In an excellent piece of storytelling, ADMIRAL brings to life Michiel de Ruyter (1607-1676), brilliant naval strategist, creator of the Dutch Marines, family man and stabilizing citizen of the recently created Republic of the Netherlands. With political and familial ties between the great houses of Europe threatening to tear apart the young Republic, Michiel de Ruyter (Frank Lammers) is asked to take over after Admiral Maarten Tromp (Rutger Hauer) is killed in battle by the English forces under King Charles II (Charles Dance). What pulls at de Ruyter is his neglected family, his desire to see his beloved Holland not be torn apart in a civil war between the Republicans and the Orangists under Prince Willem III (Egbert Jan Weeber) and to modernize the naval fleet to protect his homeland and their merchant fleet.
Category: TV
WESTDOC 2013
Marked by a substantial change in the digital age, WESTDOC dedicated a considerable portion of its programming slate to the digital space, including its first-ever digital keynote speaker Kelly Day, CEO of Blip. A dream come true to attendees. WESTDOC offered an eclectic event presenting panels, face-to-face meetings, sit-down group discussions and roundtables with more than 150 top industry executives.
A PREVIEW OF THE FALL 2013 TV SEASON
As a kid, Fall meant the end of Summer vacation and a return to the school grind. The good news was that it meant the end of the Summer tv rerun doldrums and the eager anticipation of checking out the new fall tv lineup. As an adult, I still look forward to the debut of new shows.
A PREVIEW OF THE FALL 2013 TV SEASON
Last month the various broadcast networks introduced their new prime time shows to advertisers and the media at events that are called “Upfronts” in the trade. Here is a look at what CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox and the CW have in store for us this Fall.
MOST SUPRISING TV SERIES RENEWALS
Some bubble shows were saved in the 11th hour as the major broadcast networks roll out their Fall 2013 schedules this week in lavish upfront presentations taking place in New York City. Saved from cancellation are:
FROM SMASH TO TRASH – HOW NBC KILLED “SMASH”
When Smash premiered to smash ratings on Feb 6, 2012 it seemed it could do no wrong. It had all the elements and then some. With Steven Spielberg on board as Executive Producer and a stellar talent packed cast of TV veterans like Debra Messing, brilliant newbies like American Idols Katharine McPhee and Jennifer Hudson lending their formidable pipes; Broadway legends including Bernadette Peters and Liza Minnelli to give authenticity and Hollywood A-listers like Angelica Huston and Uma Thurman how could Smash go wrong? Add to this smoldering Brit bad boy, Jack Davenport, hopping from bed to bed with all his leading ladies and ingenious stunt casting like bringing Sean Hayes back from obscurity to reunite with Messing plus a credible Broadway soundtrack and endless glossy production numbers it was like catching a play every week. Even better because we got to go behind the scenes and live the juicy backstabbing, politicking, angst and trauma that goes with the turf.
FALL 2012 TV PREVIEW
Last month the various broadcast networks introduced their Fall 2012 lineups to ad buyers and the media at the annual spring ritual known as the Upfronts.
A LOOK AHEAD TO THE 2011-12 TV SEASON
During the past two months the various cable and broadcast television networks presented sneak previews of their Fall schedules to advertisers and the media.
NBC UPFRONTS 2011-2012: ROAD TO RECOVERY?
It’s that time of year again when advertisers act like sailors in port looking to sway Lady Luck at a casino and instead cross paths with a mermaid who may lure them to a (fiscal) death.
HISTORY MAKERS CONFERENCE 2011
Whether they be citizens of a city, state, nation or the world at large, perhaps nothing is more essential for any group of people in endeavoring to forge a path forward than understanding where they have come from in order to figure out how to proceed to where they wish to direct their society. The way I like to put it is that only a people with a sense of shared history can truly jointly create a shared destiny. Given the role of media in transmitting and accounting for that history, how the various professionals working in these fields go about their business can have tremendous impact in determining what issues and priorities assume more prominence. Thus, it was interesting to see what methods currently are being practiced as of 2011 at the History Makers broadcast media conference at the Marriott Marquis from January 26-28.