ITV

Category: Movies

  • France looks to breach Great Wall

    HONG KONG: The biggest trade mission at the convention has come from France, which is aggresively looking at pushing their film and television content across the Great Wall that is China.
     

    The seriousness with which France is approaching the issue can be gauged from the overwhelming presence of all things French at Filmart 2005, to the extent that Day 3 of the convention was headlined “French Day”. 37 companies are represented at Filmart led by Unifrance (largest exhibitor whose booth covers a massive 1125 sq m area at the convention centre), Film France and Ile De France Film Commission.

    “This is a very good sign for Hong Kong and Asia that the French film and television business community is looking east again,” said Raymond Yip, TDC director of service promotion.

    Speaking at the main session today “Franco-Chinese Partnerships Session”, Patrick Lamassoure made an impassioned call for Asian companies to get active in French co-production opportunities.

     
     

    The biggest attraction that France offers, according to Lamassoure, is not just in locations and technical and creative expertise but also due to the fact that the French government is actively involved in promoting co-production efforts.

    The French subsidy system works in a proactive manner in that it is not the individual but the industry itself that is tapped for funding activities. A tax of 10.9 per cent is collected on cinema hall tickets, and as far as television companies are concerned 5.5 per cent of their annual turnover goes in the entertainment tax.

    The better a company does either in the box office or on TV in terms of ratings the higher the entitlement that the company has to access subsidy funding. There is a rider though. All the money thus obtained can only be used in film/TV production, nothing else.

    Interestingly, in the whole of Asia, it is only India and Sri Lanka that have treaties in place that facilitate such co-production activities. In all other Asian markets, it is through private initiative that co-productions get off the ground.

    Asked to provide examples of co-productions that had won critical and box office success, Lamassoure said that it was mostly in the art house circuit that the films had featured. However, one of the delegates present at the session, pointed out that two films that had tasted success internationally were Samsara (directed by Nalin Pan) and film adaptation of Roland Joffe’s City of Joy (starring Patrick Swayze, Om Puri, Pauline Collins).

    As for television, there appears to be little activity happening between France and India, either on the co-production front or in use of locations.
     

  • Filmart witnesses record attendance

    HONG KONG: Filmart continues to grow exponentially both in terms of scope and visitor numbers. After over 1,000 visitors passed through the gates on the opening day, a total of 1,867 people had registered their presence by the end of Day 2.

     

    The first day itself saw a three-fold increase over 2004 and the second day’s numbers were within touching distance of the total turnout last year – 2,286.
     

    The number of European visitors, particularly from France and Netherlands, went up by 20 per cent, while those from Asia-Pacific countries such as Japan, South Korea and Australia also came in record numbers.
     
     

    The other notable aspect of Filmart 2005 was the debut of the UK Film Council at this year’s event heading a trade mission delegation of eight UK sales and distribution companies.

  • Argentine plotlines find Indian buyers

    HONG KONG: Interest in India comes from the oddest places. How does Argentina sound as a location for Indian TV and film productions? That’s just the sort of activity Ricardo H Forrester, Argentine consul general in the island city, hopes will catch on as an option for Indian producers.
     

    Well Forrester’s optimism notwithstanding, the sheer distance is likely to be a big dampener though the sheer variety of splendid locations the South American country offers can’t be denied.
     
     

    A more likely area that offers immense potential though is on the content side. The success that Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin, the Indian adaptation of Betty La Soy achieved for Sony has increased the interest of Indian TV houses in South American soaps.

    Forrester revealed that Star India has bought two story scripts, one that has already started airing and a second that starts airing 4 April. A third storyline adapted from an Argentine soap is under active consideration, Forrester said. He, however could not provide details on the names of the shows.
     

  • New York shows the way as a location shoot destination

    HONG KONG: Shah Rukh Khan at Filmart 2005? Believe it or not, the Indian superstar and his blockbuster Kal Ho Na Ho was used to promote the Big Apple as a location shoot destination for film and television producers from Asia.
     

    Thursday’s session ‘Promoting Film Industry in Respective Markets’ saw an American sales pitch at its aggressive and compelling best.
     
     
     

    Though the session had speakers from Australia, the UK, Singapore and Hong Kong as well, it was the two-woman powerhouse team representing the state of New York that dominated the discussion.

    Of course, it’s important to note that the presentation had compelling content underpinning the slick packaging. The governor’s office of New York state and the mayor’s office of New York city are directly involved in film shoot activities and the rewards are there for all to see in that The Big Apple generates $ 5 billion a year from the entertainment industry.

    The most admirable aspect to the story is how all the different municipal and state authorities work in close coordination and cooperation with one unified aim in mind making it easy to get the job done. For those of us used to the situation at home where the left hand of the same authority (let alone others) does not know what the right is doing, makes it all the more remarkable.

    Some of the incentives provided to attract production work to New York include: sales tax exemption, fully refundable film production tax credits (equal to up to 15 per cent of production costs) free media time, and free use of public utility manpower (like police) as well as locations (that includes even premium ones like the Empire State Building, Times Square and the Manhattan Bridge).

    The facility of free media time is especially innovative and unique. New York government provides free media time that tallies up to one per cent of the production costs across multiple platforms like bus shelters, radio and television. Of particular note are the free space provided on Jumbotron screens in front of the Reuters and Nasdaq buildings.

    To use a baseball analogy (more so since the Big Apple is home to the New York Yankees), all bases covered.

  • Hong Kong film financing forum announces awards

    MUMBAI: The Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) will be held from 22 – 24 March 2005 at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre (HKCEC).

    Four awards will be presented to filmmakers at the Haf Awards presentation ceremony on 24 March.
     

    Haf is being co-organsied by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and the Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Territories Motion Picture Industry Association (MPIA). Haf is a matchmaking forum and aims at facilitating possible co-productions and co-ventures between Asia’s most promising filmmakers and a host of film financiers, distributors, buyers and agents.

    Earlier this year a Reading Committee of seasoned industry professionals selected 28 promising film projects from across Asia for this year’s Project Book. Four of these film projects will be selected to be the recipients of monetary and in-kind awards from a host of industry supporters.
     
     

    The Haf Award will present HK$100,000 to a Haf project from the 10 Hong Kong-based projects selected in this year’s Project Book. Chosen by the Haf Reading Committee, this award will be granted to a film project for the creativity of the synopsis.

    The Focus Award will present HK$120,000 to a Haf project submitted by a director with three or fewer feature drama films to his/her portfolio. Then there is The Hubert Bals Fund Award worth HK$100,000. The Hubert Bals Fund Award of the International Film Festival Rotterdam, an International Partner of the Haf, will present the award to a Haf project by a filmmaker from a developing country. Selected by a representative of the Hubert Bals Fund, this award will be granted to a filmmaker from either China, Indonesia, Thailand, Iran or the Philippines. Hubert Bals says, “The future of cinematography is not to be expected from Europe or the US, but all the more from lesser known film cultures.”

    The Cinedigit Award will present two awards valued at HK$100,000 each to two Haf film projects regarded as possessing the best potential for co-financing. Selected and presented by the Hong Kong based production company Cinedigit Sound the two awards will recognise the synopsis of filmmakers with promising co-financing ability.

    There will also be a film financing symposium on 22 March 2005. The speakers will include Screen International’s Patrick Frater and Cinefinance’s Fred Milstein.

  • Karnataka budget reduces theatre show tax, composition tax

    BANGALORE: Karnataka Dy. CM and State finance minister Siddharamaiah has brought down the rates of Show Tax and composition tax paid by theaters, besides announcing sops for children films while announcing the state finance budget.
     

    Show tax and Composite or Composition tax has been cut by around 50 per cent across various thicket price slabs and population size of the place where the Cinema theater is located. The benefit if passed onto the viewer would be just 10 or 20 paise, but distributors, exhibitors and producers would definitely have a reason to smile about.

     
     

    The industry main demand of a subsidy of Rs 7,50,000/- for every Kannada film has not been met with. Minister Siddharamaiah has announced Rs 2.5 million subsidy for 2 of the best children films while maintaining a subsidy or Rs 1 million for 20 of the best Kannada films. He has also included all award winning Kannada films in the subsidy ambit.

  • Filmmart in Hong Kong to have strong French presence

    MUMBAI: Asian international film and television market Filmmart takes place in Hong Kong from 22-24 March 2005. It is organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and takes place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
     

    Taking Filmmart’s platform by storm are 37 French film companies and film commissions, occupying more than 200sqm of exhibition space. French companies taking part include Unifrance, Film France, the French Association of Producers of Films and Audiovisual Programmes, Ile De France Film Commission, Invest in France Agency and TV France International. France will have a celebration French Dayon 23 March 2005.

    French participation in this year’s Filmmart doesn’t stop there. Ecran Total editor Franck Priot will be chairing one of Filmart’s key seminars entitled Franco-Chinese Cinema Partnerships, complementing the current cultural celebrations linking France and China. One panel will discuss the subject Making films together : what do we have in common?. The second panel discussion will look at how the two countries can partner as far as locations, infrastructures, and know-how tools are concerned.
     
     

    HKTDC director of service promotion Raymond Yip, enthused, “This is a very good sign for Hong Kong and Asia that the French film and television business community is looking east again. This is by far the largest delegation of film and television professionals that have descended upon Asia from France. I am certain that 2005 will be a turning point in the growing interest of Hong Kong as a film and entertainment capital.”

    Running alongside Filmmart is the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF). Here exhibitors with production-ready film projects vie for financing. This year, 28 projects have been selected for presentation from more than 200 submissions by filmmakers and producers across Asia. This specialised industry event is co-organised by HKTDC and the Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Territories Motion Picture Industry Association.

    Both Filmmart and Haf are anchor events within the inaugural Entertainment Expo Hong Kong. Entertainment Expo, from 22 March – 6 April 2005. This mega entertainment event will bring together film and television programming, film financing, a film festival, film awards, music and digital entertainment..

  • Warner Bros set to distribute 20th Century Fox in India

    MUMBAI: Warner Bros. is in the process of signing a deal to distribute movies from the Rupert Murdoch-promoted 20th Century Fox stable in India, a development that goes to prove that arch rivals can get together to promote their business interests.

    Recently, 20th Century Fox shut down operations in India following a long period of losses and financial mismanagement. The winding up process has ended.
     

    “Warner is entering into a distribution deal with 20th Century Fox,” says an industry source. This will mean that 20th Century Fox will release its movies in India through Warner, once the agreement is inked.

    Among the Hollywood players in the film distribution business, Sony Pictures Releasing of India (earlier Columbia TriStar) is the most successful with a turnover of Rs one billion in calendar year 2004. While Spiderman II grossed Rs 360 million, Anaconda earned Rs 220 million.
     
     

    In India, Hollywood studios are entering into alliances to drive the distribution of their movies. Sony Pictures Releasing, for instance, has a running deal to distribute Walt Disney movies. The trend also is to mix the lineup with distribution of local Hindi products which are popular.

    The closure of 20th Century Fox’s operations is unfortunate, industry analysts feel. “The distribution business is risky in India. Distributors will have to know what price they are paying for acquiring the rights to distribute these movies. Besides, there is a requirement to have the right local products,” says an analyst.

    The studio had also come up with local releases such as Jhankar Beats, Pinjar and Tehzeeb. “However, of these Hollywood films, only X-Men broke even, while Jhankar Beats turned out an encouraging show,” the sources said

  • K Sera Sera plans public offer, to raise approx Rs 500-600 million

    MUMBAI: K Sera Sera is planning a public offer to raise Rs 500-600 million in the first quarter of 2005-06. This will be to fund the company’s movie and television businesses.
     

    A further $2-3 million will be raised through issue of preference shares, according to a source. The company’s total fund requirement is Rs 700-750 million.
     
     

    K Sera Sera plans to come out with the public offer by June. “The company is looking at a fresh public offering. The size of the issue will be in the range of Rs 500-600 million,” the source says.

    When contacted, K Sera Sera managing director Parag Sanghvi declined to comment. “The board is meeting on Friday to discuss the fund raising programme of the company. We can’t comment on anything till then,” he said.

    The board is expected to make an announcement on the public offer, the source said. The issue is likely to be through the book building process. The price band is yet to be decided, he added.

    A major chunk of the issue proceeds will be towards movies. Part of the proceeds will also be used for expansion in the television production arena, the source said.

    K Sera Sera is primarily into movie production, but has also floated a subsidiary company for its television content venture. Twenty Twenty Television (TTT) is producing Kashish, a daily prime time show which will air from 18 April. The company also expects to have six shows on various channels including a reality programme for Sony this year.

  • Golden Globe attendees urged to donate clothes for Tsunami relief

    MUMBAI: Hollywood stars are all set to do their bit in helping victims of the Tsunami natural disaster.

    In exactly a week’s time the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) will organise the Golden Globe Awards. In conjunction with the prestigious event Unicef has announced the Clothes Off Our Back Golden Globe Auction.

    Film, television stars and other celebrities will auction their clothes worn on the event’s Red Carpet. Proceeds raised from will benefit the Unicef Tsunami Relief Fund. Championing the initiative are two of American television’s leading lights: Jane Kaczmarek who stars in the sitcom Malcolm In The Middle and her
    husband, Bradley Whitford who can be sen in The West Wing which airs in India on Zee English. In India the Golden Globe Awards will air live on Star World on 17 January at 6:30 am with a repeat at 8 pm.

    Kaczmarek said, “With a disaster of this magnitude that has affected so many children everyone wants to help. The Hollywood community has a great opportunity with the upcoming Golden Globe. We are calling on all current and past Golden Globe nominees and winners to donate their clothing and accessories that from the red carpet to help raise money for Unicef to care for the children who have survived this disaster.”

    Celebrities, designers and stylists are encouraged to donate gowns, tuxedos, shoes, watches, handbags, and sunglasses, anything that has been worn to a previous ceremony or will be worn to the upcoming Golden Globes.

    For further information check the site www.clothesoffourback.org. Meanwhile the HFPA and In Style Magazine will treat this year’s Golden Globe presenters to an array of lavish items. Each presenter will get gifts worth a total of $38,000.

    Selected items for the presenter boxes include a VIP travel package including luxury accommodations in Hunter Valley near Sydney. The package has been created by Rosemount Estates vineyard of Australia and has guided tours and tastings at their winery. Quantas Airlines will provide the air transportation for this package to Australia in their new international luxury class Skybed. Also another goodie for presenters is a bi-coastal six-month membership to Sports Club LA.