Backstage notes at the Oscars

Sound mixing: Tom Fleischman and John Midgley Visual effects: Ben Grossman, Rob Legato and Alex Henning Sound editing: Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty Docu feature: Rich Middlemas, Sean Combs, T.J. Martin and Dan Lindsay Film editing: Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall Art direction: Dante Ferretti and Francesca Lo Schiavo Makeup: J. Roy Helland and Mark CoulierCinematography: Robert Richardson Picture "The Artist" La Petite Reine/Studio 37/La Classe Americaine/JD Prod/France3 Cinema/Jouror Prods./uFilm production; Thomas Langmann, producer (the Weinstein Co.) Thomas Langmann paid tribute to the role Harvey Weinstein played in getting "The Artist" all the way to the big wins on Sunday night. "A month before Cannes (last year), I asked him to come to France to watch a movie from a director that he (had) never heard of with a cast he'd barely heard of -- but he came," Langmann said. "I saw in his eyes and his attitude that he really cared for the movie, that he really believed that we could maybe be here today. He's the only distributor who, even with this very special movie, would be able to take it to where it is today." Actor Jean Dujardin "The Artist" "I love your country," Dujardin enthused as he took the stage to claim his actor win for "The Artist." He pointed out that the first Oscars ceremony in 1929 was by silent-movie icon Douglas Fairbanks. "Tickets cost $5, and it lasted 15 minutes. Times have changed. So, thank you, Douglas Fairbanks." Dujardin ended his speech with what he expected his "Artist" alter ego, George Valentin, would say: "Formidable! Merci beaucoup! I love you!" Clearly flushed and excited, actor winner Jean Dujardin said that while he'd love to do another silent film in the U.S., he knew he'd always be a French actor in America."I'm not (an) American actor, I'm a French actor. I continue in France," the thesp said backstage.And yes, the thesp admitted that he also dropped the F-bomb onstage, although his French version didn't cause the censors to cut the mic."I watched a lot of movies -- Douglas Fairbanks movies, Gene Kelly movies," the actor said of preparing for his role in "The Artist." "I had fun pretending to be a movie star in 1920s." Actress Meryl Streep "The Iron Lady" Streep met the press beaming, with an elongated "Hiiiiiiiii." Winning again after so many years, she admitted, "I thought I was so old and jaded. But they call your name and you go into a white light. It was like I was a kid again. It was doubly wonderful because my longtime collaborative colleague Roy Helland won. I was really, really proud for him." She said she never worried she might never win again. "I have everything I've ever dreamed of in my life. I think there's room for other people. I understand Streep fatigue and I'm shocked it didn't override this tonight." A British reporter confirmed Streep was wearing a brand of shoe favored by Margaret Thatcher, and asked if she would celebrate with a whiskey, as Lady Thatcher was wont to do, the actress said, "I'm going to start with a couple and then we'll see if I can walk on the Ferragamos." Supporting Actor Christopher Plummer "Beginners" Even at 82, Plummer views awards as a meaningful career marker, though the accolade biz may be hitting the breaking point. "It's la creme on top," he said. "It's lovely to be accepted. Beyond the pleasure of working in front of a live audience, (awards are) sort of a general acceptance of your work. It's thrilling. I don't pooh-pooh awards, although there are so many of them. They're inventing new ones every day." Supporting actress Octavia Spencer "The Help" After a slew of wins, Spencer wasn't about to overthink her Oscar-night celebration. "I'm actually going to have a quarter of a glass of champagne. I'm just going to live in this moment because it's never happened before and Lord knows it may never happen again," she said. Director "The Artist" Michel Hazanavicius The fall festival circuit convinced Hazanavicius that auds were really swooning for "The Artist." After warm receptions at the Telluride, Toronto and NY film fests, he no longer felt like the nervous Frenchman trying to crash Hollywood. "I realized people really enjoyed the movie," he said. "When people really enjoy the movie, it's not really difficult. You're not selling, you're not promoting." Original screenplay "Midnight in Paris" Woody Allen Adapted screenplay "The Descendants" Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash "The Descendants" writers had plenty of fun on the red carpet before the show. On seeing Angelina Jolie, writer Rash joked, "I just saw her pose and I thought, you know what, we have exactly the same legs." Co-writer Faxon put it more bluntly: "She's supremely hot." Animated feature "Rango" Gore Verbinski (Paramount) Verbinski, picking up his first-ever Oscar for helming animated feature "Rango," was asked whether he dreamt of taking home an Academy Award for a live-action pic or an animated one. "I'm feeling dreamy right now," he said. "I don't think it matters. It's here. It's in my hand. It's very heavy. It feels good." Recalling that the movie started development in secret, outside the studio system, Verbinski said, "It helps when you're friends with Johnny Depp. We needed money and once Johnny said he was in, things started to happen." Foreign-language film "A Separation" a Dreamlab Films production, Iran (Sony Pictures Classics) "People in Iran follow the Oscars a lot more than you think they do," said "A Separation" helmer Farhadi. "It's the middle of the night but people are not sleeping, and they are following along." Farhadi demurred on the question of how the Oscar would affect his life. "I'm very happy about this award and I believe the Iranian people are also very happy and this is what matters to me." He said he wasn't focused on the reaction of the Iranian government, whose officials had divided reactions to his pic. "To me what matters is that the people of Iran are happy." Cinematography "Hugo" Robert Richardson Richardson, who picked up his third cinematography Oscar, admitted to being shy about taking the stage as the night's first winner. "Cinematography? We're behind the lens, we're not in front of the lens." But he added, "I'm elated. I didn't see this happening. I loved the work of (Emmanuel Lubezki) in 'The Tree of Life.' I'm extraordinarily happy, but I do love that man. I hope that recognition will be coming soon." Film editing "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall Film editing and best picture honors have traditionally been closely linked, so editors Baxter and Wall said they were especially shocked to hear their names called, since "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" wasn't nommed for top honors. "We weren't expecting it at all. And there's no getting used to this," said Baxter, while Wall said, "We felt (editing and picture) went hand-in-hand, too. I don't ever remember being so surprised in my life as when they called our names." It was the second win in a row for the pair, who also took the prize for last year's David Fincher-helmed "The Social Network." Baxter said he didn't worry about viewers who might have seen the original Swedish version of "Dragon Tattoo." "(It) was irrelevant to me because I'm being responsive to what Fincher has shot," he said. Original score "The Artist" Ludovic Bource Speaking through a French translator, score winner Bource revealed that the first statue he received for "The Artist" came in the form of a woman. "(My son said,) 'Papa, you need to bring me the man, the Oscar, so they can kiss each other,' " the composer said. Despite his Gallic background, Bource intended his music to honor entertainment from the United States. "All the work I did on 'The Artist' was a declaration of love to American culture and American cinema," Bource said in French, before speaking his first English words of the evening: "Thank you, good night." Original song "Man or Muppet" music and lyric by Bret McKenzie, "The Muppets" (Walt Disney) McKenzie couldn't escape the "Flight of the Conchords" questions backstage after his song win for "Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets." After flying solo on the movie project, he's eager to get back to his long-standing collaboration with Jemaine Clement on the oddball folk-comedy duo. "It seems to have gone very well. I'm looking forward to writing with Jemaine again. I can pull out the Oscar card and say 'Mmmm, I think we should use this chord. I won the Oscar.' " Documentary feature "Undefeated" TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Richard Middlemas; a Spitfire Pictures production (the Weinstein Co.) Having just dropped the second annual Oscar F-bomb (after last year's Melissa Leo faux pas), "Undefeated's" filmmaking team felt a little remorseful that a curse detracted from their core message. "First and foremost, I'd actually like to apologize for that," said co-director Martin. "I don't think it was the classiest thing in the world." Martin and Lindsay spent time getting to know an African-American football team and its white coach in a poverty-stricken area of Memphis. Oscarcast producers cut their mic after Martin's mid-speech expletive. "The most important message for us to deliver was that this award was for the people of Memphis," Lindsay said. "It was heartbreaking that we got cut off and we weren't allowed to say that." Art direction "Hugo" production design: Dante Ferretti, set decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo Husband-and-wife collaborators Ferretti and Lo Schiavo know something about working as a team. Their art-direction kudo for "Hugo" marked their third Oscar win, and they said it'll only encourage them to try for a fourth. "For me, it doesn't change anything, because I have more enthusiasm (to) keep going," Lo Schiavo said. And for Ferretti, the win repped a special treat. "Today is my birthday," he said backstage. "And this is the most incredible gift." Costume design "The Artist" Mark Bridges Bridges and the rest of "The Artist" team did their homework in prepping the pic's sartorial style with plenty of screenings. "There's a great film called 'Show People' starring Marion Davies that was great research for us. We also watched things like 'It,' 'Our Dancing Daughters,' 'City Girl' and 'Sunrise.' Those were emotional touchstones for us." It wasn't that they made Xerox copies of those films' wardrobes, but they wanted to "get the flavor and know how things were worn," Bridges said. Makeup "The Iron Lady" Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland Tag-teaming backstage, makeup winners Coulier and Helland had quick responses to the question of their biggest challenges on "The Iron Lady." "The budget," Helland said, explaining that "Lady's" $14 million didn't leave much room for hair and makeup. "No time, no money ... I was allowed to have five wigs made and they were rented, covering over 40 years." For Coulier, the challenge was having to "work fast." Helland offered some personal advice imparted to him years earlier: "Don't paint what you see; paint what you want." Sound editing "Hugo" Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty Sound editors Stockton and Gearty took a little time to get used to Sunday's flashbulbs backstage. "We're not on camera, are we?" Gearty asked, receiving an affirmative answer. "Oh, shit." Not that the "Hugo" winners were terribly surprised to find themselves in the spotlight. "When you work for Martin Scorsese, there's always a chance that you're going to be nominated for an Oscar," Stockton said. Sound mixing "Hugo" Tom Fleischman and John Midgley Working on his first 3D film was not too daunting for "Hugo" sound mixer Fleischman. "We've been mixing in 3D for years, we've had surround speakers in theaters and been able to bring things off the screen," he said. "We were fortunate enough to use the new Dolby 7.1 system (for 'Hugo'). That allowed us to open up the sound and make it more enveloping." Midgley admitted to being nervous about their Oscar prospects, even after "Hugo" began racking up craft wins. "I got a bit scared when (the film) won the first two (awards)," he said as he clutched his trophy tight. Visual Effects "Hugo" Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning Legato, one of the quartet that won for visual effects, said that by honoring "Hugo" above the vfx extravaganzas in the category, the Academy "judged on the merits of art as much as they did the technology." Legato's fellow winner Grossman agreed. "The films in our category were just stunning films we would never expect to be even up against and get a chance to compete with," he said, prompting Legato to aver, "We were surprised when they called our names," despite the fact that "Hugo" had already swept numerous tech awards by that point. Animated short "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg; a Moonbot Studios LA Production "I think an atomic joy bomb has just exploded in the northern part of Louisiana," animated short winner Joyce said with a grin backstage, referring to the home of Moonbot Studios, the company behind "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore." Co-winner Oldenburg said, "The short was to tell a story and to serve as a calling card for our company, and the whole point was to get the world to recognize what we're capable of in Shreveport, La. "This is really cool," Oldenburg added. "We want to do more shorts. We want to do more apps. We want to do more games. We want to do more books. And we eventually will do a movie." Documentary short "Saving Face" Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy; a Milkhaus/Jungefilm production Director Obaid-Chinoy hopes her win as the first Pakistani helmer to take home an Oscar will reverberate across her home country. She sees herself as an example "of an emanicipated, educated woman who (chose) to return to Pakistan and create change in Pakistan." Part of that change, she hopes, will be the resurrection of the once-vibrant film industry that Pakistan had in the 1950s and '60s. "My generation and a few filmmakers are trying to revive it. I hope this will be an impetus to getting a more flourishing film industry in Pakistan," she said. Live-action short "The Shore" Terry George and Oorlagh George; an All Ashore production For father-daughter team Terry and Oorlagh George, "The Shore" represented more than just the Oscar it won for live-action short. "I hope it's a reaffirmation that things have changed there," Terry George said of Ireland, where the film takes place. "I'm going to go back to the little village where we shot this ... and then hopefully use it to promote not just the peace process in Northern Ireland but tourism and everything." The pair planned to celebrate post-show, but the elder George had more mellow ideas in mind for Monday. "I'm going fishing tomorrow," he said. Contact David S. Cohen at david.cohen@variety.com

Chris Brown Billed with Snatching Woman's Cell Phone

Mira Sorvino is at final discussions to star CBS' drama pilot, Trooper, Deadline reviews. The whole pilot report: CBS has Greg Berlanti, Louis C.K. and Bridesmaids stars Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, the project follows a wise mother who becomes a NY condition trooper. Heroes scribe Aron Eli Coleite will write and executive-produce. If Trooper is acquired, it may be Sorvino's first... Discover More > Other Links From TVGuide.com HouseMighty AphroditeRomy And Michele's Secondary School ReunionMira SorvinoJerry BruckheimerHeroes

Hold Oscar Statuettes at Grand Central Station

NYers will be the first to see the Oscar statuettes that will be presented to the Best Actor and Best Actress winners at the 84th Academy Awards. The statuettes are part of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Meet the Oscars, Grand Central exhibition which opens at Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal on Wednesday.The Best Actor award given to Michael Douglas will also be shown. Additionally, the exhibition will feature Oscars in various stages of completion. Film fans will even be able to hold an actual Oscar statuette and have their picture taken.The event is open to the public and admission is free. Viewing hours are Wed., Feb. 22, 10 a.m. 7 p.m. and Thu.-Sun. 7 a.m. 7 p.m. The Academy Awards will air Sunday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. EST / 4 p.m. PST. By Frank Nestor February 21, 2012 NYers will be the first to see the Oscar statuettes that will be presented to the Best Actor and Best Actress winners at the 84th Academy Awards. The statuettes are part of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Meet the Oscars, Grand Central exhibition which opens at Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal on Wednesday.The Best Actor award given to Michael Douglas will also be shown. Additionally, the exhibition will feature Oscars in various stages of completion. Film fans will even be able to hold an actual Oscar statuette and have their picture taken.The event is open to the public and admission is free. Viewing hours are Wed., Feb. 22, 10 a.m. 7 p.m. and Thu.-Sun. 7 a.m. 7 p.m. The Academy Awards will air Sunday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. EST / 4 p.m. PST.

'Piggy' appeals to Metrodome

U.K. indie distrib Metrodome has picked up U.K. and Irish rights to helmer-scribe Kieron Hawkes' thriller "Piggy."Pic toplines Paul Anderson, Martin Compston, Neil Maskell and Louise Dylan.Leo Pearlman and Danny Potts produce the pic about Joe, a mild-mannered young man who, after his brother is murdered, finds solace in Piggy, one of his brother's friends. As their friendship grows, Joe becomes increasingly involved in a murky world of violence and revenge.Deal was negotiated by Metrodome head of acquisitions Joel Kennedy and Pearlman. Genesis Film Sales is repping the film at the European Film Market.Earlier in the market, Metrodome snapped up rights to horror pic "Lovely Molly," and is skedded to release "In Darkness" in Blighty in March.Another acquisition, "A Royal Affair," will world preem at Berlin. Contact Diana Lodderhose at diana.lodderhose@variety.com

Opposition to SAG, AFTRA merger starts

Opposition has started emerging towards the suggested merger between your Screen Stars Guild and also the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists, three days before ballots venture out.Competitors are saying the merged union, named SAG-AFTRA, will end up less democratic with leaders more insulated from people. They have scheduled an anti-merger rally for 1 p.m. Friday before SAG and AFTRA headquarters in La.InchThey are harmful occasions for stars," longtime guild activist Scott Wilson told Variety. "70-eight many years of a democratic union have been in peril since the board can make unilateral choices without regard towards the membership."The merger proposal will be delivered to 120,000 SAG people and 70,000 AFTRA people, who include stars, tv stations, DJs, performers and ballroom dancers. To pass through, the referendum would want a 60% approval margin from both orgs among votes cast. SAG and AFTRA will mail out ballots February. 27 to 120,000 SAG people and 70,000 AFTRA people, having a tabulation date of March 30. To become approved, the merger must receive a minimum of 60% from the votes from each union.Governance from the merged union will depend partially on AFTRA's current system of voting by associates chosen to some biannual convention. Underneath the new metabolic rate, future mergers might be approved with a 60% election from the associates rather than the present direct election of people.Competitors will also be objecting to the possible lack of an extensive analysis of mixing the SAG and AFTRA pension and health plans by the statements through the unions within their "feasibility study." The review of the research, according to opinions by lawyers, found there is no legal obstacle to merging the plans which multiemployer plan mergers don't pose any elevated chance of lack of benefits."There is no substantion from the benefits by creditable study," Wilson stated.Wilson, whose credits go as far back to "In Cold Bloodstream," is really a regular on "The Walking Dead."SAG's board appproved the merger intend on Jan. 27 with 88 percent supporting and AFTRA's board OKd the proposal the following day with 94 percent support. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

Gerhard Zeiler exits RTL to function Turner Broadcasting Intl.

Euro TV titan Gerhard Zeiler remains attracted on prexy of Turner Broadcasting Intl., seguing from his publish as mind of RTL Group after nearly nine years inside the job. Zeiler, who grew to become part of Bertelsmann's RTL in 1998, will leave the pan-European media giant in April. At Turner, he'll depend london and therefore are accountable towards the best spinner's chairman and Boss Phil Kent. "His programming success business experience in the large company capacity to operate multiple lines of economic deep understanding of digital landscape and chance associations within the media landscape and desire for the television business mix in the great worldwide partner personally, a fantastic leader for your division together with a powerful accessory for the executive committee and also the organization overall," Kent mentioned in announcing the hire. Zeiler will probably be designated with developing new companies to find the best spinner's and strengthening its established funnel methods. Right now, The very best spinner's works greater than 130 channels in than 30 languages in 200 nations. Zeiler works Louise Sams, who had previously been prexy of the greatest spinner's Intl. additionally to general counsel to all or any of the greatest spinner's. Kent last fall made a decision to herald a passionate professional to find the best spinner's Intl., while Sams continues as general counsel. At RTL, Zeiler will probably be been effective by Guillaume p Posch and Anke Schaferkordt who'll become co-CEOs. RTL mentioned Zeiler, a common estimate the eu TV community, was quitting at their very own request and would exit carrying out a company's annual general meeting April 18. In the statement Thomas Rabe, Boss of Bertelsmann, mentioned: "I regret Gerhard's decision to go away the business, but wish to personally congratulate him round the impressive success story of history decade. Under his leadership, the group's revenues, EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) and return on sales shown an exemplary development, and also the organization is smartly and strongly situated for ongoing growth." Mentioned Zeiler: "I'm deeply grateful for my wonderful years at RTL Group, getting an excellent team of passionate managers plus an ever-encouraging board of company company directors and traders. Careful analysis leave wasn't an easy one, but however anticipate a completely new, worldwide task. If perhaps RTL Group a effective next factor within the unbelievable development." RTL COO P Posch will need over responsibility for your firm's broadcasting methods outdoors Germany as well as the company's production business. Schaferkordt continues to handle German TV business furthermore to her new role. RTL has around 45 television and 31 r / c in 11 nations. Furthermore, it creates roughly 9,500 several hours of programming yearly. Zeiler, an Austrian that's been RTL's leader since 2003, began his career just like a journalist, as being a representative for your Austrian government before switching to broadcasting. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

The Biz: Will These Shows Sink or Swim?

David Caruso As mid-season shows debut over the next three months, it will be crunch time for a number of series that haven't been tearing up the Nielsen charts. Here's what network insiders say are the shows on the bubble as execs look to set their schedules in May. ABCA second-year ratings fade may mean it's time to pull a sheet over the Dana Delany-led Body of Proof. While the network ordered an extra episode of Pan Am in order to keep a hold on the cast until May, its chances of returning next fall are as likely as an airport going a full day without a flight delay. Comedy Happy Endings doesn't do a great job retaining the lead-in from the mighty Modern Family, but ABC parent Disney has an ownership stake in the show and it's a favorite within the network's entertainment division - so a pickup for another season is considered a lock. And fan fave Cougar Town will get a final shot for renewal if it performs well in its new Tuesday time period starting February 14. CBSIt may finally be toe-tag time for CSI: Miami or CSI: NY. David Caruso's Miami is getting its first extended period on the bench starting April 15, as CBS tries out NYC 22 in the Sunday-at-10pm time slot. Both shows are given bubble status for renewal, with survival dependent on how strong the network's new drama development comes in. A Gifted Man is also on life support, with a run in a later 9pm slot likely to decide its fate. On the comedy side, Rob Schneider's new comedy, Rob, has done a credible job of retaining its Big Bang Theory lead-in. If CBS decides to expand to four comedies on Thursday, it's a shoo-in to return. An eight-comedy CBS schedule would also be good news for Rules of Engagement. The CWIt would be tough to make a case for bringing back Gossip Girl, 90210, Nikita or Ringer based on ratings alone. But the revenue generated by deals to stream the shows over Hulu and Netflix will become a significant part of the equation in determining which shows return, along with syndication deals and foreign sales and the ownership stakes that CW partners CBS and Warner Bros. have in them. "Money is the new metric," says one insider. FoxNBC Universal, the studio that makes House, is still holding out hope that Fox will pick up another season of the aging series, a money machine in syndication. But word is that star Hugh Laurie is ready to move on. Terra Nova, while expensive, is profitable for Fox, but network executives were disappointed in the writing of Season 1 and have delayed giving it a green light. The strong early performance of Alcatraz and solid sampling for Touch (the Fox Monday lineup of the future?) could make the decision to move on easier. The network is in the red with Fringe on Fridays and only paying a much lower license fee to its studio, Warner Bros., can save it. There are rumblings that Fox is ready to pull the plug on the animated American Dad; Raising Hope is also not a slam dunk to return for a third season. NBCNBC has ordered 13 comedy pilots for next season, proof that it's clearly intent on coming up with shows that will deliver more than the niche audiences it's been drawing. The producers of ratings-challenged freshmen crop Whitney, Up All Night and Are You There, Chelsea? will have to make a case that they can grow if they get a Season 2. Community fans should relax as NBC is likely to order more episodes of the cult fave to make the comedy attractive for syndication. The international co-production deal for The Firm made it cheaper for NBC than the typical network drama. But the network just moved it to Saturdays at 9pm beginning February 11 to make way for the new drama Awake. So chances are it'll get thrown out of court. Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!