Film

New Jersey-based Hertz Global Holdings Inc. has acquired Burbank's 24/7 Studio Equipment, which rents generators, light towers, booms and other equipment for film and television production. 24/7, founded in 2005, was owned by private equity firm Prospect Partners of Chicago. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Hertz Equipment Rental President Gerry Plescia said in a statement that location shooting in Los Angeles is picking up and Hertz, with experience renting a variety of vehicles and equipment, is well positioned to serve the market.

The holiday season is bringing little cheer to the local production economy: location shoots on the streets of Los Angeles fell across all categories last week, reflecting a continued slowdown in film activity during the fourth quarter. Location shoots for film and television on streets and non-certified soundstages dropped 9% and 10%, respectively, from the same period last year, according to data from FilmL.A. Inc.  Commercial filming fell 21% last week from a year earlier, but is still up 8% this quarter.

Joyce Rudolph, Weekend GLENDALE -- A deluxe, blue-ribbon selection of Three Stooges classics is planned for the fourth annual Alex Film Society's Big Screen Event, said board member Frank Gladstone. Those who can't catch the 2 p.m. matinee, can catch the second show at 8 tonight at Glendale's Alex Theatre. Gladstone, head of training and recruitment at DreamWorks/SKG Animation in Glendale, chose the films along with fellow society members Steve McCoy and Leonard Maltin and Michael Schlesinger, head of the film department at Sony Pictures, which owns the Stooges' film rights.

MorrowFor all of us who grumble that movies offer up little of value, "Good Night and Good Luck" is here. You may have to hunt for a theater to see it, in spite of the film grossing a staggering $38,000 per screen early on. But when you do find a screening, it will be like finding a polished diamond in a mountain of slag. To call this film a George Clooney spectacular might be misleading. We have come to expect extravagance from this "s" word, something this film is not. It is spare and smoky (both literally and figuratively)

Glendale resident Sevak Ohanian recreates the problems of growing up in an Armenian American family in his new film ?My Big Fat Armenian Family? but adds a twist of humor. The film, which will premiere July 12 and 18 at Glendale High School, tells the story of a family of four ? a father, mother, son and daughter. The son can?t seem to do anything right in his father?s eyes, and there is a constant air of friction between them. The parents, Robert and Rima, are played by one man, Ajmin Baghramian, Ohanian said.

Do you enjoy laughing at the expense of another man's shortcomings? If so, you'll enjoy "The 40 Year Old Virgin." If you're easily offended by sexual humor and crude language, take your money elsewhere. I like laughing at other people and sometimes I even make my living doing this and therefore, I highly recommend this movie. Guess what? "The 40 Year Old Virgin" is about a guy who is 40 years old and a virgin. I bet you didn't see that one coming.

Laura Sturza Cars slowly cruising the city's streets might not be lost, but searching for a Craftsman house or vintage diner to set up shop for a film shoot. "We'll go into the foothills of Burbank to [look for] a very specific house," location manager Keith Bohanan said. "Sooner or later, I look up and I've run into a house that is nowhere I thought I'd be." Often, the unexpected home pans out better than the one originally sought, which might have noisy construction going on across the street, said Bohanan, who lives in Burbank.

Some pundits say it's too soon for a film about the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001. I say it's never too soon for an important movie. "United 93" is a very important film that everyone should see. On that fateful day, terrorists hijacked four planes. Three of those planes reached their targets. This movie tells the story of the fourth, United Airlines Flight 93, which missed its intended target and crashed into a field near Shanksville, Penn. I've got to be honest. This was a difficult film to watch and I found myself reliving the events of that horrible day, but the director, Paul Greengrass, handles the material with class and precision.

CITY HALL — The ever-evolving film permit ordinance moved one step closer to its latest permutation this week with an updated list of definitions, expanded exemptions for noncommercial use and banning tripods without a permit. The City Council on Tuesday voted 3 to 1 to make the changes, ushering in the legal use of wireless microphones, hand-held light diffusers and other tripod-related equipment held in the filmmaker’s hand and carried throughout the course of filming.

"Eight Below" was on the must-see list of several million families with children as soon as the film's trailer hit the big screen last year. The second that three-minute preview was over, theaters around the world rang with the sound of young voices saying, "Mommy, Daddy, I want to see that one!" It's the story of eight smiling (yes, smiling) and adorable sled dogs, tragically abandoned as a harsh Antarctic winter closes in; and the boy ? er, in this case, the man ? who loves them, and will do everything in his power to get back to them again.

An international filmmaking and acting school has opened in Burbank and plans to create opportunities for students and graduates by developing connections with local production companies and studios. The International Academy of Film and Television opened its doors last month at 635 S. San Fernando Blvd., offering filmmaking workshops, acting classes and a new visual effects program for teens. The academy initially launched in the Philippines in 2004, said Kacy Andrews, a Glendale resident who is chief executive of the academy.

John D. Lowry, an entertainment technology innovator who founded Lowry Digital Images, the renowned movie restoration company in Burbank that worked its magic by returning film classics such as "Casablanca" and "Star Wars" to their pristine state for DVD release, has died. He was 79. Lowry died Jan. 21 at his home in Camarillo, said his son David. The cause of death is unknown. "John Lowry's passion for cinema and expertise in technology were essential in preserving the work of filmmakers for future generations to enjoy," George Lucas told The Times in a statement.

The holiday season is bringing little cheer to the local production economy: location shoots on the streets of Los Angeles fell across all categories last week, reflecting a continued slowdown in film activity during the fourth quarter. Location shoots for film and television on streets and non-certified soundstages dropped 9% and 10%, respectively, from the same period last year, according to data from FilmL.A. Inc.  Commercial filming fell 21% last week from a year earlier, but is still up 8% this quarter.

Teen actress Kari Irwin appears in two films that were accepted by the Burbank International Film Festival. Irwin plays Daisy Zombie in the dark horror film, “Hinnon Valley,” which was directed by Rick Greenwood, an up-and-coming Hollywood director. In the film “Jillian Sometimes,” Irwin plays a medical receptionist named Kim in this short psycho drama produced by and starring Jason Lockhart. “I am really excited about both screenings. I am sure this will be a lot of fun for me and everyone else who comes to see these and other great movies,” Irwin said.

Feature film activity in Los Angeles continued to grow at a brisk pace, with on-location shoots for movies once again posting double-digit increases. Filming for features generated 189 production days for the week ended Sunday, up 66% from the same time a year earlier, according to recently-released data from FilmL.A. Inc., which handles permits for film shoots on streets and noncertified soundstages in the city and unincorporated areas of the county. Feature film activity was virtually flat in the first half of this year but has steadily grown in recent months.

Profit dropped 10% for the corporate parent of Burbank-based Warner Bros. in the first quarter of 2011 even as revenue climbed and the studio expanded its ability to deliver movies online and prepares for the release of several major films. On Wednesday, the studio's parent company Time-Warner Inc. reported a profit of $653 million on revenue of $6.7 billion in the first quarter, compared with $725 million in profit on $6.3 billion in revenue in the same period last year. Executives said Tuesday that the 10% drop in profit was due to a quiet quarter at the movies, as well as programming and promotional costs related to the month-long broadcast of the NCAA basketball tournament primarily on two Time-Warner networks, TBS and TNT. March Madness still managed to spur a 31% gain in network advertising revenue and higher network ratings.

He’s in the movie business, but he’s not at Sundance with all the snow bunnies and hot stars this week. Ryan Kugler is an aggregator. His DVA (Distribution Video & Audio) is one of the most successful businesses in Burbank, but don’t look for his store. Instead, you’ll see his stuff in the bargain bins at major outlets, including the 99 Cents Only Stores. He buys in bulk the films that didn’t quite make it to a red-carpet premiere, but sometimes feature big-name actors — before they were famous.

New Jersey-based Hertz Global Holdings Inc. has acquired Burbank's 24/7 Studio Equipment, which rents generators, light towers, booms and other equipment for film and television production. 24/7, founded in 2005, was owned by private equity firm Prospect Partners of Chicago. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Hertz Equipment Rental President Gerry Plescia said in a statement that location shooting in Los Angeles is picking up and Hertz, with experience renting a variety of vehicles and equipment, is well positioned to serve the market.

Dazzling new filmmaking tools were the stars of a two-day conference at the Marriott Burbank Airport conference center. Hundreds of film crew members and gear heads walked among the booths at the Createasphere digital technology exposition, where companies from across the globe — as well as Burbank's own EVS and FilmTools — hawked software, digital cameras, stage lights and more. "It's nice to see the local companies as well as the larger companies," said Nick Lampke, who works for FilmTools, a Burbank firm that sells everything from gaffer tape to cameras.

The media capital of the world will host the Createasphere Entertainment Technology Expo beginning Wednesday afternoon, bringing industry professionals and educators together while featuring the latest in cutting-edge filmmaking technology. Originally called the HD Expo when the event was founded in 2001, Createasphere at the Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel includes panels and exhibitors to showcase not only what is available in the industry, but what can be found in the San Fernando Valley.