Just in time for the nominations, six Oscar-contending directors will get together at the Los Angeles Times to talk about their acclaimed films, their directorial visions, and whatever else is on their minds. The filmmakers -- Ben Affleck ("The Town"), Darren Aronofsky ("Black Swan"), Lisa Cholodenko ("The Kids Are All Right"), Ethan Coen ("True Grit"), David Fincher ("The Social Network") and Tom Hooper ("The King's Speech") -- will gather Saturday morning for the second annual Directors Roundtable and a closed-door conversation led by L.A. Times film writer John Horn.
And though the discussion is not open to the public, The Times welcomes questions from our readers, so please add yours to the comments section below or on the LA Times Entertainment Facebook page and Horn will select some to ask during the panel. The Envelope will be videotaping the conversation and replaying the highlights on Awards Tracker beginning Monday.
-- Elena Howe
Photo: David Fincher, left, and Justin Timberlake. Credit: Kevin Winter / Getty Images
The first Los Angeles Times Music Producers Roundtable will take place Saturday with music industry visionaries Alex Da Kid, Ari Levine and RedOne at the Grammy Museum at L.A. Live. Just in time for the Grammys, Los Angeles Times pop music critic Ann Powers will lead the three in a conversation about their work with such musical heavyweights as Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Eminem, B.o.B and Cee Lo Green, today's trends in music and the state of the industry.
The event is open to the public with doors opening at 6 p.m. but seats must be reserved in advance. Click here to make your reservations. The Times also welcomes reader input, so leave your questions for the panelists in the comments field below or on the Pop and Hiss Facebook page, and Powers will select a few to use in the discussion.
-- Elena Howe
Photo: Grammy-winning producer RedOne. Credit: Keith Munyon
The big jaw-dropper among Grammy nominations was the inclusion in the races for best record and song of Cee Lo Green's bawdy tune with a title unprintable in a family-friendly blog like this.
But everybody knows that the music industry is full of mavericks, bohemians and rascals. Many of them comprise the ranks of the 20,000 members of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, which votes on the Grammy Awards.
Could they actually pick Cee Lo's ditty and forever dispel the notion that these really are the fuddy-duddy "Grannys"? The concept of rap music winning is shattering enough, as we discussed in an earlier blog item.
