Still shivering and coated in a fine, scarlet mist from a prestige boutique-label bloodbath that saw the shuttering of New Line's Picturehouse and Warner Independent, Hollywood woke up to yet further indie-arm carnage today. A press-release announced that Paramount Vantage would see its marketing, distribution and physical production departments folded into that of its wider-appeal studio host-body, Paramount Pictures:

"The new consolidated structure allows both Paramount and Paramount Vantage to leverage the strengths and resources of a combined talent base, while minimising redundancies and optimising efficiencies," Rob Moore, Vice Chairman, Paramount Pictures.

Those who didn't quite make the efficiency-optimising grade: Vantage distribution executive vp Rob Schulze, plus two other executives, one of whom worked for Paramount proper. So why is the studio, enjoying the heartiest summer crop in ages, eating its own? A Defamer operative suggests their in-house reaper's scythe-swinging has just begun, with the re-organisation providing a nice opportunity for big Paramount to clean out their theatrical marketing department. The moral of the story? Don't equate a Best Picture Oscar or thirteen-figure opening with job security: For every success, there's an A Mighty Heart or Love Guru that means your arse on a platter.

• Paramount Pictures and Vantage unit to combine operations [LAT]

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