Power, money, and personalities in The Industry certainly makes it seem like there is always going to be a market for failure in so far as the business of media production remains a corporate culture. The Sony hacking scandal shows how successful working members have a typical venality and moguls remain the same as in any putative Golden Age of Media. Spin continues as though it were in perpetual motion and another Studio Head rolls.
Following the hacking scandal in November that made the private emails of Sony execs public, the company announced co-chair Amy Pascal would be stepping down.
Pascal, one of the most powerful women in Hollywood and the force behind such critical and commercial hits as "The Social Network" and "American Hustle," will launch a major new production venture at the studio focused on movies, television and theater, Sony Pictures said Thursday. Her career with Sony has spanned nearly 20 years.
During the hack, Pascal came under fire for racist remarks about President Obama's presumed choice in movies that surfaced in leaked emails. She apologized for "insensitive and inappropriate" comments in her emails that she called "not an accurate reflection of who I am." Pascal also faced criticism for green-lighting the film that may have inspired the hacking to begin with: "The Interview," which starred Seth Rogen and James Franco as bumbling journalists tasked with killing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Pascal will transition to the new venture in May. Sony Pictures will finance Pascal under a four-year contract and retain all distribution rights worldwide to funded films. The venture will be located at the Sony Pictures lot in Culver City, California.
On December 9, 2014, Sony's computer system was hacked by "Guardians of Peace" using Shamoon malware, which led to the theft of internal company documents. In subsequent news coverage Pascal and producer Scott Rudin were noted to have had an exchange about Pascal's upcoming encounter with President Barack Obama. Pascal suggested the president would enjoy Django Unchained and The Butler, which deal with slavery in the United States and the pre-civil rights era. News reports branded the exchange as "racially insensitive," while other media outlets called it "racist." http://en.wikipedia.org/...
In what has become the latest embarrassing email uncovered in a trove of messages leaked by hackers who attacked Sony, Pascal wrote Rudin: “What should I ask the president at this stupid Jeffrey breakfast?” She was referring to a breakfast hosted by DreamWorks Animation head and major Democratic donor Jeffrey Katzenberg.
Rudin, a top film producer responsible for films like No Country for Old Men and Moneyball, responded, “Would he like to finance some movies.” Pascal replied, “I doubt it. Should I ask him if he liked DJANGO?” Rudin responded: “12 YEARS.” Pascal quickly continued down the path of guessing Obama preferred movies by or starring African Americans. “Or the butler. Or think like a man? [sic]”
Rudin’s response: “Ride-along. I bet he likes Kevin Hart.”
At a fundraiser later that evening at DreamWorks’ studio, Obama didn’t express a particular preference for the films Rudin and Pascal listed, telling a crowd of Hollywood executives, “Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy.”
http://www.buzzfeed.com/...