hollywood watch
Matt Damon, the original star of the Bourne series of action films, is back again as Jason Bourne. Principal photography began last week on the next instalment of the series, with Damon in the title role.
It's been eight years since his last Bourne film. After wrapping the last version, The Bourne Ultimatum, in 2007, Damon at first said he felt he was done with the role, but soon after changed his mind. Of course, by that time he had already committed himself to a lot of other projects, so it took eight years to get everyone on the Bourne set again and for film to roll.
To normal people in normal businesses, this seems insane. Something as profitable as the Bourne series of films would surely get fast-tracked the moment Matt Damon said he was willing. But Hollywood is not a normal business.
Normal businesses know how to use scheduling software and basic human psychology to figure out how to maximise their profits.
For instance, here’s how the gym and health club business works: they charge you a monthly fee and pretend to believe you when you say that you’re so committed to your fitness regime that you’re going to be making regular appearances, probably daily, at their facility.
Of course, if every member of a gym or fitness club actually showed up as promised, every day, enthusiastic and motivated for a challenging workout, the place would be unmanageably crowded. There would be long, snakey queues at every weight machine, the cycling classes would be overbooked, members would be pushing and shoving for time on the treadmills and elliptical machines, the place would erupt into a constant hot tempered shouting match.
Luckily for the health club business, though, people like to lie to themselves about their willingness to exercise. Although they sign up for membership with the best of intentions, the management knows they’ll never follow through. Even as they take your credit card, the person who works for the gym knows that you’re really never going to be there after the first week or two. They can oversell memberships to their hearts’ delight.
“Oh, my gosh! You came!” a surprised hostess said to me, when I arrived at a film premiere party to which I had a) been invited and b) RSVPed in the affirmative. It was a party for one of the biggest hits of the summer, to which all of the biggest stars had been invited. And since I rarely – if ever – get invited to these things, I instantly accepted the invitation.
Also: in Hollywood, there’s a rather gaudy tradition of passing out luxurious gift bags to all partygoers as they make their exits. Often – especially with an event like this, for a high-profile picture – there’s some really cool stuff in there.
So I was a little surprised that she was surprised to see me.
“Oh, you know Los Angeles,” she explained. “You invite 200 people, 100 say they’re coming, 50 show up. People just flake out on you.”
I nodded. This kind of thing happens all the time. “Well,” I said, “as long as you have enough gift bags, you’ll be OK.”
Her face suddenly went white. “Will you excuse me?” she said. And then went off, presumably, to count guests and gift bags. I made a note to myself to make sure to leave early, while the supply was still high.
When money is involved, things get serious, and when things get serious in Hollywood we call the lawyers, and they’ve invented a way to rank the contractual commitments we have to each other, called “positions”.
“We have you in first position,” a studio executive told me once, about a project I had guided, and on which he actually had me in second position. The distinction is important. First position means, if this thing goes – if the series is ordered, if the movie gets a green light – you’re doing it. Second position means, if whatever is in first position doesn’t happen, they have the next option.
For eight years, the studio tried to figure out how to dislodge Matt Damon from his slew of picture commitments – from, in other words, his first and second positions – and get him into the next Bourne picture. But they also had to do the same with the very sought-after director, Paul Greengrass, who was also beset with first and second position commitments. The horse-trading and bargaining and double-dealing to get all of the pieces in place – even eight years later – must have been intense.
“Don’t worry,” an agent once told me about an actress’s availability. “You have her in a very safe second.” What he meant was, technically the actress was committed in first position to another project. But the agent knew that project was doomed. He just hadn’t told her yet. So even though I had her in second position, I was assured that she was going to be available to do my show.
I feel that way each morning when I lay out my gym clothes. They’re in first position. But sleeping an extra 45 minutes and the chocolate croissant at the coffee place around the corner? Very safe second.
Rob Long is a writer and producer in Hollywood
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
The%20Roundup
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Janet Yellen's Firsts
- In 2014, she became the first woman to lead the US Federal Reserve
- In 1999, she became the first female chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Teams in the EHL
White Bears, Al Ain Theebs, Dubai Mighty Camels, Abu Dhabi Storms, Abu Dhabi Scorpions and Vipers
The bio
Favourite food: Japanese
Favourite car: Lamborghini
Favourite hobby: Football
Favourite quote: If your dreams don’t scare you, they are not big enough
Favourite country: UAE
MATCH INFO
Austria 2
Hinteregger (53'), Schopf (69')
Germany 1
Ozil (11')
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UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Profile of VoucherSkout
Date of launch: November 2016
Founder: David Tobias
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers
Sector: Technology
Size: 18 employees
Stage: Embarking on a Series A round to raise $5 million in the first quarter of 2019 with a 20 per cent stake
Investors: Seed round was self-funded with “millions of dollars”
Company%20profile
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Fixtures
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWednesday%2C%20April%203%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EArsenal%20v%20Luton%20Town%2C%2010.30pm%20(UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EManchester%20City%20v%20Aston%20Villa%2C%2011.15pm%20(UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EThursday%2C%20April%204%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ELiverpool%20v%20Sheffield%20United%2C%2010.30pm%20(UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group F
Manchester City v Hoffenheim, midnight (Wednesday, UAE)
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Allardyce's management career
Clubs (10) - Limerick (1991-1992), Perston North End (1992), Blackpool (1994-1996), Notts County (1997-1999), Bolton Wanderers (1999-2007), Newcastle United (2007-2008), Blackburn Rovers (2008-2010), West Ham United (2011-2015), Sunderland (2016), Crystal Palace (2016-2017)
Countries (1) - England (2016)
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20myZoi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Syed%20Ali%2C%20Christian%20Buchholz%2C%20Shanawaz%20Rouf%2C%20Arsalan%20Siddiqui%2C%20Nabid%20Hassan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2037%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Initial%20undisclosed%20funding%20from%20SC%20Ventures%3B%20second%20round%20of%20funding%20totalling%20%2414%20million%20from%20a%20consortium%20of%20SBI%2C%20a%20Japanese%20VC%20firm%2C%20and%20SC%20Venture%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
The years Ramadan fell in May
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
Bournemouth 0
Manchester United 2
Smalling (28'), Lukaku (70')
Confirmed%20bouts%20(more%20to%20be%20added)
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Drishyam 2
Directed by: Jeethu Joseph
Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba, Murali Gopy
Rating: 4 stars
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Read more about the coronavirus
More coverage from the Future Forum
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
U19 World Cup in South Africa
Group A: India, Japan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka
Group B: Australia, England, Nigeria, West Indies
Group C: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Scotland, Zimbabwe
Group D: Afghanistan, Canada, South Africa, UAE
UAE fixtures
Saturday, January 18, v Canada
Wednesday, January 22, v Afghanistan
Saturday, January 25, v South Africa
UAE squad
Aryan Lakra (captain), Vriitya Aravind, Deshan Chethyia, Mohammed Farazuddin, Jonathan Figy, Osama Hassan, Karthik Meiyappan, Rishabh Mukherjee, Ali Naseer, Wasi Shah, Alishan Sharafu, Sanchit Sharma, Kai Smith, Akasha Tahir, Ansh Tandon