Hello everybody :) Hope you are having a great weekend!
This is the next stage, so cross fingers and toes that this craziness
can stop! grrrrr....
Okay now go back to having a good weekend!
:)
sfb

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-mga20-2008dec20,0,1697910.story
From the Los Angeles Times
MGA appeals ban over the making and selling of Bratz dolls
If the company doesn't get a reprieve by Dec. 31, it will suffer
irreparable harm, the toy maker says in a filing with the Court of
Appeals in San Francisco.
Bloomberg News

December 20, 2008

MGA Entertainment Inc., maker of Bratz dolls, filed an emergency
request Friday with a U.S. appeals court to stay a court order barring
it from making and selling the dolls while it appeals the ruling.

If MGA doesn't get a stay by Dec. 31, the Van Nuys company will suffer
irreparable harm, it said in a redacted filing with the U.S. 9th
Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.

MGA's customers want assurances by the end of the year that the dolls
won't be pulled off the shelves in February, Jerome Falk, a lawyer for
MGA, said.

"Because of the nature of this business, decisions are made way in
advance," Falk said Friday in a phone interview. "Creditors,
manufacturers, everybody who does business with them wants assurances."

U.S. District Judge Stephen Larson in Riverside on Dec. 3 granted
Mattel Inc.'s request to stop MGA from making most Bratz dolls. A jury
earlier found that a Mattel designer came up with the Bratz name and
characters and secretly took the idea to MGA. Larson said his order
wouldn't go into effect until after he had ruled on both sides'
post-trial motions. A hearing on those motions is set for Feb. 11.

MGA also filed a request for a stay pending appeal with the district
court, but Larson isn't likely to rule on it before the end of the
year, the company said in Friday's filing.

Lisa Marie Bongiovanni, a spokeswoman for El Segundo-based Mattel,
didn't return a call to her office after business hours.

Wear schoolgirls get chance to design for Bratz pack



Gemma Waugh, left, and Laura Reed, both 14, have the chance to design outfits for Bratz dolls.

As mentioned here:
http://bratzworld.livejournal.com/90406.html

22 October 2008
A chance in a lifetime is on offer to two schoolgirls as they battle it out on a reality TV show to become designers for the multimillion-pound Bratz empire.

Sunderland pals, Gemma Waugh and Laura Reed, from the city's Venerable Bede School, ware hoping to win a trip to design a new range of Bratz fashion dolls in Los Angeles, California.

The Wearside teenagers are among the lucky five pairs who will feature in the six-part Bratz Design Academy show on the Nickelodeon channel, starting on Friday.

The programme, which will be hosted by Blue Peter presenter Zoe Salmon, will feature guest judges, including girl band The Saturdays, stars of award-winning musical Hairspray and top fashion designer Ben de Lisi.

In each episode, the judges will set the competitors a new challenge and work with the teams before their design is revealed on the catwalk.
And the pair of fashionable friends who win the final will be awarded the dream trip.

"I was ecstatic when I heard we'd got through to take part in the Bratz Design Academy," said Gemma, 14. "Laura and I worked on the competition entry in our textiles lesson at school.

"Our teacher, was just over the moon for us when we heard we'd got through. I've learnt so much and made heaps of new friends. I'm just so excited to watch it on TV."

Laura, also 14, said: "Gemma and I were so amazed when we heard we'd got through and I was speechless that we'd be competing alongside some of the other best young designers in the country. I'm not bothered if we win or not as the whole experience has just been incredible."

Bratz represents a multimillion-pound franchise for MGA Entertainment.
The 10-inch dolls are characterized by large heads with wide eyes, full lips, very small noses, short torsos, and shoes that can be snapped on and off.

The popularity of the four primary dolls – Cloe, Yasmin, Sasha and Jade – eventually encouraged development of additional friends, spin-offs, feature films, games, music albums, and a successful television series.

Zoe Salmon, said: "The girls in the show are so talented and the prize is a dream-come-true for any budding designer, plus we've got some fantastic guests helping them along their journey. I can't wait to see who wins."

The first episode will be shown on Nickelodeon this Friday at 5.30pm.
http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/Wear-schoolgirls-get-chance-to.4616652.jp

Lionsgate Announces Bratz Scholarship Winners
BILLY GIL
http://www.homemediamagazine.com/news/html/breaking_article.cfm?article_id=13421
In the wake of its newest Bratz movie, Bratz Girlz Really Rock, Lionsgate has announced the winners of the Bratz Girlz Scholarship Contest.

Natasha Barton of Lakewood, Colo.; Bradley Miller of Central Point, Ore.; Bailey Reese of Niceville, Fla.; and Anjali Sood of Jackson, Tenn. will receive a savings bond of $15,000 for their education. More than 800 applicants entered the essay contest, announced last year with the release of Bratz: The Movie on DVD.

“The positive messages of being true to yourself and pursuing your passions are integral to the Bratz philosophy,” said Michael Rathauser, VP of marketing for Lionsgate.

Each winner also will receive the new DVD movie and the new line of Bratz Girlz Really Rock fashion dolls.

Read a nice interview with one of the winners here:
http://bratzworld.livejournal.com/91270.html
Read an in-person (and one email!) interview I did with the cast of the Bratz film and check out behind the scenes pix and vids of their visit for the premier we attended in my hometown NYC!
http://bratz-world.diaryland.com/bratzcast.html

Statement from Isaac Larian, CEO of MGA Entertainment

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MGA Entertainment, Inc., in response to media and other inquiries, released the following statement today clarifying certain issues in its trial with Mattel over the Bratz dolls:

Isaac Larian did not know who Carter Bryant was until September 1, 2000.

Isaac Larian told Carter Bryant to leave Mattel on October 4, 2000 (the date he signed the contract with MGA) and start working full time at MGA.

Until Mattel filed its lawsuit against Carter Bryant in April 2004, Isaac Larian and MGA believed that Carter Bryant had left Mattel on October 4, 2000, as instructed by Mr. Larian. Mr. Larian and MGA were not aware that Mr. Bryant was working at Mattel and for MGA from October 4 to October 19, 2000, and getting paid from both companies for those two weeks.

The salary Mr. Bryant received from Mattel during those two weeks was about $2000; the salary Mr. Bryant received from MGA for those two weeks was about $2,250. Despite this fact, Mattel is asking the jury to award them damages (from Isaac Larian) over $700 million for these two weeks (October 4-19, 2000)!

Mattel, on the eve of trial, fully settled with Carter Bryant for what they termed all of his “sins.”

Bratz jury asks if can split decision on copyright
Fri Aug 22, 2008
http://www.reuters.com/article/industryNews/idUSN2231723020080823
RIVERSIDE, California (Reuters) - A California jury considering awarding damages to Mattel Inc in a trial against MGA Entertainment Inc over the Bratz doll line on Friday asked a question suggesting they might find copyright infringement for early dolls but not later ones.

"Can we find that the first generation dolls violate copyright but the second generation do not?" the jury asked in a note to the court.

U.S. District Judge Stephen Larson responded that the jury could split its decision in that way.

The jury also asked a question for which Larson requested clarification. "Our dilemma: appropriation of first generation is $4 M in profits," the jury wrote.

The questions hinted at possible damages in the case, where Mattel has argued that MGA and its chief executive, Isaac Larian should surrender nearly $2 billion in profits as well as pay punitive damages.

The nine-member panel in Riverside, California, ended its first full day of deliberations in the closely watched case without reaching a verdict, saying it was "struggling" over how to begin awarding damages against MGA and Larian.

"What are the options regarding a starting point, if any, with respect to damages?" the jury asked in a second note later on Friday. "In reference to question 1 (on the 9-page verdict form), we are struggling at this point."

Jury deliberations were scheduled to resume on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Syantani Chatterjee, editing by Peter Henderson, Gunna Dickson and Carol Bishopric)

When people actually watch the Bratz film and not just bash it they do see how cool it is.

In this article protesting the insults used as humor regarding "the r-word" is a nice statement about the film.

"I care very deeply about the portrayal of disabled characters in the media. I have disabled family members and my first job was at a school for what were then still called "the retarded." I try to make it a point to discuss the portrayal of disabled characters in the movies and DVDs I review. Two very good examples were "Finding Nemo" and (I am not kidding) "Bratz." In my opinion, anyone who is offended by a condescending portrayal of disabled and minority characters should see that this movie is, too." Beliefnet


Ian Nelson, Dylan in the Bratz film

Avi Arad the producer of the Bratz said in a past interview:
"I’m hard of hearing. I wear special stuff. I wanted this boy [referring to deaf character in film] to be there because he was so cool. When we were casting him, I was looking at him and saying "Girls like the silent type” and the fact that there’s no self pity there. On the contrary, he’s quite confident."
http://www.moviesonline.ca/movienews_12529.html

I also agree with a point mentioned in the article protesting Tropic Thunder that even if meaning to be funny become a part of culture, like Woody Allen's "Flying Rat" comment about pigeons. People use that term as an excuse to harm them. That statement was from a film. They do become more than just dialog. I thought that this Tropic Thunder film looked funny at first from previews but doubt I'll be watching it now but that's my opinion. It's a huge success, I think most people are smart- but some are not, and I just hope those people don't go watch it then hurt people's feelings who have disabilities.

You can read the whole article here:
http://blog.beliefnet.com/idolchatter/2008/08/who-should-be-offended-by-trop.html

Also remember the only actual "property" Mattel won were the drawings and items that Carter did when he went back to Mattel not the first four drawings he did that created what sparked the Bratz. Mattel did not win the Bratz, Mattel did not "win" this case. They won drawings and prototypes made after the Bratz idea was created. The Bratz will never be Mattel's. Did the drawings he created when he went back to Mattel become the sole key to the Bratz success? Was the line based on his Mattel time drawings? The proof says no..

"Fact:
-- Mattel offered no witness at trial who took this position."

..but as you have seen this is a case full of what I consider to be many bad elements so we'll have to wait and see if SANITY prevails.



MGA Entertainment vs. Mattel -- Fact vs. Fiction
Aug. 21, 2008
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/mga-entertainment-vs-mattel---/story.aspx?guid=%7B03B2C7A3-3A98-40C7-BB0C-D5FD5C107DB4%7D&dist=hppr
LOS ANGELES, Aug 21, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

MGA Entertainment, Inc., announced today that as a result of misunderstandings surrounding some of the allegations involved in its trial with Mattel regarding the Bratz brand, it has issued the following clarification on facts versus fiction emanating from the trial, according to MGA Entertainment:

Mattel:
Carter Bryant got the name BRATZ(R) from Mattel because at one time Mattel wanted to name their Diva Starz (Mattel (TM)) line 'Brats.'

Fact:
-- Mattel has not sued MGA for trademark infringement and has not asserted any claim against the "BRATZ" name, which is the exclusive worldwide trademark of MGA.

-- The Bratz(R) name has been in the marketplace since 1994. It was the name of children's clothing brand. The Bratz(R) name was registered to Curt Lovins who assigned it to MGA in 2002. In fact, Mr. Lovins' Bratz clothing is currently sold exclusively at Costco.

-- Ivy Ross, who was Mattel's SVP of Product Design of the Girls Division when Carter Bryant was employed there, testified during trial that there was no reason for Bryant to have been included on a distribution list that discussed the potential use of the name 'Brats.

-- Jill Nordquist, a Mattel Director who worked and met with Carter Bryant everyday when he was employed at Mattel, testified that she never knew Mattel considered the name 'Brats' for Diva Starz.

--Mattel has never used the name 'Brats' or 'Bratz,' because they cannot. It belongs to MGA.

Mattel:
MGA and Isaac Larian concealed Bratz(R) and Carter Bryant's involvement with the brand.

Fact:
-- In October 2000, Jill Nordquist of Mattel testified that she suspected Carter Bryant was going to work for a competitor

-- In December 2000, MGA disclosed to large retailers that Carter Bryant was the designer of the Bratz drawings, which would serve as the inspiration for the creation of the Bratz dolls

-- In January 2001 at the Hong Kong Toy Fair, MGA invited Mateo Romano, Mattel's Director for Latin America, to the MGA showroom in Hong Kong. He attended and MGA showed him all of the Bratz prototypes and the drawings. (Trial Exhibit 00911-01)

-- Mattel's representative from Latin America took pictures of MGA's showroom, Bratz prototypes and Bratz drawings.

-- Mateo Romano and his boss were later invited to MGA's booth at the New York Toy Fair in February, 2001 to see the further development of the Bratz line. At that time, Mattel Latin America was asked to consider being the distributor of Bratz in Latin America. (Trial Exhibit 16925-001)

-- Mateo Romano of Mattel wrote in an email to Martin Hitch of MGA saying "I regret to inform you that this year (Mattel) will not be carrying any product from MGA; the reason is because some products are very similar to our own concepts and this is a very sensitive issue with the brand groups (Bratz and Samantha)...."(Exhibit 16935-001)

-- In February 2001, Mattel employees attending the Tokyo Toy Fair shot a video of the Bratz display and drawings, which were openly presented at the Toy Fair. They titled the video "Here Come the Bratz" and sent it to Mattel headquarters.

-- MGA publicly advertised Bratz and the drawings in 2001 New York Toy Fair publications such as The Toy Book and Toy Fair News.

-- Jill Nordquist testified that she and other employees at Mattel, including Ann Parduchi (a Senior VP) knew by summer 2001 that Carter Bryant was the designer of Bratz.
-- In 2002 MGA openly filed copyright applications for drawings of the Bratz dolls in Brazil, which identified Carter Bryant as the author. Mattel obtained those registrations from Brazil. (EXHIBIT 1703-0001).

-- In 2002, Carter Bryant was disclosed as the designer of the Bratz drawings on a publicly available Yahoo-Bratz Fan website. Bratz World http://www.bratzworld.tv

-- In 2003 MGA openly told The Wall Street Journal that Carter Bryant was the designer behind the Bratz drawings. Mattel, in the same article, didn't reveal who the designer was of its failed Flava (Mattel (TM)) dolls or My Scene (Mattel (TM)) dolls.

-- In August 2003, Mattel's Bob Eckert received an anonymous letter which advised him that Carter Bryant was the creator of Bratz and had worked with MGA

-- Mattel claims it "lost" its October 2000 phone records for Carter Bryant, which would have revealed what contact Bryant may have had with MGA in his last month of employment with Mattel

Mattel:
The key reason and "core" of the success of the Bratz brand are Carter Bryant's drawings that the jury found belongs to Mattel. These drawings are "similar" to what Lilli Martinez, Mattel's Senior Manager of Product Design, drew at Mattel called Toon Teens.

Fact:
-- As noted by Mattel's lawyer in closing argument: there have only been two successful fashion dolls: Barbie and Bratz. However, Mattel and others have introduced many fashion dolls over the years that have failed - despite the existence of good concept drawings

-- If the Bratz(R) success was based solely on Bryant's concept drawings, why didn't Mattel's My Scene (Mattel (TM)) fashion doll, an imitation of Bratz done by Lilli Martinez two years after Bratz, succeed and why is it no longer sold in the US? The same applies to Mattel's Flavas (Mattel (TM)) and Diva Starz (Mattel (TM)) fashion dolls which failed to effectively compete with Bratz - and by Mattel's lawyer's admission were not successful

-- If that was true, Mattel would have sued for copyright infringement based on Toon Teens but they did not and Toon Teens is not part of this case.

-- If that's the case, why are Mattel's 3-D interpretations of Lilli Martinez' 2- D drawings of Toon Teens are so different from MGA's 3-D (doll) interpretation of Carter Bryant's 2-D drawings?

-- If the Bratz success was based solely on Carter Bryant's drawings, why didn't Mattel's My Scene (Mattel (TM)) brand, an imitation of Bratz done by Lilli Martinez two years after Bratz, succeed and why is it no longer sold in the US?

-- Why did Mattel's Flavaz (Mattel (TM)) line of dolls with pouty lips, big head, big eyes, small nose, and big shoes, supported by all the might of Mattel, the biggest toy company in the world, fail?

-- The creativity that MGA's employees applied to the Bratz brand after 2001 was a key factor in producing dolls that girls would want to buy in order to add to their collection of Bratz dolls.

Mattel:
Bratz dolls are "substantially similar" to Carter Bryant's drawings.

Fact:
-- Mattel offered no witness at trial who took this position.

-- Lilli Martinez, Mattel's corporate representative in this trial stated, "You can't compare 2-D drawings with 3-D (models)."

-- If all of MGA's Bratz dolls are "substantially similar" to Carter Bryant's drawings, why do they bother and make new dolls with new themes every year?

-- During closing arguments, Kennedy put it best : "Can you see a parent saying to their child, 'Why do you want that? You have a 'substantially similar' doll back home."

For more information and facts please check www.mgae.com

Youth Film Academy to Open Its Newest Division Catering to Teenagers in Metro Washington DC Area

The only film school in the United States created specifically for teenagers and young adults will launch its new division and introduce teens to the world of film, television and directing.

Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) August 21, 2008 -- Youth Film Academy Founder and President, George Caceres, announced today the opening of his latest division of the Youth Film Academy which will be located in Vienna, Virginia, across the street from the acclaimed Tysons Center Court and about a forty minute drive from Washington D.C. This division of the Youth Film Academy is the first film school established exclusively for teenagers and young adults. The Youth Film Academy teaches teenagers and young adults the craft making of television and filmmaking. Youth Film Academy students are taught specialized directing techniques, acting skills and cutting edge film technology from a curriculum that has been specifically designed by top Hollywood film industry professionals. The Youth Film Academy objective is to create artists who will revolutionize the quality and integrity of future multi-media entertainment.

"We're thrilled to be opening a new division of the film academy here in the Washington D.C. area," said YFA President, George Caceres. "Teenagers and young adults are exposed to vast multiple-media platforms in so many different areas of their lives today so we created this division of the Youth Film Academy to provide a comparable learning environment for these teenagers and young adults to master techniques in directing, editing and filmmaking which they can apply to their future careers."

Youth Film Academy founding members have had vital roles in directing, producing, financing and casting some of today's most successful Hollywood entertainment projects. They have gathered to create a unique film and television curriculum that is geared towards today's quickly changing, fast-paced entertainment industry. Their projects include Disney Channel television shows like 'Hannah Montana', 'High School Musical', 'Corey in the House', 'That's So Raven', 'Wizards of Waverly Place', The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and Camp Rock.

Youth Film Academy founders are also responsible for hit movies like 'The Matrix', 'What Women Want', M'ystic Pizza', 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow', 'Material Girls' and 'Bratz'.

Youth Film Academy directing students will be taken through a rigorous program. On the first day of YFA directing classes, each student will be given their own state-of-the-art digital video camera and will be asked to start filming a short film.

YFA directing students will be taught to scout for locations, shoot their own film, edit their short in YFA's technologically advanced editing bay and present their finished product to YFA's other student body, faculty and visiting Hollywood industry teachers.

"From their first day, Youth Film Academy young artists will be immersed in the world of entertainment here in the Washington D.C. area," says George Caceres. "Youth Film Academy students will have an opportunity to submit their work to film festivals and television channels. Most importantly, through our numerous Hollywood connections, our young artists will get to show their work to top industry professionals establishing a powerful link between the Washington D.C. area and Hollywood."

For more information on the Youth Film Academy please go to www.youthfilmacademy.com or call 703-891-7888. source

Great Job! :)

Sasha, Jade, Yasmin and Cloe helped Anjali get college scholarship money.

The four best friends forever took their "passion for fashion" from dolls, accessories, animated features and videos to a live-action movie last year. On the front of the DVD cover was a notice for an essay contest that caught the attention of Mary Sood of Jackson and 17-year-old Anjali, whose passion is art, including writing.

Her winning entry in the Bratz Scholarship Contest earned a savings bond that will mature to $15,000 in value. The contest sponsored by Lionsgate and the Bratz was administered by L.A. Promotion Development Inc.
The Madison Academic Magnet High School graduate plans to major in English this fall at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. "I want to write novels and possibly do something in journalism," she said.

While preparing this summer to enter college, Anjali worked at a department store and did church projects, including creating superhero figures based on Bible characters. She also sold a piece of artwork. The Hope Scholarship administered through the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship Program will help offset college costs.

Though quick to point out she is past the age of the target Bratz audience, Anjali praised the products for "capturing the imagination" during a time when "our society is so caught up in technical things" such as text-messaging, the Internet and television.
"The movie talks about friendship, discovering your passion and working together," she said.

Anjali said she started kindergarten at age 4 and primarily was home-schooled by her mother, who teaches English as a second language and Spanish.
"She gave me the basis, the foundation," Anjali said of Mary Sood, who is working toward a master's degree at the University of Memphis. "My mom pushed me when I was doing ballet and in art and writing. She was always challenging me to do better."

Another encourager was Madison Academic teacher Barbara Fowler. "She was shy and reticent but wrote well. I recognized the real gift in her writing. She gave thought to the assignments," Fowler said. By her final two years of high school, the talent had "really, really blossomed."
Awards in writing contests through Union University "inspired me," Anjali said of receiving first place this past school year in fiction, second in creative nonfiction and third in poetry. via



Winning essay
I am captivated by sketches, admiring of paintings, and enamored with the written word. I despise ballpoint pens, painting-by-number and cliches.

Art, in its many forms, intrigues me. Writing, I believe is the most intellectual form of art. The author can extract intricate ideas from the depths of the human brain and express them in beautiful sentences. I intend to be a writer once I have slipped into the mystifying tunnel of adulthood.

But, art extends past verbs and nouns and participle phrases. Art is paint spilled on canvas and pencil smudged against parchment. It is clay sculpted into vases and silk sewn into dresses. Art ornaments city walls under the name "mural," and builds skyscrapers under the title "architecture." Art is my passion. I am pleased and humbled when, after hours of hunching over paper, I have produced one paragraph or one painting worthy of being called art. - By Anjali Sood, 17, of Jackson.

PS personally I like ballpoint pens they are fun to doodle with! :)

Cast is consumed by 'Maneater'
Dean Cain, Conrad Janis among actors joining thriller
Michael Emanuel has ordered up his human buffet.

“We’re in the middle of principal photography, and the shoot is going great. I kinda like this directing thing!” Michael Emanuel

The actor-producer has cast Dean Cain, Conrad Janis ("The Cable Guy"), Stephen Lunsford ("Bratz"), Walter Phelan ("House of 1000 Corpses"), Maximillian Roeg ("7th Heaven") and Lacy Phillips ("Pushing Twilight") in his directorial debut, "Maneater."

Emanuel's Canal Street Films is producing, and Eric Lewald ("Trollz") is executive producing.

The horror thriller about a former FBI profiler and small-town sheriff investigating mysterious murders is derived from a Native American legend. Emanuel, repped by AKA, also wrote the screenplay with John K. Anderson.

"Maneater" is the second in a slate of 10 movies that Canal Street is producing with independent financing; the first was "The Uninvited," which is seeking a distributor. Source


Dean Cain

Glamorous ex-Blue Peter presenter Zoe Salmon who starred in the BBC show for three-and-a half years, will be a special guest helping Blue Peter to celebrate its 50th birthday in October.
Said Zoe yesterday: “I got a phone call from the production team to say that they are putting together special programmes and events for its 50th birthday.
“I am sure that it will be amazing!”

And yesterday, she took time off from another new high-profile telly series — the Nickelodeon channel’s reality fashion show Bratz Design Academy.

“We started filming last Friday and will be working solidly on it for the next few weeks. But they very kindly released me to come home and judge the High School musical competition,” added Zoe.

“I’m due back at work on Bratz at 8am on Sunday — I haven’t actually had a day off since I left Blue Peter. My first day off is on September 7!

Things couldn’t be better for Zoe right now with Hot Rods — made by the Deal or No Deal team — due to start on August 30 and Bratz Design Academy scheduled for October.

“It’s a dream come true for me to do a game show like Hot Rods and now to be doing a massive big TV fashion project.
“I know that I am really fortunate. It is great that I have already ticked two boxes — two things that I really wanted to do.”source

Premiering on Nickelodeon in the fall: "Bratz Design Academy," a "Project Runway"-type competition in which contestants design and show outfits.
Twelve children (girls and boys aged from nine to 14) will compete in teams of two to prove their abilities as fashion designers. The winners will be flown to Los Angeles to design new outfits for the Bratz dolls.
“Bratz Design Academy will be the biggest entertainment event for kids this season,” said Ron Brawer, President of MGA Entertainment. “We wanted to create a show which was original, empowering and interactive, and this totally represents what Bratz are all about – friendship, self expression and creativity for all boys and girls, wherever they’re from.”

The Girls With A Passion For Fashion Are Ready To Rock
As They Sing And Dance Through Their First-Ever Musical Movie!
Bratz™ Girlz Really Rock
Rollin’ Onto DVD From Lionsgate And MGA Entertainment

Los Angeles, CA (August 14, 2008)—The pop culture phenomenon’s mission: to encourage and empower young girls to be themselves, embrace their individuality and treasure their friendships, really rocks in the all-new animated feature Bratz™ Girlz Really Rock, coming to DVD September 2, 2008 from Lionsgate. Filled with eight rockin’ new songs about friendship and being true to yourself, and loaded with fun bonus extras like fun bloopers, a chance to make your own music video, and an interview with the original inspiration for “Yasmin™,” Bratz Girlz Really Rock DVD will have girls of all ages embracing their individuality and their own passions!

The ultra-cool, multi-racial Bratz dolls– Yasmin™, Cloe™, Jade™ and Sasha™ – are all about girl power. Since being introduced in 2001 by MGA Entertainment, millions of Bratz dolls have been sold worldwide. The Bratz have also branched out into a mega-successful franchise of mega-selling DVDs, CDs, a magazine, a top-rated animated television series, videogames, and several lines of clothing, footwear and accessories.
A new line of Bratz dolls based on the new DVD debuts this fall along with a brand new video game.

SYNOPSIS
The Bratz star in their first movie musical featuring eight new dance along, sing-along songs! Lights! Camera! Action! Yasmin, Cloe, Jade and Sasha are off for the summer of their lives as they take the stage at Camp Starshine, an elite performing arts camp where acting, dancing and fashion get your name up in lights. The Bratz are all about having fun and even the most serious ballerina, Anna, finds that hanging out with the Bratz really rocks! But when the instructors start taking their lessons far too seriously and fellow performers are obsessed with practicing, summer camp feels more like boot camp.
But things heat up when they learn that the winner of the camp showcase gets to star in a Hollywood movie. Each girl goes solo hoping to win the starlight for herself. Only when the evil Madame Demidov tries to sabotage the show do the Bratz rejoin to show that competition can never outshine real friends. No one is going to mess with their BFFs!
As expressed in the brand new song
“Everything We Do:”
Everything we do, we do it together
We can make it through any kind of weather
Everything we do is better together
Always staying true, best friends forever!

Seven other new sing-along songs embrace friendship and being true to oneself: “Everything We Do,” “We’re Gonna Shine,” “Summertime Fun,” “Something So Right,” “It’s All About Me,” “Friends Are Everything,” ”I Deserve It (Madame Demidov Song)” and “Is My Dream Worth the Price? (Anna’s Song).” All songs from Bratz Girlz Really Rock DVD will be available on iTunes.

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES

One-on-one interview with Jasmin Larian, inspiration of the “Yasmin” doll and daughter of Isaac Larian, CEO, MGA Entertainment, the company behind the Bratz franchise

Deleted scenes

Make Your Own Music Video - choose the song you would like to star in and make your own video!

Sing-Along to new songs

Fun Bloopers!

Bratz Girl Really Rock DVD is recommended for ages 3 and older. It is approximately 82 minutes, is closed-captioned and has Spanish audio available as a menu option. For more information visit www.bratz.com.

Pix!! (Click to see bigger versions)

Appeals court rejects halt to Mattel-MGA Bratz case

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday declined to intervene to stop Mattel Inc's trial against Bratz doll maker MGA Entertainment Inc over ownership of the popular doll franchise after a juror made ethnic slurs against MGA's chief executive and founder.

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a two-page opinion that privately held MGA had "not demonstrated that this case warrants the intervention of this court" in its petition for an emergency stay.

The jury awarded Mattel ownership of dozens of concept drawings and models in the first phase of the trial before the juror's comments came to light and she was excused by the judge. The same panel is hearing testimony in a damages phase that is expected to conclude on Friday.

MGA attorneys had argued in an emergency petition filed on Thursday that deliberations in the first phase of the trial had been tainted by the juror's remarks and that the family-owned company faced ruin if Mattel won the $1 billion-plus in damages it is seeking.

Mattel and its attorneys were not available for comment. An attorney for MGA could not immediately be reached for comment.

In a two-page decision released Tuesday, the appellate court said that MGA has “not demonstrated that this case warrants the intervention of this court.” However, the panel is still considering the broader appeal.

This whole trial process has been one mess to me and truly frightening in the larger way the whole judicial process has completely failed. A judge that literally makes things up, skews stories in ways they did not occur to fit his agenda and a jury (minus only one person) that was fine with a racist continuing with them- and now this is the jury deciding this case. A total failure of everything. My predicyion is if the jury now does the right thing and gives Mattel nothing that Mattel will go crazy saying "Oh this jury felt bad for their mess-up now they are over compensating out of pity!" This whole mess should have been a mistrial and started again.

Still don't know what Mattel thinks it won since Carter's very first drawings of the Bratz were NOT awarded to Mattel. His first drawings would have marked when he created the Bratz, and he was NOT at Mattel then, so they were NOT created on Mattel's time so what is the point of this trial now?

Looks like the judge is trying to re-write history. It was originally reported in the legal records ONLY juror #6 came forward and only after that were the rest brought in to be questioned. Now he is trying to make it look like they all came forward. Is this judge for real? He sounds like a robot ordered up by Mattel. Truly science fiction now. How is this allowed to go forward with these people?


http://www.reuters.com/article/companyNewsAndPR/idUSN04114120080804?sp=true
UPDATE 2-Bratz trial to proceed despite juror misconduct
Mon Aug 4, 2008 6:45pm EDT

(Adds MGA comment, details about arguments, juror comment)

By Syantani Chatterjee

RIVERSIDE, Calif., Aug 4 (Reuters) - A federal judge on Monday ruled that the damages phase of a trial that gave Mattel Inc (MAT.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) ownership of drawings and models for MGA Entertainment Inc's Bratz doll can proceed despite juror misconduct.

U.S. District Judge Stephen Larson dismissed a juror on July 25 after finding that she had made racial remarks during deliberations about MGA Chief Executive Isaac Larian, an Iranian Jewish immigrant.

Larson denied MGA's motion for a mistrial, saying he did not believe that the other nine jurors had been influenced by the woman, known only as Juror No. 8.

"We cannot tolerate bigotry, racism, ethnicism or whatever it is, but the jurors in the case that stood up against Juror No. 8 did the right thing and I am convinced that the verdict that was reached was the verdict of only those jurors," Larson said in court in Riverside, California.

He also commended the jury, including the juror who brought the statements about Larian to the court's attention about 10 days ago.

"If only every jury in this country would react to racism the way this jury did we would have a better judicial system," Larson said.

The trial resumes on Tuesday.

A standing room only crowd was on hand for the hearing in the closely watched trial, which could cripple MGA and deliver to Mattel the lucrative doll franchise that has been eating into the market share of its iconic Barbie doll.

WEIGHING OPTIONS

Mattel won a near total victory over MGA in the first phase of the trial when the jury validated its claims to most of the concept drawings and models upon which the designs for the first four Bratz dolls were based.

The jury found that Bratz creator Carter Bryant made most of the drawings and models at issue while he was under contract to Mattel as a Barbie designer and that MGA obtained them illegally.

MGA sought a mistrial after learning about the ethnic slur about three days into testimony in the damages phase of trial. Mattel was seeking damages of more than $1 billion and the rights to control the dolls themselves.

Judge Larson reported after interviewing the panelists separately that Juror No. 8 had said Iranians were "stubborn, rude, stingy...thieves, and have stolen other persons' ideas".

MGA lawyers argued that the juror had hidden her "tainted views" against Middle Eastern immigrants during jury selection and that federal law stated "the tainted vote of even one juror is sufficient to nullify a verdict."

Mattel lawyers said that while the company "condemns the remark that was made...it does not justify a mistrial," because the jurors' testimony about the remarks could not be used as evidence and because MGA lawyers had failed to closely question the juror about her biases before the trial.

Mattel said in a statement that it was "pleased with the court's decision to allow the case to proceed."

"Mattel believes that to declare a mistrial based on Juror No. 8's comment, an incident that was resoundingly condemned by the remaining jurors and reported by them to the court, would be to penalize the jury for doing the right thing," the company said.

MGA lawyer Thomas Nolan said his clients were weighing their options, including the possibility of seeking a stay of the trial at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

(Reporting by Syantani Chatterjee in Riverside; writing by Gina Keating in Los Angeles; editing by Phil Berlowitz, Leslie Gevirtz)

This bad joke of a trial plods on and frankly means nothing as far as fair and this judge has been nasty since the start.

I have to say I am not surprised. Sadly. The judge has been making nasty remarks against MGA and Carter Bryant from the start of this trial so the next step is eventually appeal. If the first four drawings Carter did were NOT made while at Mattel then how can Mattel own anything? This jury did not give Mattel ownership of the first four drawings he did- and wouldn't that be when the Bratz were created?

This trial is a sad joke really. Not a funny one.
:P
sfb


Judge rejects mistrial motion in Bratz trial
By GILLIAN FLACCUS Associated Press Writer
Article Launched: 08/04/2008 02:22:39 PM PDT

RIVERSIDE, Calif.—A federal judge has rejected a mistrial motion in a copyright infringement case pitting Mattel Inc. against the maker of the popular Bratz dolls.

In his ruling Monday, U.S. District Judge Stephen G. Larson discounts arguments made by MGA Entertainment Inc. after a juror was dismissed on July 25 for allegedly using racial slurs during previous deliberations.

MGA claims the remarks targeting CEO chief executive Isaac Larian tainted the panel's verdict in the first phase of the case.

The jury ruled on July 17 that Carter Bryant, the designer of the pouty-lipped Bratz dolls, came up with the concept while working for rival Mattel.

That verdict set up the current damages portion of the trial.



Bratz vs. Barbie case is denied mistrial motion
MGA Entertainment sought a mistrial because of a juror's alleged ethnic slur. But a judge says the remarks were made near the end of deliberations.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-bratz5-2008aug05,1,2578808.story
By David Colker, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
August 5, 2008
The Barbie vs. Bratz fight in federal court will go on.

U.S. District Judge Stephen Larson in Riverside today denied a motion to declare a mistrial sought by the maker of the lucrative Bratz doll, MGA Entertainment Inc., because of a juror's reported ethnic slur.

The jury already had found that MGA and its chief executive, Iranian-born Isaac Larian, had improperly aided a Mattel Inc. Barbie designer who created the concept in violation of his Mattel contract.

The trial, which began May 27, was in its damages phase.

But on July 25, eight days after the initial verdict, a juror told the judge that a fellow juror had said during deliberations that her husband described Iranians as "stubborn, rude" and as "thieves" who have "stolen other person's ideas," according to a court document. The juror who was accused of making the remarks was dismissed that same day.

Today, Larson let stand his initial ruling. He said in a court order after the remarks were revealed that the trial could go on because the slurs came near the end of deliberations, after the jurors had already decided on all key points. (And it means nothing to this judge that only one person came forward? He now has a jury in phase two that were FINE with going on with a racist and were not going to say anything how is this fair? This is now a jury of people only minus one that were okay with having a racist with them, it's a complete joke now.)

In a 30-page statement submitted to the judge, MGA had argued that although the juror's "tainted views were not disclosed until after deliberations were nearly complete, the other jurors plainly could have been impacted by her views and thoughts before she disclosed her bias."

MGA also had pointed out that prospective jurors had been told before the trial began that one of the key figures in the case had immigrated from the "Middle East," yet the juror who later reportedly made the slur said in court, "I can be a fair and impartial juror."

In its written argument, Mattel said it "condemns the remark was made" but went on to say, "as the Supreme Court has repeatedly explained, having preconceived notions -- even abhorrent ones -- is very different from being 'biased' in the legal sense relevant here."

The verdict on July 17 provided a much-needed Wall Street boost for Mattel. Its shares shot up 13% the next day, based on the court news and a better than expected earnings report.

But things continued to look bad for its signature Barbie line, whose sales were down 21% in the United States in the second quarter compared with the same period last year.

MGA and Larian, who seldom missed an opportunity to take digs at Mattel, have been a thorn in Mattel's side. And industry analysts had said that the success of Bratz -- estimated to boost MGA's yearly revenue to $2 billion from $500 million -- had seriously cut into Barbie sales.

Statement from Isaac Larian, CEO of MGA Entertainment

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The following is a statement from Isaac Larian, CEO of MGA Entertainment:

America has always meant a great deal to me and my family. In this great nation of growing diversity, we pride ourselves in having personal freedoms, liberty and justice for all. I came to this country to avoid religious and ethnic persecution. Yet, I am saddened that in today's day and age, in 2008, when an African American is running for President for the first time, there's still racism in this country.

It was disheartening to hear that a juror in our trial against Mattel had made ethnic and racial slurs against me and my family. I am grateful that another juror had the courage to come forward and acknowledge this act of racism. The situation left me wondering how a fair verdict in this trial could have been reached. The juror's valiant act of taking this matter to the court by telling presiding US District Judge Stephen Larson what had transpired behind closed doors is what makes me proud of our legal justice system and of being an American.

Every person involved in a lawsuit is entitled to a fair and untainted verdict regardless of their status in life or ethnicity.

I was moved last week when I saw highlights on television from Senator Barack Obama’s speech in Berlin in front of 200,000 Germans, where he called for the walls of racism around the world to come down. It made me proud to be an American. There is no place for hatred based upon race, ethnicity or nationality in this great country of ours.