ITV

Category: English Entertainment

  • Sony BBC Earth to premiere ‘Frozen Planet’ in India

    Sony BBC Earth to premiere ‘Frozen Planet’ in India

    Mumbai: The second season of the flagship television series Frozen Planet from Sony BBC Earth is about to make its Indian debut.

    Frozen Planet II is narrated by Sir David Attenborough and produced by the acclaimed Natural History Unit of BBC Studios in association with BBC America, the Open University, Migu Video, ZDF, and France Television. After an eleven-year hiatus, the eagerly anticipated six-part series is back on television.

    Sony Pictures Networks chief marketing officer & business head (English cluster & Sony AATH) Tushar Shah said, “Frozen Planet II is one of the biggest properties to make its way to Sony BBC Earth this year. While the first season of the show received a positive response from viewers, we hope that with this release we can provide an unparalleled experience of the frozen world and the life that thrives in it despite all odds. We are committed to offering the best to our viewers. We look forward to bringing more of this exclusive and premium content to the channel.”

    On 17 October, Frozen Planet II will have its world premiere. It will take viewers on an exploration of the fauna found in the globe’s highest mountains, frozen desserts, snow-covered forests, and ice-cold waters. This six-part series offers an opportunity to discover the wonder of our planet’s frozen realms like never before. It was shot in ultra-high definition using the most advanced camera technology, and it features dramatic new behaviours, intimate stories, and sensational natural spectacles captured on camera for the very first time.

    Frozen Planet II executive producer Mark Brownlow added, “With Frozen Planet II, we want to captivate viewers through new stories, breath-taking drama, and stunning landscapes to drive home the message that these true wildernesses on earth are literally vanishing right before our eyes at a speed faster than we can imagine and how these changes are impacting wildlife.”

    The first season of Frozen Planet, which has received a total of 10 awards and nine nominations, including four Primetime Emmys overall, takes viewers on an unprecedented trip around the polar areas of our planet. The channel hopes to increase viewers’ visual gratification with the debut of its sequel, Frozen Planet II, by providing them with yet another captivating glimpse into the frozen world, this time focusing on a planet that is about to undergo a significant transformation.

    Sony BBC Earth has also started an on-air contest in conjunction with the premiere of the series, and the winners will receive special invitations to the celebrity screenings taking place in several major cities. Additionally, lucky winners will have the chance to win food and drink coupons that may be used at affiliated businesses.

  • Disney+ announces Alisa Bowen as its new president

    Disney+ announces Alisa Bowen as its new president

    Mumbai: Alisa Bowen has been named Disney+ president, effective immediately. In this role, Bowen will build on the flagship streaming service’s reputation as a global destination for premium content. Bowen has led global business operations for Disney’s streaming platforms, including Disney+, since its launch in 2019. In that time, Disney+ has expanded rapidly, growing its reach to 154 markets worldwide with 152.1 million total subscriptions as of the end of the third quarter of fiscal year 2022.

    Bowen will work closely with key leaders across Disney to drive continued focus on innovation, including the forthcoming launch of the ad-supported tier, as well as multi-channel promotional support for Disney+ and its robust content slate. Regional leaders for Disney+ in Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), Asia Pacific, and Latin America will report jointly to Bowen and regional leadership. Bowen will continue to report to Michael Paull, president of Disney Media Entertainment and Distribution Direct to Consumer.

    “Alisa has been an indispensable member of our leadership team since the inception of Disney+. She possesses a rare and valuable combination of deep institutional knowledge, forward-thinking innovation, and global vision rooted in a strong focus on our consumers that is perfectly suited for this critical role, and I am confident that she will have an immediate and positive impact on the business,” said Paull.

    “Disney+ is a phenomenal growth story and has delighted fans around the world on a tremendous scale. We have a best-in-class team behind this success, and I’m excited to partner with them in this new role as we drive the next phase of Disney+ growth. Our upcoming content is incredibly exciting, and we are committed to innovation to give our fans and subscribers the best possible experience, including more choice on how they can enjoy Disney+,” said Bowen.

    Bowen is a seasoned media executive with decades of experience in product, technical, and operational leadership roles in several global media organisations. She most recently served as Disney Streaming executive VP of global business operations. She oversaw global content and business operations for the company’s direct-to-consumer video streaming businesses, Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, and Star+. This included cross-functional leadership of the global Disney+ rollout in 154 markets worldwide.

    She joined Disney in 2017 as SVP of digital media and CTO of the company’s international operations, where she led a transformation of Disney’s channel broadcast technology, content operations, and digital publishing across EMEA, Asia Pacific, and Latin America.

    Prior to Disney, Bowen served as News Corp Australia’s CTO, where she was responsible for the digital transformation strategy, including the pivot to digital subscription business models and the launch of new digital advertising offerings. She has also held product, business operations, and general management leadership positions at major media organisations.

  • Warner Bros. Discovery celebrates Dussehra with new content line-up for kids

    Warner Bros. Discovery celebrates Dussehra with new content line-up for kids

    Mumbai: Warner Bros. Discovery’s kids’ entertainment channels—Discovery Kids, Cartoon Network, and POGO—are getting into the festive spirit with an action-packed and entertaining content line-up for kids and families to watch together.

    Starting with Dussehra on Wednesday, 5 October the channels will air a compelling programming line-up of new episodes and movies throughout the week of popular animated shows for their viewers in multiple regional languages.

    Cartoon Network, in its special ‘Happy Wala Dussehra’ block, will premiere back-to-back new episodes of the power-packed bunch of superheroes—Beast Boy, Robin, Cyborg, Raven, and Starfire from Teen Titans Go! from 11:30 a.m. onwards.

    Pogo will celebrate the festival with a special ‘Dussehra Movie Dhamaka’ programming block with all-time favourite “Chhota Bheem” movies airing all day from 10:30 a.m. onwards. Young fans will also have a fantastic weekend with the engaging movie line-up of two popular homegrown original series, Titoo – Har Jawaab Ka Sawaal Hu with Zamana Titoo ka on Saturday, 8 October at 10:30 a.m. and Ekans-Snakes Awake! with the premiere of Ekans-Mystery of Three Gems on Sunday, 9 October at 12:30 p.m. and Ekans-Hero Ek, Villain

    The excitement doesn’t end here! Discovery Kids will start the Dussehra festival on Wednesday, 5 October with the telecast of its animated series Ramayana, showcasing the popular tale of Lord Ram and his triumph over Raavan at 8:30 a.m. Starting at 9:30 a.m., the channel will surprise its fans with the back-to-back airing of eight Little Singham movies and blockbusters. Kids will also get to witness the antics of the funky and cool gang of Fukrey Boyzzz with a festive theme blockbuster, Funtoosh Festival, starting at 4:30 p.m.

    Not only that, but Discovery Kids is also launching a new three-part mini-series of Little Singham, beginning with Dussehra week and ending with Diwali week. The first instalment of its three-part mini-series Mahabali Little Singham: Khalbali ka Raaz will air on 9 October at 11:30 am.

    Gear up for an exciting Dussehra week with your favourite toons only on Cartoon Network, POGO, and Discovery Kids.

  • Glenn Weiss, Ricky Kirshner to produce the 95th Oscars

    Glenn Weiss, Ricky Kirshner to produce the 95th Oscars

    MUMBAI: With a focus on expertise in live television event production, Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner of White Cherry Entertainment have been named executive producers of the 95th Oscars. The announcement was made by Academy CEO Bill Kramer. This is Hollywood’s most prestigious awards show. For the eighth consecutive year, Weiss also will direct the show, which will air live on ABC and broadcast outlets worldwide on 12 March, 2023. It will be Weiss’s second time and Kirshner’s first time producing the Oscars. Weiss first produced the show five years ago along with Donna Gigliotti.

    The show will air live on Star Movies in India early in the morning on 13 March, 2023.

    A creative team has been assembled to work with Weiss and Kirshner to help shape the vision and direction of the Oscars, including the following:

    · red-carpet show executive producer David Chamberlin, a veteran of live television production

    · red-carpet creative consultants Lisa Love and Raúl Àvila, creative contributor and creative director for the Met Gala, respectively

    · creative director and Academy member Kenny Gravillis, who has developed key art and campaigns for movies

    · production designers Misty Buckley, production designer of world tours and televised music shows for artists Kacey Musgraves, Ariana Grande and Coldplay, and Alana Billingsley, art director on previous Oscars, Emmys and Grammys broadcasts.

    “We are thrilled to have Glenn and Ricky at the helm. Their expertise in live television production is exactly what the Oscars need. We look forward to working closely with them, our board of governors, and the board’s awards committee to deliver an exciting and energised show. Joining them is an incredible slate of creative partners – David Chamberlin, Lisa Love, Raúl Àvila, Kenny Gravillis, Misty Buckley and Alana Billingsley – who will bring fresh ideas to the broadcast and the red carpet” said Kramer and Academy president Janet Yang.

    “Bill made us ‘an offer we couldn’t refuse’ but he really ‘had us at hello,’” said Weiss and Kirshner.

    “We couldn’t be more excited to have live event veterans Glenn and Ricky as executive producers of the 95th Oscars telecast on ABC. Their experience and creativity are bar none, and we look forward to seeing their vision play out for Hollywood’s biggest night,” said Walt Disney Television executive vice president of unscripted and alternative entertainment Rob Mills.

  • BBC Studios takes 25% minority stake in unscripted indie Mothership Productions

    BBC Studios takes 25% minority stake in unscripted indie Mothership Productions

    Mumbai: BBC Studios has taken a minority stake of 25 per cent in unscripted indie Mothership Productions set up by former Channel 4 deputy director of programmes, Kelly Webb-Lamb.

    The strategic partnership will see BBC Studios invest in Mothership’s slate of global formats and ideas of scale across the unscripted genres, which will complement the output of BBC Studios’ existing portfolio of in-house and indie labels. Under the terms of the deal, BBC Studios will have first look global distribution and format rights.

    On announcing the partnership, Mothership Productions’ founder Kelly Webb-Lamb said, “The whole Mothership team is delighted to be partnering with BBC Studios and to be joining a brilliant stable of invested indies. We’ve been so impressed with the Studios team and are really looking forward to working with them. And for some of us, this feels rather like coming home… you can take the girl out of the BBC, but she never forgets her staff number, and although this is a totally different kind of arrangement, I am super glad that this is where Mothership has ended up in terms of partnership.”

    BBC Studios Productions CEO Ralph Lee said, “Kelly is a highly sought-after creative leader who has assembled a team around her that has a formidable pedigree in hit shows and formats in a highly competitive field. It is a true testament to their talent and potential that within only a short period of time, Mothership has developed a slate that is brimming with ideas that we believe will appeal to both UK and international broadcasters and platforms. We can’t wait to have Kelly and the Mothership team join the BBC Studios family and look forward to a productive partnership.”

    Webb-Lamm launched Mothership earlier this month with the intention of making “some properly great, entertaining, warm and witty programmes.” She has assembled a senior team of female executives to support the business comprising Charlotte Desai (creative director), Gilly Greenslade (director of programmes), and Gudren Claire (head of production).

    Across Webb-Lamb’s career, she has been involved in creating, selling, producing and commissioning a multitude of unscripted shows on UK television, including The Apprentice, Great British Bake Off, Hunted, The Island with Bear Grylls, Mary Queen of Charity Shops and The Circle. In her final year at Channel 4, Webb-Lamb drove and landed the Black to Front Project – the most radical diversity programme in the channel’s history.

    BBC Studios’ deal with Mothership builds on its existing indie investments, which includes full ownership of five scripted labels: Lookout Point (Gentleman Jack & Happy Valley 3), Baby Cow Productions (Chivalry & The Witchfinder), House Productions (Sherwood & Life After Life), Clerkenwell Films (The Birth of Daniel F Harris) and Sid Gentle Films (Killing Eve & Ragdoll) as well as minority investments in a further six: Moonage, Various Artists Limited, Expectation Entertainment, Curve Media, Firebird Pictures and Boffola Pictures (a Lookout Point investment). The company also represents hundreds of other independent production companies through first-look and distribution deals and returned more than £180 million to the UK independent production sector in 2021/2022 in development funding, rights investment and royalties.

  • Applause Entertainment teams up with Case Closed Entertainment & Locomotive Global for crime pro-serial drama

    Applause Entertainment teams up with Case Closed Entertainment & Locomotive Global for crime pro-serial drama

    Mumbai: In collaboration with Locomotive Global, Applause Entertainment has teamed up with international content maverick Simon Mirren and his partner Benjamin Anderson to develop a crime pro-serial drama.

    The term “pro-serial” describes a procedural drama series with some serialised elements in the plots.

    Applause Entertainment CEO Sameer Nair said, “Stories are universal, and yet must have intense and local authenticity. Telling international stories in an Indian context has always been an integral part of us at Applause, and now, taking it a notch higher, we are bringing international creators to work with us.”

    He further added, “Simon and Ben are veterans in the field of crime dramas, and we believe having them on board will help us develop a local ‘international’ series with a fresh pair of eyes applying international best practises in narrative storytelling. These two mavericks, along with Sunder Aaron and the creative team at Applause, have set out to create an original multi-season crime drama series.”

    Mirren was the driving force behind popular programmes like Waking The Dead, Spooks, Without A Trace, Versailles, and the iconic 15-year-long running series Criminal Mind, bringing the global phenomenon to India.

    A pro-serial precinct project will be developed by Case Closed, the company owned by Simon and his partner Ben.

    Locomotive Global co-founder Sunder Aaron said, “Our vision at Locomotive Global is to create global quality content with rooted Indian stories. It’s a pleasure to work with Sameer Nair and the Applause team, who share the same vision and ambition for storytelling. Simon and Benjamin bring with them heaps of experience and global best practices for the creation and execution of high-quality iconic content. I really look forward to working with the duo and Applause to create a potent partnership and an unprecedented writing team in India to create a never-seen-before crime drama.”

    Simon, who is credited with developing, writing, and directing authentic crime procedurals, will establish a creative eco-system using his years of experience to enable regional writers to manage the program. He and Ben will then continue to collaborate to fully develop and produce the series.

    Simon said, “As a storyteller, I really like to go out into the world and find new stories, meet real people. There is nothing more impactful than tapping into local storytellers, and we aim to bring forth the talent’s authentic voices into our show. Applause Entertainment is the hub of some gripping crime dramas, and it is truly a pleasure and a whole new experience to work on an Indian crime drama, collaborating with the best of entertainers—Applause and Locomotive.”

    Benjamin added, “With the growth of Indian OTT, there is a wide canvas of scope and creative potential in storytelling. It is the start of an interesting journey ahead to work with a force of creative minds at Applause to create an Indian story for a global audience.”

    The creative and production teams at both Locomotive and Applause will support this new approach at all stages of the creative process.

    It all begins with a select and talented pool of committed writers who will collaborate closely with the team and have the opportunity to explore the creative, visual, technical language, and other best practises used in international procedural dramas.

    Simon and Ben are currently engaging in an experiential process to bring the storylines for the first series to life by meeting with the judiciary, police experts, crime reporters in India, and production facilities.

  • Warner Bros. Discovery posts Q2 net loss of $3.4 mn

    Warner Bros. Discovery posts Q2 net loss of $3.4 mn

    Mumbai: Media conglomerate Warner Bros. Discovery has announced that second quarter revenues were $9.8 million, a one per cent decrease compared to the prior year quarter. Net loss was $3.4 million and included $2oo4 million of amortisation of intangibles, $1033 million of restructuring and other charges, and $983 million of transaction and integration expenses.

    Adjusted Ebitda was $1.6 million. Cash provided by operating activities increased to $1 million and reported free cash flow increased to $789 million. The company ended the quarter with $3.8 million of cash on hand, gross debt of $53 billion and net leverage of 5x. It ended the quarter with 92.1 million global DTC subscribers, an increase of 1.7 million versus 90.4 million subscribers at the end of the first quarter, as adjusted for the company’s new DTC subscriber definition. The new definition resulted in the exclusion of 10 million legacy Discovery non-core subscribers and unactivated AT&T mobility subscribers from the Q1 subscriber count.

    “We’ve had a busy, productive four months since launching Warner Bros. Discovery and have more conviction than ever in the massive opportunity ahead. We have the most powerful creative engine and bouquet of owned content in the world, as highlighted by our industry-leading 193 Emmy nominations, and we intend to maximise the value of that content through a broad distribution model that includes theatrical, streaming, linear cable, free-to-air, gaming, consumer products and experiences and more, everywhere in the world. We’re confident we’re on the right path to meet our strategic goals and really excel, both creatively and financially, and couldn’t be more excited about the future of our company” said WBD president, CEO David Zaslav.

    Networks reported revenues were $5.7 million an increase of one per cent. Ad revenue increased by two per cent, primarily driven by strong demand for sports advertising, partially offset by lower news, kids, and general entertainment performance in the US International networks were impacted by modest declines in EMEA, offset by growth in Latin America, excluding the impact of Chilevisión, which was sold in September 2021.

    Distribution revenue decreased by one per cent, as increases in US contractual affiliate rates were more than offset by a decline in linear subscribers in the US and lower contractual affiliate rates in some European markets. Networks reported operating expenses were $3.4 million.  Adjusted Ebitda was $2.62 million.

    Studios reported revenues were $2.7 million a growth of four per cent. Games were a strong contributor behind the release of “Lego Star Wars – The Skywalker Saga.” TV licensing revenues declined due to lower TV production revenue, partially offset by the timing of new series availabilities for distribution. Theatrical performance was unfavourably impacted by the timing of releases. Home entertainment across theatrical and television products was down due to strong Covid-induced demand in the prior year quarter. Studios reported operating expenses were $2.5 million. Adjusted Ebitda was $239 million.

    DTC revenues were $2.2 million. Revenues increased by four per cent. Ad revenue increased to $98 million, primarily driven by the launch of the HBO Max ad-supported tier in June 2021 and subscriber growth on the discovery+ ad-lite tier. Distribution revenue increased by one per cent. Global retail subscriber gains at discovery+ and HBO Max compared to the prior year quarter were largely offset by lower domestic wholesale subscribers resulting from the Amazon Channels expiration in September 2021 for HBO Max. DTC’s operating expenses were $2.7 million.  Adjusted Ebitda was a loss of – $518 million.

  • Applause Entertainment to produce an Indian adaptation of ‘Fauda’ for Sonyliv

    Applause Entertainment to produce an Indian adaptation of ‘Fauda’ for Sonyliv

    Mumbai: Applause Entertainment on Tuesday announced that it is producing the Indian adaptation of the globally acclaimed Israeli drama series Fauda which will stream exclusively on the OTT platform Sonyliv.

    Hailed as one of the best Israeli shows, the Indian version of Fauda will be produced by Applause Entertainment in association with Applause Productions and is titled Taanav. The series will be helmed by national award-winning director Sudhir Mishra and co-directed by Sachin Mamta Krishn.

    Set against the idyllic backdrop of Kashmir in the year 2017, Tanaav tells the story of a special covert ops unit. It is a socio-political action drama with family at its core.

    Shot extensively in real locations in Kashmir over 100 days, the 12-episode series features an ensemble cast including Manav Vij, Sumit Kaul, Rajat Kapoor, Shashank Arora, Arbaaz Khan, Zarina Wahab, Ekta Kaul, Waluscha De Sousa, Danish Hussain, Satyadeep Mishra, Sukhmani Sadana, Sahiba Bali, Amit Gaur, Arslan Goni, Rockey Raina, M.K. Raina, Sheen Dass, Aryaman Seth amongst others in prominent roles.

    The actors for the show were cast by Mukesh Chhabra. Fauda is created by Avi Issacharoff and Lior Raz & distributed by Yes Studios and is considered to be one of the best shows made in a foreign language. “The Indian adaptation has been reimagined for a larger Indian and global audience,” said the statement.

    “Tanaav reaffirms our commitment towards presenting captivating and entertaining stories of depth and substance. With its compelling storyline, cinematography and stellar cast backed by Applause Entertainment and Sudhir Mishra, Tanaav will find resonance with our viewers,” said Sony Pictures Network India EVP and business head Sonyliv and StudioNext Danish Khan.

    “A global sensation, Fauda was always a story waiting to cross borders and be adapted in a new setting,” said Applause Entertainment CEO Sameer Nair. “We at Applause Entertainment find it immensely gratifying to bring an edge-of-the-seat drama of this calibre to Indian audiences, offering a new perspective to the human stories depicting all sides of the conflict. With filmmakers like Sudhir Mishra and Sachin Krishn at the helm, backed by a stellar cast and talented writing, creative and production teams, we are excited to partner with Sonyliv to bring this show to the world. This partnership only strengthens our already strong relationship with Sonyliv after successful collaborations on Scam 1992, Avrodh, Undekhi and Your Honor.”  

    “Applause Entertainment discovers some of the best international stories to be reimagined and adapted for Indian audiences,” said Sudhir Mishra. “As a filmmaker, Tanaav allowed me to explore a variety of characters and delve deep into their psyche. It is a true Indian story weaved into a tightly-knit action drama that highlights human emotions and the dilemmas they face. Cannot wait for the audience to binge-watch Tanaav, soon to launch on Sonyliv.”

    “We are very happy and proud to hear about Tanaav, the Indian version of Fauda. It’s a true honour for us to learn how Fauda succeeded to touch the hearts of so many people from all over the world and especially in India,” said Fauda series co-creator Avi Issacharoff.

  • Ava DuVernay to receive 2022 International Emmy Founders Award

    Ava DuVernay to receive 2022 International Emmy Founders Award

    Mumbai: The International Academy of Television Arts And Sciences has announced that Ava DuVernay will receive the 2022 International Emmy Founders Award. The American film and television director, writer and producer will receive the honour at the 50th International Emmy Awards Gala on 21 November 2022 in New York City.

    DuVernay has been nominated for her work on the Netflix’s mini-series When they See Us, based on the infamous Central Park Five case, which portrayed the injustices brought by police treatment of five falsely accused teens to the attention of millions of people around the world, as well as for her work at her production company Array. Along with credits including historical drama Selma, the documentary “13th”, and the movie Disney’s “Wrinkle in Time,” she became the highest-grossing black woman director ever at the US box office.

    In a statement, International Academy president and CEO Bruce L. Paisner said, “Ava DuVernay is a force of nature and this is reflected in the remarkable scope and volume of her work. She makes significant films and television programs, she uses her platform to reshape our industry and continues to lead a career-long effort to bolster women and people of colour in entertainment and ensure inclusivity. We look forward to honouring her extraordinary talent and a prolific decade of leadership at Array, with our Founders Award.”

    On receiving the honour, DuVernay said, “This honour from the International Academy of Television Arts And Sciences is unexpected and wildly appreciated. I thank the organisation for recognising my work and salute their efforts to ensure that storytellers of all backgrounds are amplified and celebrated.”

     

  • World Laughter Day: Comedy Central spreads cheers with ‘Giggle Trigger’ campaign

    World Laughter Day: Comedy Central spreads cheers with ‘Giggle Trigger’ campaign

    Mumbai: Everyone has a unique arsenal of comedy that they can pull out to make someone laugh. While for some, it is a trusted joke, for others it could be something slapstick. Recognising this potential for spreading laughter, Viacom18’s English entertainment channel Comedy Central, on the occasion of World Laughter Day, is giving its viewers a chance to make someone laugh with its unique campaign, ‘Giggle Trigger.’

    Crafting an insane laughter riot to spread cheer, Comedy Central gives its viewers an opportunity to create a video of making someone laugh by pulling a prank, cracking a joke or showing off mimicry skills. Viewers will have to post the video in a horizontal format on social media and use #GiggleTrigger in the caption. “Top 20 videos will be featured on the channel on 1 May,  along with giving the winners a chance to pick their favourite episodes from two of Comedy Central’s most loved shows “The Big Bang Theory” or “Friends,” which will be aired on the same day along with their videos,” said the statement.

    Speaking on the campaign, Viacom18 marketing head – youth, music and English Entertainment Utsav Chaudhuri said, “As our viewers evolve, Comedy Central continues to be their happy place beyond television, actively engaging them across social media. With our latest initiative Giggle Trigger, our viewers will not only get an opportunity to program their favourite channel with their kind of laughter, but also showcase their lighter side on our platforms. On this day celebrating laughter, we hope that ‘Giggle Trigger’ delivers the intended smiles and spreads joy amongst our viewers.”