Some pretty exciting news for Twi-hards. 🙂 The Twilight Saga is returning with 5 short movies to be released on Facebook under the title The Storytellers — New Creative Voices of ‘The Twilight Saga. An all female judging panel which will include Kristen, Twilight author Stephenie Meyer, director of the first ‘Twilight’ movie Catherine Hardwicke, Kate Winslet, Octavia Spencer, Julie Bowen, producer Cathy Schulman; and Frozen co-director Jennifer Lee – will select one lucky female director out of a line-up of 5 aspiring directors, who will go on to direct these short films. The short films will not star any of the original cast members.

via Inside Movies / EW.com –
Just when you thought The Twilight Saga was over, it’s back with sparkly new skin.

Two years after the release of Breaking Dawn Part 2, Lions Gate announced on Tuesday that it’s teaming with Facebook to finance five short films that will be based on Twilight characters, according to The New York Times. A group of female panelists will choose from five aspiring female directors to direct the films, titled The Storytellers — New Creative Voices of ‘The Twilight Saga, which will premiere exclusively on the social network next year.

The panel, according to The Times, includes Bella herself, Kristen Stewart; The Twilight Saga author Stephenie Meyer; Kate Winslet; Octavia Spencer; Julie Bowen; Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke; producer Cathy Schulman; and Frozen co-director Jennifer Lee. However, none of the films will star the original cast.

In an interview with The Times, Lions Gate vice chairman Michael Burns said this is just the beginning of the studio’s relationship with Facebook.

“This is the just the beginning—a template, if you will,” Burns added. “You can probably guess what might be coming next.”

What exactly that means he didn’t say, but he gave no reason to rule out the social network eventually distributing its own feature-length films. The news comes just a day after The Weinstein Company announced the equally unconventional release of the sequel to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which will be released in IMAX theaters and on Netflix simultaneously.

The project is backed by Women in Film, which aims to encourage female directors. The project comes just after a concerning study was released that women are still severely underrepresented in Hollywood, both in acting roles and behind the lens.

Read full article over at the Source

via NYtimes.com –
LOS ANGELES — Two years after Lions Gate released the fifth and supposedly final installment of its “Twilight” movie series, the studio has devised an unusual franchise-rekindling effort — and it may hold clues about Facebook’s future in Hollywood.

Lions Gate and Stephenie Meyer, the creator of the vampires-and-werewolves “Twilight” saga, on Tuesday announced plans to select five aspiring female directors to make short films based on “Twilight” characters. The mini-movies, financed by Lions Gate and its production partners, will be shown exclusively on Facebook next year.

“We think Facebook is a great way for us to introduce the world of ‘Twilight’ to a whole new audience while re-energizing existing fans,” Michael Burns, Lions Gate’s vice chairman, said in an interview.

The effort reflects the manner in which Hollywood is maintaining its most valuable film properties between sequels and prequels and remakes. In the past, studios barely kept a pilot light lit, forcing marketing teams to constantly reactivate cold fan bases. Now the savviest studio marketers are using Facebook, Tumblr, YouTube and other online platforms to keep fans on a constant low boil.

“This is the just the beginning — a template, if you will,” Mr. Burns added. “You can probably guess what might be coming next.”

A group of female panelists, including the “Twilight” actress Kristen Stewart and Ms. Meyer, will select the winning shorts and mentor participants, Lions Gate said. Other panelists include the actresses Kate Winslet, Octavia Spencer and Julie Bowen; Catherine Hardwicke, who directed the first “Twilight” movie; the film producer Cathy Schulman; and Jennifer Lee, who co-directed “Frozen.”

Read full article over at the Source