ITV

Category: DISCOVERY

  • Discovery launches third edition of first time filmmakers initiative in China

    MUMBAI: This is an initiative through which Discovery Asia is looking to promote excellence in filmmaking in China.

    The broadcaster in partnership with the Shanghai Media Group (SMG) has launched the third edition of the First Time Filmmakers (FTFM) in China.

    This partnership between Discovery Networks Asia and Shanghai Media Group is supported by SMG Documentary Channel and the Shanghai Institute of Visual Art. FTFM is designed to bring China to the world on Discovery Channel. It offers up-and-coming Chinese filmmakers the chance to showcase their talents and gain experience and recognition on an international level.

    Discovery Asia VP marketing and communications Kevin Dickie said, “The response and quality of ideas submitted by filmmakers from China for the last two initiatives clearly shows that China has a large pool of talented individuals. We are bringing FTFM to China once again to help further develop this talent and provide an avenue for young Chinese filmmakers to tell their stories to the world.”

    Aspiring Chinese filmmakers can submit outlines/treatments for this year’s theme, ‘Inspirational stories that capture unique responses of individuals or communities in China to rapid modernization in an increasingly globalising world’.

    As has been the case in the past six applicants will be commissioned to produce a single half-hour documentary based on their proposals. The winners will have a chance to bring their ideas to life and will also face the real challenges in the world of filmmaking, such as working on a budget and delivering their finished product within the stipulated time. The resulting documentaries are scheduled to air internationally on Discovery next year. In China, they will premiere on SMG Documentary Channel and 26 other leading cable TV stations .

  • Discovery performs a ‘Mummy Autopsy’

    MUMBAI: On the heels of Egypt Week which it had aired in April Discovery has announced that it will continue to examine the mysteries of Egyptian culture with Mummy Autopsy. The show airs every Friday at 9 pm.

    Undertaking a study of bones, skin and textiles to profile people who lived and died a long time ago the Mummy Autopsy team of specialist scientists travel across continents analysing the final moments of a person’s life and the often strange circumstances and as yet unsolved circumstances surrounding his or her death.

    The team takes on cases like investigating a mummy in Scotland that may be a lost queen of Egypt. Another episode traces the last steps of a skeleton out of Wyoming’s Wild West in the US. Another episode connects a family of ancient Egyptians whose mummies are now spread across Brazil, Holland and in the UK.

    There are five scientists involved in the show. They include Tiffiny Tung who is an assistant professor of Anthropology at Vanderbilt University and Ken Nystrom who is a physical anthropologist at the university of New Mexico. His expertise encompasses caves and underwater archaeology.

  • Discovery in marketing overdrive

    NEW DELHI: Discovery Communications India, managing the affairs of Discovery and Animal Planet channels in India, has decided to go in for aggressive marketing initiatives to promote the programming on Discovery, including sending direct mailers and bringing out a 22-page quarterly programming guide in India Today.

    Speaking to indiantelevision.com in a lengthy interview, marketing whiz and managing director of Discovery India, Deepak Shourie, said, “These marketing initiatives are yielding good results as the discerning viewers are talking about Discovery and that is what advertisers and media planners would also like to know.”

    The glitzy programming guide mailers, titled ‘Your Guide to The Finest in Real-World Entertainment’, have been sent out to over 6,000 people who can easily form part of India’s Who’s Who and include judges, media personalities, artistes and even prominent politicians.

    But the biggest response to Discovery’s initiatives have come from the programming guide which has been sent out with the latest issue of India Today which hit the stands on Sunday evening.

    Since there is also a contest where Nokia cell phones are to be won by just sending in one’s name and address, till Thursday afternoon some 20,000 entries had already been e-mailed.

    On being asked the reason behind choosing India Today over Outlook for the marketing vehicle, Shourie, who has worked with both the newsmagazine, said, “because India Today’s reach is more.”

    However, Shourie did not elaborate whether attaching the quarterly programming guide initiative with India Today would continue beyond October-December. “Let us see what sort of response we get and whether we need to continue with such moves. At the moment I cannot say anything on this,” the bespectacled brother of disinvestment minister Arun Shourie said.

    The marketing initiatives are part of Discovery India’s aggressive plans to hot up things in the infotainment sector where the players include National Geographic, Adventure One and Animal Planet.

    Apart from stepping on the gas pedal, Discovery India has also been cutting the flab here. So much so that on-air promos are now being designed and made in India which has “substantially brought down costs” on such activities.