14 DAY TRIAL // Sony Pictures Entertainment and the Michael Jackson estate have been given a judge’s approval to release the footage shot during rehearsals for “This Is It” in theaters on October 30. According to the official press release, most of the footage has been shot in the weeks before the sudden death of the singer on June 25, and proceeds from the release will go mostly to Michael’s children and mother Katherine, Rolling Stone informs.
As per the music publication, Sony had to agree to several conditions before being given permission to turn the almost 100 hours’ worth of footage into film. For starters, it had to offer guarantees to the Michael Jackson estate that the resulting film would not be longer than 150 minutes and that it would get a PG rating from the MPAA, and it delivered on both counts. Then, it had to assure the Jackson estate that it would not present the late singer in a negative light, with Sony agreeing to present it with a final cut before the October 30 release for approval.
“The world will see what our team was so fortunate to experience, which was the full commitment, passion and creativity that Michael put into this project. He was the architect of This Is It, and we were his builders. It will also show Michael as one of the greatest entertainers in the world and one of the industry’s most creative minds. This Is It was Michael’s last theatrical work and although it was still a work in progress, I think the footage will show that the process was something that Michael deeply enjoyed and that it was clear that he was on his way to another theatrical triumph.” Kenny Ortega, the director of the This Is It tour and one of Michael’s longtime collaborators, says in a press statement.
The task at hand, that of transforming the footage into film, will certainly prove to be a challenge, Rolling Stone further says. Randy Phillips and Paul Gongaware of concert organizers AEG Live will act as producers on the “This Is It” film, trying to select of the 100+ hours only those segments that will help fans see just the kind of experience they could have lived with the London concerts. They will also include 3D footage that Michael would have used during breaks during his performance on stage, the magazine says.
Michael Jackson’s children and mother will benefit from most of the money from ticket sales and merchandise: 80 percent of the grossing, to be more precise, which will go to the Michael Jackson Family Trust. The remaining 20 percent will be divided between AEG Live and Sony Pictures.