July 24, 2014: Comic-Con Attendees Pilot Drones, Toronto International Film Festival Gets Strict About Premieres, Fox Cancels Evel Knievel-Like Stunt


1. COMIC-CON ATTENDEES CAN PILOT DRONES: To promote the release of 24: Live Another Day, Fox is giving Comic-Con attendees the chance to pilot drones around San Diego’s Petco Park, starting today. Mashable: The promotion “includes lessons from a FAA-licensed drone pilot. Each DJI Phantom Vision 2+ quadrocopter comes equipped with a camera that will record the flight. Participating pilots will be encouraged to share the resulting video on social media. … The show featured hackers who hijack combat drones—somewhat larger than these quadrocopters—and turn them into terrorist threats. We're hoping attendees won't take matters that far.” http://on.mash.to/1rcch08

2. TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL GETS STRICT ABOUT PREMIERES: Still the home for the biggest movie premieres, the Toronto International Film Festival is facing competition from the likes of the Telluride Film Festival to debut films. So its organizers implemented a new policy: Any film that premieres at Telluride may not screen during Toronto’s opening weekend. Los Angeles Times: “There are some significant consequences to this decision, at least as far as festivals are concerned. Because the new policy means studios must essentially choose between Telluride and Toronto, there will be more true world premieres at Toronto this year. On the other hand, it also means that some films will choose Telluride and won't be at Toronto at all. … And the studios could feel the effect too. Being forced to choose one festival over another means the stakes are that much higher at a given festival.” http://lat.ms/1qAAilF

3. FOX CANCELS EVEL KNIEVEL-LIKE STUNT: Dealing another blow to live stunts on television, Fox has cancelled a plan to recreate Evel Knievel’s attempt to jump a motorcycle over the Snake River Canyon. The Hollywood Reporter: “‘Due to production timelines and budget concerns, we have decided to not move forward with the Jump of the Century,’ reads a statement from the network. It is not the first stunt to fall by the wayside. April's deadly avalanche on Mount Everest forced Discovery to pull out of its planned live telecast of stuntman Joby Ogwyn's squirrel-suit flight off of the peak May 11. There are no current plans to reschedule.” http://bit.ly/1ogLAZl

* LOCAL NEWS *

COAST TO COAST:  Identitá Golose, which promotes contemporary Italian cuisine, will present the fifth annual Identitá New York October 9-12 and will debut the Italian Food & Wine Festival in Chicago October 14-16. Eataly in New York and Chicago will host the series of events.

BOSTON:  Provincetown’s Carnival Week will be held August 16-22. The event has a “caped crusaders” theme this year.

CHICAGO:  Wicker Park Fest takes place this weekend. Geared toward young families, the event will include three stages of live music, a children’s area, and an arts section with installations and performance art, plus dozens of local vendors and restaurants.

LAS VEGAS:  Clear Channel announced the lineup for the 2014 iHeartRadio Music Festival, which includes Taylor Swift, Usher, Lorde, Mötley Crüe, and others. The event takes place on September 19-20 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena with host Ryan Seacrest. The iHeartRadio Music Festival Village will return to the Lot across from Luxor Hotel & Casino and have its own slate of performances.

LOS ANGELES:  Lee Zeidman was promoted to president of Staples Center, Nokia Theatre, and L.A. Live. Hollywood Reporter: http://bit.ly/1sTnua7

Local event listings from Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  Mignonette, an oyster bar that will have a champagne and caviar happy hour, is slated to open August 1. Miami Herald: http://hrld.us/1nVGInG

NEW YORK:  NewFest, an L.G.B.T. film festival, begins today. Screenings will take place at the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s Walter Reade Theater.

Motivational speaker Laura Schwartz will address Macy's Mega Meeting at its Herald Square flagship today.

Local event listings from Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

TORONTO:  Virgin Mobile presents Indie Fridays every Friday night in Yonge-Dundas Square until September 5. The series features independent musical acts including Current Swell and Kandle; there’s also a beer garden provided by the Hard Rock Cafe.

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  Trump International Hotel, Washington, D.C., a $200 million redevelopment of the Old Post Office, broke ground Wednesday. The 270-room hotel will have 36,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including the 13,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom. It is scheduled to open in 2016.

YOUR NEWS: What are you doing? Tell us: [email protected]

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With contributions from Jenny Berg in Chicago, Alesandra Dubin in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, and Anna Sekula in New York.

BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.

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