Social TV: The X Factor and Twitter Join Forces

Simon Cowell The X Factor is stepping up its Social TV game: Fox announced late Tuesday that users will be able to vote for their favorite finalists via Twitter, starting with next week's final-12 episode. While Twitter has played an increasingly valuable role in television (Project Runway, The Voice), users have never before been able to manipulate the outcome of a competition through the social networking tool.To vote, fans must follow the official Twitter handle for the show (@TheXFactorUSA), then submit their selections via direct message - it's important to note that tweets themselves will not be counted as votes.The Voice (and former TRL) host Carson Daly: The founding father of Social TV?Besides voting, The X Factor will also feature tweets from the judges, host Steve Jones, and competition finalists. Sounds eerily familiar..."The X Factor has raised the bar for innovative television with its use of Twitter to create a 360-degree experience around the show's judges, finalists and viewers," said Chloe Sladden, director of content and programming at Twitter. "Fans flock to Twitter during live television events and have been voicing their opinions with Tweets for years. We're thrilled to see the creators of The X Factor push the envelope further by being the first television show to formalize this phenomenon through Twitter voting."9 social show integrations we're liking right nowNot a tweeter? Not to worry.You can also vote online at TheXFactorUSA.com, Facebook.com/TheXFactor, text message (for Verizon Wireless users only), and through The Xtra Factor App on Verizon Android devices. And if you're still living in 1995, you can cast your vote via toll-free calling.The X Factor next airs Wednesday, Nov. 2 at 8/7c on Fox.Interested in reading more about Social TV? Check out our coverage here.

With 'Stronger,' Clarkson Finally at Ease

LOS ANGELES (AP) It may have taken some time, but Kelly Clarkson seems to finally be releasing an album without any drama on the side."Everything is good, everything is happy," she said, laughing brightly during a recent interview to promote "Stronger," released this week.It's a different scenario than her last two albums: She went through public disputes with legendary executive and mogul Clive Davis over her third album and with OneRepublic singer-songwriter Ryan Tedder after her last album was released.They were typical of the bold stances she's taken that proved her to be more than the passive, malleable product of a hit TV competition, establishing her as an artist instead of just a voice."I've been a fighter since I started walking," she said, adding casually and genuinely a line that could be lifted from one of her inspirational songs: "We get one life. You want to make sure that you're living it how you want to live it."Since Clarkson became the first "American Idol" a decade ago, she's established herself as one of pop's most formidable, and successful singers. She's sold over 20 million albums worldwide and landed seven singles in the Billboard Hot 100 top 10, including "Breakaway," ''My Life Would Suck Without You," "Miss Independent," and perhaps her biggest hit, "Since U Been Gone."Clarkson has maintained creative control of her music and career since her "Idol" days, and has written on all of her albums. But her determination to chart her own course has not come without a few battles. In 2007, Davis became concerned over the less commercial sound of Clarkson's third album, "My December," which Clarkson revealed publicly after rumors of a rift; Clarkson later mended fences and called the tension overblown. Then in 2009, Clarkson called out Tedder for musical similarities between "Already Gone," which he wrote for Clarkson, and Beyonce's "Halo," which he also wrote.Clarkson calls her new collection of 13 songs "the easiest record that I've made with my label." But she makes clear that's because the suits bent to her will not the other way around."I think people project on you like the formula that has worked in the past. And then they get to know you," she said. "(Now) they know me better as an artist, they know me better as a person. They know what I'm going to do and what I don't like, and it just really works."Sonically, "Stronger" doesn't tinker much with the formula that has helped Clarkson become the top-selling "Idol" artist ever, blending clean pop-guitar riffs with contemporary dance synths. But there is an undertone of loneliness and sadness coursing throughout, including some downbeat lyrics co-written by Clarkson herself."Hello, is anybody listening? Won't somebody show me that I'm not alone," she sings on "Hello.""If you look at my whole catalogue, there are far more sadder songs than happy," the Texan acknowledges in her Southern drawl. "But that's only because writing is a form of therapy. So obviously the things that you're getting out are the things that you've been going through and struggling with. You want to keep all the happy inside. If I'm going through a hard time, I write it out."In person, Clarkson is bubbly and quick to laugh, sharing that in her time off, she picked up the violin and started learning Italian with Rosetta Stone. "I'm horrible at it so far," she laments lightly.But she never comes close to revealing the subject of "Stronger's" multiple scornful breakup and kiss-off songs. "You don't know a thing about me," she sings on the first single, "Mr. Know It All." And it's true that the 29-year-old retains an enigmatic air, despite her down-to-Earth image.Toby Gad, who co-wrote and produced two songs on "Stronger," had planned on a 10-minute meeting with Clarkson when the two first met, but ended up at a two-hour dinner."She's a very strong survivor, and very organic and very real," he said. "You can connect with her on a very human level."Still, after the dinner and several days of revising lyrics alongside the pop star, he said he doesn't remember if she ever mentioned her own relationships to him.While Clarkson seems to sing almost exclusively about the ups and downs of love, her songs are often deceptively universal. Clarkson says "Mr. Know It All" could apply to her own record label or to the media, and Gad's "The War Is Over" functions as a coda to a romance or to an actual war."That's the underlying theme for her, to vent emotions that we all feel in our relationships," Gad said.And Clarkson will continue to vent as she sees fit."I'm always vocal," she said. "People ask me and I tell them. If I have a problem, I say it. I'm never malicious about it, I just say what happened. And I think a lot of people don't do that. So I think it maybe catches people off guard. But I don't know any other way to be but honest musically or personally. So I guess that just comes through."Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. By Ryan Pearson October 26, 2011 Kelly Clarkson PHOTO CREDIT AP Photo/Matt Sayles LOS ANGELES (AP) It may have taken some time, but Kelly Clarkson seems to finally be releasing an album without any drama on the side."Everything is good, everything is happy," she said, laughing brightly during a recent interview to promote "Stronger," released this week.It's a different scenario than her last two albums: She went through public disputes with legendary executive and mogul Clive Davis over her third album and with OneRepublic singer-songwriter Ryan Tedder after her last album was released.They were typical of the bold stances she's taken that proved her to be more than the passive, malleable product of a hit TV competition, establishing her as an artist instead of just a voice."I've been a fighter since I started walking," she said, adding casually and genuinely a line that could be lifted from one of her inspirational songs: "We get one life. You want to make sure that you're living it how you want to live it."Since Clarkson became the first "American Idol" a decade ago, she's established herself as one of pop's most formidable, and successful singers. She's sold over 20 million albums worldwide and landed seven singles in the Billboard Hot 100 top 10, including "Breakaway," ''My Life Would Suck Without You," "Miss Independent," and perhaps her biggest hit, "Since U Been Gone."Clarkson has maintained creative control of her music and career since her "Idol" days, and has written on all of her albums. But her determination to chart her own course has not come without a few battles. In 2007, Davis became concerned over the less commercial sound of Clarkson's third album, "My December," which Clarkson revealed publicly after rumors of a rift; Clarkson later mended fences and called the tension overblown. Then in 2009, Clarkson called out Tedder for musical similarities between "Already Gone," which he wrote for Clarkson, and Beyonce's "Halo," which he also wrote.Clarkson calls her new collection of 13 songs "the easiest record that I've made with my label." But she makes clear that's because the suits bent to her will not the other way around."I think people project on you like the formula that has worked in the past. And then they get to know you," she said. "(Now) they know me better as an artist, they know me better as a person. They know what I'm going to do and what I don't like, and it just really works."Sonically, "Stronger" doesn't tinker much with the formula that has helped Clarkson become the top-selling "Idol" artist ever, blending clean pop-guitar riffs with contemporary dance synths. But there is an undertone of loneliness and sadness coursing throughout, including some downbeat lyrics co-written by Clarkson herself."Hello, is anybody listening? Won't somebody show me that I'm not alone," she sings on "Hello.""If you look at my whole catalogue, there are far more sadder songs than happy," the Texan acknowledges in her Southern drawl. "But that's only because writing is a form of therapy. So obviously the things that you're getting out are the things that you've been going through and struggling with. You want to keep all the happy inside. If I'm going through a hard time, I write it out."In person, Clarkson is bubbly and quick to laugh, sharing that in her time off, she picked up the violin and started learning Italian with Rosetta Stone. "I'm horrible at it so far," she laments lightly.But she never comes close to revealing the subject of "Stronger's" multiple scornful breakup and kiss-off songs. "You don't know a thing about me," she sings on the first single, "Mr. Know It All." And it's true that the 29-year-old retains an enigmatic air, despite her down-to-Earth image.Toby Gad, who co-wrote and produced two songs on "Stronger," had planned on a 10-minute meeting with Clarkson when the two first met, but ended up at a two-hour dinner."She's a very strong survivor, and very organic and very real," he said. "You can connect with her on a very human level."Still, after the dinner and several days of revising lyrics alongside the pop star, he said he doesn't remember if she ever mentioned her own relationships to him.While Clarkson seems to sing almost exclusively about the ups and downs of love, her songs are often deceptively universal. Clarkson says "Mr. Know It All" could apply to her own record label or to the media, and Gad's "The War Is Over" functions as a coda to a romance or to an actual war."That's the underlying theme for her, to vent emotions that we all feel in our relationships," Gad said.And Clarkson will continue to vent as she sees fit."I'm always vocal," she said. "People ask me and I tell them. If I have a problem, I say it. I'm never malicious about it, I just say what happened. And I think a lot of people don't do that. So I think it maybe catches people off guard. But I don't know any other way to be but honest musically or personally. So I guess that just comes through."Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Director Tarsem Singh talks the Immortals script

The boring question to ask the talent is "What attracted you to this project?" That's because the answer is usually, "the script". Unless you're talking to Immortals director Tarsem Singh."Usually, I'm not interested in it if it's a serial-killer film or if it's a space movie or a period film like this," Singh told SFX magazine."In the beginning I saw nothing interesting in it. I read the script. It really was nothing like what it has ended up as in the end. I just said, 'It's got gods, it's got Greeks.' None of that really interested me."We're guessing something must have peaked his interest, given that he took the directing gig."I've been an atheist since I was nine years old. And my mum is really religious, so we have a strange relationship. But if my mother was right, what would be the reason that the gods could let anything bad happen in the world?"I took two or three months and I came up with a reason that I thought was enough and I went with it: if there is a God he's definitely not benevolent. We should mean less to him than ants. And if there is a God or there are gods they would value, more than anything, free will," he explained, getting a bit metaphysical.Then he decided to elaborate using an example we'd like to file under Too Much Information."If a God showed up tomorrow, we'd go, 'Oh my fucking God, he's amazing' and our free will would be compromised. The example I always give is, I'd have a very hard time taking a Barely Legal magazine and masturbating in a bathroom if I knew that Jesus could walk in."Your true nature doesn't come out. So the gods let you do what you want because free will would be compromised if they showed up at the White House saying, 'Take us to your leader'," Singh said.How does all of this end with him directing a film based on a script he originally hated? Keep up people."When I came to the script, it was like, 'Theseus goes to a door and there's a hundred-headed monster there and Theseus fires on it.' I said, 'I don't know how the fuck to do that. But if I can put this theme in, I'll put my take on it. It'll have my DNA.' Relativity went, 'Brilliant.' Or maybe they were thinking, 'How the fuck is he gonna do it?' One of those two. And they left me alone. We got to make the film we wanted to make."

Ofcom begins summary of media plurality in U.K.

LONDON -- U.K. regulator Ofcom has requested distribution to determine its study of strategies to measure media plurality inside the wake in the debate over News Corp.'s abortive try to possess paybox BSkyB outright. The watchdog has given your clients until November. 18 to retort.Move uses media minister Jeremy Search mentioned lately he wanted Ofcom to judge how practical it may be to produce limits on U.K. media possession.Ofcom mentioned that questions for comment include: Are you aware the options for calculating media plurality across platforms? Can it be practical or easier to set absolute limits on news business? What might trigger summary of plurality without a merger? And the way might this be supervised by whom?Furthermore, it desires to hear comments on if study regarding media plurality includes the BBC, a location certain to constitute interest to News Corp., due to the BBC's pole position in broadcast news consumption inside the U.K. The regulator's findings will be provided as evidence for the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics, setup by British Pm David Cameron carrying out a summer's details in regards to the News around the world phone hacking and police corruption scandal. Media plurality is infamously difficult to measure with anywhere of precision, but to have the ability to safeguard media plurality it absolutely was agreed between News Corp. and U.K. policy makers that news web Sky News might be hived off just like a condition in the Murdoch-possessed company getting 100% having BSkyB.But that deal was derailed by law suit when the extent of illegal phone tapping within the Murdoch-possessed tabloid emerged within this summer time. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Twilight Breaking Beginning Part 1 Sneak Look

Another year, another shameless plug for Twilight fan traffic. Below is really a sneak look behind the curtain from the Edward-Bella wedding in Summit Entertainment’sThe Twilight Saga: Breaking Beginning – Part I which releases November 18th.There’s endless promotion from the second-to-last movie within this absurdly lucrative vampires of the underworld and werewolves franchise, together with a concert tour and stars meet-and-greet. The soundtrack is going to be launched on November eighth using the new single “It Will Rain” by Grammy Award-winning Bruno Mars. Personally, i am curious to determine how badly director Bill Condon effed up this Part 1 shot back-to-back with Part 2: the excitement is this fact film is chaotic at best: Meanwhile,Summitis starting off a countrywide Red-colored Carpet event and concert tour for that movie. Fans can easily see stars including Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, Kellan Lutz, Nikki Reed, Jackson Rathbone, and Ashley Greene, in addition to attendperformances ofseveral bands featured within the latest film.The soundtrack includes Christina Perri, Aqualung, Lucy Schwartz, and Sleeping finally. The eventschedule is: November 7, 2011: Atlanta, GA – The Buckhead Theatre. Cast Attending: Ashley Greene, Nikki Reed, Peter Facinelli and Jackson Rathbone Performance By: Christina Perri November 8, 2011: Chicago, IL – House of Blues Cast Attending: Ashley Greene, Nikki Reed, Peter Facinelli, Jackson Rathbone, Kellan Lutz and Elizabeth Reaser Performance By: Christina Perri November 9, 2011: Dallas, Texas – The Palladium Ballroom at Gilley’s Dallas Cast Attending: Ashley Greene, Nikki Reed, Peter Facinelli and Jackson Rathbone Performance By: Christina Perri November 10, 2011: Bay Area, CA – The Fillmore Cast Attending: Ashley Greene, Nikki Reed, Peter Facinelli and Jackson Rathbone Performances By: Aqualung, Lucy Schwartz and Sleeping atLast November 11, 2011: Salt Lake City, UT – The Rail Event Center Cast Attending: Ashley Greene, Nikki Reed, Peter Facinelli and Jackson Rathbone Performances By: Aqualung, Lucy Schwartz and Sleeping at Last

'The Secret Circle' Co-Star Previews 'Tenuous' Family Associations, Flashbacks and Drunken Confessions (Q&A)

The CW"The Key Circle" The Key Circle began a brand new chapter a week ago, but things aren't returning to normal (whatever "normal" is) in the near future.our editor recommends'The Secret Circle' Boss Confesses Dying Was Designed to Happen Earlier within the Season (Q&A)'Secret Circle,' 'Hart of Dixie' Acquired for Full Seasons around the CW'The Secret Circle' Co-Stars Tease Bad Influences along with a 'Heartbreaking' Episode (Videos)'The Secret Circle': Thomas Dekker Shows Complicated Romances, Unknown Secrets along with a More dark Tone (Video)'The Secret Circle' Air Kevin Williamson States L.J. Smith's Writing 'Taps Into My Happy Place' PHOTOS: The CW Fall Premiere Party Adam Harrington, who plays Adam's (Thomas Dekker) drunk father Ethan, accepted he didn't begin to see the dying coming. "Nick's dying would be a large shock," Harrington accepted within an interview using the Hollywood Reporter. "There is an ominous cloud that something tragic would happen, however i was shocked at the way it happened and who made it happen.Inch (Executive producer Andrew Burns told THR the dying was initially designed to happen earlier within the series.) PHOTOS: The Key Circle: First Consider the CW's Witchy New Series When Secret Circle returns on Thursday evening, everybody mourns in different ways so that as Harrington place it, Ethan does something which could modify the lives of his boy and the girlfriend Diana (Shelley Hennig). But as Harrington informs it, there's grounds to Ethan's madness despite the fact that his forces haven't yet been fully recognized, he boosts this: "An amount really happen if Ethan decides to sober up? What energy does Ethan have?" PHOTOS: CW's Year Television Shows: 'Hart of Dixie,' 'Ringer' and much more Harrington spoke to THR concerning the strained relationship between Ethan and Adam, playing a job in Adam's relationship with Diana and why his character selects hitting the bottle hard. The Hollywood Reporter: Ethan continues to be missing for action, it appears. Is he going to return to leading to more trouble? Adam Harrington: I am likely to be leading to some trouble. This next episode has become a one using the tragic dying and/or murder of Nick (Louis Hunter), and everyone has written Ethan off as a little of the town drunk. We forget that Ethan was there 16 years back and knows precisely what happened. Many of the consuming is him attempting to forget this ever happened. Nick's dying, this is a real trigger for him while he can't escape it any longer. Regrettably, it can make him hit the bottle hard. He eventually ends up telling something to Diana he should not have which has a serious impact on her relationship with Adam. THR: How pivotal is secret? Harrington: A brand new character [Mike, guest star Chris Zylka] turns up that triggers a genuine change within the dynamic from the group, particularly with Cassie (Britt Robertson). Ethan's large motto of "don't wreck havoc on fate, bad unexpected things happen whenever you wreck havoc on fate," he really feels as though he was fated to get along with Amelia. Because that did not happen, in some way what went down 16 years back was associated with that, he's afraid Adam may wreck havoc on fate. THR: Do you consider your character will sober up in the near future? Could he start to develop? Harrington: There is a side of Ethan that will rather he did not need to sober up, however i think what's really exciting may be the next episode. Somebody returns form Ethan's past threatening to provide tips for Cassie, threatening to remind her what's happening. We have seen that in the finish of 107, Ethan constitutes a choice whether he'll continue not involved or even the decision he makes about being involved, and what that really is. THR: Will people in Chance Harbor eventually discover what went down to Nick, that Charles (Gale Harold) and Beginning (Natasha Henstridge) performed a job? Harrington: That scene is fairly tough to watch. Secrets within this town eventually emerge, it's who discovers and who does not. THR: It is possible to scene approaching that audiences should look out for? Harrington: The scene with Ethan and Diane now is fairly intense, specifically for her. Then in 107, I had been really excited to determine Adam facing his father. You are able to only go such a long time with getting a drunk father who's not necessarily responsible, given out within the back and almost died [in a week ago's episode] when Nick would burn lower the boathouse. Ethan and Adam's relationship has already been tenuous, it isn't the finest father-boy dynamic and that we view it have a serious turn. THR: Give me an idea to determine happen future episodes? Whoever else been waiting to complete? Harrington: Individuals have been speaking by what flashbacks would that like, seeing a few of the items that happens. Another things that's exciting may be the question everyone has regarding Ethan: An amount really happen if Ethan decides to sober up, what energy does Ethan have? THR: Because we've only seen one for reds to date ... Harrington: We haven't seen sleep issues. Or that Ethan does know exactly what happened, and just how much Ethan's behavior, though sad, is really an option. THR: Have you considered where your character ahead of time to help you produce the arc if required? Harrington: The authors provided some good info what went down everything sometime ago, only for myself, to understand where he's been originating from and why he's acting the way in which he's. Ethan does understand what happened. Plus some stuff I did not need to know since it is great to possess that unfold because the layers get peeled back as Ethan begins to create options by what he will do. THR: What are the supernatural creatures which are even more frightening than continues to be proven to date? Harrington: We all know it's Chance Harbor. We all know it isn't a contented world. A lot of it I understand about, I can not discuss, but it is just fantastic, however that we understand without a doubt that you have a back nine, it provides the authors room to build up these tales and find out what's possible. Exceptional line in the Matrix? "We are really likely to discover how deep the rabbit hole goes." THR: Any surprises to date this year that you simply didn't see coming? Harrington: Nick's dying would be a large shock. There is an ominous cloud that something tragic would happen, however i was shocked at the way it happened and who made it happen. Ethan includes a line in episode six, "Wake": "Youthful people can't stop dying within this town." I'm not sure that Ethan always thinks the storyline concerning the dying. The CW The Key Circle

Teamworx assumes politican scandal

Telepic 'Der Grosse Bruder' charts the go up and down of Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, who lost his political publish because of a plagiarism scandal. BERLIN -- German TV production giant Teamworx and broadcaster Sitting.1 are joining up for any satirical undertake among the year's greatest political scams: nov German defense minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg.A scion of the home of Guttenberg, a noble family with roots dating back the twelfth century, and holding the irrelevant but nonetheless impressive-sounding aristocratic title of baron (Germany eliminated noble rights in 1919), Guttenberg shot to fame last year after Chancellor Angela Merkel drawn on the youthful politico as her financial aspects minister and then defense minister. He rapidly grew to become the nation's most widely used politician and was broadly seen as an shoe-directly into become Germany's next chancellor.Yet Guttenberg's dazzling political flight crashed and burned after it found light he plagiarized large servings of his doctorate dissertation with what grew to become referred to as Cut and Paste Affair.Created by Teamworx topper Nico Hofmann, the television pic, "Der Grosse Bruder" (The Your Government), will offer you a satirical undertake the storyline of Guttenberg and the wife, Stephanie (a descendant of Otto von Bismarck).Hofmann states he really wants to cast local stars Jan Josef Liefers ("Tatort") as Guttenberg, Anja Kling as Stephanie and Henning Baum ("The Final Cop") because the freelancer who helps the youthful politico together with his doctorate thesis.While Hofmann has not consulted Guttenberg around the script, he states he's certain the first kind minister will enjoy the film.Hofmann compares the planned pic to Helmut Dietl's 1992 satire "Schtonk!," which took it's origin from the actual-existence story from the clever forger behind the Hitler Journals hoax.This type of film is just possible as "a humorous, satirical exaggeration" having a pleasant ensemble of figures, states Hofmann, adding that Guttenberg is definitely an appealing and supportive person.For his part, Guttenberg has since moved across water-feature, purchased a house in Connecticut and became a member of the middle for Proper & Intl. Studies like a "distinguished statesman.""Der grosse bruder" begins shooting in March.Guttenberg isn't the only colorful character obtaining the TV movie treatment from Teamworx. The organization is creating a telepic on German area marshal Erwin Rommel for pubcaster ARD.Shooting in France and hang from the backdrop from the anticipated Allied invasion of France, "Rommel" explores the military leader's growing conflict between loyalty and opposition to Hitler. Ulrich Tukur ("John Rabe") stars. Contact Erectile dysfunction Meza at staff@variety.com