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

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

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)

For Immediate Release
MGA Responds to Jury Verdict in First Phase of Trial Involving BratzTM
Riverside, CA – July 17, 2008 – For the past six weeks, MGA has battled a toy
goliath in Mattel in a trial regarding when the BratzTM idea and drawings were
created by Carter Bryant, a former Mattel employee. As Tom Nolan, MGA’s
lawyer told the jury during his closing argument, “Mattel wants to take ideas and
drawings that they did not conceive of, that they did not draw and that they did
not make.”

Today the jury returned a verdict in what is only Phase 1(A) of the trial. There
are significant issues that remain to be tried in Phase 1(B) of the trial, including
whether Mattel owns any copyrights in Bryant’s drawings. If so, the jury will
decide whether MGA’s BratzTM dolls are infringed by any Mattel copyrights, and
what the damages are (if any).

“Most importantly, the verdict issued today does NOT entitle Mattel to any rights
whatsoever of Bratz,” said Nolan, lead trial lawyer for MGA. “The verdict merely
determined that certain drawings by Carter Bryant were created while he worked
at Mattel.”

As the scope of Phase 1(A) was narrowly limited, MGA will now be given an
opportunity in Phase 1(B) to present to the same jury all of its defenses to
Mattel’s allegations. The issue in Phase 1(B) is to determine whether MGA’s
BratzTM dolls infringe any copyrights Mattel may own of Carter Bryant’s drawings.

“We at MGA remain confident that we will ultimately be successful at the
conclusion of the 1(B) trial and/or before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal. This
is because it is undisputed that MGA – not Carter Bryant – independently created
the Bratz dolls,” said Isaac Larian, CEO of MGA Entertainment. “Carter Bryant
did not have anything to do with the many Bratz-related products we created,
such as Bratz Babyz, Lil’ Bratz and Bratz Kidz to name a few,” Larian added.

MGA points out that Mattel is only suing MGA regarding the “first generation” of
BratzTM dolls that were issued in 2001. “Under no circumstance will Mattel be
able to assert ownership of the Bratz franchise – which will always belong to
MGA,” Larian said. “Our customers, retailers, vendors, and suppliers can take
comfort in knowing that there will be no disruption in MGA’s manufacturing and
sales of Bratz dolls or any other products,” Larian said.

MGA contends that Mattel is trying to hijack what the family-owned company
created from scratch over the past seven years of hard work. They believe that
Mattel waited from 2001, when the BratzTM line of dolls was introduced into the
marketplace, until July 2007 to come after them in court – years after it admitted
in internal marketing documents that it was “out thought and out executed” by
MGA. MGA further contends that Mattel has used litigation as a “business
strategy” against MGA. MGA believes Mattel, having failed to compete in the
marketplace, has resorted to litigation as a business strategy – with the intention
to “litigate MGA to death” as one former Mattel executive testified.

Nolan further stated: “Please wait for ‘part 1b of this Phase of the trial to be
completed in a few weeks-- we are confident that the jury or court will vindicate
MGA and Isaac Larian of all of Mattel’s claims, when they hear the ‘rest of the
story’,” .

MGA has received a great amount of support throughout the duration of this trial.
“I am thankful to all of MGA’s employees, vendors, and customers for their
incredible daily support while we fight Mattel for what’s rightfully ours,” said
Larian.

Statement from Isaac Larian, CEO, MGA Entertainment

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The following is a statement from Isaac Larian, CEO of MGA Entertainment:

"MGA Entertainment is the owner and creator of the Bratz(TM) dolls, a world-wide phenomenon. We have been an innovative company since our inception. Throughout the company's history our team of designers and experts have been among the most innovative and advanced toymakers in the industry creating such icons as Me and My Shadow(TM), My Dream Baby(TM), Commando-Bot(TM), Color FX Handheld Games, VR3D Games, One Man Jam(TM), DJ Mixer (and much, much more) prior to Bratz(TM). We have been known as an innovative industry leader in Baby Dolls/Innovative Special Feature Dolls for years. In 1997, MGA won the Family Fun Toy of the Year Award for its 'Singing Bouncy Baby Doll.'

"We are now locked in a battle with Mattel, the Goliath of the toy industry, over the future of the Bratz(TM) brand that MGA developed. In a front-page story in The Wall Street Journal that ran on May 23, 2008, the lead paragraph stated 'Four years ago, Mattel Inc., exhorted its executives to help save Barbie(R) from a new doll clique called Bratz.'

"The story goes on: 'The House is on Fire!' said an internal presentation on the decline of its iconic Barbie(R) doll franchise. Market share was dropping at a 'chilling rate,' the presentation said. The story adds 'Barbie needed to be more aggressive, revolutionary, and ruthless.'

"This my friends, is what we at MGA are up against. We are David fighting a mighty Goliath. But we are fighters. I came to this wonderful country as an immigrant with no more than $750 in my pocket, with nothing more than a dream. I will not let Mattel destroy that dream, which has brought joy to the millions of girls and small children who love our Bratz(TM) dolls. We remain confident that once the jury hears our side and examines the evidence, the jury will find in MGA's favor."

Bad quality clip sorry! but basically the root of this case. Mattel just can't stand someone doing better than they are and taking money away that they believe should have been in their pockets. Be careful walking past Mattel property or speaking to employees you might get sued for thinking..

Here is where we stand now.

Wall Street Journal has a lot of the ugly details and it brings you up to date also provides interesting pix and graphics. I also hate the title of it and Carter Bryant could have bought the cure to cancer and they would only mention "thongs" etc to be sensational so I am not too happy about the slant of some of the comments but at least it shows a glimpse into the twisted minds of Mattel's lawyers:

BARBIE'S REVENGE
Brawl Over Doll Is Heading to Trial

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB120345433842377837-W_BllfKNQmaVzfF_UWlXmZ9rmPM_20080621.html?mod=tff_main_tff_top

Cut and paste if the link does not work.
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB120345433842377837-W_BllfKNQmaVzfF_UWlXmZ9rmPM_20080621.html?mod=tff_main_tff_top

Yes Bratz World is the online Bratz fan club they mention. What that involves is an artist, at the time MGA's only cartoon artist, wrote us a nice letter about a day in his life.. he talked of his art and his work there and brought up Carter in passing. The artist did nothing wrong to speak of his day and his work as far as I see it, but of course Mattel warps everything so you can't SAY anything without them looking for a way to jump you.. (oh btw did you know they think they own the word "Say" not a joke.. read this thread on Bratz World and what they are doing to a special education company that used the word "Say" in their special education speech books!). He was being honest unlike many people nowadays, and did not want to take full credit for the Bratz since we were telling him his art was great, he gave credit where credit is due. Simple as that. He was a nice guy unlike Mattel's goons who pretty much don't care what they claim they just want that Bratz money.

What it will come down to is WHEN were the drawings done. Then go from there because you know they will try every nasty trick they can. I am so ashamed for Mattel, they spy and videotape people's children? The way they conduct themselves is truly low and I feel sorry for anyone that has to say they work for Mattel. I know they have families to support and the artists mean well by being creative but we have heard from other former Mattel people, they just keep watering down the designs, try to control everything and now you see the way they let their legal teams act. It's sad.

edit:
wsj condenses the article:
http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2008/05/23/barbie-battles-bratz-as-toy-makers-head-to-trial/#comment-211018

If Bratz Worlders would like to do some art/wallpapers with them I have the hi-
res un-marked versions
:)
sfb
( Read more, beeg pix behind the cut! )
Some fun I had with the pix, a crisp fall day with good friends and furry poochies!




the new cover of Bratz World TV

Bratz Secret Screening with the Bratz Girls introducing the film! Check out these messages for the contact info!
:)
Bratz TV
http://bratzworld.proboards21.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=Bratzpack&thread=1187045551

Bratz World
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BratzWorld/message/79135

Just for you cool Bratz Worlders!

"Hi Bratz World!

Click here for the cute interview by the Bratz cast for Bratz World!

editty- ADD!!


This is so cute- the lil' video of the cast saying "Hi Bratz World"
was #31 on You Tube's most linked to/watched video today!
Cool and Thanks to everybody for watching!

You Tube, Bratz Cast says HI!

Seriously surreal month- sometimes me and the pets are bored! LOL Not this time :) This month I had Fashion Week prep and Toy Fair and my job test- any ONE of which would have been a lot to have in a few weeks but they all happened AT THE SAME TIME !! :)

Bratz Toy Fair 2007 Report!

Sorry its like a zombie wrote it but I really wanted to get this to you guys. Was also nice seeing all the MGAr's again, will see my friends later this week too so any clarifications ask before wednesday and I will ask- and the design people always say how they love Bratz World ideas and things so keep sending them in and posting them here. They gave me the Sweetheart dolls Yasmin Lilee and Phoebe so if anyone wants pix later ask me which ones you want. I also got a Pixiez CD and a few things might be added to the Hair Style Prizes,,,, Also a cute alarm Bratz clock.. oh boy I have to get back to prep for my job test review. I have a "report" from Fashion Week too but haven't had time to put it together yet- you guys are top priority and sorry it took so long! :)
:)
Have a great night!
:)
sfb

It would be so VERY cool if you told the world on i-tunes and amazon.com!!! Don't let the haters bash the CD!!!
Take a sec and just express yourself.. I never get why the haters spend so much time writing about things they HATE LOL ? So share some good words..
:)
Hope you are having a great Friday!!! See you soon!!
:)
sfb