MissAshley

whoever keeps making a big deal out of this, really needs to get a life, he was joking around trying to embarass him. And if you really look at it, he has his hand over most of his mouth anyway....it's time for people to grow up.

The kids stay in the picture Children are being cast in complex roles with perfs that have adults taking notice By PAUL CULLUM In a season when a movie called "Little Children" features half a dozen adults who are case studies in infantilism -- and where the most responsible among them, a convicted child molester, is portrayed by Jackie Earle Haley of "The Bad News Bears," who's been MIA for the past 15 years -- perhaps it's only fitting that a record number of adult dramas feature children in pivotal roles. Not counting kidpics, some eight films this fall feature actors between the ages of 8 and 13 in what can only be described as nuanced character roles: Abigail Breslin, 10, stars as the eccentric, eponymous "Little Miss Sunshine"; Ivana Baquero, 12, carries most of the dramatic weight in Guillermo del Toro's "Pan's Labyrinth," as does Jodelle Ferland, 12, in Terry Gilliam's "Tideland"; Keke Palmer, 13, in "Akeelah and the Bee" holds her own against an imperious Laurence Fishburne, as does Cameron Bright, 13, against Aaron Eckhart in "Thank You for Smoking"; Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith's son Jaden, 8, makes a memorable film debut alongside his father in "The Pursuit of Happyness"; and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's "Babel," dedicated "To my children ... the brightest lights in the darkest nights," combines multiple story threads of parents and children to showcase an American and Moroccan ensemble led by Elle Fanning, 8, dynastic heir to her sister Dakota. (A likely candidate for this group, Shareeka Epps in "Half Nelson," is 17, although she plays younger.) Each of these, whether through opposition or augmentation, brings a value-added performance to the template of the cute, generic child actor. The most likely prerequisite for the standout child lead would seem to be a heightened intelligence. Cindy Osbrink of the Osbrink Agency reps more than 200 child actors -- anywhere from 15 days old to those in their mid-20s who play younger -- including both Elle and Dakota, now 12 (starring this Christmas in "Charlotte's Web"). "She's very bright," Osbrink says of Dakota, who in particular seems to have set the bar for her generation. "She remembers everything. She's my walking computer. But I think a lot of it, too, is trusting their gut and their instincts, which Sean Penn taught Dakota (in "I Am Sam," which also introduced Elle in a flashback scene). It was a great gift. It was hard, because it was her first (major) movie, but he improvises everything, and when he played that character, it was never the same twice." "I don't think I'm smarter than other kids," says Baquero, star of the Spanish film "Pan's Labyrinth," although her stunning command of English would seem to belie her claims. Of her director, whom she calls "an old kid," Baquero says, "One thing Guillermo's really proud of about me as an actress is that he says I have a really good instinct: If something goes wrong, I continue, and try to fix the scene in some way. So I think I'm quick, I get the message." Such instincts would seem especially imperative in the realm of comedy, especially to an actor whose identity is only just emerging. "There's a difference between when my friends laugh at me and when they're laughing with me," says Breslin, who made an early impression with her comical presence in the thriller "Signs," but has proved herself equally adept at existential drama in the lesser-seen "Keane." "The first time I saw 'Little Miss Sunshine' with an audience, some of the stuff they laughed at, I didn't even think it was funny. But then, I don't really get some of the stuff grown-ups laugh at." "I really feel like people are finally seeing kids as not just a prop for an adult actor," says Breslin's mother, Kim Breslin, whose son Spencer stars in the recently released "The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause." "The interesting thing with Abby is that, without ever having studied anything, in her own personal life she's a very empathetic person and she feels things very deeply. And so in this kind of strange, bizarre way, she method acts without intending to, or being able to identify it as such." But the full-time stage mom is quick to point out her limitations in dissecting either child's process. "Without ever knowing it would happen, I'm now raising two actors, and I don't get any of it," she says. "I don't understand you people at all." "Happyness" co-star Smith, 8 years old and a closet goofball, is understandably limited in his professional insights, although his innate timing, charisma and genetic movie-star looks seem to assure him of a career if he wants it. He defines acting as "making reality onscreen," identifies "crying" as the hardest part of it and, when pressed on whether acting is similar to playing -- childhood's designated profession -- replies with a skeptical, "Not really." Of his more famous co-star, he says diplomatically, "He helped me sometimes, but sometimes I had to help him." "I think what happened was somebody realized that children can act," says Osbrink, "and so now they're writing roles for children, instead of hiring a bratty kid to be a brat. I think a lot of that has to do with Disney and Nickelodeon coming onboard and creating shows that kids star in. "It used to be a really big gap between going through puberty and coming out on the other end as an adult, but now teens are the hottest thing out there. It's OK to be 12 and on TV and have braces. Dakota has braces right now." "Kids either have a raw natural talent or they don't," says Haley, who was stomped to death by Donald Sutherland in his first major role, in "The Day of the Locust," and who worked as a commercials director in San Antonio, Texas, before his recent comeback in "Little Children" and "All the King's Men." "I think when you're 12 years old, your tools are limited. But the good news is that you're usually playing a 12-year-old." source: variety.com Movie Review: The Pursuit of Happyness November 28th, 2006 By Brian Gibson Release Date: December 15, 2006 The Pursuit of HappynessThe Pursuit of Happyness is a powerful story that dances around the heartbreaks and victories of life, while being anchored by a inspiring performance from Will Smith. Smith and Happyness have made one of the best films of the year. For those who are not familiar with the story of Christopher Gardner, I do not wish to spoil it for you. But, since you are on the internet and might want to know exactly what the film is about, I will say that it is a true life rags-to-riches story. I have to be honest by saying that I had no initial interest in seeing this film. However, when leaving the theater, the film left me with a flurry of feelings. The combination of a great story, superb performances, and the perfect father-son chemistry left me in awe. What was displayed on screen didn’t come off as acting, it was a genuine display of emotion and love for oneself and one’s children. Will Smith has had his share of great roles. Let’s face it, he went from Fresh Prince to blockbuster phenom quicker than most of us could say Bad Boys. It’s not a secret though, to say that Smith hasn’t really shown any range as an actor since Ali. Until now. The performance of Smith alone is sure to create some of that coveted Oscar buzz. The surprise of the film though, came in the supporting role of Jaden Smith. I’m sure that performing wasn’t difficult considering his role was to act alongside his father. The chemistry between the two actors was flawless. Their interactions on screen were filled with an authenticity that could only come from their life experiences off-screen together. The film was beautifully paced with equal amounts of laughs and tenderness. Director Gabriele Muccino was faced with the task of transforming Smith into a real man with real life problems, and creating a heartfelt relationship between the film’s star and it’s audience. For most films, the biggest hurdle is finding a story and an actor who can relate to their audience. For Happyness, there were no hurdles or complications. The story radiated off the screen and flowed into the hearts of the audience quicker than most of us could say Oscar. I will highly recommend this film to anyone of any age or situation in life. No demographic can claim this film as their own, this story is a poignant message to anyone who has ever fallen down in life. The Upside: Humor, tenderness, and inspiration make this a must see film for anyone who has ever had a bad day. The Downside: May come off as just another “based on a true story” Hollywood jobs. On the Side: Speedcubing champions Tyson Mao and Toby Mao were hired to teach Will Smith how to solve a Rubik’s Cube Final Grade: A source: http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/reviews/m...f-happyness.php

Release dates for Dreamgirls (2006) Country Date USA 15 December 2006 (Los Angeles, California) USA 15 December 2006 (New York City, New York) USA 25 December 2006 Dreamgirls doesn't open everywhere until Christmas day, Dec. 25...from the 15-24 they're doing some type of roadshow screenings in NY, LA, and San Francisco for $25 bucks a ticket

I've seen that one a couple of times, I was an avid watcher of Soul Food. I still catch the reruns from time to time, she's done a few commercials since then, and a couple tv shows, so has his "aunt janet", and even the first "aunt viv".

same to you guys....Happy Thanksgiving, hope you all have something to be thankful for, I know I do.

they showed some great clips, I won't spoil it for you guys, but in the Captain America scene Will talked about in the interview, Jaden is just awesome. Willow is hilarious, she looks so much like Will it's scary lol....I'm wondering if they'll do an "after the show" with Chris Gardner, it seems like Oprah doesn't do them as often as she did, but it something about that guy, I could listen to him speak forever.

lots more new pics up at blackfilm.com http://www.blackfilm.com/20060505/features...happyness.shtml

I was thinking about this last night actually, like he's gonna quit eventually...I think it just seems kinda abrupt, or unexpected

this was a great episode of Oprah today, they showed a few clips from the movie, i def. teared up, and if it's possible i'm even more excited to see the film. Will, Jaden, Chris Gardner, and Chris Jr. were all on. Willow came out for a bit and charmed the crowd, she was pretty funny. Both grandmas were there as Will said "there's a lot of Smiths here" I guess Jada was backstage somewhere b/c the kids came out individually...you can check out a few pics and some of the interviews here, until somebody uploads it or something: http://www2.oprah.com/index.jhtml overall great show, Chris Gardner is just awesome.

thnx for responding Jim, i just thought it was a legit question b/c i know most members here are music fans first and i'm wondering if he does quit how will it affect his fanbase, the people that've loved him as an artist right from the beginning.

ok, so by now we've all seen or read about Will's comments regarding his music career, i've been reading people's reactions and most feel very strongly about it (rightfully so after what he was saying with L&F), so i ask this: If Will does in fact "quit" music and Lost and Found was his last album, would you continue to support him in other areas? would you continue to see his films (if you're in fact a fan of his film career, I know some are not) be interested in his television and other business ventures? would you still respect him as a person/artist? i'm asking because it seems like people are losing respect for him because of what he said, and saying everything from "mid-life crisis" to "too much Tom Cruise influence" personally i'm waiting to hear the words "I quit, that was it for me" before I make a judgement based on him saying music "may be a thing of the past" esp. after reading that he hasn't been listening to music lately, but focusing in other areas of his life and his career. I also think it may have something to do with B2R and L&F sales and response, but again i'm waiting for the day if/when he actually elaborates on what he said. just wondering, anybody wanna share?

Will Smith Extra The Pursuit of Happyness star talks about the post-apocalypticI Am Legend and the dysfunctional superhero comedy Tonight He Comes, his global travels, and why Hitch almost never got made in an interview excerpt exclusive to Premiere.com. By Tim Swanson Originally, you were going to make two films back to back this year - the dysfunctional superhero comedy Tonight He Comes and the epic I Am Legend. Why did you decide to shoot Legend first? Tonight He Comes turned out to be a much more difficult movie to make than I had originally thought. And you hate to lose them. I learned that with Bad Boys II. You have a brilliant idea, you have the brilliant concepts, you have everything in place but it needs that extra little month of marinating. It needs to soak. Growing up, that's what we used to do with the dishes. You gotta let them soak overnight, so they clean up easy. And there was a good movie inside of Bad Boys II, but because we didn't have that little bit of extra time to mine it… so I told myself I wasn't doing that again. So Tonight He Comes wasn't ready. I've been loving I Am Legend for probably literally 12 years now and Akiva and Francis Lawrence had been working on it for two years, so we were much more ready on that film. I've heard about the Tonight He Comes script. So basically you play a super hero who's unable to have an orgasm? Ehhhhh…not exactly. He's the only one of his kind and nobody likes him. He's a horrible superhero. He drinks. He meets a publicist, he saves the guy's life and the publicist says the only thing I can give you in return is their love. And the publicist takes him and begins to rehabilitate him and then the superhero has an affair with the guy's wife. It's one of the most brilliantly bizarre scripts I've ever read. Yeah, but is it true that he can't have an orgasm? Well because he's super, he'd really hurt someone. [laughs] But it's actually the dark comedy reality version of what it would be like to be a superhero. There are parts that are funny, but it's the real perspective or as real as the perspective of a superhero could be. You know with the Coen Brothers' movies sometimes you can't tell if you're supposed to laugh or… it's kind of in that zone. But Michael Mann [who was originally supposed to direct Tonight He Comes] did the real research of what that type of alienation is, so it's a character study and it's genius. But I Am Legend is what I'm doing next, and that's been around forever. Which is based on The Omega Man. Have you seen the Charlton Heston version? Yeah. That was a really progressive movie at the time. Right. We just got about 40 hours in at the CDC. It's a viral apocalypse in this film and I'm impressed by the research because research is the key to life. You're a big researcher? Oh my God. It, it is the key to your existence. I have really powerful extensive research teams. You've got to have people that do it all day long. With everything. Anything you want to do in your life, research is the key. It seems that research has also gone into cultivating a particular image of yourself. Has that had its limitations? It's hard for me to see how other people view me. I know how I try to be viewed but I can never really get a good sense of how other people view me. I felt like Hitch was a no-brainer for me. I thought that when we would take Hitch around town, I thought, 'That's a given. Please. Oh God, that's Will Smith's wheel-house.' Complete opposite. It was your first romantic comedy, right? It was my first romantic comedy but my impression was that's what I did every week for six years on The Fresh Prince. There was a new girl every episode and trying to be funny and charming with the girl and be able to create scenes that people remember with a youthful, romantic element to it. Yeah. The perception was that Hitch was a stretch for me. That was shocking to me. People were like, 'No, no … what's the budget? How much you guys want to make it for?' Really? Now after Hitch, there's a different perspective, but it was actually tough getting Hitch made. How active are you in picking your material with your producing partner James Lassiter, and what is that process like for you? At this point, we're developing everything. Three of the last four movies I've been in we've developed. So we're at that point now where we're basically running our own slate of movies but prior to that, J.L. was always first read. Two or three weeks down the line, he would give me the three or four things that he liked best out of the 20 that he read. I read that while you were producing ATL, T.I. came to you for advice. What advice did you give him? We talked, but he didn't need no advice. I was trying to get some from him. That dude is smart. What kind of music are you listening to these days? What am I listening to? I am so not listening to music right now. I've been doing classic mythology studies so I really want to understand the nature of historic storytelling. So Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell [with] the “Hero With A Thousand Faces” - just basic mythologies. I read that you went to Jerusalem. What were you doing there? I just wanted to go. We were there for about a week. Me and Jada and a couple of our friends. We just wanted to go and meet people and … and it was one of the best times of our lives. Amazingly peaceful. We saw a Jewish rabbi say 'Assalam Alaikum' and shake hands with a Muslim, and I was like, 'Now how come that's not on the news?' You also went to India and came back with a deal to produce films there. What is your interest in Indian culture? We went there and I was just blown completely away with the level and depth and texture of the stories that people just tell you on the street. One of the most famous stories in India, the story of the Taj Mahal, people have no idea about it here. I'm like, 'Oh this is brilliant!' It's probably the most famous story in India and 98% of the people on the street have no idea. So it just struck me as a creative goldmine. In India the story of the Taj Mahal is like, 'Ehhh.' But to America, it's all brand new. There's been so many articles written lately about how audiences' relationships with movie stars are changing. How do you feel about that? Do you think audiences need international movie stars anymore? With the nature of media, internet and all of that, people have more access to movie stars so it's more difficult to maintain our mystery. In the '40s, '50s, '60s---you couldn't get to Clark Gable or Cary Grant, Elizabeth Taylor. No access at all. Or no access that they didn't want to give you. Right. Now with paparazzi and all that, you see stars with no makeup on and … I feel like the amount of access has destroyed a lot of the mystery, which is part of the reason why I try to keep a really low profile. So when I do come out people haven't seen me in a little while. I look a little different. Is it something that affects your life? Definitely affects travel. Where you go, when you go. I spend a lot of time out of the country. The world is bigger than America. It's important to me to continue to expand. I consider myself a responsible American citizen, so it's important, I think, for Americans especially now to be citizens of the world. We need to have positive imagery internationally. It's a real priority in my career and in my spiritual life. You already seem like you're doing your part for American diplomacy. When are you going to make the jump and run for office? [After initially brushing off the question] Politics are confining. I've been reading Plato and Aristotle--- Joseph Campbell you mentioned… Yeah, Joseph Campbell, Carl Jung. Reading all of that stuff [has made me think] that art is the only true thrust of change. That something coming from nothing and the creation of ideas is what really changes the world. Our original politicians - Adams and John Hancock, George Washington and Monroe, Thomas Jefferson - they created ideas that led into politics. But now politics seems to have a connotation and people get into the management of ideas rather than the creation of ideas. So is that your way of saying that you're not running any time soon? No, no time soon. I want to continue to live in a creative form. source: http://www.premiere.com/feature/3278/will-smith-extra.html

maybe you guys will be less shocked by this, after learning he's not even listening to music right now, I wonder what's going on that music isn't on his mind What kind of music are you listening to these days? What am I listening to? I am so not listening to music right now. I've been doing classic mythology studies so I really want to understand the nature of historic storytelling. So Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell [with] the “Hero With A Thousand Faces” - just basic mythologies. http://www.premiere.com/feature/3278/will-smith-extra.html it's almost like he changes the subject when asked about music, kinda like he did in the video....makes me wonder if sales or response to Lost & Found has anything to do with it

I don't know, he sounded a lot more serious when he said it back in '95 and that didn't stop him....hopefully he won't rule it out completely, considering he's "always writing" I guess it's only a matter of will he still release anything

I've been seeing this one a lot lately, esp. During the fpoba marathon on nick at nite. Can't wait to see him on oprah wednesday, they'll probably show the ad for it tomorrow during the dreamgirls show.

it's this wednesday for sure guys 11/22/06 from the site: Homeless to Hollywood: Will Smith and the Real Chris Gardner Box office megastar Will Smith is back with his cutest co-star yet! Plus, the hidden talent we never knew Will had. And, what almost brought him to tears. Then, from homeless, single dad to self-made, multimillionaire, the real-life guy Will portrays is here. Have we got a surprise for him! also the salute to Will is supposed to air in January(check the first post) :thumbsup:

here's a video of them out and about in Italy, don't know how they stand all the paparazzi http://x17online.com/

extended version of this interview More from interview with Will Smith in Detroit Expanded version of interview with the visiting star When it comes to movie stars, the mountain doesn’t usually come to Muhammad – especially when the star has been Oscar-nominated for playing Muhammad Ali. Yet Will Smith came to Detroit on Wednesday, to host a sneak preview local premiere of his movie “The Pursuit of Happyness,” opening nationwide Dec. 15. It’s an inspirational drama based on the true story of Chris Gardner, a struggling salesman in 1980s San Francisco who works as an unpaid intern to compete for a stockbroker’s job – while sleeping in homeless shelters and subway station bathrooms after he and his son are evicted. from their apartment. So why was Smith in Detroit? “I connected to Chris’ story as being in the spirit of the very design of America,” he said before his scheduled walk down the red carpet at the Phoenix Theater on 8 Mile in Detroit, where he was to be welcomed by the city’s first lady Carlita Kilpatrick. “Detroit represents that to me, a city that’s taken hard knocks and setbacks, and yet just won’t give up. “All you have to know to understand how brilliant Thomas Jefferson was is the promise he wrote to Americans: Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. He didn’t say we deserved happiness, or that the government could provide it. It’s the pursuit that matters, the opportunity to make that pursuit. That’s what makes America unique. People like Chris Gardner.” Gardner’s story came to Smith’s attention after it was told on ABC’s “20/20” in 2003. The film is true to Gardner’s story except for one detail: His son was 2 when he accepted the internship, but in the movie, he is 5. He is played by “a remarkable, intuitive” first-time actor, Jaden Smith – Smith’s 8-year-old son with his actress wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. “Jaden was lying in between Jada and me when I was reading the script, and he asked me what the story was about. I told him, and he said, “Daddy, I could do that, I could play that boy.’ I said, ‘Oh, really?’ But he was serious. So Jada and I talked about it, and we told him look, maybe you can, but you don’t just get the job because you’re my kid. You’ll have to audition like everybody else, and you may not get it, that’s how it works. Can you handle that? “He promised us he could, so Jada took him to the first round, where there were about 100 kids being looked at by the director and casting director and producers. They whittled it down to 50 and he made the cut, and after that he was unshakable. I was in his corner, but I didn’t have his back. He earned the job himself, and that’s the way it’s supposed to be.” Smith said Jaden soon learned that Daddy and Mommy’s job wasn’t all fun. Jaden had difficulty, Smith says, in finding his motivation for one of the film’s most emotional scenes, which involves the loss of his character’s only toy. “His parents have money, he’s got all kinds of toys, he couldn’t understand why this was such a big deal he had to cry,” Smith says. When it was over, the young actor made a declaration: “He said, ‘Dad, from now on, I think I’ll just make comedies.” Smith, a voracious reader and “full time student of the universe,” says he followed the recent vote to end affirmative action in Michigan, and while he says he was enormously disappointed, he can understand why “good people with good intentions” voted for its passage. “As a black American, I am 100 percent in favor of affirmative action. But Jada always talks about the beauty and the pain of the true political process. She believes every paradigm ends in paradox, that the result can be the worst thing and the best thing at the same time. "The very thing that sparks one person can break another. For Chris Gardner, defeat only made him work harder and believe in himself more. And that’s positive thing.” http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article...NEWS99/61116013

Will, Jaden and Jada (and Seal) at a press conference for Pursuit http://playersvista.blogspot.com/

Will Smith smiles on Detroit November 15, 2006 BY TERRY LAWSON FREE PRESS MOVIE WRITER When it comes to movie stars, the mountain doesn’t usually come to Muhammad –especially when the star has been Oscar-nominated for playing Muhammad Ali. Yet Will Smith came to Detroit today, to host a sneak preview local premiere of his movie “The Pursuit of Happyness,” opening nationwide Dec. 15. It’s an inspirational drama based on the true story of Chris Gardner, a struggling salesman in 1980s San Francisco who works as an unpaid intern to compete for a stockbroker’s job – while sleeping in homeless shelters and subway station bathrooms after he and his son are evicted from their apartment. So why was Smith in Detroit? “I connected to Chris’ story as being in the spirit of the very design of America,” he said before his scheduled walk down the red carpet at the Phoenix Theater on 8 Mile in Detroit, where he was to be welcomed by the city’s first lady Carlita Kilpatrick. “Detroit represents that to me, a city that’s taken hard knocks and setbacks, and yet just won’t give up. “All you have to know to understand how brilliant Thomas Jefferson was is the promise he wrote to Americans: Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. He didn’t say we deserved happiness, or that the government could provide it. It’s the pursuit that matters, the opportunity to make that pursuit. That’s what makes America unique. People like Chris Gardner.” Gardner’s story came to Smith’s attention after it was told on ABC’s “20/20” in 2003. The film is true to Gardner’s story except for one detail: His son was 2 when he accepted the internship, but in the movie, he is 5. He is played by “a remarkable, intuitive” first-time actor, Jaden Smith – Will Smith's 8-year-old son with actress wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. “Jaden was in between Jada and me when I was reading the script, and he asked me what the story was about. I told him, and he said, “Daddy, I could do that, I could play that boy.’ I said, ‘Oh, really?’ But he was serious. So Jada and I talked about it, and we told him look, maybe you can, but you don’t just get the job because you’re my kid. You’ll have to audition like everybody else, and you may not get it, that’s how it works. Can you handle that? “He promised us he could, so Jada took him to the first round, where there were about 100 kids being looked at by the director and casting director and producers. They whittled it down to 50 and he made the cut, and after that he was unshakable. I was in his corner, but I didn’t have his back. He earned the job himself, and that’s the way it’s supposed to be.” (pic on the page guys) source via google: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article...NEWS99/61115053

you mean it's not something he released in the past? lol i thought maybe it was one of his older songs i might've missed or something

Great review. yeah the only thing is, it doesn't really tell you much more than the previous one lol....his piece about the "Modern Master" will probably be better though, if he writes one

here's the full interview (scans) he scares me with the Sceintology talk, but other than that, same old Will i'm sure y'all will have lots to talk about lol http://fadedyouth.blogspot.com/2006/11/wil...s-premiere.html

I'm guessing the songs from the trailer will be on it "Time" Chantal Kreviazuk "Ooh Child" by Five Stairsteps "Soar" by Christina Aguilera i'm basically making this post b/c i found this today, i know a few people were asking about the soundtrack As soundtrack sales soar, more stars turn their attention to film and television By Michael Paoletta Nov 14, 2006, 15:07 GMT With soundtrack sales up 18.3 percent this year over last, more name artists are turning their attention to Hollywood. Through the week ended Nov. 5, soundtrack sales for 2006 stand at 19.9 million - up from 16.8 million through the same period in 2005. Ten soundtracks have reached the top 10 of The Billboard 200 so far this year, compared to four each in all of 2005 and all of 2004. In the face of declining CD sales overall and shrinking terrestrial radio playlists, artists are looking elsewhere for exposure and income. And if an Oscar becomes part of the package, all the better. Fox Music president Robert Kraft dates the shift in attitude to February`s 78th annual Academy Awards, especially the best original song category. "No disrespect, but it was painful to see that out of all the beautiful film music, the Academy could only find three songs to nominate." Within 30 seconds of the Oscar going to "It`s Hard Out Here for a Pimp" by Three 6 Mafia from 'Hustle & Flow,' Kraft - who is responsible for all the music in Fox films and TV shows - believes "every superstar artist realized it was time to make a song for a film." Fast forward nine months, and the number of mainstream acts making music specifically for the movie industry is alarmingly high. Take a look around. Tim McGraw is appearing in 'Flicka,' which also features his song "My Little Girl." In coming weeks, Seal`s "The Father`s Way" debuts in 'The Pursuit of Happyness,' Sarah McLachlan`s "Ordinary Miracle" in 'Charlotte`s Web,' Beyonce`s "Listen" in 'Dreamgirls' and Chris Cornell`s "You Know My Name" in the latest James Bond flick, 'Casino Royale.' Even Prince has a new song in a film ('Happy Feet'). The list goes on and on. "The ways and means for artists to get heard is slimmer," says songwriter/producer Dave Stewart, who collaborated with Glen Ballard on "Ordinary Miracle." So, Stewart adds, "more artists are looking to film and TV to get their music out there." Singer/songwriter Sheryl Crow, whose "Try Not to Remember" will be heard in the forthcoming drama 'Home of the Brave,' concurs. "Everyone is looking for alternative ways to get their music heard," she says. Crow says it`s not her ambition to be a songwriter for films or TV. But she acknowledges, "It is inspiring to write a song for a compelling movie. I get to flex different muscles." Sony Pictures Entertainment president of worldwide music Lia Vollack says that can lead to creative magic. She cites Paul Westerberg, who wrote several songs, including the ballad "I Belong" (which he performs), for Sony Animation`s 'Open Season,' as a postcard-perfect example. "We needed an artist who had heart and emotion, but not syrupy-sweet emotion," Vollack says. "A sense of humor was also vital. Paul fit the bill." Music publishers pursue film and TV opportunities for clients as well. "Interscope is not thinking about taking Chris Cornell away from the process of making an artist album," EMI Music Publishing executive VP of U.S. creative Jody Gerson says. "I get to think outside the box and find out what my songwriters will and will not do." Yet label executives, too, welcome the new doors that can open with Hollywood`s help. RCA Music Group VP of soundtracks, film and TV music licensing Karen Lamberton points to McLachlan, who is doing some promotion for 'Charlotte`s Web.' "It`s a way for an artist to remain visible between albums," Lamberton says. "It can also open an artist to new communities." In other words, with a pig and a spider at her side, McLachlan`s fan base could skew younger. "As an artist, you want your music heard," says Melissa Etheridge, who contributed a new song to 'An Inconvenient Truth.' "It`s a bonus if you reach new fans in the process. When people hear one of my songs in a movie, they are hearing my voice and words - and not just hearing about that bald lesbian."

I'm with you 100% Julie. While trying your best is admirable, circumstances in life often conspire to trip people up. It takes hard work and good fortune to really be successful in life. Yeah, it's definitely the philosophical Will that makes the interview weird. i'm finally understanding what some of you guys mean by "weird" I guess I just didn't see it before b/c i've read/watched so many of his interviews of the years that none of this really seemed out of the ordinary to me...i've actually heard him get all "philosophical" before, but I can see how the more serious Will could kinda throw people off. like you guys i disagreed at some points but i still found it interesting... i think that whole running/reading thing is more about discipline as well...i think Tim said something about that