DAILY NEWS: Willis Joins RES; Self Timer and UA; Major Euro Company Formed

DAILY NEWS: Willis Joins RES; Self Timer and UA; Major Euro Company Formed

>> Willis Leaves IFILM for RES Magazine

(indieWIRE/6.21.00) -- IFILM Senior Editor Holly Wills has joined RES Media
Group as the Editor of RES: The Magazine of Digital Filmmaking, Jonathan
Wells announced yesterday. Wells has assumed the post of Editorial
Director at the publication.

Willis, who co-founded FILMMAKER Magazine in 1992, served as West Coast
Editor of FILMMAKER through last year before joining IFILM. According
to a company announcement, she will lead the editorial staff of the
magazine and the companion website, RES Online, which will launch soon.
She will be based in Los Angeles. Willis will continue to write a
bi-weekly column on short films for IFILM.com.

"I am thrilled to be passing the reigns of Editor into such capable
hands," commented Jonathan Wells in a prepared statement. "Holly has
demonstrated in her career accomplishments and expertise that she will
bring to RES the kind of editorial leadership the magazine represents."

[DISCLOSURE: indieWIRE Publisher Karol Martesko is a member of the Board
of Directors of sputnik7.com and a co-founder of RES Magazine.]

>> Self Timer Signs Pact with UA

(indieWIRE/6.21.00) -- MGM's specialty division, United Artists Films,
has signed a first-look deal with Self Timer, the new company recently
formed by Michael Stipe, Jim McKay and Sandy Stern, according to Screen
Daily.

"Our recently concluded deal with RSUB, combined
with this deal give us the unique ability to develop, finance and
distribute product in all traditional and new media," commented Stern
in a prepared statement, according to ScreenDaily. [Eugene Hernandez]

RELATED ARTICLE @ indieWIRE.com:

+ In DotCom Deal Michael Stipe Restructures Two Film Ventures to Create
SELF TIMER; RSUB Takes Majority Interest in New Outfit

http://www.indiewire.com/biz/biz_000420_briefs.html

>> Vivendi, Seagram and Canal Plus Close Deal; Major Merger Creates
Super-Euro Company

(indieWIRE/6.21.00) -- A major three-way deal has created what Screen
Daily is calling "Europe's first truly global entertainment conglomerate."
The pact between Seagram, Canal Plus and Vivendi was sealed this week
and the boards of all three companies have approved the merger between
the three companies which is valued at nearly $35 billion.

The New York Times yesterday called the new company the world's second
largest media and entertainment company, behind the intended union of
America Online Time Warner. According to ScreenDaily, the new company,
named Vivendi Universal, will be headed by Vivendi CEO Jean-Marie Messier
and headquartered in Paris, with Seagram chief Edgar Bronfman taking
the position of Vice-Chairman. The trade publication indicated that
CanalPlus' Pierre Lescure, head of the French television company, will
lead film and TV activities for Vivendi Universal.

Seagram, which recently sold off its interest October Films, Gramercy
and parts of Polygram (to create USA Films for Barry Diller),
will reportedly sell off its liquor assets to focus on entertainent
and Internet activities.

Earlier this week Vivendi SA, a French utility company cleary making
a play for the entertainment and Internet business, launched the
Vizzavi portal (www.vizzavi.fr). [Eugene Hernandez]