ITV

Category: Post Production

  • One Life Studios & SPNI partner to offer the best of Indian television across CEE, CIS, China & Japan

    One Life Studios & SPNI partner to offer the best of Indian television across CEE, CIS, China & Japan

    MUMBAI: One Life Studios (OLS) has partnered with Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) for exclusive rights to license and distribute its content catalogue in CEE/CIS countries as well as China and Japan.

    OLS is the first studio in India to retain 100 per cent IP of two self-created mega dramas. They have introduced this international norm to the Indian industry and have also curated an extensive catalogue across several genres. This has been done in partnership with multiple international studios. The end goal is to syndicate its content in India and across the globe.

    The collaboration between SPN & OLS will witness an amalgamation of the respective strengths of both entities, including OLS’ networking connections and SPNI’s content.

    SPNI ad sales and international business chief revenue officer Rohit Gupta said, “We are thrilled to partner with One Life Studios from the house of Swastik Productions as our exclusive content distributor in Japan, China, commonwealth of independent states (CIS), and central and eastern Europe. This alliance will further strengthen our syndication reach by making our content available to a newer market and set of audience. The two-year deal will enable the network to offer its holistic entertainment package and tap into an expanded audience demography.”

    One Life Studios founder and chief creative Siddharth Kumar Tewary added, “At One Life Studios, we always try and push the envelope to achieve more and bring the best content that there is for our audience across the world. We only plan to go onward and upward from here. The excitement with the team knows no bounds as we set out to distribute and license the catalogue of one of the most respectable television content creators in our country. With our extensive and vast networking and their popular content, we will give audiences across the globe the best of Indian television.”

  • Film shoots resume in Madhya Pradesh under Covid2019 norms

    Film shoots resume in Madhya Pradesh under Covid2019 norms

    MUMBAI: Madhya Pradesh has become the first state to permit film production post the unlock. The state is taking all necessary measures to ensure shooting takes place safely. The government has come out with a set of standard operating guiding principles that need to be followed at film sets and by the crew at all places where filming takes place.

    Moreover, Madhya Pradesh is a predominantly Hindi speaking state, making it more viable and manageable for Bollywood movies. The availability of production facilities, line producers, artists, local crew etc, makes it much more economical to shoot in.

    Till now, more than 200 projects including feature films, TV serial/series, TVCs and reality shows have been shot in Madhya Pradesh, such as Stree, Sui-Dhaga, Kalank, Manikarnika, Luka Chhupi, Padman, Toilet ek Prem Katha, Bajirao Mastani, Paan Singh Tomar, Lion, C, Aarakshan, and Raajneeti, to name a few.

    Recently, actors like Anupam Kher and Bhumi Phednekar have wrapped up filming in Madhya Pradesh for their movies. And a few shoots with actor Vidya Balan are in the pipeline around the last week of November.

    Anupam Kher said, “It is picture wrap for our movie #TheLastShow!! What an amazing, creatively satisfying and courageous journey it has been. We will miss this time together. But I think we have created something, the memories of which will last us for a lifetime. ‘Thank you’ is a small expression to express our gratitude. But we couldn’t have created this gem without the help of #MPGovt, local authorities and people of #Bhopal. Especially @mptourism dept. Jai Ho to you all.  #Film #PassionAndPaseenaFilms.”    

    Madhya Pradesh Tourism department is liable to coordinate with the different concerned departments for shoot permission on behalf of filmmakers. The state is working on a Film Tourism Policy to simplify the process of securing permission for shoots.

    The vision of this policy is to make Madhya Pradesh a major filmmaking hub and generate a number of employment opportunities in the state.

    MP tourism provides the following facilities to producers/directors:

    •      Dedicated film facilitation cell shall work as a nodal agency to ease out the shooting permissions through single window clearance system.

    •      Authentic shooting locations

    •      Film friendly authorities and strong government support

    •      Easy permissions

    •      Modern infrastructure and omnipresent hotels

    •      Favourable law and order condition

    •      Cost-effective infrastructure, crew, local talent and other skilful workforce

    •      Hindi speaking people, food/cuisine flexibility and ideal climate

    Comfort of filming in MP:

    ·        A dedicated online film web portal shall be created to provide a single-point interface and time bound clearance mechanism for filmmakers intending to shoot in Madhya Pradesh.

    ·        All the applications shall be received through online mode by the film facilitation cell and action shall be taken in coordination with the concerned department for permission.

    ·        The portal shall also act as a platform for information dissemination related to film tourism policy and shall also act as a forum for the dissemination and the rules, regulations, also provide information on grants and other utility services.

  • Banijay confirms internal data theft in cyber attack

    Banijay confirms internal data theft in cyber attack

    MUMBAI: Independent production company Banijay has admitted that internal data was stolen in a cyber attack last week, potential impacting hundreds of current and former employees.

    The company said that certain personnel data as well as commercially sensitive information may have been compromised. This follows after the attackers leaked some of the stolen documents online.

    As per media reports, the hackers targeted the systems of the Endemol Shine International network and part of the Endemol Shine Group network in Amsterdam. Banijay acquired Endemol Shine for $2.2 billion this summer.

    The global group is currently investigating the incident with independent specialists, and to date, has reported the issue to the relevant local authorities in both the Netherlands and the UK – the territories affected by the ransomware attack. It is trying to figure out how its technology was breached, who was affected, and what information has been exposed. It is also following guidance from the information commissioner’s office in the UK.

    Banijay Rights CEO Cathy Payne has written to former employees this week, including some who left the Endemol Shine group years ago, to warn them about the incident.

    Banijay is continuing to take the appropriate steps to protect its employees, past and present. If it identifies any cases of data being taken or misused, the production house will contact the affected individuals directly.

  • Comcast-owned Sky signs deal with eOne

    Comcast-owned Sky signs deal with eOne

    MUMBAI: Sky, Comcast’s European pay-TV giant, has entered into a “long-term” partnership with Entertainment One to give its customers in the UK and Ireland access to hundreds of Hasbro’s films.

    The deal includes nearly 200 titles from eOne’s library, such as the Twilight saga and Dallas Buyers Club, whereas new releases will be telecast exclusively by Sky. This includes upcoming titles like the holiday rom-com Happiest Season starring Kristen Stewart, which skipped the UK theatrical release.

    eOne international distribution president Stuart Baxter said, “A partnership of this size is one of the largest strategic deals we have made this year. We are confident that they will be a great marketing partner for our content and will work with us throughout its lifecycle. “

    Sky has significantly improved its content offering this year through contracts with Disney, Sony, DreamWorks Animation and Discovery.

    Sky UK and Europe CEO Stephen van Rooyen said, “Our business with eOne is just another example of how we listen to customers and bring them more of what they want.”

  • Cineflix Rights CEO Chris Bonney to retire in 2021

    Cineflix Rights CEO Chris Bonney to retire in 2021

    MUMBAI: Cineflix Rights CEO Chris Bonney is set to step down from the company next year, after eight years in the role.

    Bonney, who joined Cineflix Media’s sales and acquisitions arm in 2012, will retire mid-2021 following an extended period of transition when the London-based distributor will appoint a successor.

    Prior to this he was at Warner Bros International Television Production as SVP sales & acquisitions. He has also served stints as MD of Outright Distribution and a board member at UK-based Shed Media.

    Under his leadership, the company has grown into one of the UK’s largest indie TV content sales firms with a catalogue of more than 5,000 hours of scripted and factual content.

    During his tenure at Cineflix Rights, Bonney increased the company’s third-party slate to almost 50 per cent of its overall portfolio, developed financing models to help partners including Cineflix Productions.

    Cineflix Media co-founders and co-CEOs Glen Salzman and Katherine Buck said: “Over the last eight years, Chris has played a pivotal role in positioning Cineflix Media as a global content powerhouse. Under his skilful leadership, he has assembled a phenomenal team at Cineflix Rights and has drawn up a solid blueprint for enduring momentum and success.

    “Chris is very well-respected by his colleagues and peers alike, and we’re sad that he will be stepping down. However, we are grateful that he will continue to drive the company forward while we recruit his successor. And of course, Chris will always remain part of the Cineflix family.”

    Bonney added, “Cineflix Rights is now well placed as a distributor with a highly successful scripted business alongside its longstanding factual operations. After 35 years in the industry, it feels like the right time for me to make a move to a new phase in life, and for a new hand to take the company to its next stage.”

    “I’ve really enjoyed working with such a talented and friendly team over the past eight years, as well as the many incredibly creative producers and broadcasters I’ve had the opportunity to deal with during my time here. I’d also like to thank Glen and Katherine for all their support over the years. As I’ll be around for a while yet, it’s more The Long Goodbye than Short Cuts before I head off to the golf course and experience parts of the world I’ve always wanted to visit.”

  • ITV Studios names Pat Younge as non-executive director

    ITV Studios names Pat Younge as non-executive director

    MUMBAI: ITV Studios has appointed Pat Younge, as the new non-executive director. Younge is an award-winning journalist and creative leader with 30 years’ experience working at major broadcasters in the UK and abroad, he takes up the role with immediate effect.

    Younge will share his knowledge on International experience and insight to support the ITV Studios executive team. He will assist with the ongoing implementation of the Studios strategy, offer specialist advice and help develop the business. Younge replaces Denise O’Donoghue who previously held the role.

    He is currently the co-managing director of Cardiff Productions after recently leaving the Sky-backed production outfit Sugar Films.

    Pat Younge said, “It’s good to be coming back to ITV where I started my career. Julian has built a great team and ITV Studios has some fantastic labels, and I hope to help them build on their successes.”

    ITV Studios MD Julian Bellamy added, “Pat is a renowned leader in our industry with extensive experience across programme making, running Studios and TV channels.  His contribution to the ITV Studios Board will be invaluable and I’m looking forward to working with him.”

    Previously, Younge led the BBC Television Production studio, responsible for over 2500 hours of TV programming overseeing shows including Strictly Come Dancing, Doctor Who and Top Gear. Prior to that, he was a president at Travel Channel Media, during which time shows including Man v Food were launched.
     

  • Warner Media announces new UK & Ireland team

    Warner Media announces new UK & Ireland team

    MUMBAI: Polly Cochrane, Warner Media's new country manager for the UK and Ireland, has unveiled her leadership team. The company also announced that John Stanley, who helmed Warner Bros’ home entertainment operation in UK, Ireland, Spain and Nordics, has decided to exit after a tenure of 14 years.

    Stanley will step down from his responsibilities at the end of November, but stay on until the end of June on a series of transition projects.

    The new team brings together a group of seasoned executives in Alison Morris, Neil Marshall, Rachel Wakley, Alex Lewis, Allan Stenhouse and Charlie Cubbon. “I am excited to bring together such an outstanding group of executives, each of whom is testament to the great talent we have within the company,” said Cochrane. “As we integrate the commercial and group marketing activities of our Warner Bros businesses and our entertainment networks, we will benefit from their passion for our product, astute thinking, and proven desire to push new boundaries.”

    Alison Morris, who currently oversees the distribution of Warner Bros, Turner, HBO, and HBO Max content, will now lead a newly formed TV and digital distribution group which also includes home video digital distribution. She will also integrate Turner affiliate & ad sales into this combined team, working closely with respective leaders Riccardo Donato and Andrew Mallandaine.

    Meanwhile, Neil Marshall will continue to lead theatrical film distribution, and now also takes on local film production, supported by Patrick Strafford. In addition to this, he will assume oversight for all operations in Ireland.

    Rachel Wakley, who currently oversees consumer products & experiences, will expand her remit to encompass physical video and physical & digital games sales, bringing the company’s entire physical business across all retail and e-commerce channels under her purview.

    Alex Lewis will continue to lead film & games marketing. Lewis recently added digital & data strategy and media & brand partnerships as well as games to her remit and will now oversee the marketing of film catalogue in addition to her existing responsibilities for new release film.

    Allan Stenhouse will continue to lead TV Marketing, having recently taken on Turner and HBO Home Video marketing and TV distribution support in addition to the Warner Bros content he continues to manage.

    Lewis and Stenhouse will continue to jointly oversee creative services and franchise management for the UK & Ireland.

    Meanwhile, Charlie Cubbon will lead on commercial development for the UK and Ireland region, and will also oversee a newly formed central commercial planning team as well as the long-term strategy on games. He will continue to oversee supply chain.

  • Banijay retains Anne Van Sprang as HR lead

    Banijay retains Anne Van Sprang as HR lead

    MUMBAI: Banijay has confirmed that Anne Van Sprang will continue to lead its HR department as chief human resources officer. Based in Paris, she is the group’s global strategic departmental head, consulting on the company’s worldwide structure, operations and employee relations.

    Championing best practice, Van Sprang joined Banijay from Kering Group, where for two years, she was at the forefront of devising and implementing the business’ HR strategy, as well as overseeing the HR function for the technology and digital division across its 13-territory footprint. Prior to this, she was human resources director at Canal +, providing full HR support to the technical and IT division thus contributing to the digital transformation of the group. She has also held roles at TDF Group and Carrefour.

    A leading HR partner, Van Sprang has spearheaded Banijay’s integration with Endemol Shine Group, supporting chief executive officer, Marco Bassetti, and the global leadership team, in building a footprint comprising the world’s best creative entrepreneurs. Overseeing the department’s worldwide operations, she continues to collaborate with the footprint’s HR partners to combine teams and systems, and drive a joined-up, inclusive and responsible approach. 

    Marco Bassetti said, “Shortly after Anne joined us, we embarked on our acquisition of Endemol, and from the start, she has been a key player in the process. Guiding us on the integration and driving the successful merge of these two businesses, she has been an invaluable partner and voice in our biggest move yet. With her help, we are proud to be building one of the world’s most significant and innovative creative engines.”

    Anne Van Sprang said, “Talent has and will always be key to Banijay. Our creative community is at the heart of all we do and since the recent acquisition, we can categorically say we have 22 territories brimming with the most inspired minds in the business. And, with a great global HR team by my side, I am confident we can continue to attract, develop and retain the best talent in the content industry while driving new employee initiatives and best practice across our far-reaching operations.”

    Van Sprang reports to CEO Marco Bassetti in her new role.

  • Why Rana Daggubati’s South Bay is a content platform with a difference

    Why Rana Daggubati’s South Bay is a content platform with a difference

    MUMBAI: People tend to have a fixed perception when it comes to actor Rana Daggubati – that of a consummate action hero. What they don’t know is that the Baahubali star is a man who dons many hats – producer, VFX supervisor, master of the gab, entrepreneur. Recently, Daggubati launched his very own YouTube channel South Bay, marking his entry into the world of content creation.

    Rana’s South Bay will offer content from varied languages with duration ranging from ten seconds to ten hours. The actor’s intent behind this YouTube channel is to provide a platform where not only mainstream talent will be able to create cultural content but also to shine the spotlight on upcoming independent creators.

    South Bay will host programs cutting across genres and formats: from live chats, snackable short forms, news, music, animation, to fiction & non-fiction – there is enough and more for everyone. Daggubati described it as a launchpad for filmmakers who wish to go on major OTT’s.

    The driving force behind South Bay is to make it possible for those in the alternative sub-culture space to come into the mainstream, highlighted Daggubati. The idea is to start off with the YouTube channel and then take on Instagram’s IGTV. Their long-term plans involve hosting all content on their own platform – Southbay.live. On festival days, there will be two-hour-long live streaming sessions. He’s excited about his show Why Are You, which will feature Bhuvan Bam, Taapsee Pannu, Karan Johar, Ram Gopal Verma, Kangana Ranaut, Nargis Fakhri and many others. As the show progresses Daggubati wants to rope in politicians for the commentary piece.  

    “We wanted to bring a system of fair play where the large part of user base is scrolling and watching OTT content where there is so much to watch. But the idea hear is to start curating that content and then go back live system. First source of monetization is going to be through advertising and secondly through YouTube and Instagram monetization,” he said.

    For Daggubati, cultured content has always been on the cards but there was a dearth of platforms that were picking up content based out of India. Hence, he decided to launch a channel that focuses on India’s pop culture and something that address the newer generation. He added, “I have observed that in India everything is growing except cultural content. If something is sub-cultured ten years ago, it still continues to be sub-cultured and it never takes mainstream stage. We wanted to go digital because that is where the audience is. Another important aspect is the creator owns the IP as long as he lives. The problem with most content that is built, is the creator loses the value or the IP very quickly but here we are making sure we have enough creators who will stay with us for a longer period of time. We will help them with the monetization and grow further.”

    With its millennial news segment, South Bay will tap into the rising trend among young internet users to consume news on social media. For the uninitiated, 15 years ago Daggubati owned an animation company, but nothing worked out. Now, through his YouTube channel he wants to chase his passion with shows like Irreverent, promises to be a gamechanger in the Indian animation ecosystem. Unscripted content is also in the pipeline, with two shows featuring bonafide South superstars – Coming Back to Life with Lakshmi Manchu and Secret Box with Shruti Haasan – which will bring together personalities from across the globe for a conversation on life post the pandemic. For music enthusiasts, Sublime Collective will serve as a six-month-long campaign to promote handpicked independent artist across the country. Clearly, the programming line-up is packed with edgy, engaging and entertaining offerings.

    Viewers belonging to the age group of 16-45 years are South Bay’s primary target audience. For now, most shows will be in South Indian languages, while a few are going to be in Hindi. Post the first live show, Daggubati will start dropping content in independent languages. He has set his sights on bringing premium curated content in a free-play system. By generating a global awareness for Indian content, he wants to connect creators the world. Being present on the digital platform will provide them a chance to come together and build an overall ecosystem.

    South Bay has also collaborated with Triller as their exclusive and official short form video content partner. Through cross promotions South Bay and Triller will promote the respective content, programming of every single show will be packaged and uploaded specifically for the Triller format.

    Much like the characters he plays on-screen, Daggubati has undertaken a daunting endeavour in building a multi-cultural content platform that gives independent creators the chance to showcase their talent. But he’s confident and has developed a taste for success – be it on the big screen or small – and he’ll draw on his well-spring of diverse know-how and flexibility to ensure that his latest experiment pays off in a big way.

  • Bodhi Tree Multimedia’s debut on NSE Emerge to fuel expansion & growth

    Bodhi Tree Multimedia’s debut on NSE Emerge to fuel expansion & growth

    KOLKATA: It is not a common practice for production houses in India to venture into the capital market. But in quite a unique move, content production company Bodhi Tree Multimedia Ltd recently debuted on NSE Emerge. It has already raised Rs 3.71 crore from its SME initial public offering, which will go towards expansion activities and strategic growth, said Bodhi Tree Multimedia managing director Mautik Tolia.

    Started in 2013 by Tolia and Sukesh Motwani, the production house initially focused on general entertainment on TV, and later expanded into other genres and also into digital content. Along with working for major broadcasters, it has produced content for OTT platforms like Voot, Viu.

    Tolia said that they had been considering going public since last year, and the process would have been finished in the last financial year if the Covid2019-induced lockdown had not struck suddenly. Hence, they had to push it back by a couple of months.

    “You are at a point in entertainment industry where you are at an inflection point with digital content, TV content. Moreover, new avenues of content production are emerging. If you want to take advantage of that, this is the right time to focus on accessing the capital market because it is a long-term way for a company to grow. Eventually, if you want to develop your own IP, being listed opens lots of doors for you. It’s a strategic objective, more than anything else,” Tolia explained.

    The company posted Rs 27.45 crore consolidated revenue for FY20. For the first five months of FY21, it has reported Rs 4.86 crore revenue and profit of 0.32 crore. In a filing on the stock exchange, the company has also stated that it intends to utilize the issue proceeds towards working capital requirements, general corporate purpose and meeting the issue expenses.

    Elara Capital VP – research analyst (Media) Karan Taurani also endorsed the decision of getting listed. Noting that content making has, in fact, picked up during Covid period due to increased amount of time spent on TV and digital platforms, Taurani said this has led to greater demand for good content from major broadcasters and OTT players alike. According to him, Bodhi Tree Multimedia is a solid production house which has made quality TV shows and web-series. Hence, Taurani expressed confidence that it will get a good valuation.

    Taurani went on to mention that being platform-agnostic will also work in Bodhi Tree’s favour in a market where most listed content creators churn out shows either for their own channels or OTT platforms. Hence, it will provide multiple opportunities overall, he shared.