Abu Dhabi: The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) continues its series of virtual panel discussions, CulturAll Conversations, with a one-to one session focused on the film industry. Featuring a discussion between HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, DCT Abu Dhabi Chairman, and the Emmy Award-winning Hollywood producer Jason Blum, CulturAll Conversations: Picturing the Future will be livestreamed via the Abu Dhabi Culture YouTube Channel at 9pm (UAE) on Wednesday 16 September.
Veteran Hollywood producer Jason Blum has produced over 75 films and TV series throughout his career. He is the founder and CEO of Blumhouse Productions, a multi-media production company responsible for the film Paranormal Activity, as well as the The Purge, Insidious, and Sinister franchises, which together have grossed more than $1.2 billion worldwide. In television, Blumhouse's shows include Ascension, Eye Candy, and South of Hell, and Blum won an Emmy Award for producing HBO's The Normal Heart. Before Blumhouse, Blum served as co-head of the Acquisitions and Co-Productions department at Miramax Films in New York.
The wide-ranging discussion will cover a number of topics, from the long-standing, international popularity of the horror genre and its varied critical reception, to the crisis that has hit all facets of Hollywood with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. Blum will also speak about his career trajectory, providing insights into his experience finding success in the film industry, and discuss strategies and tactics used by his production company.
“In our quest to explore and debate all facets of the arts, with this next CulturAll discussion we are tackling a new creative sector, that of motion pictures and television,” said HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi. “Our esteemed guest Jason Blum is a Hollywood trailblazer, and I am very much looking forward to this conversation and the chance to hear about his path to success in one of the most notoriously competitive industries in the world. Certainly, for those active or aspiring to work in our young but rapidly growing local film industry, this is an unmissable opportunity to glean insights and advice and identify strategies that may be applied here, in our own productions. I encourage anyone with an interest in cinema and television to tune in to what will certainly be a fascinating and helpful discussion.”
To enjoy this rare window into the mind of a Hollywood producer, Picturing the Future will be livestreamed on Wednesday 16 September at 9pm UAE time (6pm GMT) on the Abu Dhabi Culture YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/AbuDhabiCulture
-Ends-
About the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi
The Department of Culture and Tourism conserves and promotes the heritage and culture of Abu Dhabi emirate and leverages them in the development of a world-class, sustainable destination of distinction, which enriches the lives of visitors and residents alike. The organisation manages the emirate’s tourism sector and markets the destination internationally through a wide range of activities aimed at attracting visitors and investment. Its policies, plans and programmes relate to the preservation of heritage and culture, including protecting archaeological and historical sites and to developing museums, including Zayed National Museum, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, and Louvre Abu Dhabi. DCT Abu Dhabi supports intellectual and artistic activities and cultural events to nurture a rich cultural environment and honour the emirate’s heritage. A key role is to create synergy in the destination’s development through close co-ordination with its wide-ranging stakeholder base.
About Jason Blum
Emmy award winning producer, Jason Blum is the founder and CEO of Blumhouse Productions, a multi-media production company that has pioneered a new model of studio filmmaking - producing high-quality micro-budget films. Blumhouse has a first-look deal with Universal Pictures and has produced the highly-profitable Paranormal Activity, The Purge, Insidious, and Sinister franchises which have grossed more than $1.2 billion worldwide on combined budgets under $40 million. Blumhouse's model began with the original Paranormal Activity, which was made for $15,000 and grossed close to $200 million worldwide, making it the most profitable film in Hollywood history.
Blumhouse's award-winning projects include The Normal Heart and Whiplash. BH Tilt is a new label from the company dedicated to movies from Blumhouse and other filmmakers that will be released across multiple-platforms taking advantage of new distribution strategies.
In television, Blum won an Emmy for producing HBO's The Normal Heart. Blumhouse's shows include Ascension (Syfy), Eye Candy (MTV), and South of Hell (WEtv) and the division's development slate includes Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects with eOne and an un-scripted show with Mike Darnell. In addition to The Normal Heart, Blumhouse previously executive produced Stranded for Syfy and The River for ABC.
Blumhouse has also produced a variety of live-events including The Blumhouse of Horrors, a haunted house experience in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, The Purge: Fear the Night, a live event inspired by the backstory to the feature film and The Purge: Breakout, an immersive escape game experience.
Before Blumhouse, Blum served as co-head of the Acquisitions and Co-Productions department at Miramax Films in New York. At Miramax, he was instrumental in acquiring over 50 films including The Others, Smoke Signals, A Walk On the Moon and The House of Yes.
Blum has produced over 75 films and TV series throughout his career. His credits also include: The Reader, for which Kate Winslet won an Academy Award; Hysterical Blindness, starring Uma Thurman, which aired on HBO and garnered Thurman a Golden Globe Award; and Hamlet starring Ethan Hawke, Bill Murray, Sam Shepard and Kyle MacLachlan.
Blum began his career as the producing director of the Malaparte theater company, which was founded by Ethan Hawke.
© Press Release 2020
Disclaimer: The contents of this press release was provided from an external third party provider. This website is not responsible for, and does not control, such external content. This content is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis and has not been edited in any way. Neither this website nor our affiliates guarantee the accuracy of or endorse the views or opinions expressed in this press release.
The press release is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Neither this website nor our affiliates shall be liable for any errors or inaccuracies in the content, or for any actions taken by you in reliance thereon. You expressly agree that your use of the information within this article is at your sole risk.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, this website, its parent company, its subsidiaries, its affiliates and the respective shareholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, advertisers, content providers and licensors will not be liable (jointly or severally) to you for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, incidental, punitive or exemplary damages, including without limitation, lost profits, lost savings and lost revenues, whether in negligence, tort, contract or any other theory of liability, even if the parties have been advised of the possibility or could have foreseen any such damages.
