Topic: Entertainment

Cinemek's Storyboard Composer Innovates Filmmaking on the iPad

Jonathan Houser helps filmmakers plan their projects -- down to the second -- with the Storyboard Composer app.READ»

• Fast Talk: Rana Sobhany
• Fast Talk: Lisa Hsia
• Fast Talk: Dustin Callif

Dustin Callif's Touching Stories Adds Interactivity to Films

Dustin Callif produced Touching Stories, a four-film app that gives viewers new power.READ»

• Fast Talk: Rana Sobhany
• Fast Talk: Jonathan Houser
• Fast Talk: Lisa Hsia

Portrait of the Rapper as a Young Marketer: How K'naan Delivered on Coca-Cola's $300 Million Bet

Coca-Cola bet that an unknown Somali rapper could support its biggest marketing campaign ever. The company was right, and it may have launched a new star. Or not.READ»

• Two Versions of "Wavin' Flag"

A Walk Down Horror Lane

2010 marks the 50th anniversary of Psycho and the 100th birthday of the first movie version of Frankenstein. In the run-up to every horror lover’s favorite holiday, here’s a look at the numbers behind the business of scary movies.READ»

Phineas and Ferb Take the Boys' Market by Storm

"Phineas and Ferb" is the hippest, nerdiest, unlikeliest hit on TV -- and now Disney hopes it can be a SpongeBob-like cash cow.READ»

The Company Men

The angst of white-collar men and their families in the age of corporate layoffs -- sound familiar? Up in the Air rode the downbeat theme to $163 million at the box office and the 2009 Golden Globe for best screenplay. Now Ben ...READ»

Christina Norman Set to Infuse OWN With Oprah's Essence

Norman, CEO of the Oprah Winfrey Network, is tasked with creating an entire TV network around Oprah Winfrey's call to "live your best life." Her challenge is to suffuse the new self-help channel with Oprah's essence.READ»

About The Influence Project

Who are the most influential people online right now? That's what The Influence Project was designed to answer. More than 32,000 people joined us to find out, and get their photo in the magazine this November. Our exploration of ...READ»

Starbucks Digital Network Brews Up Curated Web Content

The folks who brought you CDs, books, and even DVDs while you wait in line for coffee now want to bring you content online as well.READ»

Sharing Vs. Selling: A Lesson From Gospel Music

This fall, I am working on wrapping up the manuscript for a book called Spreadable Media, a collaboration with MIT Convergence Culture Consortium. In short, businesses are looking at how content that circulates ultimately makes ...READ»

Should Albums Cost $1.50?

A top record label exec says radically slashing album prices could drive sales of 200 million copies for major releases.READ»

Facebook Is Worth $2.52, Twitter Only 43 Cents: Study

A new attempt to answer the digital age's most burning question--whether social media drives sales--has also revealed an atonishing fact about Facebook and Twitter posts. Sharing on Facebook is five times more valuable than ...READ»

Have a Cigar

A parallel has been drawn between travel distribution and music distribution. Specifically, as to how the music distribution business has undergone changes that have decimated many of the industry leaders. This change seemed bad at first--that is, until Apple stamped it with a brand new spin and gee-whizzed some not terribly creative ways to make a buck at it.READ»

Dreamworks on Big Stars Vs. Big Animation

DreamWorks Animation's $150 million blockbuster Megamind hits theaters this November, helmed by Brad Pitt, Will Ferrell, and Tina Fey. But the true stars of this film aren't necessarily the names in big letters. Has celebrity talent become secondary?READ»

"The Social Network," Tiger Woods, and Why Brand-Bashing Is Good for Everyone

There's been much discussion about what Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook employees thought of "The Social Network." The picture it paints of their CEO isn't pretty, and such powerful storytelling penetrates the mind of pop culture. But the filmmakers did Mark Zuckerberg a favor.READ»

Infographic of the Day: The Hottest Pick-Up Spots in NY and SF

Every single guy or girl knows the feeling: You get dressed up to go out, hoping to meet someone. And then you get to the bar. And it's just filled with other girls/dudes. Your night busts out, or it never quite recovers from the ...READ»

London Film Festival

Most filmmakers toil in obscurity for years before getting the chance to premiere at a world-class event like the London Film Festival. Not so for the winner of Unilever's Consumer Creative Challenge, a contest in which amateur ...READ»

Apple Throws the Rule Book at Music Stars

Rockstars are notoriously hard to control. Which makes it especially odd that Apple, for its new music social network Ping, would release a nine-page book of guidelines for artists planning to join the service. READ»

Most Wanted Bosses: Mark Zuckerberg Ranks Low, Oprah High

A new poll suggests Mark Zuckerberg, Simon Cowell, and Tony Hayward are far from ideal bosses.READ»

K’Naan and Nas: Two Ways to “Manage” a Music Career

From one hip-hop artist, a leaked email exposing the ugly, angry side of the struggle between artist and label. From the other, a frank chat at the end of a long tour about owning one's art and brand. Two very different leadership lessons.READ»

How an Apple Subscription Model Could Damn Streaming Services [Updated]

What does this mean for streaming services like Rhapsody or the much-anticipated Swedish import Spotify?READ»

Bright Spot for the Music Industry: Product Placement Is Pirate-Proof

Piracy may be leading to a decline in profits for record labels, but product placement is still big business. READ»

Nissan's Social Media Strategy: Hire "Nobodies"

To launch its new line of Juke cars, Nissan is entrusting its brand to "two relatively unknown men with zero celebrity status." Here's why.READ»

Converse: I'm With the Brand

The shoe already worn by rock royalty is opening its own recording studio and hosting unsigned artists. But brands are a long way from replacing record labels. READ»

One Day on Earth: Burning Man-Inspired Virtual Event Aims to Bottle "Lightning"

October 10th is One Day on Earth. Project founder Kyle Ruddick hopes it will become a global social media platform for photogs and videographers.READ»