Universal Music Group's audio masters were not damaged in Sunday's fire at the Universal Studios backlot, contrary to one report, according to a UMG spokesperson. "We had no loss, thankfully," said Peter Lofrumento, Universal Music Group’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications. "We moved most of what was formerly stored there earlier this year to our other facilities. Of the small amount that was still there and awaiting to be moved, it had already been......

For residents of the South East San Fernando Valley and adjacent environs, the stench and sight of smoke from the fire that broke out in the early morning hours on the backlot of Universal Studios has dominated the skies today; for most everyone else in Los Angeles this story has dominated the news. LAist photographer Tom Andrews captured these images of the Universal Studios area; the site remains closed to the public while fire crews......

Photo of pre-fire facades by Peggy Archer/LAist According to the LA City Fire Department, this morning's fire started around 5 am in a sound stage (while someone was shooting), and spread to parts of the backlot before being contained by LA firefighters. *This story has been updated*......

Today news broke that Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski is slated to direct the film adaptation of Bioshock, widely heralded as the best video game of 2007. This comes at an especially interesting time considering parent company Take Two Interactive (also parent to Rockstar Games, which just released a little title called Grand Theft Auto IV) turned down a multi-billion dollar buy-out offered by LA-based Electronic Arts earlier this year. Verbinksi notes in......

Photo by movie lover found in the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr. Feel free to join and add some of your photos of our city.......

Sometimes, even in the middle of the night, when the smoke hasn't yet cleared, when the beer is almost through, and when the girls have nearly stopped giggling, you still are capable of spotting bullshit. This morning LAist was watching The Miss Teen USA pageant on TiVo. Don't ask. Even though the incredibly cheesy and wrong telecast didn't hold our attention for very long, for some reason a commercial during the broadcast for the......