The writing pair based their project on Katz’s humor book citing 500 things that Katz thinks should not be done by over-30-somethings.

The stroke of luck hit Katz/Jacobs when director/producer Barry Sonnenfeld read the book and thought he could do something with it.

What, we’re not exactly sure.

Maybe it’ll be “Get Shorty” for the 30-plus crowd.

“The show is about a guy working at men’s magazine who is reluctant to embrace adulthood and his friend who is an immersion journalist,” said Katz, who is penning “Things” with Jacobs, an immersion journalist.

Although set at a men’s magazine, Katz assured that “Things” will not be a workplace comedy.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

May The Force Be With Them: Work has begun on a possible live-action TV series based on minor characters and droids from Star Wars. No Luke. No Leia. No Vader. George Lucas is banking on nerd fervor (not to be confused with Nerf Herder) to popularize a show that, in his words, is about “the life of robots.” We think we’ve seen that show.

We Wonder Who Wrote His Lines: Director-producer Barry Sonnenfeld stuck up for writers while moderating the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences annual Network Chiefs Summit, asking the group:”It seems to me that the whole residual question, getting residual should be transparent to the writer no matter what form it’s on, whether it’s iPods, DVD or cable. That should be your problem, but not the writers. First of all, is that a brilliant statement?”

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Variety

Scott Rudin has offered one of his former development guys, Craig Perry, a first-look deal, thus gaining an opportunity to “generate mainstream comedies and family films.” Perry produced the American Pie and Final Destination movies.

Sidney Sheldon, the prolific author and producer, has died. During his extensive career he wrote several Broadway musicals, screenplays and televisions series, in addition to a multitude of novels. His television career included producer of The Patty Duke Show, I Dream of Jeannie, and Hart to Hart, in addition to a number of his novels produced as made-for TV movies including Rage of Angels, Bloodline and Memories of Midnight. His career awards included a Tony for Best Musical: Redhead in 1959, an Oscar for his original screenplay of The Bachelor and the Bobbysoxer starring Cary Grant, two WGA awards for Easter Parade and Annie Get Your Gun, and an Emmy for I Dream of Jeannie.

Hollywood Reporter

Television is the new feature, according to a CBS development exec. Pilot orders are running towards nighttimee soaps and high-cncept dramas, while the networks are avoiding open-ended serials–Lost being the only hit out of the current crop. Big name directors, like Spike Lee, Brett Ratner, Guy Ritchie, and Barry Sonnenfeld are directing pilots.

The Police will perform at the Grammys in February. Sting had hinted at this during the TCAs, where he was promoting his PBS project, a collection of 16th-century classical music called Songs From the Labyrinth, as the 30th anniversary of the band was approaching. THe group will open the show on CBS.

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