मनोरंजन

By Rollo Ross and Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -In the film “Jay Kelly,” opening in limited release Friday, George Clooney plays the charismatic title character whose entourage — manager, publicist, glam team, security, and assistants — depend on his success for their livelihood. "It becomes an industry, basically," Clooney told Reuters, noting that his character in the film shows how easy it is to be consumed by Hollywood culture. Clooney added that he has managed to avoid the pitfalls of working too much that his character Jay falls into. "It's easy to get sucked in,” the “Gravity” actor said. "You have to be an active participant in who you are and what you do, right? So, you have to say, ‘Well, no, I don't need that and I don't want that.’ You have to actively say no or things kind of get brought in," he explained. "I've always had a sort of healthy understanding of how I want to be perceived and how I'd like to live my life.” The film, directed by Noah Baumbach and distributed by Netflix, follows actor Jay Kelly as he confronts his past and present with his loyal manager Ron, played by Adam Sandler. Other cast members include Laura Dern and Billy Crudup. The film shows numerous flashbacks in Jay's life, including those illustrating his regrets and fears. "It was more just about playing a character and trying to find a way to make it that you could still root for him when he does some pretty crappy things along the way,” Clooney, 64, said. While Jay must come to terms with his focus on accolades over his friends, Clooney said he isn’t driven by fame and fortune. "I always just feel like your job is to serve the material. That's what your job is, and if it's good material, you'll be good at it. If it's not good material, you'll be bad at it. So, my job has always been to do that. So, I don't worry about the rest of it too much," he said. (Reporting by Rollo Ross and Danielle Broadway; editing by Patricia Reaney)

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By Jaspreet Singh (Reuters) -A staggering 97% of listeners cannot distinguish between artificial intelligence-generated and human-composed songs, a Deezer–Ipsos survey showed on Wednesday, underscoring growing concerns that AI could upend how music is created, consumed and monetized. The findings of the survey, for which Ipsos polled 9,000 participants across eight countries, including the U.S., Britain and France, highlight rising ethical concerns in the music industry as AI tools capable of generating songs raise copyright concerns and threaten the livelihoods of artists. It also showed that most listeners want clear labelling on AI-generated music, music streaming platform Deezer said. The study found that 73% of respondents supported disclosure when AI-generated tracks are recommended, 45% sought filtering options, and 40% said they would skip AI-generated songs entirely. Around 71% expressed surprise at their inability to distinguish between human-made and synthetic tracks. Deezer, which has 9.7 million subscribers, has seen daily AI music submissions rise to more than 50,000 — about a third of total uploads, up sharply from 18% in April. It has introduced tagging and excluded AI-produced tracks from editorial playlists and algorithmic recommendations to promote transparency. "We believe strongly that creativity is generated by human beings, and they should be protected," Deezer CEO Alexis Lanternier told Reuters, urging transparency. Lanternier noted the complexity of implementing differential payout structures for AI music, stating a "massive change" in remuneration policies remains challenging. Deezer has also started excluding fake streams from royalty payments. The issue gained attention earlier this year when AI band "The Velvet Sundown" attracted one million Spotify listeners monthly before its synthetic origins were exposed. Universal Music Group recently settled a copyright case with AI music company Udio. While financial terms were undisclosed, the parties plan to launch an AI-powered music creation platform in 2026, using licensed music to train the tool. On Tuesday, a Munich court ruled that OpenAI's ChatGPT violated German copyright laws by reproducing song lyrics, a decision the company said it might appeal. Consumer attitudes toward AI in media remain mixed. A May survey by Luminate found the majority of U.S. audiences were indifferent or accepting of AI use in cinema tasks like visual effects, but sceptical of AI-written scripts or synthetic actors. (Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru and Leo Marchandon in Gdansk; Editing by Nivedita Bhattacharjee, Saumyadeb Chakrabarty and Milla Nissi-Prussak)

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By Hanna Rantala LONDON (Reuters) -French filmmaker Julia Ducournau channelled her own emotions and collective trauma for her new drama "Alpha". Best known for her Palme d'Or-winning body horror movie "Titane", Ducournau wove her latest feature around an unruly teenager and a world plagued by a virus which turns patients' bodies into marble. Drunk at a house party, 13-year-old Alpha (Melissa Boros) gets a tattoo from a potentially dirty needle, triggering panic from her mother (Golshifteh Farahani) that she may have caught the unnamed virus and leading to her being shunned at school. Ducournau, who wrote and directed the movie, said the story stemmed from what she felt was a "dark cycle" in present world events and memories of the AIDS pandemic in the 1980s and 1990s. The film is not about AIDS, however, she said. "I felt that these emotions that I'm feeling every day, this knot in my stomach, these tears that are stuck in my throat, that's something I needed to address," she said. "The only way to address that was to transfer it to another period of time in which I had this sense, where I really felt that I was born into a world that was doomed to die." "The biggest thing that I wanted to talk about is the spread of fear and how fear generates rejection, generates hate," she said. "If it's shocking for a young girl who's fictional, how come it's not shocking when it happens in real life?" "Alpha" also stars "The Prophet" star Tahar Rahim as Alpha's uncle Amin, a drug addict who reappears in her life and whose downward spiral the teen witnesses. Rahim went through a physical and mental transformation, losing over 20 kilograms (44 pounds) for the role and working with a charity helping drug abusers. He said joining volunteers on rounds to distribute sterile supplies and spending time with users allowed him to better understand addiction. Combined with the weight loss, it informed his character. "I felt like someone in his own lab, playing with chemistry to see if it blows up or not to create something," Rahim, 44, said. "It's one of the best experiences I've ever had, in my acting life, but also in my private life because I felt so wide open. I could feel everything that was surrounding me, the energy." "Alpha" opens in UK cinemas on Friday. (Reporting by Hanna Rantala, Editing by Alexandra Hudson)

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SEOUL (Reuters) -All five members of K-pop girl group NewJeans plan to resume working with their record label ADOR, South Korea's Yonhap News outlet reported on Wednesday, citing group members Hanni, Minji and Danielle. The group has been on hiatus for months amid a legal battle with ADOR, which has made headlines in South Korea, where record labels traditionally wield power over their stars.  ADOR, a subsidiary of powerhouse label HYBE, released a statement earlier in the day saying that Haerin and Hyein, the other two members of the group, will return to the K-pop music scene, but it was not immediately able to confirm whether the other three are also joining. "We are checking whether the three members intend to return," ADOR said in an e-mailed statement.  A South Korean court in March issued an injunction to stop the group from pursuing independent projects, after they began their legal battle with the label over alleged mistreatment. The court upheld ADOR's request to maintain its role managing the group and prohibit the five members from engaging in commercial activities without the label's consent. (Reporting by Cynthia Kim, Minwoo Park, Ju-min Park; Editing by Toby Chopra)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Jaspreet Singh (Reuters) -A staggering 97% of listeners cannot distinguish between artificial intelligence-generated and human-composed songs, a Deezer–Ipsos survey showed on Wednesday, underscoring growing concerns that AI could upend how music is created, consumed and monetized. The findings of the survey, for which Ipsos polled 9,000 participants across eight countries, including the U.S., Britain and France, highlight rising ethical concerns in the music industry as AI tools capable of generating songs raise copyright concerns and threaten the livelihoods of artists. It also showed that most listeners want clear labelling on AI-generated music, music streaming platform Deezer said. The study found that 73% of respondents supported disclosure when AI-generated tracks are recommended, 45% sought filtering options, and 40% said they would skip AI-generated songs entirely. Around 71% expressed surprise at their inability to distinguish between human-made and synthetic tracks. Deezer, which has 9.7 million subscribers, has seen daily AI music submissions rise to more than 50,000 — about a third of total uploads, up sharply from 18% in April. It has introduced tagging and excluded AI-produced tracks from editorial playlists and algorithmic recommendations to promote transparency. "We believe strongly that creativity is generated by human beings, and they should be protected," Deezer CEO Alexis Lanternier told Reuters, urging transparency. Lanternier noted the complexity of implementing differential payout structures for AI music, stating a "massive change" in remuneration policies remains challenging. Deezer has also started excluding fake streams from royalty payments. The issue gained attention earlier this year when AI band "The Velvet Sundown" attracted one million Spotify listeners monthly before its synthetic origins were exposed. Universal Music Group recently settled a copyright case with AI music company Udio. While financial terms were undisclosed, the parties plan to launch an AI-powered music creation platform in 2026, using licensed music to train the tool. On Tuesday, a Munich court ruled that OpenAI's ChatGPT violated German copyright laws by reproducing song lyrics, a decision the company said it might appeal. Consumer attitudes toward AI in media remain mixed. A May survey by Luminate found the majority of U.S. audiences were indifferent or accepting of AI use in cinema tasks like visual effects, but sceptical of AI-written scripts or synthetic actors. (Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru and Leo Marchandon in Gdansk; Editing by Nivedita Bhattacharjee, Saumyadeb Chakrabarty and Milla Nissi-Prussak)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Jaspreet Singh (Reuters) -A staggering 97% of listeners cannot distinguish between artificial intelligence-generated and human-composed songs, a Deezer–Ipsos survey showed on Wednesday, underscoring growing concerns that AI could upend how music is created, consumed and monetized. The findings of the survey highlight the ethical and economic tension facing the global music industry as AI tools capable of generating songs in seconds raise copyright concerns and threaten the livelihoods of artists. The issue gained prominence earlier this year when AI band "The Velvet Sundown" sparked enough buzz to gain around one million monthly listeners on Spotify before people found out about its synthetic origins. The study, which polled 9,000 people across eight countries including the U.S., UK, France, Brazil and Canada, showed about 71% of the respondents were surprised by their inability to distinguish between human and machine-produced tracks. Streaming platform Deezer said more than 50,000 songs uploaded daily on its service are entirely AI-generated, accounting for about a third of all new music submissions. The company began tagging AI music earlier this year to promote transparency. "We believe strongly that creativity is generated by human beings, and they should be protected," CEO Alexis Lanternier told Reuters, urging transparency. Lanternier also said implementing a differential payout structure for AI music is a complex issue with varying viewpoints, making a "massive change" to remuneration difficult. Deezer is excluding fake streams from royalty payments. Another way is for companies to make deals with rights holders, he added, citing Universal Music Group's settlement of a copyright infringement case with AI company Udio. While financial terms were undisclosed, UMG will partner with Udio to launch a new AI music creation and streaming platform next year, with the AI tool getting trained on licensed music. (Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Nivedita Bhattacharjee and Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Jaspreet Singh (Reuters) -A staggering 97% of listeners cannot distinguish between artificial intelligence-generated and human-composed songs, a Deezer–Ipsos survey showed on Wednesday, underscoring growing concerns that AI could upend how music is created, consumed and monetized. The findings of the survey highlight the ethical and economic tension facing the global music industry as AI tools capable of generating songs in seconds raise copyright concerns and threaten the livelihoods of artists. The issue gained prominence earlier this year when AI band "The Velvet Sundown" sparked enough buzz to gain around one million monthly listeners on Spotify before people found out about its synthetic origins. The study, which polled 9,000 people across eight countries including the U.S., UK, France, Brazil and Canada, showed about 71% of the respondents were surprised by their inability to distinguish between human and machine-produced tracks. Streaming platform Deezer said more than 50,000 songs uploaded daily on its service are entirely AI-generated, accounting for about a third of all new music submissions. The company began tagging AI music earlier this year to promote transparency. "We believe strongly that creativity is generated by human beings, and they should be protected," CEO Alexis Lanternier told Reuters, urging transparency. Lanternier also said implementing a differential payout structure for AI music is a complex issue with varying viewpoints, making a "massive change" to remuneration difficult. Deezer is excluding fake streams from royalty payments. Another way is for companies to make deals with rights holders, he added, citing Universal Music Group's settlement of a copyright infringement case with AI company Udio. While financial terms were undisclosed, UMG will partner with Udio to launch a new AI music creation and streaming platform next year, with the AI tool getting trained on licensed music. (Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Nivedita Bhattacharjee and Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Jaspreet Singh (Reuters) -A staggering 97% of listeners cannot distinguish between artificial intelligence-generated and human-composed songs, a Deezer–Ipsos survey showed on Wednesday, underscoring growing concerns that AI could upend how music is created, consumed and monetized. The findings of the survey highlight the ethical and economic tension facing the global music industry as AI tools capable of generating songs in seconds raise copyright concerns and threaten the livelihoods of artists. The issue gained prominence earlier this year when AI band "The Velvet Sundown" sparked enough buzz to gain around one million monthly listeners on Spotify before people found out about its synthetic origins. The study, which polled 9,000 people across eight countries including the U.S., UK, France, Brazil and Canada, showed about 71% of the respondents were surprised by their inability to distinguish between human and machine-produced tracks. Streaming platform Deezer said more than 50,000 songs uploaded daily on its service are entirely AI-generated, accounting for about a third of all new music submissions. The company began tagging AI music earlier this year to promote transparency. "We believe strongly that creativity is generated by human beings, and they should be protected," CEO Alexis Lanternier told Reuters, urging transparency. Lanternier also said implementing a differential payout structure for AI music is a complex issue with varying viewpoints, making a "massive change" to remuneration difficult. Deezer is excluding fake streams from royalty payments. Another way is for companies to make deals with rights holders, he added, citing Universal Music Group's settlement of a copyright infringement case with AI company Udio. While financial terms were undisclosed, UMG will partner with Udio to launch a new AI music creation and streaming platform next year, with the AI tool getting trained on licensed music. (Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Nivedita Bhattacharjee and Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Fans sang along on Sunday in Los Angeles to celebrate the 20th anniversary orchestra concert of “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” which features music from the popular 2005 animated Nickelodeon series. "It's really cool to get a younger generation in to see an orchestra concert and get 'em to see something that they're excited about because they know and love Avatar,” conductor Emily Marshall told Reuters at the Dolby Theatre. The 2025 "Avatar: The Last Airbender" tour takes place in over 80 cities across the globe and is based on the story of a boy named Aang, the last Airbender and the world's protector called the Avatar, who journeys to restore balance despite a war dominated by the Fire Nation. Marshall believes it was important to have a team so dedicated to ensuring the show was authentic for fans. "It is really special that the whole original creative team of "Avatar" was involved in the creation of our show here," she said. Original composer for the show, Jeremy Zuckerman, never imagined that he would go from knowing very little about scoring music to composing for an award-winning franchise. However, the course of his life changed in 2005 when he began working on the music for the show with co-creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko.  "It's so satisfying finally seeing these pieces performed by humans, because originally all the orchestra was samples," Zuckerman said. The live performance offers fans a chance to hear Asian instruments like the Erhu, a Chinese stringed instrument, and the Taiko drums from Japan. Some of the concert music features the "Agni Kai" battle music and the campy song "Secret Tunnel."  DiMartino and Konietzko spent two years creating a live-action adaptation of the first “Avatar” series for Netflix until parting ways with the studio in 2020, explaining that “creative differences” caused them to depart the project. The live-action show debuted in 2024 under the leadership of Albert Kim for the first season. Jabbar Raisani and Christine Boylan will be directing the next two seasons after Kim stepped down in 2024. In 2021, the "Avatar" co-creators announced that they were teaming up with Nickelodeon again to form their own production company and division of Nickelodeon called Avatar Studios that will continue the world-building of the original show with new projects. "The two main things that we've got in the pipeline and hopefully coming out in the next year or two is the big feature film starring Aang and his friends. They're a little bit older now. The animation is looking incredible and I can't wait until it shows in theaters and everybody can enjoy it," DiMartino said at the Dolby. "Then we have ‘Seven Havens,’ which is about a girl named Avatar Pavi, who is the Avatar after Korra. She's an Earthbender. So, a lot of mystery around the show and it's also gorgeous kind of new style," he added. Zuckerman, who also composed the music for the sequel "The Legend of Korra", will return for the upcoming film "The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender” and the series "Avatar: Seven Havens."  (Reporting by Danielle Broadway and Sarah Wemy; Editing by Saad Sayeed)

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By Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -For Ariana Greenblatt, learning magic tricks at The Magic Castle clubhouse in Los Angeles was the best part of starring in the third installment of the American heist film, "Now You See Me: Now You Don't." "Before opening hours, we would spend a couple hours in there and just learn as much as we possibly could in the time given, and it was so much fun," the former Disney Channel star said of the month the actors spent at the home of the Academy of Magical Arts learning illusions seen in the film. "It's so weird. I feel like we have newfound skills, which is my favorite part of this job," said Greenblatt, who received several film award nominations for her role in "Barbie." The new movie, directed by Ruben Fleischer, features returning actors Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Isla Fisher and Morgan Freeman, along with newcomers Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, Rosamund Pike and Greenblatt. The film, distributed by Lionsgate and opening in U.S. theaters on Friday, continues the story of "The Four Horsemen" as they reunite to recruit three skilled illusionists for a high-stakes robbery of the world's largest "queen diamond" from a crime syndicate. "We learned so much, … a lot of card tricks," said Sessa, whose debut in "The Holdovers" earned him the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer. "Ariana did a lot of pickpocketing (in her role), and she was constantly trying to use me as her prop to practice on." For franchise veteran Franco, the magic tricks he learned over years of working on the films paid off. "We're playing the greatest magicians in the world. So, as an audience, when you're watching us, you want to believe that we're actually doing some of these tricks," he said. "Our director, Ruben, encouraged us to learn as much as we could to make it look as real as possible," he added, noting that his card-throwing skills have become especially advanced. It was important to Fleischer and the cast that the illusions looked convincing. "The director really wanted to make sure that the magic was real, that it wasn't just computer-generated effects, which meant for us as actors, practicing every day, the tiniest little hand moves," fellow franchise veteran Eisenberg said. (Reporting by Danielle Broadway and Rollo Ross; Editing by Richard Chang)

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