Ross has swung an interview with Jim Steranko (complete with some great pics to compliment the article)
I could never stop working. You know how a shark can never stop swimming? I have too many ideas. I can’t just sit on a beach and enjoy the surf and the sun; I’m always creating. I’m an idea factory.
And as if that wasn’t enough – Ross has been gallivanting through Comic-Con with a camera:
Eoin Colfer features in the Irish Times – live from Paris (and the Guardian have a chat with him too)
R.J. Anderson and Saundra Mitchell talk faith and fantasy and Meg Rosoff looks at biography and writing real life characters into fiction.
Frank Cottrell Boyce reviews Louis Sachar’s excellent The Cardturner:
Reading his books is like being hustled in a card game by someone who seems straight-talking and modest but who turns out to be a virtuoso card sharp. So is The Cardturner one big bluff or is he really holding all the trumps? I don’t want to spoil it for you but he does something towards the end of this book that I can’t imagine anyone else even trying to get away with. As Uncle Lester might say, nicely played, Louis.
The Famous Five are pulling their socks up and entering the 21st-century. (Tony Purcell’s not entirely convinced)
Mary Arrigan reviews a host of recent books this week (and last!)
The Bookseller really like Chris Haughton’s A Bit Lost.
The Puffin PR crew have invented the perfect author profile… except he’s real – introducing Alex Scarrow.
School Library Journal highlights the best of summer reading – including Hope Larson’s Mercury.
Naomi Alderman investigates games with a message -
I’m glad games are tackling such big issues, even awkwardly. Train has moved some players to tears – if that doesn’t make games art I don’t know what does.
Beverly Cleaver’s Ramona and Beezus is hitting cinema screens in the states – this could be great!
The Guardian Science Blog celebrates Maya Lopez (Echo) one of the only successful deaf characters in literatire – and she’s a superhero.
Witching the world – Disney pins all of its hopes on the Harry Potter experience
The information Tyrannosaur recommends 10 iPad apps for Librarians.
The Washington Post reports that Ginsberg’s Howl is as popular as ever.
Bill Murray bears all – including how/why he ended up in Garfield.
Burger King pit Edward and Jacob fans against one and other – whopper!
Patrick Kingsley remembers a slower time.
This years UK Libraries Change Lives Award went to Edinburgh jails library -
Prisoners have a dedicated 45-minute session in the library each week, but can access it at other times. Before the new library opened, only 5% of prisoners used to borrow books – now 50% take books out. And damage to the books has gone down from 80% to zero.
I know, like me, you have been losing hours, days – possibly months – of sleep wondering what might just happen to the cast of Harry Potter now that the two final films have been shot, cut and are mid-way across the editing floor.
So here it is – the proof that there really is life after Harry Potter:
Daniel Radcliffe will start production on the thriller The Woman in Black (based on Susan Hill’s novel) as well as being lined up for a remake of All Quiet on the Western Front, and The Journey is the Destination.
Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) is to star in Eddie the Eagle, playing Britain’s Olympic ski jumper Eddie Edwards.
Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) is to join the upcoming Rise of the Apes, prequel to the Planet of the Apes. (He joins James Franco, Freida Pinto and John Lithgow)
As of right now – as I type – the Lord Mayor of Dublin is announcing that Dublin has been named a UNESCO City of Literature – one of only 4 in the world (Edinburgh, Iowa and Melbourne).
The City of Literature is an international network of UNESCO Creative Cities. A permanent, non competitive title in recognition of Dublin as a world centre for literature and literary activity.
I am absolutely delighted about this achievement – which confirms what Dubliners have known for years – this is a city that has always produced – and continues to produce – great writers.
- Lord Mayor of Dublin, Gerry Breen
The City of Literature was secured by a steering and management group led by Dublin City Council’s library service (namely Jane Alger) in consultation/collaboration with literature organisations, writers and libraries throughout Dublin.
Curious to find out more? Visit dublincityofliterature.ie now and read up!
It’s Friday… which means the end of Eoin Colfer Week round these parts… but not yet! I caught up with Eoin this morning* to get my copy of Artemis signed (Had it since I was 14)
And while he was here Eoin left a message for ye all:
Don’t forget you can catch Eoin’s entire webcast online to watch over and over and over and over.
This is one not to be missed – The Summer Edition – Artists’ Book, Comic and Zine Fair – are taking over Filmbase (Temple Bar, Dublin) on Saturday 24 July (tomorrow) .
Covering all sorts (UK and Ireland) with artists, book folk, illustrators, comic artists and zine-makers showcasing and parading their wares.
It’s Friday – and what better way to celebrate than with some bookshelf porn? And of course, this being the internet, there is a site dedicated to very pretty bookshelves:
Like these:
but not quite this (last pic is an old shot of my desk…):
And it being Friday… how about some weird X-Rays?
What did you have for breakfast? Guarantee it wasn’t a spoon, a blade and an unidentified object:
Fancy a game of Spot-The-Toothbrush?
Prominent UK literary scout Louise Allen-Jones has drafted in the formidably fun Sunday Times children’s books editor, journalist and author Nicolette Jones to work in the new children’s scouting division.
Allen-Jones have also been appointed as a scout for Arena Verlag in Germany – home to some great children’s/YA writers – including Neil Gaiman, Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams, Charlie Higson, Mary Hoffman and Rainer M Schroder.
Expect some more exciting things to come this way!
So you were too busy at 2pm last Tuesday to be sitting in front of your computer watching a man of diminutive height telling BIG jokes and talking about his books? Pfft. Rather than questioning your committment – what could be more important at 2 on a Tuesday? – I’ve got some good news.
Eoin’s entire webcast was not only streamed live but it was caught on camera to be watched over and over and over and over. (Some of Foaly’s techno-wizardy was put to use no doubt)
So if you’re not one of the lucky ticket holders to meet Eoin in Dublin tonight – at least you can watch him on your computer. In your room. With the lights off. Alone. Crying.
Those clever folks at the Riverbank Arts Centre, with a little help from the gang at Hotpress, have put together a great series ‘In Conversation With…’
Hot Press contributing editor Jackie Hayden will grill Oisín McGann (and Hugo Hamilton) on July 24 at the Riverbank Arts Centre (Newbridge Co. Kildare) Now I’m not picking favourites but(sorry Hugo) I’d be making sure I’m free around 3pm to catch Oisín doing what he does best – talk about writing/illustrating kids books and beyond. (Tickets are €5)
Oisín (for those of ye who don’t know) is the man behind Mad Grandad, Ancient Appetites, Strangled Silence, The Evil Hair-Do and whole heap of others. (You can find out how many more here)
It’s the first day of Eoin Colfer week – and Eoin will be live streaming a similar natter on 20 July at 2pm to a few thousand folks on the internet. For FREE tickets all ye have to do is put your name on the list.
And Mr Colfer (or someone very like him) is in Dublin on Thursday (July 22) for a chat, maybe some jokes and of course… to show off the new Artemis Fowl. Easons have all the details on their site - get clicking, typing and entering!
Publishing Weekly has a preview of what’s to come in 2011 – including a picturebook Fantastic Mr. Fox from Quentin Blake… Curious? Have a look see.
Siobhan Dowd’s trust has started piloting a scheme to send books to children in care.
Mal Peet reviews Michael Morpurgo’s An Elephant in the Garden
Bella just doesn’t cut it as a strong willed woman. So how about about some heroines who do?
Marcus Sedgewick talks writing, life and er… bibles.
More from PW – this time The Digital Revolution in Children’s Publishing
A guaranteed winner? Maybe | When was the last time you read a book? | Cian O’Luanaigh chooses some favourite medical comics and graphic novels
David Prowse (Darth Vader) has been banned from Star Wars conventions after ’annoying’ George Lucas.
Fintan O’Toole questions the original live fast, die young advocate – Brendan Behan.
Rachel Cooke reads Darryl Cunningham’s Psychiatric Tales
Alison Flood gets her head around Mark Twain’s autobiography
Time for some Comic-Con links? Oh go on then! And more. And another?
They just don’t make ‘em like this anymore…
Special edition of Shaun Tan’s the Arrival – arriving September.
Inception. Inceptualised | Mark Ruffalo faces the green eyed monster | You can’t beat a drunk aardvark
Mario in your neighbourhood! Some interesting use of augmented reality – this is only the beginning:
Super Mario Bros. from Andreas Heikaus on Vimeo.
Enid Blyton came under the scrutiny of Siobhan Parkinson, Amanda Piesse, David Rudd and Mary Esther Judy last Sunday.
You can listen back to the Newstalk Talking History here.
From the desk of Michael Thorn and the CMIS folks comes news of the 2010 (Australian) Prime Minister’s Literary Awards.
Nine children’s fiction and seven young adult fiction works make up the shortlist – whittled down from more than 320 entries:
This story is getting a little tired – but the estate of Adrian Jacobs, the late author of The Adventures of Willy the Wizard, continues to barrage and battle for attention. The estate have instigated a new lawsuit in New York, claiming that Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is “substantially similar” to the Willy the Wizard book published in the eighties.
Bloomsbury have already said that the allegations are unfounded, unsubstantiated and untrue. And that an intital approach was made to the company in 2004 but was unable to identify any text in the series that copied from Willy the Wizard. New claims that Rowling’s agent once represented Jacobs are also being denied and ridiculed.
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