ITV

Category: Production House

  • Entourage Films unveils cinematic ode to Taj Hotels’ timeless legacy

    Entourage Films unveils cinematic ode to Taj Hotels’ timeless legacy

    Mumbai: Entourage Films, known for its creative excellence in the world of advertising, has produced a cinematic tribute to one of the living legacies of Taj – The Umaid Bhawan Palace.

    Founded by the visionary executive producer Garima Arora, Entourage Films embarked on this venture. Under the direction of Ishaan Nair and the artistry of Peter Flickenberg, a captivating montage for the brand was created which is a true testament to the magic of their collaboration.

    The film immerses in a narrative where the viewers can encounter the rich affair of memories and history. It flows into the graceful celebration of life that is love, courage and culture witnessed by the walls of the palace. The film lets the viewers perceive, connect, and explore the timelessness through one of the Legacies of Taj.

    Entourage Films encapsulated the journey as one filled with a blend of overwhelming challenges and triumphs. For the entire Entourage team, the film fosters a profound sense of fulfillment that words can scarcely capture.

    Entourage Films is an award-winning and rapidly growing production house, spearheaded by a team of talented women who are committed to building a legacy that empowers womanhood. As Garima Arora quoted –  “In a nutshell, to stay on the path was overwhelming, daunting, yet exhilarating. Needless to say, being chosen to showcase this wonder to the world was humbling for the Entourage team. There are countless untold stories waiting to be shared, and we are inspired to bring them to light.”

  • “The three of us principally believe there is no limit of growth, it’s a matter of choice”: Chrome Pictures founders

    “The three of us principally believe there is no limit of growth, it’s a matter of choice”: Chrome Pictures founders

    Mumbai: Cinema has been entertaining and educating the masses through various mediums, including films, TVCs, ad films, TV serials, and web series on OTT platforms. Creating, experimenting and evolving with ‘Lights, Camera and Action’, a production house – Chrome Pictures has come a long way in the world of advertising and filmmaking.

    On 20 January 2024, Chrome Pictures celebrated a remarkable milestone, marking its 20-year anniversary as a prominent force in the realm of visual storytelling. The film production company, founded in 2004 by the dynamic trio of Amit Sharma, Aleya Sen, and Hemant Bhandari has emerged as one of the premier production houses of the country, consistently upholding a legacy of excellence, innovation, and creativity on a global scale.

    Renowned for its diverse portfolio, the company has directed and produced compelling and heartwarming TVCs for an array of leading brands in collavoration with top ad agencies of India. The accolades garnered and awards won at renowned platforms include the Cannes Film Festival, Spikes Asia, Adfest, NYA, D&AD, DPA, amongst others. In the recent times, Chrome Pictures won 33 film awards for their debut feature film ‘Badhaai Ho’ including the prestigious National Award for the “Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment”.

    To know more about the production company and its two decade journey, Indian Television caught up with Chrome Pictures founders Amit Sharma, Aleya Sen and Hemant Bhandari.

    Edited Excerpts:

    On the founders of Chrome Pictures coming together to establish the company in 2004

    Amit Sharma, Aleya Sen and Hemant Bhandari started Chrome Pictures at the young age of 24. Amit and Hemant are childhood friends, while Aleya and Amit met on sets of Pradeep Sarkar. It was their dream to start a production house together.

    On some memorable moments along with the challenges that Chrome Pictures faced during its 20-year journey in the industry

    20 years is a long time and we’ve faced multiple challenges along the way. But we’ve always seen every challenge as an opportunity to get better at our game.

    One of our biggest challenges was our first breakthrough. The first year we only got 10-15 sec ads. We made Hanes commercials with our own money. It won many national and International awards. That’s when we got our first recognition in the advertising industry. Making our own place in Bollywood, with landmark films like Badhaai Ho and recently Trial Period is equally challenging. Covid was another time of challenge for all production houses. We were one of the first to start online shoots, with a zeal to reinvent ourselves. We are a company of 70 and everyone was retained. We landed, bagging 46 awards, including Cannes Lions Awards for Dove #StopTheBeautyTest and the Facebook Pooja Didi Ad, shot during COVID.

    On Chrome Pictures distinguishing itself in terms of its creative and innovative approach within both the cinema and advertising industries

    We love exploring and experimenting with new talent, technology, genre, formats etc. It’s safe to say that the creative aspect of films – be it ad or feature, triumphs everything else for us. We believe that storytelling is not limited to any format and, hence, from Chrome’s very inception, we’ve looked forward to every project with equal amount of excitement. Long format was a natural progression. We like to stay updated with the ever growing and changing market.

    On the genres or thematic areas that Chrome Pictures is looking to delve into as it further establishes itself in the Bollywood film industry

    We are unified by our diversity. We’ve never restricted ourselves to specific genres while making feature films. We treat content as our hero. Selection of a particular script is an individual director’s choice. Like, I might go from exploring romance in one project to drama in the next. Similarly, Amit might go from doing a sports biography, Maidaan, to a thriller. However our forte is emotional and realistic storytelling.

    On whether AI is having any discernible impact on Chrome Pictures’ production process and if so, is the company integrating artificial intelligence into its creative workflows

    Evolution is constant. Just about 12 years back, Fuji and Kodak Stock suddenly switched to digital cameras. From Beta tapes, we switched to drives and then cloud. So AI is inevitable. At Chrome, we strive to stay flexible and relevant to changing times. It’s important to upgrade oneself in an industry that welcomes new technology readily. Having said that, AI will certainly have an adverse impact in terms of replacing manual work to digitised ones.

    On the company’s future plans & aspirations

    In the last 20 years, we have explored our strengths in more than one way. Currently with eight young and talented in-house directors, six producers and an experienced production and post team, we intend on producing more feature films, OTT films and web series.

    Our advertising team is well-established and we encourage new talents. We have a digital wing, Minikin DG Works. We have a well-equipped post-production studio setup called “Planet Chrome”. Last year we launched our content lab called “Crimsen Tales”.

    The three of us principally believe there is no limit of growth, it’s a matter of choice.

  • Future of media & entertainment: AI augmented film and music production studios

    Future of media & entertainment: AI augmented film and music production studios

    Mumbai: In 2022, when general purpose large language models and image synthesis models were released, their ability to be creative and generate human-like text and highly creative images captured our imagination. Since then, Generative AI, the technology buzzword of 2023, has empowered creators, disrupted industry workflows, and sharply reduced the effort and cost of content creation in a range of formats. Through the year that followed, we witnessed rapid emergence of newer and more sophisticated models, driven by innovations in AI models, availability of datasets and access to massive compute capabilities that advanced cloud GPUs offer to innovators.

    As we step into 2024, the technology is now reaching a point where it can have myriad real-world use-cases for production studios in film, music and video domains. Reports also predict that AI will play an increasingly important role in the M & E domain. Generative AI in this sector is projected to scale from USD 1463.91 million in 2023 to USD 14,779.10 million by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 29.3%.

    To understand the transformative impact, one just has to look at traditional media production workflows. In a traditional production setup, one needs a team of writers to construct the story, a photography and cinematography department to create and edit visuals, a visual effects (VFX) team to enhance it, sound production for music and background scoring, and other elements like costume and set design also come into play. Along with the effort that goes into producing the central narrative, studios also spend a disproportionate amount of time acquiring stock footage, supplemental footage or b-roll, sound effects, visual effects, storyboarding, audio, image and video editing, and more.

    However, Generative AI technologies can reduce cost and effort in content production in a number of key ways. A select set of Generative AI technologies carefully fine-tuned on the right set of content, and deployed on advanced cloud GPUs, can empower media production studios to build a media creation pipeline that augments their existing workflow, improve efficiency, drive down costs, and discover new revenue streams.

    One such technology is Stable Diffusion, a deep learning AI model that can synthesize new images based on text prompts. It is primarily used to generate detailed creative images, though it also has the capability of taking on tasks like inpainting, outpainting, and generating image-to-image translations guided by a text prompt. The most recent Stable Diffusion model, known as SDXL, is highly capable of producing high quality images with simple text prompts.

    A key aspect of Stable Diffusion is that it can be fine-tuned to create more ‘on-brand’ images. This allows one to drastically cut down the costs of commercial photo-shoots, without sacrificing creativity. For example, by training Stable Diffusion on a product image, one can then generate thousands of high-quality product variations, complete with diverse styles, colors, and features. This not only facilitates rapid prototyping and design exploration but also enhances the creative potential for marketing materials and presentations. Stable Diffusion models can also be harnessed to create storyboards, so that one can pre-visualize a script before it goes into production.

    Along to text-to-image AI models, a number of image-to-video models have also started emerging. Stable Video Diffusion (or, SVD) is an AI model that takes a single image as input, and generates a video clip from it. In the near future, this would allow studios to drastically cut down the cost of acquiring stock footage and b-rolls, and help democratize media creation further. Then there is LaVie, an open source text to video model, that helps with generation of video clips from simple text prompts as well.

    Images and visuals are only one of the many possibilities that Generative AI unlocks in the M&E industry. Audio is the other domain where a major shift is underway, with powerful Generative AI technologies simplifying music and voice synthesis.

    AudioCraft, for instance, is a suite of AI models developed by Meta that generates high-quality audio and music from simple text inputs. It consists of three models: MusicGen, AudioGen, and EnCodec, each designed to make sound creation accessible and innovative. MusicGen generates musical compositions and melodies from text prompts, while AudioGen generates audio from text prompts, enabling users to create custom soundscapes and atmospheres for various applications. This has enormous potential in music production.

    For voice synthesis, text to speech (TTS) models like xTTS, Bark, Tortoise, FastSpeech can handle text to speech generation. When combined with Wav2Lip, it is possible to create a full workflow for dubbing voices easily.

    Generative AI has even simplified audio transcription. OpenAI’s open source model Whisper is an automatic speech recognition model that is very potent at multilingual transcription from audio. This has applications in streamlining subtitle generation for films and video.

    There are numerous examples already of Generative AI being used in media production workflow. Al Jazeera, for instance, recently launched a ‘History Illustrated’ series where the writer uses graphics generated by Generative AI to depict stories from history. A Detroit-based video creation company recently showcased the potential of pure Generative AI powered media creation through a 12 minute short film called The Frost. To create this film, they first generated the images using AI, and then used these images to create video clips, which were then stitched together to form an entire short film. It is uncanny and strange, but points to interesting possibilities.

    Future film, media and music production studios would incorporate the technology deep into its workflow, not only to drive efficiency, but to unlock new creative formats that we are yet to witness. We are only beginning to witness the creative possibilities of this potent technology.

    The author of this article is E2E Networks Ltd chief revenue officer Kesava Reddy.

  • GoQuest, VIP2000TV, Stellar Yapim partner on Turkish series

    GoQuest, VIP2000TV, Stellar Yapim partner on Turkish series

    Mumbai: This is one Indian company which believes in doing things differently. The Mumbai-based Vivek Lath and Jimmy George-promoted format production and distribution house GoQuest Media has got into bed with the Miami-based VIP 2000 TV to coproduce and distribute the Turkish drama series Kuma (The Other Wife). The duo has roped in Turkish independent Inci Gulen Oarr promoted Stellar Yapim (productions) to helm the series, pre-production for which has already begun.

    Slated to have a duration of 100 hours with filming set to begin in the next few months in Turkey, the series follows the fortunes of a young woman from eastern Turkey who is forced to become a kuma or a second wife to the brother of the man she has been accused of murdering.

    Stellar Production is known for its prowess in co-productions with international partners on global projects as well as providing consultancy to international producers working in Turkey, including location scouting, line production and post-production services. Gulen Oarr is best known for the hit series Elif which ran for five seasons.

    What is exciting most media observers is the fact that Kuma is one of those rare shows where two non-Turkish producers have got together to churn out a premium daily show.

    “We are extremely pleased to be working with Inci Gulen Oarr on this project,” says VIP 2000 TV CEO Roxana Rotundo. “We have been waiting to get involved in our own Turkish project, but we needed it to be unique and different from the rest; in a market where there is so much competition, we needed an IP that would have a fascinating story, and we found  that in Kuma.”

    “We’re lucky to have viewers around the world,” points out Gulen Oarr. “An international collaboration like this only makes sense. These days, Turkish drama is truly global content.”

    GoQuest managing director Vivek Lath highlighted the drift in the market towards a B2B licensing and production model and the partnership with VIP 2000 TV is a step in that direction for the Indian company. “Partnering with VIP 2000 TV and Stellar Yapim, leaders in their respective fields, ensures that we have the best allies as we navigate and capitalize on these market shifts,” he said in conclusion.

  • Geophil’s Robin looks to build co-production slate

    Geophil’s Robin looks to build co-production slate

    Mumbai: There have been many who’ve tried and failed. But this is not deterring young television executive Robin Philip from doing so once again. The managing director of Geophil is quite gung-ho about building a strong co-production portfolio between Indian and international studios and between international ones.

    In a conversation with Indian Television founder, CEO & editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari, Philip revealed that “Geophil started as book publishing and distribution house based out of Mumbai. They had ambitions to grow in the media space beyond the print format and that’s where I joined about a year back after my stint with the Indian broadcaster – Zee. I had the honour in working with them in multiple geographies including in Asia Pacific and middle east and then with the OTT platform name Viu which is owned by a Hong Kong-based PCCW.”

    He further went on to say about what exactly Goephil does and how it bridges the gap between co-producers, “At Geophil, our vision is to actually take the entire bandwidth of co-producing content to a different level. We know that over the last year or so we have a lot of players who are trying to come together, join forces and co-produce. However, there isn’t a very organised way of doing it. So the vision is that, with the advent of OTT and the fact that people today, anywhere in the world are interested in watching content beyond their languages. We want players to look beyond licensing as a means of feeding their consumers with foreign content and only using the originals or the production platform for creating content locally. The only reason why I say an Australian platform will not produce content in Turkey is because they are unaware of how to work with the producer in Turkey or they don’t want to take care of 100% of the course. So that’s where we come in, we make sure that we come with the local experience in the market anywhere in the world where we give you the comfort that we get you the story. We will make sure that you know the timelines and the budgets in which the production is going to happen. The good thing is we will bring other co-producers who have similar interests in very different part of the world to join hands with you such that the producers together co-own the IP, get to air it in their own region and at the same time, monetise from markets, that are a lot of interest to them such that in a happy scenario, you are the content owner, you have a good ROI on your investment plus you created content which is an original which is going to not stay with you for two years or five years which happens with a licensing deal, but for life. This in a nutshell, is what we do. So we call ourselves the bridge between producers, platforms, investors, anybody who wants to kind of be part of the ecosystem of co-production.”

    To listen to the entire conversation, watch the video:

  • Dreamz Production House and Dubai Beauty School host Asia Super Model 2023

    Dreamz Production House and Dubai Beauty School host Asia Super Model 2023

    Mumbai: Dreamz Production House, well known in the fashion industry along with Dubai Beauty School, which provides top-notch education in the beauty industry hosted the grand finale of renowned beauty pageant – Asia Super Model 2023 Season-10 recently at Noida Film City. This event which received tremendous response, was an exciting platform for the talent across the country as the pageant team visited across the country to audition contestants. The show was a grand success as it welcomed a total of around 100 contestants in multiple categories – Mr, Miss & Mrs. Asia Super Model 2023 from all over the country. Thereafter, the shortlisted participants underwent rigorous training and grooming.

    The grand finale was judged by Youth icon Prince Narula, model and actor Rohit Khandelwal, Celebrity Makeup Artist Bhumika Bhal, renowned pageant coach and multiple award-winner for her exceptional grooming in the pageant world Dr. Rita Gangwani amongst others. The contestants in various categories were assessed by the judges on physical appearance and other all-round qualities including communication skills. The judges were astonished by the participant’s poise, confidence, and extraordinary talent, encompassing classical dance, acting, and public speaking. As part of their recognition, the winners were presented with cash prizes, gift hampers and offered a plethora of exciting opportunities, such as participation in video songs, web series, TVCs, print shoots, designer showcases, and reality shows. There was also a special kid round to promote young talent. More than 1000 children across the country were part of the auditions and 52 kids were shortlisted for the grand finale of the Asia Kids Super Star 2023.

    In the Miss Category, Arshia Bhardwaj from Jammu was crowned the winner title “Miss. Asia Super Model 2023” whereas Sonika Yadav from Delhi and Shivani Lakhera from Kotdwar, Uttarakhand achieved the first and second runners-up positions respectively.

    “Mr. Asia Super Model 2023” was awarded to Rohit Saxena from Bhopal. The first runner-up was Jomin D’Souza from Mumbai whereas the second runner-up was awarded to Sajan Singh from Ahmedabad.

    The “Mrs. Asia Super Model 2023” title was awarded to Neeta Padagi Shirgaonkar from Belagavi, Karnataka, Yojana Haresh Karia from Mumbai bagged the first runner position while Dr Apoorva Mishra from Dubai was awarded the second runner-up.

    “We congratulate all the winners and participants for their hard work, dedication, and exceptional talent. We have always received tremendous response for our show and we have made our mark this year too. Dreamz Production House offer a fantastic opportunity to everybody who wants to excel and is a gateway to the world of fashion, film and entertainment industry with widespread publicity. This stage has given many newcomers a chance to be a part of the fashion and entertainment fraternity. We also appreciate the judges, sponsors, and collaborators who helped us to make this an unforgettable event.” said Dreamz Production House founder Sharad Chaudhary.

    Dubai Beauty School founder Anubha Vashisht said “This beauty pageant is a platform that’s committed to giving participants a chance to showcase their talent and shine as an individual. Our goal is to provide the highest quality education and training to our students, and to help them achieve their career goals in the beauty industry. We aim to play a key role in shaping our students to help them become the industry stalwarts of tomorrow. The industry is growing manifold and the fashion and beauty industry is continuously looking out for young and talented people who are creative, can think out-of-the-box, and can introduce new trends in makeup, hairstyles, and skin care. We will also offer a variety of courses ranging from courses for entry-level candidates to working professionals seeking skills upgradation.”

    This time, the show also witnessed another category – Supermodel International India 2023. The Miss Supermodel International India 2023 title was given to Fozia Sayyed from Budhana (UP). The first runner-up award was given to Riya Dhek from Dehradun. The second runner-up went to Tanya Naidu from Bangalore.

    The title for Mr Supermodel International India 2023 was given to Shivansh Pandey from Hisar, Haryana. The first runner-up was awarded to Rahul Chawla from Gurgaon while the second runner-up went to Khush Dhir from Delhi.

    The title for Mrs Supermodel International India 2023 was awarded to Jaspreet from Chandigarh. The first runner-up was awarded to Gunjan from Jaipur while the second runner-up was given to Lata Shree from Karnal, Haryana.

    Over the years, Sharad Chaudhary, a well-known personality of the modelling world and known for managing mega shows and events has also worked with many celebrities like Neha Dhupia, Madhur Bhandarkar, Prince Narula, Yuvika Chaudhary, Rannvijay Singh, Ashmit Patel, Zareen Khan, Urvashi Rautela, Upen Patel, Pooja Chopra, Kainaat Arora, Jaideep Ahlawat, Gizele Thakral, Ajay Chaudhary, Anusha Dandekar, Stefy Patel, Benafsha Soonawalla, Himanshu Soni, Millind Gaba and many more.

  • “Wiz Films will always venture into new creative formats”: Wiz Films’ Viraf Sarkari

    “Wiz Films will always venture into new creative formats”: Wiz Films’ Viraf Sarkari

    Mumbai: In today’s dynamic entertainment landscape, the art of storytelling takes myriad forms, capturing hearts and minds across cultures and generations. Diverse content creation has become the heartbeat of modern narratives, where stories unfold in multifaceted ways—from riveting films and immersive series to innovative formats that challenge conventions.

    Amidst this vibrant tapestry, Wiz Films emerges as a beacon of creative brilliance, driven by a mission to craft distinctive content that establishes meaningful connections and resonates with a diverse global audience. Wiz Films, driven by a deep commitment to storytelling, thrives on captivating imaginations through innovative technologies and diverse formats. Beyond films and series, they offer line production, film liaison services across regions, and content syndication. As it ventures into filmmaking, Wiz Films aims to become a global production powerhouse, delivering entertaining and valuable content for audiences, and create value for stakeholders.

    Indiantelevision.com in conversation with Wiz Films director Viraf Sarkari delved deeper into Wiz Films’ inception, its target audience, the inspiration behind the latest film ‘Kadak Singh’, and more…

    Sarkari, a dynamic professional and prominent figure in the entertainment industry, stands as one of the co-founders of Wizcraft and serves as a director of Wiz Films. He has produced and directed Broadway-style musical productions like Zangoora, the world’s largest and longest-running Bollywood musical, and Jaan-e-Jigar in Dubai Parks & Resorts. As a seasoned producer and director, Viraf has orchestrated global sporting opening and closing ceremonies, mega concerts with renowned artists, and film award ceremonies. Currently, he has expanded his horizons to produce and direct innovative content for OTT platforms and cinema releases, involving ventures such as web series, docu-series, feature films, ad films, and music videos. His diverse portfolio underscores his influential role in shaping the landscape of entertainment on a global scale.

    Edited Excerpts:

    On the inception of Wiz Films

    Wiz Films was conceived as a natural progression in our three-decade-long journey in the entertainment and live events industry. With 36 years of experience in organising diverse formats such as corporate events, parties, award functions, concerts, and musical and theatrical productions, Andre, Sabbas, and I sensed the opportunity to extend our expertise to film production. This expansion marks a significant milestone for us, completing the circle of our journey in the dynamic world of entertainment.

    On Wiz Films setting itself apart from so many production houses in terms of storytelling and content creation

    Wiz Films distinguishes itself in the realm of storytelling and content creation by focusing on the essence of meaningful cinema. While we acknowledge our presence in the industry, with just one film to our credit, we refrain from drawing direct comparisons with other production houses. Our primary goal is to craft compelling narratives inspired by true events, striving to deliver impactful and high-quality films that resonate with audiences. At Wiz Films, our commitment lies in bringing forth the best stories to the world, contributing to the cinematic landscape with authenticity and purpose.

    On Wiz Films having a niche genre or specific audience that it primarily targets, or is it more about universal appeal

    Wiz Films strives itself on exploring a diverse range of genres to cater to a broad audience. Whether it’s a compelling family drama, a gripping murder mystery, a laugh-out-loud comedy, an adrenaline-pumping action film, a quirky and unconventional movie, or a heartwarming romantic story, we are open to it all. Our primary focus lies in identifying exceptional stories and well-crafted scripts. The key criterion for us is a narrative that stands out and has the potential to captivate audiences. We prioritise uniqueness, steering away from current trends to bring fresh and engaging content to audiences across the world.

    On any new genres or forms that Wiz Films is keen on exploring in the near future

    Wiz Films will always venture into new creative formats. We are exploring the possibilities of adapting our Broadway-style Bollywood musical production “Balle Balle” a big fat Indian wedding.

    On the inspiration behind ‘Kadak Singh’, and Wiz Films seeing this film contributing to the current cinematic landscape

    Kadak Singh was conceived 12 years ago, and after a dedicated six-year production effort, we successfully brought it to fruition. The primary focus throughout this journey was crafting a unique and compelling script, which we believe sets the film apart. Contributing to the current cinematic landscape, Kadak Singh stands out as a multi-genre experience—blending elements of family drama, crime, romance, and comedy. The film’s distinctiveness lies not only in its diverse genres but also in its well-crafted screenplay. Overall, Kadak Singh offers a fresh perspective, enriching the cinematic landscape with its innovative approach.

    On Wiz Films approaching the production of diverse content, such as web series, docu-series, feature films, ad films, and music videos

    Wiz Films adopts a tailored approach to producing diverse content, spanning web series, docu-series, feature films, ad films, and music videos. Each genre is handled by a dedicated team of specialists, ensuring a focused and nuanced execution. For instance, when working on a docu-series, we enlist a director with expertise in that specific format. The same principle applies to web series, feature films, ad films, and music videos, where teams are curated based on their proficiency in the respective genres. This strategic allocation of specialized teams allows Wiz Films to deliver high-quality and targeted content across a spectrum of creative formats.

    On your film liaison services across India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, are there any collaborations or partnerships on the horizon that audiences should be excited about

    Currently, we are working on a project which is an exciting Indo-Bollywood collaboration tentatively titled “Children of God”. With this project we will explore to leverage the technical expertise and creative talent from both Hollywood and Indian Cinema, presenting a unique and ground-breaking production. As technology advances rapidly, our goal is to stay ahead of the curve. We envision creating interactive films and embracing emerging trends such as VR movies, 3D, and 360-degree experiences.

    On Wiz Films’ future plans and aspirations, including any new market entries or the exploration of emerging trends in the entertainment sector

    Wiz Films has a clear vision for the future, focusing on creating captivating films with global appeal. As technology advances rapidly, our goal is to stay ahead of the curve. In our strategic planning, we are exploring the integration of technology and creativity. By constantly updating ourselves with the latest technology, we aim to position Wiz Films as a leading force in the industry, where the world becomes our stage. Our commitment is to remain current and innovative, ensuring our films resonate with audiences globally. 

  • Warner Bros Discovery and Paramount Global are into talk for merger – Sources

    Warner Bros Discovery and Paramount Global are into talk for merger – Sources

    Mumbai: Us-based International conglomerates Warner Bros Discovery and Paramount global chiefs met on Wednesday, sources told Reuters. Both companies attributed to making international content are planning to collaborate for upcoming potential projects. For that purpose, Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav met Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish allegedly on Wednesday.

    Still, it is not clear that Warner Bros may buy Paramount Global or its parent company ‘ National Amusements Inc ‘(NAI) as per sources speak to the news agency Reuters. According to the Axis report talks between both conglomerates are in the initial stage, so talks have not converted yet into a deal. Paramount is under the management of Shari Redstone led media which owns 77 per cent stakes in Paramount class A.

    In April last year, Warmers Media unit and Discovery merged and formed Warner Bros Discovery, a portfolio that included Discovery Channel, Warner Bros. Entertainment CNN, HBO, Cartoon Network streaming services Discovery+, HBO Max, and franchises such as Batman and Harry Potter. Earlier Bloomberg News reported Paramount was in talks to sell its Black Entertainment Television network to a management-led investor group.

    As per the Bloomberg report old media companies struggle with the transition to streaming. Both companies can collaborate to build infrastructure for film studios and TV networks. If these two media merged it could become the largest media house other than Disney.

  • VICE Studios shines beyond Filmfare Win; Spotlight on groundbreaking series “Rainbow Rishta”

    VICE Studios shines beyond Filmfare Win; Spotlight on groundbreaking series “Rainbow Rishta”

    Mumbai: Trailblazing production house Vice Studios, is making headlines not only for its recent Filmfare win for Best Non-fiction Original of 2023 ‘Cinema Marte Dum Tak’ but also for its groundbreaking show ‘Rainbow Rishta’, which has been receiving widespread acclaim for its bold exploration of the LGBTQI community. ‘Cinema Marte Dum Tak’ is Vice Studio’s first series created for Amazon Prime Video, the second of which, ‘Rainbow Rishta’, creatively led by filmmaker Jaydeep Sarkar, was released just last month to widespread critical acclaim.

    While the Filmfare win has solidified Vice Studio’s position as a force to be reckoned with in the film industry, the studio aims to captivate audiences worldwide with a diverse range of compelling narratives. The expansion of the content library reinforces VICE Studios commitment to delivering high-quality, thought-provoking, and culturally relevant content across various platforms.

    Vice Studios head Samira Kanwar said, “At VICE, our commitment to create unique and inclusive stories is resonating with the audience around the globe. This is great validation for the hard work that we as a team have been doing for the last five years and breaking ground in non-fiction storytelling and proving that it is not only important but there is also an audience for it in India. Winning a Filmfare award is a tremendous achievement, and we’re thrilled about it, we hope our success goes beyond that.”

    Adding to this, Vice Media APAC managing director Nilesh Zaveri, said, “In five years, Vice Studios has become the frontrunner for documentary content in the Indian OTT space, with over 30 hours of content across major streamers like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Discovery+, with more in the pipeline, as it settles into the ever-changing Indian media landscape as the go-to studio for fact-based content. From hard-hitting true crime documentaries to character-focused, heartfelt docuseries about art, culture, and real stories about real people.”

    As Vice Studios continues to make waves in the entertainment industry, it remains dedicated to its mission of creating content that reflects the richness and diversity of the human experience.

  • Famous Studios’ unrivaled talent pool redefines excellence in filmmaking from concept to delivery: Famous Studio’s Anant Roongta

    Famous Studios’ unrivaled talent pool redefines excellence in filmmaking from concept to delivery: Famous Studio’s Anant Roongta

    Mumbai: Famous Studio is one of the oldest film studios, and it was established in 1946 is an unwavering legacy of world-class tech, talent, and infrastructure, continuing to thrive and flourish in the Media and Entertainment industry. It is famous for creating ground-breaking content with award-winning talent, cutting-edge technology & infrastructure that unlock, inspire, and nurture the imagination of storytellers. Famous has always thought ahead of time. Famous wants to give a new dimension to storytelling. All the campaigns are targeted to make a new revolution in the industry. Famous portfolio of diverse creative solutions. A range of shooting floors with a dedicated green screen stage, and ready-to-shoot sets with makeup rooms, ideal for content production and live events.

    High-Speed Visual Engineering Lab with Phantom Flex 4K GS and precision-controlled Robotic Arm, Virtual Production facilities integrated with Unreal Engine, and In-house production services with a global network of directors. End-to-end Creative Audio and Video Postproduction services, Offline Editing Suites, Online/Finishing Suites, Dolby Vision Certified DI and colour Grading Facilities on Base light and Da Vinci Resolve, and 4 X Sound Mix and Recording Studios including a Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 HE room. Established in 1998, Famous House of Artists (FHOA) has been a leading VFX, CGI, & 3D Animation service provider with a talented team of artists delivering high-end VFX/CGI projects across the globe and an end-to-end capacity to deliver content from conceptualisation to final delivery.

    Under the leadership of Anant Roongta who is a 3rd generation entrepreneur and the managing director of India’s most iconic film studio; Famous Studios, ushered big, bold changes at Famous such as setting up Famous Working Co., India’s first co-working space in film studio and partnering with Netflix as their preferred postproduction partner. In a bid to provide a technologically advanced canvas for storytellers, Anant and his team launched a state-of-the-art postproduction studio in Andheri, Mumbai & Hyderabad specializing in long format and OTT content. He also paved the way for introducing new technologies such as visual engineering, Motion Capture, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos-certified post-production facilities, virtual production and VFX. With a vision to make Famous a global leader and enabler of audio-visual craft and creative solutions, Anant is investing massively in talent, technology, and infrastructure. Famous has worked on landmark campaigns, legendary ad campaigns and iconic ads. Famous is giving a new dimension to lots of international brands and campaign ads launching in India. And Anant Roongta is the man behind this splendid success. The studio has splendid spaces where one can proudly showcase the work. State-of-the-art 60-seater

    The studio has splendid spaces where one can proudly showcase the work. State-of-the-art 60-seater Preview Theater with Barco 2K 8S Projector and Dolby Atmos Surround 7.1 is every content creator’s dream. Whether it’s a special screening or a private preview, famous theatre has everything one needs.

    Indiantelevision.com in a chat with Roongta, spoke on the innovations at Famous Studio, partnering with Netflix, setting up the state-of-the-art post-production facility and much more……

    On being one of the best studios in Mumbai, it was probably the only one with air-conditioned floors, practically 90% of Ad commercials have been shot here, what were the reasons to diversify into post-production

    Famous Studios was one of the leading studios in Mumbai, renowned for its extensive work in advertising commercials. Recognizing the importance of diversifying services, the studio made a strategic decision to expand its offerings by venturing into post-production in 1985. This groundbreaking move, fueled by the burgeoning industry and the growing demand for compelling advertising content, transformed Famous Studios into a comprehensive end-to-end service provider, encompassing shooting floors, animation, sound recording, editing, colour grading, and visual effects. The establishment of a post-production facility not only attracted a wider clientele but also positioned Famous Studios at the forefront of the digital era.

    On the commercial for Puma Nitro

    The Puma Nitro case study is an intriguing example of how technological advancements and collaboration can lead to stunning visual storytelling. The initial brief, focusing on the shoe’s versatility and all-weather capabilities, sparked the creativity of our team of concept artists. By leveraging cutting-edge software like Unreal Engine and Blender, we were able to create captivating visuals that effectively conveyed the shoe’s key features.

    Puma’s open and collaborative approach further enhanced the process, resulting in a commercial that is both visually stunning and impactful. The commercial’s focus on the shoe’s logo, laces, and innovative soft foam technology, coupled with the diverse environments in which it is used, highlights the shoe’s versatility and appeal to a wide range of consumers. While creativity can be a complex process, the training and expertise of our concept artists allowed us to seamlessly translate the brief into visually compelling content. As you can see in the commercial, the visuals are both dramatic and effective, perfectly capturing the essence of Puma Nitro.

    On the post-production innovations for the ad what was the specific TG the brand wanted to target

    The innovation behind this commercial was as simple as Anant describes: Famous Studios received a technical brief to showcase a shoe in a TV commercial without any actors. To address this challenge, Famous Studios employed photogrammetry technology, setting up multiple cameras to capture images of the shoe from various angles. The resulting 3D image, known as a 3D mesh, was then imported into animation software, where colours, design elements, and motion were added to create the final film.

    This commercial was entirely produced using CGI (Computer Generated Imagery), and without the advancements in technologies like Blender, Unreal Engine, and photogrammetry, it would not have been possible. However, even with sophisticated tools, the true magic lies in the talent and expertise of the team behind them. Famous Studios possesses this talent pool, enabling us to excel in the creative, production, and delivery aspects of filmmaking.

    On the launch of this facility, how has the journey been

    Famous Studio’s extraordinary journey began long before 1945, and throughout this remarkable journey, the company has weathered numerous industry storms, emerging stronger each time. This resilience is a testament to the forward-thinking mindset of the management, which has consistently embraced change and attracted and nurtured top talent.

    This commitment to innovation and talent development has enabled Famous Studios to maintain its relevance, expanding its operations with three facilities in Mumbai and recently opening a new one in Hyderabad. The company’s leadership refuses to rest on its laurels, constantly looking ahead to the next 3-5 years to ensure its continued success. The journey has been a roller coaster of emotions, with its share of ups and downs, but it is these experiences that have shaped Famous Studios into the institution it is today.

    On your insights on how the post-production landscape in India has changed/evolved over the years

    The post-production landscape has undoubtedly undergone a dramatic transformation, driven by technological advancements. In the past, we relied on cumbersome telecine machines and negative film, followed by digitization and grading before editing. Today, digital cameras have revolutionized the process, allowing for immediate shot selection and editing. Moreover, powerful computers, sophisticated software, and cloud infrastructure have significantly reduced post-production timeframes. Additionally, remote collaboration tools like Frame.io enable clients to access and review work in real-time, regardless of their location. While the post-production workflow has evolved remarkably, the demand for post-production services is only poised to increase. The ever-growing demand for content across all media and entertainment sectors necessitates the expertise and technology offered by post-production facilities.

    On your vision and mission for the next three years

    Famous Studios boasts a comprehensive mission and vision that reflects our unique position as a studio that caters to nearly every segment of the media and entertainment industry. Our mission is to ignite the creativity of storytellers through a harmonious blend of technology, craftsmanship, innovation, and infrastructure. Our vision is to deliver a seamless and transformative experience through creativity and innovation. Both our mission and vision are anchored by four fundamental pillars: innovation, craftsmanship, infrastructure, and technology. These pillars will guide our growth as we explore new avenues in the media and entertainment sector.