New Lovelace images show James Franco as Hugh Hefner

A completely new batch on on-set images have turned up from pornstar biopic Lovelace, plus a start searching at James Franco as flesh-appreciator in chief, Hugh Hefner.Sporting a hideous velvet blouson and silk scarf combo, Franco looks every inch the louche lothario. We simply hope the matching smoking jacket is hiding because wardrobe somewhere... The newest number of pictures also sport Amanda Seyfried and Juno Temple out for just about any evening out and about. Seyfried plays titular adult artist Linda Lovelace, with Temple available among her pals. From the design of their clothes, the two are likely inside the same kind of work.Elsewhere, there's a look at Peter Sarsgaard searching mean and moody as Lovelace's abusive husband Chuck Traynor. Pleasingly, he's rocking quite the moustache.Directed by Make the most of Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, Lovelace has yet to obtain the official release date, but is predicted to start later around. You can examine the completely new images below...

AFTRA board grants merger with SAG

The pending marriage between your Screen Stars Guild and also the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists has moved one step closer.AFTRA's national board has approved a merger proposal with 94% from the panel OKing the program, after SAG's board approved Friday evening.The proposal would go to a election by SAG and AFTRA people beginning February. 27 with tabulation on March 30.The 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.The brand new union is going to be known as SAG-AFTRA, should people approve the merger election.SAG people defeated merger plans in 1999 and 2003 while AFTRA people supported both. In 2003, the merged union could have been known as the Alliance of Intl. Media Artists, who have been an issue within the defeat.Key particulars from the proposal will unquestionably be recommended by SAG persident Ken Howard throughout Sunday's SAG Honours ceremony in the Shrine Auditorium in La. The SAG prexy typically gives an on-air speech throughout the kudocast.Howard and AFTRA leader Roberta Reardon make the merger of these two unions their signature problem and received strong support from people in recent elections.The merger proposal was hammered out in a nine-day meeting earlier this year through the AFTRA and SAG Group for just one Union to sort out particulars like a title, governance, financing, membership needs and dues. That group had met five occasions since June.SAG's chosen leadership continues to be centered recently by individuals in support of a merger, who contend that the combined union could be more effective and take away jurisdictional overlaps. Competitors within SAG, whose influence has decreased recently, contend that SAG should remain for stars only and assert the new union will face problems in trying to mix the and retirement plans.SAG and AFTRA share jurisdiction on primetime TV. After many years of bitter disputes, AFTRA split from SAG on joint negotiating in 2008 and discussed another deal a complete year before SAG arrived at an accord -- resulting in producers choosing to sign with AFTRA for pretty much brand new shows.Howard suggests that people of SAG and AFTRA wish to mix unions to then resolve the dilemma of seeing pension and health contributions get into separate SAG and AFTRA plans, that are operated by joint industry-union boards. Howard was handily re-chosen to some second two-year term in September.If the suggested SAG-AFTRA merger pass, annual elections is a factor of history using the contests happening every 2 yrs rather. The program is targeted at mixing SAG's annual direct voting structure for many offices along with other slots filled using AFTRA's national convention structure, held every 2 yrs with associates chosen in the local level."I applaud the AFTRA National Board for his or her overwhelming approval of the historic merger package," Reardon stated following the approval. "The partnership we created around the G1 was among collegiality and consensus that went into lounging the building blocks for any new union. This plan of action brings together the thoughtful work and valuable perspectives from small and big marketplaces nationwide of numerous working stars, broadcast professionals, recording artists along with other entertainers who all labored together in solidarity with the G1."Both boards decided to have an oppossition statement within the official ballot materials Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

Acad allows 4 producers for 'Tree of Life'

'Tree of Life'The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences determined Friday that it will officially credit four producers, instead of three, for "The Tree of Life." The Producers Branch Executive Committee determined that the official Oscar nominees for the film are Sarah Green, Bill Pohlad, Dede Gardner and Grant Hill.Although Academy rules usually allow for no more than three producers for any nominated film, the executive committee determined that the film represented a "rare and extraordinary circumstance," as described by the rules, and that each of the foursome functioned as genuine producers of the film."Tree" star Brad Pitt is also credited on screen as a producer, but did not make the Acad's cut. Pitt is a best-pic nominee as a producer of "Moneyball," for which he also earned a best actor nom.Producers for the eight other motion pictures nominated in the Best Picture category -- "The Artist," "The Descendants," "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close," "The Help," "Hugo," "Midnight in Paris," "Moneyball" and "War Horse" -- were announced Jan. 24 and remain unchanged. Contact Christy Grosz at christy.grosz@variety.com

Transmedia comes alive via tech toys

Rob Gomez states tech companies are interested in creative input. Transmedia needs to be an easy concept to understand: Create a project that could play across multiple platforms. Walking the show floor in the Las vegas Convention Center, throughout CES, all people various screens are saved to full display. But Rob Gomez, Boss of Starlight Runner Entertainment, which has aided art galleries develop transmedia storytelling with franchise like "Pirates in the Caribbean" and "Transformers," states there's still a lot more play the role of accomplished. He spoke to Variety in regards to the issues the biz still needs to handle to produce transmedia effective.How come the time to produce transmedia projects?"Basically a few years back there wasn't more you could do this. Tech was tech and content was produced being so specific: You produced a tv series for TV because that's what lots of people were searching at and weren't going anywhere. Description of how the will probably different media platforms and they're trading more hours on people platforms however the expense to develop this core distribution are extremely exorbitant that you'd like the data to make use of across many different platforms."What's Hollywood concern with implementing transmedia?"There's anxiety we've got the technology can provide the client a lot of access which they'll visit town in regards to the product within an adverse way." What's your reaction within the tech biz?"We're finding that tech companies are very considering storytellers. They are planning on creatives coming and finding by themselves technology to accomplish interesting things. They're efficient at building platforms but they're not capable at showing it well.InchIn whose job can it be within the art galleries to market transmedia?"It is not the job from the trademark manager but a specific kind of producer while using skillsets to understand the kind of storytelling and manage the way a tales are told as well as the politics inside the organization to produce that kind of content work and nurture the franchise generally. You will need somebody who knows just what the platforms are and the way to develop content that will play towards the talents."How extended before Hollywood and Plastic Valley get it?InchIt will need another few years to be going. The finish outcome is in the event you just escape the cab (within the Las vegas Convention Center) and start walking the floor, you'll probably see plenty of pretty televisions. There must be an infrastructure incorporated within the CES experience that produces imagination from Hollywood with regards to searching within the technology. I have found that is not an instinctive factor.How when the creatives view CES?"The problem is what they're searching when needed come in shops later this year. What we should must consider is when is certainly going next since we're developing content that won't emerge for three or four years. I'm coping with Microsoft which i realize what they're doing three years from now which is stunning."You didn't gold gold coin transmedia but you're pushing it forward."I'm not a real radical. I'm a a little more Professor X than Magneto. Transmedia has been around becoming an academic concept for several years before I kind of found that body at work and began interacting it. We've come really far because we've had the chance to articulate what this can be in words that people understand. And that we have experienced the chance to convey, 'Look, this can be new technology that are new techniques but we're utilizing your established infrastructure to acquire things done.'"How do you say storytelling has changed?"For just about any century, we required to shut up and give consideration towards the broadcaster. We've attended telling tales around a fireplace. A great deal at CES has focused on items that are nearly broadcasting. Age one-way broadcast, I'm, is going to an finish."What must change for industries to understand their new consumer?"These changes need a general change in attitude together with a brand new understanding of we have got we've got the technology that's presently being launched too as with development. Plenty of work should be implemented to usher the entertainment industry into this age, but furthermore to produce individuals who're building we have got we've got the technology more alert to the pressure of the dialogue." Contact Marc Graser at marc.graser@variety.com

One Existence to reside in Alums to Reprise Figures on General Hospital

Kassie DePaiva and Roger Howarth One Existence to Live's Kassie DePaiva, Roger Howarth, Michael Easton and Kristen Alderson will rapidly be a part of General Hospital, where they'll reprise their figures, General Hospital executive producer Frank Valentini introduced Wednesday.Have a look at photos from General Hospital"There is available a fantastic story planned for your people of Port Charles, with Sonny Corinthos at the center of it! I am confident audiences and fans alike will probably be excited for your arrival of John (Easton), Starr (Alderson), Blair (DePaiva) and Todd (Howarth)," mentioned Valentini. "Integrating figures in a single Existence to reside in continue the legacy in the show after we weave them into General Hospital."One Existence to reside in and many types of The Children not heading onlineProduction round the ABC daytime soap's new narrative will begin within the finish from the month.After several days of speculation in regards to the extended-running soap's fate, the network introduced in November that particular Existence to reside in won't have the following online. After 44 years (and many 11,000 episodes) the series finale will air Friday.