Dick Wolf

[DNA]

Variety.com

Wolf, NBC Universal calling 'Cops'
Show will be based on Mafia moonlighters
By MICHAEL FLEMING[/i]

Dick Wolf and NBC Universal will use the investigation of New York City cops Stephen Caracappa and Louis Eppolito as the basis for a TV series.
Three feature films are also in development about the rogue cops who were convicted of moonlighting as murderers for an organized crime family.

Wolf and the studio acquired screen rights to "The Brotherhoods: The True Story of Two Cops Who Murdered for the Mafia," by Guy Lawson and William Oldham. Oldham once worked as a cop alongside Caracappa, and years later was appalled that he and his partner, Eppolito (whose father and grandfather were Gambino crime family soldiers), were never properly investigated after a turncoat Lucchese underboss fingered them as paid mob employees.

Getting nowhere with NYPD bosses who seemed to want the situation to just go away, Oldham became a special investigator for the U.S. Attorney's Brooklyn office and assembled a team of investigators, who found enough evidence to arrest the cops after they'd retired to a gated community in Las Vegas.

Tom Thayer will be a producer on the project. He's an exec producer on Wolf's upcoming mini, "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee." It is unclear whether the book will be used to create a fourth "Law & Order" or stand on its own as a drama about the investigations unit that could use the dirty cop case as its pilot.

"We are very excited about this project," Wolf said in a statement. "It contains a unique franchise that could be taken in a multitude of directions."

Three movies are in the works based on Caracappa and Eppolito. Spring Creek's Paula Weinstein is developing a film based on Tommy Dades, a retired detective who was a key cog in the investigation; "Training Day" scribe David Ayer is rewriting Dan Gordon's original script for "Mafia Cop," which Ayer will direct for Mandalay and Universal; and "Goodfellas" scribe Nick Pileggi is writing a fictionalized drama based on the case for Irwin Winkler and Columbia.

[DonnaJo]

A series about a special investigative unit that targets dirty cops? Isn't that the I.A.D. (Internal Affairs Division) of the police department? From what I gather, the rest of the P.O.'s really hate those guys. They are viewed as traitors to the "buddy boy system.'

Or is this a Federal Unit, since it's through the U.S. Attorney's Office?
Are they cops? Or lawyers with guns?

Dick Wolf reminds me of a parent of a new baby, who ignores his older kids.

[DNA]

LA Times.com

Producers prepare for possible strike
By Richard Verrier

Schedules for TV shows and movies are moved up ahead of contract talks with writers.

Gary Scott Thompson, writer and executive producer of the NBC show "Las Vegas," won't be taking a summer hiatus.

Instead of enjoying his usual three months off, he and his colleagues have been asked to write scripts and shoot most of next season's episodes, presumably as a hedge against a potential Hollywood writers' strike late this year. Starting Monday, new production for "Las Vegas" starts — three months earlier than usual — with the goal of shooting 18 or 22 episodes by fall.

The show "will be strike-proof," Thompson said.

Anticipating a possible walkout, networks and studio executives are starting to take steps to keep production pipelines flowing. The contingency plans include pushing up shooting schedules, ordering more reality TV programs and renegotiating with writers to turn in their film scripts earlier than usual.

"They're protecting their long-range business interests," said chief studio negotiator J. Nicholas Counter, president of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

The early preparations come three months before what are expected to be highly contentious contract talks between producers and writers, with the central issue being how writers are paid when their work is shown over the Internet.

Guild leaders have alleged that studios are trying to scare writers by suggesting they are stockpiling scripts and shows. There has been little evidence of a large-scale stockpiling like there was in 2001, when fear of strikes by actors and writers caused a major acceleration of production.

"We've never seen stockpiling to be a significant negotiating strategy," said Chuck Slocum, assistant executive director of the Writers Guild of America, West. "We don't see any reason a deal cannot be reached and we look forward to negotiating to that end."

Nonetheless, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" has started shooting its ninth season, two months earlier than usual.

"I firmly believe that the potential for a strike is much greater and more ominous than many people are saying," said Dick Wolf, the show's executive producer. "Therefore, we're going to make as many episodes as possible before a strike takes place."

Senior executives from the major studios met with Counter last week to discuss their strategies for negotiations, which will begin July 16. The current contract expires Oct. 31.

Rival networks and studio executives have been keeping their contingency plans under wraps not only from writers but also one another.

Although none would publicly discuss their plans, several Hollywood executives privately acknowledged that they were preparing for what could be the first writers' strike since 1988.

Their plans include having some shows come back early to shoot additional episodes that could air during a strike and pushing up production schedules of midseason shows to as early as July instead of their usual September start.

Networks typically decide which shows they're going to pick up just before the key advertising sales period in May and June. But this year has seen an unusually large number of early pickups, evidence not only of changes in the television industry but also strike preparations, analysts say.

"There are clear signs that networks are preparing their fall schedules as early as possible as a hedge against a possible strike," said Carolyn Finger, vice president of TVtracker.com, an Internet-based research and consulting service.

Network business affairs executives are combing their libraries to identify which shows they have the rights to rebroadcast and to compile alternative schedules jammed with movies, news programs, reality fare and game shows.

Hit shows such as Fox's "American Idol" are not only hugely popular, but they are also cheaper to produce than scripted programs. And most reality shows aren't covered under the Writers Guild contracts despite efforts by the union to organize the booming sector.

This season saw 56 unscripted series across all the broadcast networks, up from 51 last year, according to TVtracker.com. CBS has five game show pilots in production, including shows hosted by comedian Drew Carey and MSNBC talk show host Tucker Carlson.

"The ramped-up reality slate is part of our regular program development for summer, fall and midseason programming, but these projects could be utilized if a strike does occur," CBS spokesman Chris Ender said.

Film studios also have begun making their own strike preparations. Studio executives are more worried about the prospect of an actors strike in 2008 that could shut down production and already are adjusting filming schedules to ensure movies wrap before June 30 of next year, when the Screen Actors Guild contract expires. Pulling the plug on films in mid-production is expensive.

Among the most aggressive is 20th Century Fox, which has renegotiated with certain film writers to turn in their scripts earlier than usual as part of a plan to accelerate production.

As for "Las Vegas," Thompson said he and his colleagues weren't sore about working through the summer.

"Everyone's worried about a potential strike," he said, "so they're happy to be working."

[DonnaJo]

Soooo.....does this help or hinder a renewal for CI?

Wouldn't the possibility of a strike encourage negotiations between Wolf & NBC to "hurry it up" already?

[Techguy]

SVU is getting a head start shooting next season's episodes in case there is a writers' strike. But Vincent D'Onofrio has two movie projects lined up, and with no firm decision for CI's renewal, I am concerned that the delay in announcing what's going to happen will only complicate matters. Will NBC be willing to take a chance on a script dependent show like CI without a similar head start on getting next season's episodes liined up? As I said earlier, the plot thickens, and stay tuned.

[madger]

"Will NBC be willing to take a chance on a script dependent show like CI without a similar head start on getting next season's episodes liined up? As I said earlier, the plot thickens, and stay tuned."


This IS NUTS we're talking about, not known for their smarts.

[DNA]

TVWeek.com

Violence Report an Industry Wake-Up Call

Last week's report by the Federal Communications Commission recommending Congress take action to regulate violent programming is a wake-up call programmers and network executives need to take seriously.

The issue is as old as TV-and radio-themselves.
"The volume of protests against the orgy of crime on the air has deluged many a desk in Washington, and Wayne Coy, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, months ago issued a warning." That was from a July 16, 1950, New York Times piece by its legendary TV critic, Jack Gould, in an article titled, "Time for a halt: Radio and TV carnage defies all reason." In his almost too clever first sentence he writes, "If radio and television aren't careful, somebody's going to call the cops. ... [T]he two media have exceeded the bounds of reasonable interest in murder, mayhem and assorted felonies."

Then, as now, the creative community decried the threat of what they saw as possible government censorship of content.

Indeed, in an article we published nearly 15 years ago on Dec. 21, 1992, when the then Big 3 TV networks-ABC, CBS and NBC-struck an agreement of joint standards limiting television violence, many in Hollywood took exception to the plan.

"`It's absolutely draconian and stupid,' said Dick Wolf, executive producer of `Law and Order.' ... 'This is the first step toward legislative censorship. I'm never going to sign it."'

Today the issue is still with us.

Interestingly, the one major part of the equation that's changed since Mr. Wolf made those comments is that the networks and the studios have merged. Universal, for example, which has produced all the "Law and Order" series, is now the same entity, NBC, that airs them. NBCU has already said it opposes any government regulation of violent content "without clear, objective and consistent standards."

We have never been a fan of government regulation of content, and, in this case in particular, agree with those who wonder if there are any standards of violent content for broadcast or cable that would pass muster with the courts.

And we have also been strong advocates of parents taking control of what their children watch on TV.

That being said, there is no doubt the networks could be doing more to curb the criticism they get.

Our biggest complaint is the networks' seemingly unending TV show promotions of violent material during such family fare as "American Idol" and "Survivor." "CSI" follows "Survivor," for example, and many times the promos that run for it are not suitable for kids. The same is true when "Idol" runs promos for the next week's "24" or "Prison Break."

The networks need to do some self-policing before the government tries to do it for them.

[DonnaJo]

Thanks DNA, for the link & article.

Our biggest complaint is the networks' seemingly unending TV show promotions of violent material during such family fare as "American Idol" and "Survivor." "CSI" follows "Survivor," for example, and many times the promos that run for it are not suitable for kids. The same is true when "Idol" runs promos for the next week's "24" or "Prison Break."

I definitely agree with this remark. It's hypocritical of the networks to display a shows rating prior to it's run, lull viewers into believing that the kiddies will be watching a family friendly show, and then run graphically violent & sexual commercials about the upcoming night's lineup.

[NikkiGreen]

DW is scheduled to appear on the Tavis Smiley show on Thursday, May 24, 2007.

Check the PBS listings for the times in your area.

[ragincajun]

Just my luck my PBS station doesn't carry the show.

[ragincajun]

did anyone watch the Dick Wolf interview? Was anything interesting said?

[NikkiGreen]

I saw it. DW was rather dressed down, in mismatched colours - navy blue sport shirt and bright yellow socks. TS was in a nice suit and tie.

Most of the discussion was in regards to "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee". About the storyline, how it went from being a 6 hour mini-series, then 4 hours and down to the just over 2 hours it is now.

The last few minutes touched on the Mothership and its longevity.

[Techguy]

From Forbes

Big Bad Wolf?
Lacey Rose, 07.17.07, 5:05 PM ET

Anyone expecting the usual grumping from Law & Order mastermind Dick Wolf was surprised by his performance Tuesday morning at a press conference.

After all, it's been a tough year for the man who made millions out of updating Joe Friday. After years at the top of the ratings game, Wolf's franchise is going flat. A decade ago, the series' flagship show brought in 14.8 million viewers on average. Last season Law & Order garnered just 8.5 million and came dangerously close to cancellation until Wolf agreed to cut costs. Law & Order: Criminal Intent, which saw its ratings fall from 10.9 million to 8.5 million in the last year, was dropped by the network (as original episodes) and will now appear on NBC's sister channel USA.

But there Wolf was, onstage for another year at the Television Critics Association press tour, welcoming new cast members Jeremy Sisto, Alicia Witt and Adam Beach, as well as his new boss, network entertainment co-chairman Ben Silverman, with open arms.

In reference to Silverman, television's newest golden boy, Wolf spoke of a delightful three-hour dinner the two recently shared, as well as optimism about the future of the fourth-place network. The way Wolf sees it, Kevin Reilly's predecessor has nowhere to go but up.

What's more, Wolf is looking forward to working with--or, rather, for--a fellow producer. Producers speak the same language, he said, and "that kind of shorthand I'm really looking forward to."

As for his shows' recent efforts to cut costs (his other choice: cancellation), he opted for practicality over bitterness. "We live in a new economic environment," he said. "We've all had to tighten our belts." Among the changes is a switch to 16-millimeter film, which he claims will be, much like the other changes, invisible to audiences.

Wolf even gave props to General Electric (nyse: GE - news - people )-owned NBC's short-lived serial Kidnapped, a format he's previously said he doesn't believe in. "I thought Kidnapped was an incredibly well-produced show," he said. "It looked like a movie to me."

He added that early cancellations are "very rarely the fault of the actors." That explains why he's selected two of the show's stars, the aforementioned Sisto as well as Linus Roache (as a new prosecutor), to breathe new life into his franchise.

And when it came to giving credit to past and present cast members, he was right there. His kind words came in defense of those longstanding accusations that his characters aren't very fleshed out. "We dole out [personal information] with coffee spoons, not soup ladles," he said of the more subtle character development that exists on his shows. "Both the actors and the writers have not been adequately recognized for being able to pull it off."

OK, so he's still a little grumpy.

[ragincajun]

Congrats to Dick Wolf on his Emmy for Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee, also on the upcoming birth of his Baby.

[Techguy]

From the Associated Press -- It's a girl

It's a Girl for TV Mogul Dick Wolf

Associated Press - September 23, 2007 4:04 PM ET

LOS ANGELES (AP) — It's a girl for television mogul Dick Wolf and his wife, Noelle.

Their daughter Zoe Amelia was born Friday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Wolf spokeswoman Pam Golum said in a statement.

"Mother, father and daughter are all doing well," Golum said.

It's the couple's first child together, and the fourth for Wolf, who has three children from a previous marriage.

Wolf, 60, is the creator and executive producer of "Law & Order" and its spinoffs "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent."

He won an Emmy Sept. 16 for the made-for-TV movie "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee." During his acceptance speech, Wolf thanked his wife for not going into labor during the awards ceremony.