Los Angeles looks very different in the new science-fiction TV series “Colony,” which sees the city of angels occupied by aliens in the near future.
In the USA Network thriller launching Jan. 14, the new extraterrestrial overlords insist Angelenos give up their cars and travel around the city by bicycle or on foot. But it’s not because the aliens are worried about the environment. Instead, the mysterious invaders believe the fastest way to break the spirit of L.A. residents is by taking away their cars.
A giant wall erected around Los Angeles serves to isolate it from the rest of the country – and world – and prevent the residents from escaping.
“It’s about the upending of society and we’re interested in exploring that,” said producer Carlton Cuse. “Los Angeles is the perfect setting and an important character in the show because the emotional oppression of the characters contrasts with the palm trees and blue skies here.”
Ten episodes have been commissioned, but Cuse has a long-term plan for the show much like his previous smash hit “Lost.”
Heading the cast of “Colony” is former “Lost” star Josh Holloway, who plays a resistance hero.
“It’s great to work with Carlton again and also great that I get to work in my home city of Los Angeles,” Holloway said.
Popular Doctor
Local public TV station KCET is giving a big promotional push to this month’s return of its highest-rated series, British comedy “Doc Martin.”
The station will stage a special promotional event at the Hancock Park home of British Consul General Chris O’Connor on Jan. 11 attended by cast members, U.K. government officials, celebrity guests and fans to celebrate the seventh season, which will premieres Jan. 14.
Series star Martin Clunes said the show’s warm reception has been a delight.
“It’s a real buzz when people from another country take your work to their hearts,” said Clunes. “The support from KCET in L.A. along with the reaction from the American fans as a whole has been a completely different ball game.”
Those fans have also given an economic boost to the English village where the series is shot, Port Issac, by turning up year round to visit the filming locations.
“All the businesses there have benefited from the show’s international appeal and as a result are now open 12 months a year rather than just the two months of summer as previously,” added the actor.
Work commitments will keep Clunes away from the British-themed bash in Los Angeles. Despite his growing fame overseas, he won’t be cashing in on the show by moving to Hollywood and seeking greater stardom.
“I’ve carved out a fascinating life in England and am perfectly happy to stay where I am,” said Clunes.
Wealth Advice
Entertainers beginning their 15 minutes of fame should be thinking in much longer terms when it comes to their bank accounts and avoid spending sprees when fame hits.
That’s the advice of Global Sports & Entertainment, a division of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management established a year ago to advise emerging and established entertainers on investing.
“In an industry known for financial instability, we stress to each client the importance of saving,” said director Darren Wald, who works at the Santa Monica branch.
Fellow director David Snyder added, “We believe that there is no such thing as too much saving for entertainers and that after meeting monthly expenses, they should put away as much as possible.”
Scary Investment
Investing in the entertainment industry can be scary but L.A.’s Horror Equity Fund is aiming to lessen the fear.
The company gives investors a platform to find, review, consider and support a wide range of horrorcentric projects, including films, graphic novels, video games and mobile apps.
By using a proprietary evaluation process, it aims to mitigate the risk of backing promising projects for investors.
New Frontier
A producer of the new movie “Point Break” has formed an entertainment company targeting millennial audiences.
John Baldecchi launched L.A.’s Digital Riot Media late last month along with co-founder Doug Barry, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and investor. The company will produce, market and distribute films directly to that audience through a variety of streaming and video-on-demand channels.
“We are very excited to take the movie industry into a new frontier,” said Baldecchi, who serves as chief executive. “The digital revolution has spawned a new class of stars – from You Tube, Instagram, Vine and more – with quantifiable reach and influence. I’m excited to bring my 20 years of film production experience to work with social media influencers on creating films, which can be distributed directly to where their fans are – smartphones, tablets and online.”
Managing Editor Sandro Monetti can be reached at [email protected] or (323) 549-5225, ext 200.
