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- Lively conversations about the best in film and television. Features interviews with top film and TV talent and creatives; discussions and debates about awards races and industry headlines; and much, much more.
- Since the invention of film, filmmakers have tried to trick viewers into believing that an actor is either shorter or taller than they really are. The most classic techniques are sticking an actor on a platform or having them interact with props built to scale. But those need to be paired with clever camera angles and visual effects. In "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" (2001), director Peter Jackson employed a forced perspective so Gandalf would really look like he was interacting with a hobbit. More complex computer-controlled camera moves and blue-screen compositing helped make the shots more complex and were used further in "The Two Towers" (2002), "The Return of the King" (2003), and the "Hobbit" trilogy (2012 to 2014). Performance capture created even more opportunities for actors to play giants on camera in "Avatar" (2009) and "The BFG" (2016), but creating the proper sense of scale gets trickier when these characters have to interact with normal-sized actors. When playing 8-foot-tall Thanos in "Avengers: Infinity War" (2018) and "Avengers: Endgame" (2019), Josh Brolin wore a cutout on his head to fill the gap. A more sophisticated method used in Marvel's "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law" (2022) involved using CG to combine Tatiana Maslany's performance with that of a much taller body double. Now, with "Avatar: The Way of Water" (2022), director James Cameron and the artists at Weta FX figured out some of the most precise and convincing ways yet to size up actors through a combination of floating monitors, virtual cameras, and props.
- Many movies have scenes shot to look like one long take. To do this, filmmakers will shoot a scene in long, unedited segments and then stitch them together. Action movies like "Atomic Blonde" will do this by having actors run in front of the camera to hide the cuts. For a one-take action sequence in Netflix's "Extraction," director Sam Hargrave had to strap himself to the roof of a vehicle and then quickly run off in order to get an uninterrupted shot of Chris Hemsworth. One-take scenes can help show the passage of time, like when Showtime needed to film a montage that took place over the course of five years in "Kidding." Meanwhile, the Oscar winners "Birdman" and "1917" kept the one-take illusion going for their entire running times. In order to cover a lot of ground, both these movies traveled light: they relied on small handheld cameras as well as natural light in place of large light kits.
- A very special edition that shows Hawai'i, its rich musical heritage and the artists who bring it to life.
- Over the past 12 years, the City of New York's film and television production industry has grown exponentially, along with an exploding and thriving technology sector. The Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment takes a look back to reflect on the initiatives, programs, people and events that have turned "Made in NY" into a local phrase.
- "The Take" will take viewers through the top stories of the week from the entertainment biz, pop culture and media. Hosted by Variety senior correspondent Elizabeth Wagmeister and awards editor Clayton Davis, the duo will analyze the biggest stories, highlighting major breaking news, while giving their unique expert analysis and exclusive insight on what everyone is buzzing about around Hollywood.trailer.
- Retrospective documentary on the making of the hit comedy Splash (1983).
- Hans Zimmer, Johnny Marr, Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell talk about the making of the official Theme Song for the new James Bond movie No Time to Die at Variety's FYC Fest.
- There's a long history of actors playing fake twins, doppelgangers, and doubles in movies. Insider traces the evolution of doubling effects in Hollywood, from the split screens of the original "Parent Trap" to the rotoscoping and green-screen composites used on Nicolas Cage in 2002's "Adaptation," all the way up to the advanced face and head replacements of 2019's "Us." They take a look at how technology dating from the early silent-film era has advanced to make movies like "Us," "The Social Network," and more possible, and break down why the Jeremy Irons twins in David Cronenberg's 1988 movie "Dead Ringers" represented a turning point for twin effects. They show how the artists at Monsters Aliens Robots Zombies VFX cloned Paul Rudd for his 2019 Netflix series "Living with Yourself," how Rodeo FX created Jake Gyllenhaal doppelgangers for Denis Villeneuve's 2013 thriller "Enemy," and how NVIZ Studio pulled off its twinning effects on Tom Hardy in 2015's "Legend" and Seth Rogen in 2020's "An American Pickle" and show why late 19th-century optical effects laid the foundation for all this groundbreaking effects work in the 21st century.
- "Frozen II" is the long-awaited follow-up to the 2013 Disney animated smash hit featuring characters like Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff, and Sven. For the sequel, animators updated Anna and Elsa's outfits, re-built parts of Arendelle, and figured out how to turn water, wind, fire, and rocks into living, breathing creatures like Gale and the Nokk. This short documentary examines all of the interesting details and techniques the Disney animators used to make "Frozen II" and how they improved upon the first film.
- In a interview with Variety, Nancy Pelosi tells Variety why she ripped up President Trump's speech.
- A look back at the people, events, music, and trends of the 1970s.
- Camera pilot and aerial coordinator Fred North doesn't just use his helicopter to get from point A to point B. His chopper has a camera attached to it, operated by a camera operator, and the ways in which North flies his ship determines the angle of the shots. Camera pilots help add speed and energy to action sequences in movies. Because cars aren't always going as fast as they seem on set for safety reasons, North was crucial for the epic car chases in many of the "Fast and Furious" movies. He can also safely film explosions from the air and could keep up with Tom Cruise and his motorcycle in "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation." In Michael Bay's "Ambulance," North worked alongside camera drones to plot out some of the film's most exciting chases.
- In 2022, Marvel Studios stretched technology to achieve the desired effects for a number of their films. For "Top Gun: Maverick", Tom Cruise taught to fly, act and fix their makeup. For "The Batman", frequently rode in camera cars driven by stunt drivers. For "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" (2022) and "Thor: Love and Thunder" (2022), stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chris Hemsworth, and Christian Bale were hoisted into the air thanks to wires and tuning forks. For "Bullet Train" (2022), Brad Pitt was placed into a CG-built exploding train, while "Everything Everywhere All at Once" (2022) featured specially created props like Ke Huy Quan's killer fanny pack.
- The making of the motion picture "The Right Stuff", focusing on the visual effects and other post-production, the premiere and disappointing box-office (caused by misidentification with John Glenn's presidential campaign), and the film's enduring legacy.
- Honoring exceptional Canadians with distinctive accomplishments in philanthropy, advocacy, and contributions towards the greater good.
- 10 years after the release of "Philadelphia", director Jonathan Demme, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington and others discuss about the making of that film and it's important legacy through the years of being the first mainstream Hollywood film about dealing with the topic of Aids, revealing its impact on culture and society. Cast and crew talk about the inception of the project, the making of it and curious stories about one of the greatest hits of 1993.
- Real-life cop Sony Grosso turned Hollywood producer hosts a 30th Anniversary special featuring interviews with various persons involved in the making of The French Connection (1971).
- Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas and many others discuss the history, troubles, and legacy of American Zoetrope.
- The bus fight from "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" has been praised as Marvel's best fight sequence ever. The action scene, which is set on a moving bus, took over a year to bring to life. This included reconstructing two real buses to fit cameras inside while making room for actors Simu Liu and Florian Munteanu to fight. Fight coordinator Andy Cheng, famous for his stunt work on Jackie Chan's films, explains the steps needed to stage the fight from the previsualized CGI and rehearsals used to create the action to how to fake a bus's movements.
- A look back at Fail-Safe (1964).
- 2021 began with a lot of uncertainty about delayed releases and how we would be able to consume blockbuster movies. Regardless of whether you watched at the theaters or from the comfort of your home, there were many captivating movies that took filmmaking to another level. High-adrenaline flicks like "Shangi-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," "F9" and "No Time to Die" created in-camera stunts that you may have thought were CG. Young audiences got to see 2-D characters come to life like never before in "Clifford the Big Red Dog," and "Space Jam: A New Legacy." And real-life landscapes were constructed in both "Old" and "The French Dispatch" to transport viewers to another world. Here's what 16 movies of 2021 looked like behind the scenes.
- A look behind the scenes at one of the more controversial thillers of the 90's, and the one that made Sharon Stone a top-name star. Includes interviews with Stone and footage of some of the hard work that went into making the movie, as well as some discussion of the problems the makers had to deal with, including protests from groups who wanted the film changed or simply abandoned.
- Features well-known creators and talent from across TV, film and music as they are asked about individuals from underrepresented communities who would be "up next" for major recognition in the industry.
- Presents a intimate group of philanthropic women honored by Lifetime and Variety as some of the most powerful women working in media and entertainment.
- Jack Taylor's custom-made suits have stood the test of time, an always fashionable and enduring symbol of status. This documentary features candid interview footage and evocative vintage video and stills, revealing the colorful life of Jack Taylor, consummate craftsman, and fashion pioneer. A bittersweet portrayal of old Hollywood, detailing the demise not only of custom tailoring, but of an era.
- This is a detailed made-for-video documentary on the saga of the making of the movie Sound of Music, The (1965), and the story of the life of Maria von Trapp and her family which inspired it.
- Actress Sharon Stone hosts this documentary about the life and career of 1930s sex symbol Jean Harlow. Included are clips from many of her films, photos and stories about her life before she became a movie star, and accounts of her troubled personal life, including a domineering mother, the failure of her three marriages and the suicide of her second husband.
- Following the immense success of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Peter Jackson directs King Kong (2005). This documentary follows him, and the immense project from start to finish. It turns out that this one film may actually be a larger task to complete than all 3 of the Lord of the Rings films together.
- A documentary about the making of Francis Ford Coppola's 'One From the Heart'.
- This documentary provides an inside look to several main stages of production for the 2001 film, Planet of the Apes (2001), including make-up, costume design, and set construction.
- Republicans in Hollywood is a 2004 American television documentary film about politically conservative members of Hollywood, exploring whether they face discrimination within the industry.
- Nearly every possible aspect of fimmaking used to produce the motion picture Signs (2002) is closely examined here. This serves as a good companion to the film, normally where a commentary track would. Though it does feature a portion of promotional value, it is still very informative and interesting to watch director M. Night Shyamalan at work.
- A psychological thriller dealing with the dual persona a young man possesses and attempts to conceal throughout his ongoing sessions with his therapist.
- The fight scenes in "Everything Everywhere All at Once" put a fresh spin on classic kung fu movies. Insider spoke with stunt coordinator Timothy Eulich and fight choreographers Andy and Brian Le about how the movie's most impressive action sequences came together.
- Bringing characters like Spider-Man and Captain Marvel to life on screen requires some real-life superheroes off-screen. Specialized teams and experts carefully plan and carry out the stunts, costumes, and special effects that make iconic films like the Avengers the impressive spectacle audiences love. From actual bus crashes in "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" (2021) to detailed makeup and training in "Black Panther" (2018), here's what Marvel movies look like behind the scenes.
- Filmmaker Isaac Julien uses film clips and interviews to illustrate the history of the so-called "blaxploitation" genre.
- Telling harsh truths about the modern music business, this riveting and award-winning documentary gives intimate access to singer/actor Jared Leto ("Requiem for a Dream," "Dallas Buyers Club") and his band Thirty Seconds to Mars as they fight a relentless lawsuit with record label Virgin/EMI and write songs for their album "This Is War." Opening up his life for the camera during months of excruciating pressures, Leto reveals the struggles his band must face over questions of art, money and integrity.
- The story of matinee idol Tab Hunter from teenage stable boy to closeted Hollywood star of the 1950s.
- The history of the American film industry in Hollywood during the Silent era.
- A film about the noted American linguist/political dissident and his warning about corporate media's role in modern propaganda.