Joel McHale -- "Studio films aren't terrible ... but with independent film you are more constrained by money, but you have [fewer] constraints as far as the art."
For movie buffs, it's a weekend of celebration with the Oscars on Sunday. But these are perilous times for the movie business, not just because of the changing technological landscape (improved 3-D! illegal downloading online! legal downloading online!) but also because of perceptions.
For years, movie stars and producers looked down on television as an inferior medium, but in the past two decades that has changed. Now it's the TV folks, particularly those working in cable, who view movies as the lesser medium, with too much money spent on unwanted sequels and the umpteenth movie inspired by a comic book.
But there is an area where film and quality television can find common ground: independent movies, which will be feted at the Film Independent Spirit Awards, set to be televised at 10 p.m. Saturday on IFC. Even this awards show's host comes from the world of critically praised television: Joel McHale, star of NBC's "Community" and host of "The Soup" on E!
"Independent film is more of a pure art than studio films because there are more cooks in the kitchen [with studio films]," Mr. McHale said in a teleconference with reporters this week. "Studio films aren't terrible -- look at 'Inception' or 'The Fighter' or 'True Grit' -- but with independent film you are more constrained by money, but you have [fewer] constraints as far as the art. I think it's like the science lab of film, where things are done that you can't do in big films. More innovation happens in independent films."
Movies nominated as best feature at the Film Independent Spirit Awards include "127 Hours," "Black Swan," "Greenberg," "The Kids Are All Right" and "Winter's Bone," which were all made outside the studio system.
Mr. McHale cited "Winter's Bone" -- a family drama set in a poor, rural Ozark community -- as a favorite. And he couldn't help comparing it to something you might see on TV, specifically, HBO.
"All the characters are so rich and interesting, even the grandpa character who's in it so briefly, that it made me think, this should be a TV show," Mr. McHale said. "I want to learn about the rest of the family. HBO should make that show."
Mr. McHale cited "Mad Men," "Breaking Bad" and "Spartacus: Blood & Sand" as quality television series. Notably, all three air on cable networks.
"These cable companies just care that it's a quality and interesting show and not whether it's going to be well accepted by the masses always," he said, noting that the 2009 "Mad Men" season finale was trounced in the ratings by a wedding episode of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" on E! "TV has never been better and it's also never been worse."
Cable networks are run as businesses, of course, but they work on a different business model than broadcast networks, with basic cable outlets pulling in revenue through dual streams (advertising and cable subscription fees). Mr. McHale said DVD sales revenue also helps quality TV shows with lower ratings, even his own "Community."
"I think it was [comedian/actor] Patton Oswalt who said ['Community'] is like an HBO show, and I take that as a compliment and a great compliment to NBC that they put it on," he said. "Of course, I would like to have 'American Idol' ratings, but we'll see. Look at 'Seinfeld': That was the perfect marriage of a lot of niche humor, but it appealed to a mass audience."
The 83rd Annual Academy Awards telecast begins at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, but there will be plenty of opportunity to rate the stars' wardrobes hours before the big show.
In addition to live pre-show, red carpet coverage on E! (2 p.m. Sunday with live coverage starting at 6) and TV Guide Network (5 p.m.), ABC has expanded its Oscar pre-show to 90 minutes. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. Sunday with Robin Roberts ("Good Morning America"), Tim Gunn ("Project Runway"), Krista Smith and Maria Menounos as hosts.
If that's not enough, Pittsburgh's WTAE will carry live coverage from Los Angeles ABC affiliate KABC-TV from 5-6 p.m. Sunday.
As for the telecast itself, James Franco and Anne Hathaway are the hosts, eschewing the usual comedian-as-host concept. Also gone: a traditional set. Producers told The Hollywood Reporter that projected backgrounds will be used for a frequently changing set appearance.
In addition, producers plan to pass on movie montages, which generally just make a slow-moving telecast even longer, along with the two-year-old tradition of having five presenters offer testimonials about each best actor/actress nominee. Performances of the four nominated best songs will return.
For the first time in its history, Fox's "American Idol" will allow viewers to vote for contestants online at AmericanIdol.com beginning Tuesday. Fans will continue to be able to vote via a toll-free phone number and via unlimited text-message votes for AT&T wireless customers.
For the online voting, fans will have to log in using a Facebook account to access the voting page. Viewers may cast up to 50 online votes for each telecast's performance.
"We have been wanting to do online voting for several years, and now Facebook has offered us a secure solution and we are ready to go," said Simon Fuller, "American Idol" creator/executive producer, in a prepared statement. "The show has always involved a high level of engagement with its viewers through texting and phone voting, and it's great to expand on this tradition."
This season's 12 male semifinalists perform at 8 p.m. Tuesday (pre-empting "Glee" for one week) and the 12 female semifinalists perform Wednesday with the results announced during a Thursday telecast.
This week Hallmark Channel announced it will debut a movie on Aug. 13 about the royal relationship between England's Prince William and Kate Middleton, but Lifetime will beat Hallmark to the punch.
A rushed-into-production TV movie titled "William & Kate" will premiere at 9 p.m. April 18 on Lifetime just 11 days before the real-life royal wedding. The leads will be played by relatively unknown actors Rico Evers-Swindell and Camilla Luddington. Ben Cross ("Chariots of Fire") will play Prince Charles.
Fox has given "American Dad" a green light for a seventh season to air during the 2012-13 TV season. ... NBC has renewed three reality shows for next season: "The Biggest Loser," "Who Do You Think You Are?" and "The Sing-Off." ... IFC has renewed "The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret" for a six-episode second season to debut in October. ... The final batch of "Stargate: SGU" episodes will air on Syfy beginning at 10 p.m. March 7. ... Two sci-fi series get rerun again: Syfy will air episodes of "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" beginning April 7 and the late, much-loved "Firefly" will air on Science Channel in its intended episode order beginning with a re-airing of the pilot at 8 p.m. March 6. ... Season two of Planet Green's "The Fabulous Beekman Boys" kicks off at 10 p.m. March 22. ... Verizon's FiOS TV has added four ESPN networks to its online offerings available to FiOS TV customers. ... The final season of Pittsburgh-set drama "The Guardian" was released on DVD earlier this month ($49.98, CBS DVD). Alas, not a single extra in the set, but the cover art does include images of PPG Place and Fifth Avenue Place.
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