Movie First-Look: “THE ROOMMATE”

The fragile line between friendship and obsession divides a college dorm room in Columbia Pictures' chilling psychological thriller, “The Roommate” starring Leighton Meester (TV's “Gossip Girl”), Minka Kelly (“500 Days of Summer”) and Cam Gigandet (“Twilight,” upcoming “Priest”). 

Academy Award®-nominated director Christian E. Christiansen (“Råzone”) crafts a finely tuned tale of madness and role reversal packed with ingenious twists and heart-stopping surprises as a naïve college freshman begins to suspect that her roommate is not what she appears to be. 

In the film, Sara (Kelly), a talented young design student from Iowa, arrives in Los Angeles eager to start college and get to know the big city. Pretty, vivacious and naturally curious, Sara charms her new dorm mates, especially her assigned roommate Rebecca (Meester). A wealthy girl from Pasadena, Rebecca immediately takes Sara under her wing, showing her the cultural highlights of the city and sharing an overstuffed closet of designer clothes with her. 

But when Sara makes more friends on campus, including fun-loving party girl Tracy (Aly Michalka), Rebecca isolates herself and grows oddly resentful of her roommate’s social life. As Sara’s romance with new boyfriend Stephen (Gigandet) unfolds and her mentor, successful designer Irene (Danneel Harris), comes to town, she has less and less time to spend with Rebecca, who becomes even more determined to have Sara all to herself. 

Rebecca’s erratic behavior becomes even more alarming as Sara begins to suspect that Rebecca is sabotaging her other relationships. When Sara reluctantly agrees to have Thanksgiving dinner at Rebecca’s parents’ palatial home, she discovers a secret that convinces her to abandon her dorm room and move in with Stephen. 

But as Sara tries to distance herself from her increasingly obsessed former roommate, Rebecca spins violently out of control, making an explosive final confrontation between the two inevitable. 

Opening soon across the Philippines, “The Roommate” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Visit http://www.columbiapictures.com.ph for trailers, exclusive content and free downloads. Like us at www.Facebook.com/ColumbiaPicturesPH and join our fan contests.

Earth Is Under Attack In “WORLD INVASION: BATTLE LOS ANGELES”

In Columbia Pictures’ new sci-fi action-thriller “World Invasion: Battle Los Angeles,” earth is under attack from unknown forces. As people everywhere watch the world’s great cities fall, Los Angeles represents the last stand for mankind in a battle no one expected. 

For years, there have been documented cases of UFO sightings – Buenos Aires in 1965, Seoul in 1983, France, Germany, China – but all of these had official stories that covered up and dismissed these inexplicable events. For example, on the night of February 24-25, 1942, with America on nationwide alert following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Angelenos were wakened to air raid sirens. The 37th Coast Artillery Brigade fired anti-aircraft shells at the flying craft over Santa Monica – some flying very slowly, and others estimated to be traveling as fast as 200 miles per hour. The shells did no damage to the crafts – only to the city itself. Though there would be several official investigations and conclusions explaining what exactly was in the sky over L.A. that night – weather balloons, etc. – it has even been suggested that secret government documents exist that show a divided opinion among military experts. 

“I love how the real-life event just grounds the movie,” says producer Ori Marmur. “For the film, we decided that all previous UFO sightings, including that one, were scouting missions… gearing up for the coming invasion by unknown forces.” 

“`World Invasion: Battle Los Angeles’ is the exact type of movie I love to go to the theater to see, and dreamed of directing,” says Jonathan Liebesman, who helms the story of one small group of people who find themselves taking on an unimaginable foe. 

Screenwriter Chris Bertolini says that when he first struck upon the idea that would become the film, he sought to merge two of his favorite kinds of stories. “I wanted to take a story in which otherworldly beings are here on Earth and a story about individuals, where you’re seeing the battle from the POV of the guys on the ground,” he says. “I got into the idea that the story would follow a small group of guys and the audience would experience everything as they experience it.” 

Bertolini’s spec screenplay was first spotted by producer Neal H. Moritz, who has vast experience with action films and saw the potential in the story. “What really stood out for me about this screenplay was that it was the point of view of one small group of people in an alien invasion. I love the specificity of that,” says Moritz. “It’s an inside look at a group of young men and women, all going through different struggles in their lives, who are out there trying to protect their country against an invading alien force.” 

Aaron Eckhart leads the cast as Staff Sergeant Nantz, a career Marine who is “pretty burnt out,” he says. On the brink of retirement, he is pressed back into service. “He’s leading a bunch of young Marines into a battle with aliens in L.A. He’s doing it reluctantly, but that’s just the type of hero that I love to watch.” 

Michelle Rodriguez plays Elena Santos, who becomes a key ally for Nantz and his platoon. “She sees everything go off on the radars,” she says. Once the platoon finds itself battling unknown forces, “she is one of the first on the scene to track them down and find out what they are and how they tick.” The cast is rounded out by Ramon Rodriguez, Bridget Moynahan, Grammy-winning R&B artist Ne-Yo, and Michael Peña. 

Opening soon across the Philippines, “World Invasion: Battle Los Angeles” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Visit http://www.columbiapictures.com.ph for trailers, exclusive content and free downloads. Like us at www.Facebook.com/ColumbiaPicturesPH and join our fan contests.

AMANDA SEYFRIED – A Tough, Sexy Fairytale Heroine In “RED RIDING HOOD”

One of today's most sought-after young actresses, Amanda Seyfried plays the central character of Valerie in Warner Bros.' new fantasy thriller “Red Riding Hood” whose signature red cloak gives the story its name. 

In the film, Valerie is caught between two handsome suitors: Peter (Shiloh Fernandez), her heart’s desire since childhood, and Henry (Max Irons), the man her parents have chosen for her to marry. Questions about the identity of the murderlous werewolf on the loose make her choice a matter of not only the heart but of life or death. Further complicating things, she has an encounter with the wolf and is shocked to learn they have a unique and very personal connection. 

“The love triangle makes it more interesting because Valerie doesn’t know who to trust,” Seyfried says. “She loves Peter, but she is suddenly noticing little nuances about him that make her start to wonder. Could the love of her life be the werewolf? And she is also developing a closer relationship with Henry and sees what a good man he is, but questions arise about him as well. She has to figure out if what she wants is what she needs.” 

Director Catherine Hardwicke (“Twilight”) says that Seyfried immediately came to mind in casting the part of Valerie. “From the first time I saw Amanda, I knew she was something special,” Hardwicke affirms. “She had everything we needed for the character, especially because Valerie is not a classic damsel in distress. Amanda is tough, she’s sexy, she’s funny, she’s vulnerable—she has it all. And the way she looks is straight out of a fairy tale. She has an ethereal quality, with the most amazing eyes that just draw you in.” 

In turn, Seyfried says that this new take on an old fairy tale is what drew her in. “I don’t know anyone who didn’t read Red Riding Hood growing up, so it was cool to take a story we all know and have some fun with it. The thriller aspect was exciting to me, and the medieval setting made it feel gothic and added to the romance.” 

Valerie is, at once, at the apex of the film’s romantic triangle and also directly connected to the mystery of the werewolf. When it becomes apparent that the beast is someone close to her, Valerie is given reason to question everyone in her life. “As the story unfolds, she is trying to figure out who it could be, based on the signs she’s been given,” Seyfried explains. “It’s terrifying for her because, at different points, she has cause to suspect everybody.” 

Hardwicke adds, “Paranoia starts to creep in as Valerie starts seeing little details she hadn’t noticed before, and now they are taking on new meaning. Her entire life she has seen her family and friends in one light, and suddenly things have shifted, causing shadows of doubt.” 

Seyfried is well known for her multi-faceted performance, showcasing both her acting and singing skills, in the international blockbuster “Mamma Mia!.” Seyfried starred with Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan in the musical, which was released in Summer 2008 and went on to gross more than $600 million globally. 

In 2010, Seyfried starred in three very different films, most recently including Gary Winick’s romantic comedy “Letters to Juliet,” with Vanessa Redgrave and Gael Garcia Bernal. She also starred opposite Channing Tatum in the romantic drama “Dear John,” based on the Nicholas Sparks bestseller and directed by Lasse Hallström; and “Chloe,” an Atom Egoyan-directed thriller in which she co-starred with Julianne Moore and Liam Neeson. 

Opening across the Philippines on March 11, “Red Riding Hood” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

CARLA GUGINO, On A Roll With “FASTER” & “SUCKER PUNCH”

Outstanding in 2009's “Watchmen” as Silk Spectre II, Carla Gugino now stars in two consecutive action thrillers: Columbia Pictures' “Faster” with Dwayne Johnson, and Warner Bros.' “Sucker Punch” with Emily Browning and Vanessa Hudgens. 

In “Faster,” Gugino plays Cicero, a tough-as-nails, by-the-book homicide detective. She's baffled when she learns that Cop (Billy Bob Thornton) has been assigned to be her partner on Driver’s (Johnson) case. Cicero is a rising star on the force and has no tolerance for Cop’s antics. 

Gugino loved the script’s unexpected twists and turns, and also saw an opportunity to play against a cliché in a particular aspect of Cicero’s dynamic with Cop. “Generally it’s a woman who tries to soften a hardened male cop but in this script Cicero is definitely the one who needs softening - the gender roles are reversed. I really like that flip dynamic.” 

Co-star Johnson was ecstatic to learn Gugino signed on to play the role (they previously starred together in “Race To Witch Mountain”). “Like the character of Cicero, Carla is a strong, independent woman. She can easily go toe-to-toe with Billy and still be very sexy.” 

“Faster” revolves around Driver, who after 10 years in prison, has a singular focus: to avenge the murder of his brother during the botched bank robbery that led to his imprisonment. Now a free man with a deadly to-do list in hand, he’s finally on his mission…but with two men on his trail – a veteran cop (Thornton) just days from retirement, and a young egocentric hitman (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) with a flair for the art of killing and a newfound worthy opponent. The hunter is also the hunted. It’s a do or die race to the list’s finish as the mystery surrounding his brother’s murder deepens, and new details emerge along the way hinting that Driver’s list may be incomplete. 

Gugino will next be seen in the epic action fantasy “Sucker Punch” where she will reunite with “Watchmen” director Zack Snyder. This film centers around a girl who’s institutionalized by her wicked stepfather and retreats into an alternative reality as a coping strategy. 

She has been locked away against her will, but Babydoll (Browning) has not lost her will to survive. Determined to fight for her freedom, she urges four other young girls—the outspoken Rocket (Jena Malone), the street-smart Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens), the fiercely loyal Amber (Jamie Chung) and the reluctant Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish)—to band together and try to escape their terrible fate. 

Gugino will play a nurse in the insane asylum who becomes Madam Gorsky, a madam at a brothel in the film’s alternate reality. The film is set to release worldwide March 25. 

Opening across the Philippines on March 2, “Faster” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Visit http://www.columbiapictures.com.ph for trailers, exclusive content and free downloads. Like us at www.Facebook.com/ColumbiaPicturesPH and join our fan contests.

CLINT EASTWOOD & LEONARDO DI CAPRIO Begin Filming "J. EDGAR"

BURBANK, CA, February 23, 2011 – Principal photography has begun on “J. Edgar,” starring Academy Award® nominee Leonardo DiCaprio (“Inception,” “The Departed,” “Blood Diamond”) under the direction of Oscar®winner Clint Eastwood (“Gran Torino,” “Million Dollar Baby,” “Unforgiven”).

A drama that explores the public and private life of one of the most powerful, controversial and enigmatic figures of the 20th century, “J. Edgar” was written by Oscar®-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (“Milk”).

As the face of law enforcement in America for almost fifty years, J. Edgar Hoover was feared and admired, reviled and revered. But behind closed doors, he held secrets that would have destroyed his image, his career and his life.

“J. Edgar” also stars Academy Award® nominee Naomi Watts (“21 Grams) as Helen Gandy, Hoover’s longtime secretary; Oscar® winner Judi Dench (“Shakespeare in Love”) as Hoover’s over-protective mother, Anne Marie Hoover; Armie Hammer (“The Social Network”) as Hoover’s protégé Clyde Tolson, who was rumored to have more than a professional relationship with the FBI director; and Josh Lucas (“Life as We Know It”) as the legendary aviator Charles Lindbergh, whose son’s kidnapping changes the public profile of the F.B.I. The main cast also includes Damon Herriman (TV’s “Justified”) and Ken Howard (“Grey Gardens”).

“J. Edgar” is being produced by Eastwood, Oscar® winner Brian Grazer (“A Beautiful Mind,” “Frost/Nixon”) and Oscar® nominee Robert Lorenz (“Letters from Iwo Jima,” “Mystic River”), with Tim Moore and Erica Huggins serving as executive producers.

Behind the scenes, Eastwood reunites with his longtime collaborators, including director of photography Tom Stern, production designer James J. Murakami, editors Joel Cox and Gary D. Roach, and costume designer Deborah Hopper.

Shooting on “J. Edgar” is taking place in and around Los Angeles and on location in Washington DC.

A Warner Bros. Pictures presentation, the film is being produced under the banners of Malpaso and Imagine Entertainment. It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

DWAYNE JOHNSON Returns To Action Genre In “FASTER”

After spending a few years exploring other genres, Dwayne Johnson gets back to action with Columbia Pictures' new hard-hitting thriller “Faster.” “The story and the characters really spoke to me,” recalls Johnson. “It is a very simple and distinct storyline, yet all the characters are layered with complexity and complication.” 

Johnson plays Driver, who after 10 years in prison, has a singular focus: to avenge the murder of his brother during the botched bank robbery that led to his imprisonment. Now a free man with a deadly to-do list in hand, he’s finally on his mission…but with two men on his trail – a veteran cop (Billy Bob Thornton) just days from retirement, and a young egocentric hitman (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) with a flair for the art of killing and a newfound worthy opponent. The hunter is also the hunted. It’s a do or die race to the list’s finish as the mystery surrounding his brother’s murder deepens, and new details emerge along the way hinting that Driver’s list may be incomplete. 

Johnson took special note that Driver’s motivation is very raw and doesn’t require suspension of disbelief. “If something important to you is ripped away leaving you with nothing, the only thing you have left is the ability to make those individuals pay. There are many different ways a person can respond when they lose everything but his response is still reality-based at its core. For Driver, the response is ‘You took everything I had, now you pay.’ When he gets out of prison, it’s safe to say you should put the kids to bed.” 

When designing the action sequences and larger set pieces, the filmmakers wanted to move away from the current trends of overly choreographed fight sequences and heavily enhanced use of weapons and physicality. No wires or intricate combat, just raw fury and purposeful violence. “Driver is not a skilled martial artist in any way,” explains Johnson. “He just has an animal instinct that can’t be denied.” 

“We wanted to make sure the fighting style was in line with a guy who for the better part of his 20s and 30s lived in prison and fought daily. Those, by the way, are the guys you definitely don’t ever want to cross,” warns Johnson. 

Stunt Coordinator Darrin Prescott, whose extensive resume includes the Bourne series and The Matrix trilogy, kept the physicality consistent with the material. “This isn’t the movie where they toss each other over sinks and smash through walls. The action had to fit the story, not just be action for action’s sake.” 

Johnson also worked extensively on body language when handling guns so he could make choices specific to his character. Although he had certainly shot guns in other films, Johnson and technical supervisor (and former LAPD detective) Chic Daniel worked on specific techniques for Driver. As was the case with combat techniques, shooting choreography would also be carefully sculpted to reflect Driver’s animalistic nature. “Dwayne’s approach wasn’t about showing an individual well-trained in firearms but was more in line with someone all about revenge,” says Daniel. “The look was instinctive shooting rather than trained shooting.” 

The choice of gun for Driver was just as thought-out. The gun had to look menacing and rural, and ideally be loud with a lot of kick back. 

“He’s unsophisticated in his gun play so we settled on a Redhawk Alaskan Ruger, nicknamed ‘the Bear Killer,’” says Johnson. “It’s one of the biggest revolvers ever made and it could stop a bear point blank in its tracks.” 

Opening across the Philippines on March 2, “Faster” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Visit http://www.columbiapictures.com.ph for trailers, exclusive content and free downloads. Like us at www.Facebook.com/ColumbiaPicturesPH and join our fan contests.

PAUL RUDD Finds Love On The Worst Day Of His Life In “HOW DO YOU KNOW”

Comedy leading man Paul Rudd (“I Love You, Man”) vies for the love of Reese Witherspoon in Columbia Pictures' new romantic comedy “How Do You Know” from Oscar-winning director James L. Brooks (“As Good As It Gets”). 

In the film, the last thing Lisa (Witherspoon) wants or needs was a complicated relationship – and things get even more complicated when she’s set up on a blind date with George Madison (Rudd), a man going through several transitions of his own. “He gets this letter – ‘The United States Government vs. George Madison’ – and all of a sudden he’s in trouble for something he doesn’t think he’s done,” says Rudd. “Things escalate from there and when he meets Lisa, he’s right at the bottom. And there’s something about her – the way she talks to him, and the way she handles that situation – that makes him fall for her on the spot. When I read that, I thought that was a great impetus for a story – what would happen if two people met on the worst day of their lives?” 

A potential new love affair should be the last thing on George's mind, but it just might be the only thing that can keep him going. He has every reason to doubt that he could actually fall in love in this state, but he is convinced that it is so. “Everything starts to escalate,” adds Rudd. “He’s indicted for stock fraud, his girlfriend leaves him, and his former assistant gives him dire warnings of a peril of which he is unaware. Then, when he’s really hit rock bottom, he meets Lisa – and suddenly things start to look better.” 

“George is so absorbed in his own problems that on that first date, he can’t talk about anything else,” Rudd explains. “The way she handles it is just perfect: she suggests they just don’t talk during the entire dinner. And for a moment, he changes focus from himself, and I think he falls in love with her in that instant.” 

“But the only thing that George and Lisa have in common is something they don’t even know – they are meeting each other on the worst day of their lives,” says Brooks. “They are each trying to dig themselves out of their troubles in their own way.” 

Brooks says that Rudd pulls off a pretty incredible acting trick: his character forgets his troubles by falling in love, but, thanks to Rudd’s performance, it’s not facile or glib. “In the way that I don’t think I could have made `As Good As It Gets' with anybody but Jack Nicholson, I don’t think I could have made this picture with anybody but Paul,” says Brooks. “I think his reaction is real – you believe, every step of the way, that somebody in the ashes can rise out of it. I think you understand that somebody really could act that way. That’s what Paul brought. And somehow he doesn’t sacrifice one comedic beat in getting there. He’s really funny and really real.” 

Opening across the Philippines on March 9, “How Do You Know” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Visit http://www.columbiapictures.com.ph for trailers, exclusive content and free downloads. Like us at www.Facebook.com/ColumbiaPicturesPH and join our fan contests.

Movie Sneak Peek: X-MEN: "First Class"

Release Date: June 3, 2011
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Screenwriter: Josh Schwartz, Jamie Moss, Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz, Jane Goldman
Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Rose Byrne, January Jones, Kevin Bacon, Nicholas Hoult, Jennifer Lawrence, Caleb Landry Jones, Lucas Till, Edi Gathegi, Jason Flemyng, Oliver Platt, Morgan Lily, Zoe Kravitz, Bill Bilner
Genre: Action, Adventure
MPAA Rating: Not Available
Official Website: X-MenFirstClass.com

20th Century Fox have given fans a first look at the X-Men: First Class trailer on the film's official Facebook page. You can watch the trailer there or using the player below!

Hitting theaters on June 3, the Matthew Vaughn-directed film stars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Rose Byrne, January Jones, Kevin Bacon Nicholas Hoult, Jennifer Lawrence, Caleb Landry Jones, Lucas Till, Edi Gathegi, Jason Flemyng, Oliver Platt, Morgan Lily, Zoe Kravitz and Bill Bilner.

X-Men: First Class charts the epic beginning of the X-Men saga, and reveals a secret history of famous global events. Before mutants had revealed themselves to the world, and before Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Not archenemies, they were instead at first the closest of friends, working together with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to prevent nuclear Armageddon. In the process, a grave rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto’s Brotherhood and Professor X's X-Men.

Read more: The X-Men: First Class Trailer! - ComingSoon.net http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=74036#ixzz1EvCqRseM

Source: Comingsoon.net

THE SCRIPT - Live in Manila 2011!!!

Philippine concert fans can look forward to a really great summer treat just before the Holy Week break as finally they can experience The Script in a live concert on April 16 at the Araneta Coliseum.

This Irish rock trio is composed of Danny O’Donoghue (vocals & keyboard), Mark Sheehan (guitar) and Glen Power (drums). The Script’s self-titled first album released in 2008 was a huge success, holding top spots in Irish, UK and Australian album charts. Hits from their first album include “We Cry”, “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved”, “Breakeven”, “Talk You Down” and “Before the Worst”. American Ideol winner Kris Allen was so enamored by one of these hits (Live Like We Are Dying) that he recorded it for his own album.

The Script has played with U2 and Take That in Dublin and Paul McCartney in the USA. They headlined a sold-out tour in the USA from October until November 2010.

Following the success of their multi-platinum debut record, their second album, “Science & Faith,” was released in September 2010. In the US, it debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200. The first single from the album “For the First Time” is their most successful single to date, which debuted at #1 in Ireland and #4 in UK album charts.

The album’s second single, “Nothing,” has been steadily climbing up the local music charts and has been ranked first by two leading radio stations in Manila.

The album’s second single, “Nothing,” has been steadily climbing up the local music charts and has been ranked first by two leading radio stations in Manila.

Tickets are now available at all Ticketnet outlets. Ticket Prices: Php 4,770 for Patron, Php 4,240 for Lower Box Sides, Php 2,650 for Upper Box A, Php 1,590 for Upper Box B and Php 850 General Admission. For ticket information and reservations, please log on to http://www.ticketnet.com.ph/ or call Ticketnet at 911-5555. For sponsorship and preferred seating inquiries, please call 0916.688.8324 and 0921.207.2121.

THE SCRIPT - Live in Manila 2011 is presented by ARF Entertainment and DAYLY Entertainment.

Featured Facebook Campaigns: Zynga, Oreo, NBA, Pizza Hut, Subaru and Black Eyed Peas

A few bold marketing moves were on our Featured Facebook Campaigns this week, Zynga and the NBA in particular, although Oreo also tried to get a world record of Facebook marketing. All told there was everything from in-game advertising to NBA team building, Justin Bieber and pizza, digital avatars and dog walking.

Zynga’s Treasure Isle and T-Mobile Partnership

Goal: Advertising, Engagement

Core Mechanic: Zynga has partnered with T-Mobile to include a speed-related task in its Treasure Isle game that touts the speed of T-Mobile’s 4G network.

Game: Treasure Isle is one of Zynga’s hit games. In the new partnership with T-Mobile, an ad campaign in Treasure Isle will include a custom mission themed around the speed of T-Mobile’s 4G network.

Method: The appssavvy-produced ad campaign promises 25 fire shovels, which increase speed in Treasure Isle, and gold coins as rewards for virtually calling five friends to participate in the mission. By calling your friends, or assembling your 4G network, T-Mobile will figure prominently in the game. The campaign runs for a total of 10 days and will featuring T-Mobile icons throughout the game.

Impact: Data from AppData, our service that tracks app and developer leaderboards shows that Treasure Isle has more than 2.5 daily active users and just under 12 million monthly active users. Even if the T-Mobile campaign only lasts for 10 days, there is potential to reach millions of users.

Brandweek

Oreo’s Guinness World Record for More Likes

Goal: Engagement, Press, Page Growth, Network Exposure

Core Mechanic: Kraft Foods’ Oreo cookie brand set out to set a world record for the most Likes on a Facebook post in 24 hours.

Method: Oreo asked their fan base of 16 million to help them set a Guinness world record for the most Likes on a Facebook post in 24 hours. Oreo made it, securing 114,619 Likes on the post.

Impact: Rapper Lil Wayne got wind of Oreo’s world record attempt and asked his 20 million fans to help him compete with Oreo. In the end, Lil Wayne beat out Oreo’s 114,619 Likes many times over. The media coverage of this Facebook Like duel added an unexpected boost to Oreo’s world record blitz. It’s not clear if the musician was in any way sponsored by the brand.

NBA Legend, League’s New Facebook Game

Goal: Product Purchase, Engagement, Network Exposure, Page Growth

Core Mechanic: NBA Legend is the basketball league’s social game offering on Facebook that allows players to essentially train and build up their own teams.

Game: The game allows users to create an avatar, join an NBA basketball team, purchase abilities, such as speed and skill, and then follow a simulated career within the game. Users may compete with their friends on Facebook and eventually the NBA hopes to sell fans virtual goods, such as shoes and sports drinks.

Method: NBA Legend is a virtual world game that allows users, in particular basketball fans, to engage with their favorite teams in a new way, that is by building teams not just playing on them. The game allows users to construct their avatars, take advice from star players and coaches, and generally experience a different type of sports game.

Impact: The NBA has among the highest fan base of any professional sports in the U.S. and thus the game has a large potential audience from which to draw. Although the NBA does have licensing deals with Electronic Arts to make video games, they worked with Lionside to create Legend from another perspective — not just playing games, but coming in as a rookie and working through a basketball career. As previously mentioned, perhaps eventually the NBA will incorporate virtual goods and even marketing campaigns within the game. This is another example of highly recognizable, mainstream intellectual property moving into social games, just as Madden All-Stars and FIFA All-Stars have done.

What are today’s most effective Facebook marketing best practices, and which campaigns have profited most? Visit the Cases section of Inside Network’s Facebook Marketing Bible for the full summary of brand campaigns on Facebook from the past week.

Source: Mashable | Sara Inés Calderón

Verizon Launch Pushes Facebook for iPhone Usage, But Less Than Christmas Did

There aren’t many statistics showing the full effect of the Verizon iPhone launch on Apple’s market share, but we can take a look through monthly active users of different Facebook smartphone clients as a proxy.

Facebook is far and away the most popular iPhone application in the world, and is likely on a majority of smartphone handsets in Western markets. Of the social network’s more than 200 million monthly active mobile users, about half access the site through applications, while 60 percent also use the web and 20 percent use SMS.

As a metric, Facebook monthly actives is helpful because it deduplicates users who might carry more than one iOS or Android device. Apple publicly reports that it has sold a cumulative 160 million iOS devices, while Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers partner Mary Meeker used Gartner data to show that there have been around 75 million Android units shipped globally so far in one of her famous data dumps from a week and a half ago.

We see almost the same ratio in Facebook mobile usage, with the Facebook for iPhone app boasting 64.8 million monthly active users to Facebook for Android‘s 27.5 million.

We looked at both the Facebook for iPhone and Facebook for Android’s week-over-week gains in MAU (or monthly active users) to get a sense of how the Verizon launch affected both clients’ growth. We definitely pick up the launch in AppData, our tracking service covering apps and developers on the Facebook platform, with growth in Facebook for iPhone’s MAU coming to a virtual halt in the week before the phone came to market.

In the week after the Verizon iPhone launched on February 10, we got a pop in new usage with Facebook for iPhone adding nearly 1.1 million new monthly active users, its highest week-over-week gain in three weeks. The spike in additional monthly actives pales in comparison to what Christmas produced, but that’s because Facebook usage normally peaks around the holidays when users are far from friends. Just to be perfectly clear, the charts below shows the rate of growth, not the overall size of Facebook for iPhone or Android usage.

The Verizon iPhone launch certainly didn’t slow Android down. The platform’s growth is accelerating, with 1 million additional monthly active users compared to a just over 892,000 added the week before. (We have been tracking Facebook for Android’s growth for a shorter period of time, but will continue tracking closely this year.)

All in all, while Facebook for iPhone did add more than 1 million users this week, its growth is decelerating, suggesting that the Verizon launch will probably not sustain Apple’s marketshare. It has been less than two weeks, so it’s difficult to draw a definitive conclusion. We’ll be continuing to watch both mobile clients.

Source: Mashable | Kim-Mai Cutler

RAVENWOOD FAIR Crosses 10 Million Players on This Week’s List of Fastest-Growing Facebook Games by MAU

Another week of huge gains for Ravenwood Fair has gone by with the game acquiring 547,293 new players. According to AppData, our tracking service for analyzing the top applications on Facebook, Ravenwood Fair has now crossed 10 million monthly active users and is well on its way to break into the top 10 games on Facebook. LOLapps have clearly been devoting a lot of resources to the game, keeping it stocked with new items to buy and features to try out.

Diner Dash is another game we have covered extensively here on Inside Social Games. The popular time management restaurant sim also gained over 500,000 new players this week and is about ready to cross over the 1 million MAU mark. Crowdstar’s It Girl is still going strong, showing a 2% gain this week with another 201,000 players. Dog Show Friends is also continuing to gain traction in the number 12 position on our list; you can see our full review of the Purina and NBC branded game here.

Backyard Monsters is the Casual Collective strategy game that we reviewed last July. The game hasn’t really changed much since then; it’s still the same oddly compelling, RTS-inspired, player-to-player combat game with a sub-par user interface. Players have clearly been able to look past the archaic UI design as Backyard Monsters has continued to slowly grow and is at its peak MAU of 3,686,753. Backyard Monsters has an above average retention rate, with 24-26% of its monthly players enjoying the game each day. If the game monetizes well, Backyard Monsters could be bringing in a nice chunk of change for Casual Collective. We certainly support game developers who aim to bring something new to Facebook strategy games for a core audience other than Evony clones.

Wooga’s Happy Hospital is faring well on this week’s list of fastest-growing Facebook games as well, although its growth has been very slow. The over-the-top cutesy art style of this hospital sim makes for a whimsical experience that would probably cause the game to spread like wildfire if the gameplay wasn’t so simple (as we noted last November). Players take care of and decorate their own hospital comprised of compartmentalized rooms (much like Hotel City) and tend to pet patients that come in needing assistance with creative ailments. Players have to micromanage each step of the curing process, whether it is by waiting for the step to complete, powering it with batteries, or waking up their hospital staff by providing them coffee. Happy Hospital is now over 2.3 million MAU, but its daily active users is still plodding along at 278,000.

The data in this post comes via AppData, our data service tracking growth and trends across the Facebook platform.

Tami Baribeau is Senior Community Manager at ZipZapPlay and a contributor to Inside Social Games.

Source: Mashable | Tami Baribeau

Lady Gaga Claims 1,000th Hot 100 No. 1 with 'Born This Way'

Nick Knight

And you thought her entrance at the Grammy Awards was attention-getting.

By storming the Billboard Hot 100 song chart at No. 1, Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" makes history as the 1,000th leading song in the list's 52-year history. 

The Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s, from 1 to 1,000

"It is a tremendous honor," Gaga tells Billboard of the milestone. "To be the 1000th no. 1 on Billboard...I would be silly not to say this is the greatest honor of my career."

"I am so humbled and so honored and overwhelmed by the reception to 'Born This Way,' " Gaga adds. "[It] has been so life changing for me as an artist, and between Billboard and the international number ones and the radio numbers...I couldn't be more blessed to have the fans that I have."

Lady Gaga Central | Win tickets to see Lady Gaga in L.A.

Fittingly for such a milestone, the first single and title track from Lady Gaga's third album, due May 23, arrives in record-breaking fashion.

On Radio Songs, the Hot 100's airplay component chart, "Born This Way" begins at No. 6 with a first-week audience of 78.5 million. That's the highest bow and largest opening airplay figure for a song since the tally began incorporating all radio formats in December 1998.

The arrival of "Born This Way" bests the previous debut record on Radio Songs, set when Janet Jackson's "All for You" soared in at No. 9 with 70 million in 2001.

With opening-week digital sales of 448,000, "Born This Way" likewise breaks barriers with the largest debut sum for a female artist. Britney Spears established the prior mark four weeks ago upon, the arrival of "Hold It Against Me" (411,000).

The opening of "Born" marks the third-largest debut among all digital tracks. Flo Rida's "Right Round" started with 636,000 in February 2009 and the Black Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow" with 465,000 two months later.

Notably, "Born This Way" rewrites airplay and digital history after just five days of availability at radio and three days at online retailers.

The song is also just the 19th title to debut at No. 1 in the Hot 100's history.

Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 Debuts

The 1,000th Hot 100 No. 1 is Lady Gaga's third chart leader, following her first two singles: "Just Dance," featuring Colby O'Donis (the 968th No. 1), and "Poker Face" (972), both in 2009.

The Hot 100 currently ranks titles by employing a formula measuring radio airplay, as tabulated by Nielsen BDS; sales, according to Nielsen SoundScan; and, streaming activity data.

The weekly survey launched in the pages of Billboard magazine in the issue dated Aug. 4, 1958, with Ricky Nelson's "Poor Little Fool" reigning over the inaugural listing.

Among notable historic No. 1s, the Beatles' first of their record 20 toppers, "I Want to Hold Your Hand" (the 104th No. 1), reached the pinnacle the week of Feb. 1, 1964.

Mariah Carey tallied her first No. 1 Aug. 4, 1990 (the chart's 32nd anniversary), with "Vision of Love," her first of 18 No. 1s, the most among women. Her "One Sweet Day," with Boyz II Men, logged the chart's longest reign - 16 weeks - in 1995-96.

Michael Jackson, the leader among solo males with 13 No. 1s, first reigned as a solo artist on the Hot 100 dated Oct. 14, 1972, with "Ben."

Having reached No. 1 the week of March 21, 1981, REO Speedwagon's "Keep on Loving You" represents the chart's 500th leader.

P.M. Dawn's "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" (the 761st No. 1) marked the chart's first champion since the Hot 100 converted to BDS electronically-monitored airplay measurement and SoundScan point-of-sale data in November 1991.

Breaking down the Hot 100's history by decade, 226 songs ruled in the '50s/'60s; 253 in the '70s; 231 in the '80s; 140 in the '90s; and, 150 beginning in 2000.

With the chart's 1,000 No. 1s spread over 2,743 weeks, the average leader has spent 2.74 weeks at the top spot.

Only one song has made trips to the summit in each of two chart runs. Chubby Checker's "The Twist" led the Sept. 24, 1960, chart. Re-released, it returned to No. 1 the weeks of Jan. 13-20, 1962.

When Billboard celebrated the Hot 100's 50th anniversary in 2008, Checker's dance classic ranked as the top title of the chart's first half-century.

Source: Billboard.com | Gary Trust, N.Y. | February 16, 2011 10:55 EST

Britney Spears' 10 Best Music Videos: Readers' Poll Results

Billboard.com

From her very first music video -- for "…Baby One More Time" -- at age 16, Britney Spears has shown a flair for theatrics in her videos. Costumes, movie-esque plotlines and of course, sexy dance moves that inspire double-takes.

We're expecting nothing less from Britney's highly-anticipated music video for her epic single, "Hold It Against Me," which premieres tonight. Check out the videos that you voted to be her 10 best on and then come back to Billboard.com at 10 p.m. EST tonight (Feb. 17) to see Britney's brand new video.

10. Oops!... I Did It Again, 2000
Percent of Fan Votes: 2%

Fun Fact: Britney's red catsuit wasn't the only dangerous thing about the "Oops" video shoot. During the filming, a camera fell on Brit's head, requiring her to get four stitches.

9. Piece Of Me, 2007
Percent of Fan Votes: 3%
Fun Fact: 2007 was a tough year for Britney, but Spears turned the tables on her personal dramas and used them as fodder for the much-discussed "Piece of Me" video. The $500,000 clip was shot all in one day, and was well-received by fans and critics alike. It went on to win Video of the Year at the 2008 Video Music Awards.

8. Stronger, 2000
Percent of Fan Votes: 3%
Fun Fact: The chair sequence in the "Stronger" video (Britney's idea, of course) was inspired by Janet Jackson's video for "The Pleasure Principle."

7. Overprotected (Darkchild Remix), 2002
Percent of Fan Votes: 4%
Fun Fact: Just as Britney did in her "Stronger" video two years earlier, she finds inspiration from Janet Jackson. Both the "Overprotected" Darkchild Remix video and Janet's 2001 "Son of a Gun (I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)" video use the same hotel lobby setting, filmed at Los Angeles' Millennium Biltmore Hotel.

6. Me Against the Music, 2003
Percent of Fan Votes: 4%
Fun Fact: The infamous 2003 VMAs kiss was the start of a beautiful friendship for Brit and Madge. It was during those rehearsals for the awards show that Britney asked Madonna to duet with her on "Me Against the Music."

5. Circus, 2008
Percent of Fan Votes: 5%
Fun Fact: While Britney fans went gaga (excuse the pun) for her "Circus" video, PETA was less than thrilled with the clip. Several days after the video's release, the animal rights organization issued a statement bashing Brit for using "cruelly trained lions and elephants" and pleaded that she "stop using exotic animals in her videos and concerts once and for all" (referring to "I'm a Slave 4 U").

4. ...Baby One More Time, 1998
Percent of Fan Votes: 8%
Fun Fact: Brit's videos may cost millions these days, but it wasn't always the case. The now iconic Catholic school girl outfit Britney wore in her very first video -- as well as all the other costumes -- were bought at K-Mart for less than than $17 each.

3. Womanizer, 2008
Percent of Fan Votes: 10%
Fun Fact: As revealed in MTV's 2008 "Britney: For the Record" documentary, Britney approached the "Womanizer" video as a sequel to her 2004 video for "Toxic," both of which were directed by Joseph Kahn.

2. I'm a Slave 4 U, 2001
Percent of Fan Votes: 15%
Fun Fact: As iconic as Britney's "I'm a Slave 4 U" video is, there are also two different versions of the clip available on Spears' 2004 "Greatest Hits: My Prerogative" DVD.

1. Toxic, 2004
Percent of Fan Votes: 27%
Fun Fact: Your all-time favorite Britney video was also her all-time most expensive. "Toxic," filmed over three days at a Los Angeles sound studio, cost $1 million to make. The now-iconic video for the song (which was originally offered to Australian pop star Kylie Minogue), helped "Toxic" become one of Britney's biggest hits.

Source: Billboard.com | by M. Tye Comer, Jillian Mapes | February 17, 2011 1:30 EST

Lady Gaga 'Born This Way' | The Billboard Cover Story

Lady Gaga wasn't quite born when the Grammy Awards began on Sunday, Feb. 13--she was still in her egg while she "walked" the red carpet. Later that evening, Gaga was birthed, or perhaps more accurately, rebirthed as, well, Lady Gaga.

She emerged from a now-larger egg onstage, and you could see this wasn't the same Gaga. In case you didn't catch the subtle (not a word often used to describe any part of Gaga onstage) touches: Her hair was off-pink with amniotic remnants. Her bones had structurally changed. Her shoulders now had positively Vulcan protrusions.

"My bones have changed in my face and shoulders," she says. "I am now able to reveal to the universe that when I was wearing jackets that looked like I was wearing shoulder pads, it was really just my bones underneath."

If you're looking for a self-conscious wink in any of this, you'll probably be waiting for at least a few more Gaga life spans. There's no line between Stefani Germanotta, Gaga's birth name, and Lady Gaga. There's no onstage and offstage. There's only Gaga.

Gaga seemed in good spirits as we chatted, speaking in impassioned tones about her vision for the upcoming album, and just about anything else we asked. She even spoke for the first time about her new retail relationship with Target.

Lady Gaga Talks Target Deal

Lady Gaga Claims 1,000th Hot 100 No. 1 | Lady Gaga Central

Very few artists decide to build an entire aesthetic and musical campaign around the notion of evolution, and fewer have the courage and conviction to live with their vision offstage--to, in fact, make everywhere they go a stage to share that vision. Dennis DeYoung didn't walk the streets of 1983 as Mister Roboto, you know. But: That was then, and this is now.

Congratulations. "Born This Way" is the 1,000th No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

I can't believe it. I'm humbled, honored and overwhelmed at the reception to "Born This Way." This has been so life-changing for me. Between Billboard and the international No. 1s, and the radio numbers... I couldn't be more blessed to have the fans I have. I knew when I wrote the song it was special, but I also knew that perhaps my fans or my label were hoping for me to deliver "Bad Romance the Third" or "Poker Face the Third." I wanted to do exactly the opposite.

That's not to say that on the album there's not an incredible amount of breadth and eccentricity. It's quite eclectic. It ranges from "Born This Way" being very light to the rest of the album becoming quite darker. I in
jest say that "Born This Way" is the marijuana to the heroins of the album, the ultimate intense intoxication of the record. It's an analogy.

No need to start more rumors, right?

No, please. I don't like rumors, especially not drug rumors. But the song, it's very literal and.. I said, "I want to write my freedom record. I want to write my this-is-who-the-fuck-I-am anthem," but I don't want it to
be hidden in poetic wizardry and metaphors. I want it to be an attack, an assault on the issue because I think, especially in today's music, everything gets kind of washy sometimes and the message gets hidden in the lyrical play.

Harkening back to the early '90s, when Madonna, En Vogue, Whitney Houston and TLC were making very empowering music for women and the gay community and all kind of disenfranchised communities, the lyrics and the melodies were very poignant and very gospel and very spiritual and I said, "That's the kind of record I need to make." That's the record that's going to shake up the industry. It's not about the track. It's not about the production. It's about the song [written by Stefani Germanotta and Jeppe Laursen; produced by Lady Gaga, Jeppe Laursen, Fernando Garibay and Paul "DJ White Shadow" Blair]. Anyone could sing "Born This Way." It could've been anyone.

I think this is the first No. 1 song that uses the word "transgendered." This is the first No. 1 song--and we're doing more research on this--out of these 1,000 that far and away is the most pro-LGBT kind of track. That's pretty remarkable. A bit of a landmark.

I wanted to put my money exactly where my mouth is. The Little Monsters all over the world as well as the gay community have been tremendously supportive over the years and I have in turn been supportive. Let's call a
spade a spade. It's not like "The Fame" and "The Fame Monster" address those communities--not directly. This is my chance to create something that is not only supportive of my political and social beliefs--not just for the gay community, but for everyone... This is also my chance to artistically say, "I'm not being safe with this record." I'm not trying to gain new fans. I love the fans I already have, and this is for them.

If "The Fame" was about the draw of fame, success and money and "The Fame Monster" was an answer to what the fame can bring you--which wasn't terribly good news--what is "Born This Way"? You said it gets a little bit dark--do you write all of the songs or co-write them?

I write all the lyrics and the melodies to my songs, and I co-produce every single track on the album.

You create a vision and you deliver. Artists who write their own albums, each one becomes a bit of a chapter.

This album exists in two different hemispheres working together at the same time. On one end, the album is this world and each song represents these subworlds within the album but thematically range from identity to choice, life choice, to understanding who you are, but ultimately on the other side of the hemisphere, the nexus of "Born This Way" and the soul of the record reside in this idea that you were not necessarily born in one moment. You have your entire life to birth yourself into becoming the ultimate potential vision that you see for you. Who you are when you come out of your mother's womb is not necessarily who you will become. "Born This Way" says your birth is not finite, your birth is infinite.

Gaga winning a Grammy, Feb. 13, 2011

Birth is a process of living.

It's a process of living and it's also not ultimately a goal. It's something ever-changing. Something you can ignite at any moment. My bones have changed in my face and in my shoulders because I am now able to reveal to the universe that when I was wearing shoulder pads or when I was wearing jackets that looked like I was wearing shoulder pads, it was really just my bones underneath. My fashion is part of who I am, and though I was not born with these clothes on, I was born this way.

Is that what the Grammy performance was about?

The Grammy performance was about many things but ultimately the song "Born This Way" . . . is visually and thematically and lyrically about birthing a new race, birthing a race within the race of already existing cultures of humanity--that bears no prejudice and no judgment. The whole performance was a Gregorian Alvin Ailey, had Martha Graham energy to it, and that was a statement in itself.

Lady Gaga At The 2011 Grammys

As a performer, does it help you to get into costume?

Well, it's part of who I am. My creativity is in my blood and in my bones as I said, and it takes time to become myself every morning.

Do you feel pressure about that? Like, you can't just be Stefani Germanotta any more? You have to be, any time you're out anywhere, Lady Gaga?

I don't agree with that statement.

Because you are Lady Gaga.

Gaga is Stefani Germanotta. I don't create any separation between my birth name and my subsequent birth name--Lady Gaga. That's the point of what I'm trying to say. Gaga is not manufactured . . . it is not artificial. I wish I could give that gift to everyone on the planet--the ability for you to create an idea and perceive of something, whether it be a name or a vision for yourself, and just choose to become it. The world, and I base this on the music industry, is obsessed with artists and glamour and creativity and fashion. And artistry has become something that people believe is artificial. For myself, it is my reality. I exist at all times halfway
between reality and fantasy. That's the way I was born.

I just meant, on a very human level, we all have days where what we'd like to do is throw on a pair of sweats, go to the deli and get a cup of coffee.

I do things like that, although it may not be in sweat pants. When I do those things, my fans or Little Monsters, they don't see that as any different. It's all one whole. People try to view artists in these relative compartmentalizations of their life, like, "Oh, this is her at the grocery store, this is her onstage, this is her on the red carpet," and I guess what I was trying to say on the red carpet is that I'm always onstage.

The idea for the egg on the red carpet--where did that come from?

I was in Amsterdam on my tour bus. I was thinking about birth--about embryos. Even my hair color was a washed-out rose color . . . It was meant to be a hair expression, an afterbirth.

A little amniotic touch. Very nice.

Yes, and I thought to myself, "Gosh, the thing I hate most about doing award shows is, it can be  distracting"... I want to exist only for my fans and for the stage. I don't want to exist in this machine or this circus that is the industry. I wish I could be encapsulated for three days and just think only about my performance, think only about the album, think only about the future of my fans. So that's what I did.

I don't know if you went to the Interscope party that Interscope Geffen A&M chairman Jimmy Iovine threw after the Grammys.

I only went for a moment. I'll do anything for Jimmy because I love and adore Jimmy. He's so supportive. Jimmy and [manager] Troy Carter and [executive producer] Vincent Herbert and [Universal Music Group chairman]
Doug Morris and CEO Lucian Grainge. I couldn't have a more rock solid battleship of a team.

About the new album, what can you tell me?

The breadth of the album is enormous. My fans are going to enjoy the journey. One of my favorite songs on the album is the last song. It was originally going to be the first single. It's called "Marry the Night." It
was produced by myself and Fernando Garibay. When Fernando and I did it, it was actually after I had written 'Born This Way,' but hadn't yet produced it. It was like this sonic light bulb went off and we were like, "That's the sound! That's the future." The lyrics are "I'm gonna marry the night, I won't give up on my life. I'm a warrior queen... I'm gonna make love to the stars... I'm a soldier to my own emptiness. I'm a winner." The record is just this massive, gas-station, disco record, music--that every single one of these songs could have been a hit record.

Do you care how many copies of this album sell, or sell in the first week?

It's not about the numbers. But I won't say that I'm not honored to be No. 1 on Billboard. Because it is a tremendous honor. And to be the 1,000th No. 1 on Billboard... I would be silly not to say this is the greatest honor of my career... To have sold so many singles so quickly and to be a message--not a song about a nightclub, not a song about sex--a message about love and positivity?

The hubbub about Madonna--do you have a point of view on that?

Everyone knows how much I love and adore Madonna. What a huge fan I am. I don't think there is a female on the planet that is not inspired by Madonna... on so many levels. I was honored to hear from her--I've met her in the past and worked with her and... she was so supportive and loving and... I think what people are hearing, to be precise, is the spirit of the early '90s. It's not just Madonna, it's Whitney Houston, it's En Vogue, it's TLC. It was a '90s-dance-early-gospel-fusion-with-pop-music, and that's precisely what I intended for it to sound like.

The video for "Born This Way," it's coming shortly.

Yes. I saw the edit of it today and it's amazing. I did it with Nick Knight, co-directed it with him and Laurieann Gibson and the Haus--so it's really a Haus of Gaga directorial debut with Nick Knight. It . . . looks completely different than everything I've ever done.

Can you give a teaser, a sense of what fans can expect?

Um, it is the birth of the new race. Really deep stuff.

How did you decide what producers to work with for "Born This Way"? Do you ever consider working with, or does Interscope ever suggest you work with a mainstream hitmaker?

Interscope--I say this with love--they don't have anything to do with my creative process.

So how do you decide who to work with?

I wanted to work with RedOne again because we have this incredible magic together. We did a song called "Judas," a song called "Hair"...

What is that magic that he brings?

He has no ego.

"No ego." How does that translate in the studio? Being open to ideas?

It translates as musical hippies... [The producers I work with] are unbelievably talented, open-minded and in touch with the underground dance community as well as orchestral movie soundtrack music as well as rock music, metal music.

I think in the music industry, something has happened where the producers have begun to think or believe--or the industry has begun to think or believe--that the producer makes the hits. This is the most dangerous thing that has happened to this business. Because it takes the credibility away from the singer and from the artist. It's unfair to the artist. What I've experienced working with these producers... We work as a unit.. If I want to lay down a synth line, they're like, "Let's do it." If I change that beat... It's a process.. We sit around on laptops, we'll work on our different computers, different programs, and then we pass everything around on USB sticks and then we convert it to the proper file format to put it into one computer. And actually, Fernando Garibay was the musical director of the whole album. That's the key to the success of the music industry--allowing the artist to creatively run the ship.

There are certain artists who aren't able to run the ship.

Or maybe they are, but producers are getting in their way. I'll probably get in trouble for saying that, but I don't care, because I'm looking out for the future of this industry. And I believe so much that this industry is being revitalized every day in more and more areas... we can sell millions and millions of records in the first week, like we used to.

But we have to remember that music began with the artist... I cannot thank Troy Carter and Vincent enough for how they have supported me over the years. They believe in me so much. I will never leave Troy. I will never leave Vincent. Until my artistic death, I will be loyal to them because they are the truth of this industry.

Can you explain their respective roles?

Troy is my manager, and Vincent is my A&R, but with the new structure, the 360 deals with the music business, Vincent is essentially my partner. We work on everything together. They let the Haus of Gaga creatively run
everything that I do and everything that we do. Troy is tremendously talented. Vincent is tremendously talented. They've never tried to re-create me, because it can't be done.

Source: Billboard.com | Bill Werde (@bwerde on Twitter) | February 18, 2011 11:04 EST