ITV

Category: GECs

  • Sony Pictures Home Entertainment launches digital sell-through biz

    Sony Pictures Home Entertainment launches digital sell-through biz

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) today announced that the studio will launch its digital sell-through business on 3 April. Partnering with Movielink and CinemaNow, the service will allow broadband internet users in the US the opportunity to download-to-own for the very first time a wide range of entertainment content from the SPHE and MGM collective libraries.

    The announcement was made by Worldwide Home Entertainment digital distribution and acquisitions president Benjamin S Feingold.

    “This is a landmark development in the evolution of home entertainment. Allowing consumers to download and own movies digitally via their broadband internet connections gives them more power to be entertained when and how they choose,” said Feingold.

    SPHE’s digital sell-through business will commence with an initial slate of 75 titles that will include such films as Memoirs of a Geisha, Spider-Man 2, Taxi Driver, Barbershop, and Hitch. Dirty will be SPHE’s first day-and-date title when it debuts on 4 April. The hit comedy Fun With Dick and Jane will release day-and-date on 11 April.

    In addition to offering new release titles day-and-date with DVD, SPHE will release additional titles from SPHE and MGM’s library monthly. The combined Sony Pictures and MGM libraries of more than 7,500 titles are believed to be the largest, most digitized collection in the business.

    Feingold added, “We at Sony Pictures have been a leader in providing entertainment to the public on the most cutting-edge digital delivery platforms including DVDs, UMDs, Digital Media Cards for mobile phones and digital distribution over the Internet. And we will soon be delivering movies to people on high definition Blu-ray Discs.”

    “Our goal is to continue to provide engaging entertainment content in the most innovative, convenient and secure manner possible. This partnership with Movielink and CinemaNow is just the first step in a bright future for digital delivery that will only serve to complement our packaged media sales business,” Feingold said.

    “We are pleased to offer consumers a new option in movie ownership. Together with day-and-date release along with DVDs, digital delivery provides the convenience, flexibility and quality that movie fans have been asking for. Movielink has carved out a position in the broadband market of being the place to come for high quality long form entertainment, and this new consumer option continues to differentiate our service from other forms of VOD,” said Movielink CEO Jim Ramo.

    “Launching our download-to-own business with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment marks the tipping point which we’ve been waiting for. CinemaNow has always believed that the ability to sell studio movies at the same time they are released for home video would be the catalyst for explosive growth in our industry. Now our customers can download and own the movies they want, when they want, with the convenience of on-demand access,” said CinemaNow CEO Curt Marvis.

  • Alcatel buys Lucent Technologies for $13.4 billion

    Alcatel buys Lucent Technologies for $13.4 billion

    MUMBAI: Global telecom players Alcatel and Lucent Technologies have announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement.
    The combined company, which will be named at a later date, will have an aggregate market capitalization of approximately Euro 30 billion (USD 36 billion), based upon the closing prices on Friday, March 31. Based on calendar 2005 sales, the combined company will have revenues of approximately Euro 21 billion (USD 25 billion), divided almost evenly among North America, Europe and the rest of the world. As of December 31, 2005, the combined companies had about 88,000 employees.

    Under the terms of the agreement, Lucent shareowners will receive 0.1952 of an ADS (American Depositary Share) representing ordinary shares of Alcatel (as the combined company) for every common share of Lucent that they currently hold. Upon completion of the merger, Alcatel shareholders will own approximately 60 per cent of the combined company and Lucent shareholders will own approximately 40 per cent of the combined company.

    The combined company’s ordinary shares will continue to be traded on the Euronext Paris and the ADSs representing ordinary shares will continue to be traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
    This Management Committee of the combined company will be headed by Patricia Russo, CEO, will also consist of Mike Quigley, COO; Frank D’Amelio, Senior EVP, who will oversee the integration and the operations ; Jean-Pascal Beaufret, CFO; Etienne Fouques, EVP, who will supervise the emerging countries strategy; and Claire Pedini, Senior VP, Human Resources. Additional organization and management team announcements will be made at a future date.

    The primary driver of the combination is to generate significant growth in revenues and earnings based on the market opportunities for next-generation networks, services and applications, while yielding significant synergies, Alcatel said in an official release.

    The transaction, which was approved by the boards of directors of both companies, will build upon the complementary strengths of each company to create a global leader in the transformation of next-generation wireless, wireline and converged networks, the release adds.

    “This combination is about a strategic fit between two experienced and well-respected global communications leaders who together will become the global leader in convergence,” said chairman and CEO of Alcatel Serge Tchuruk, who will become non-executive chairman of the combined company. “A combined Alcatel and Lucent will be global in scale, have clear leadership in the areas that will define next-generation networks, boast one of the largest research and development capabilities focused on communications, and employ the largest and most experienced global services team in the industry. It will create enhanced value for shareholders of both companies who will benefit from owning the most dynamic, global player in the communications industry.”

    Lucent chairman and CEO Patricia Russo, who will become CEO of the combined company said, “The strategic logic driving this transaction is compelling. The communications industry is at the beginning of a significant transformation of network technologies, applications and services — one that is projected to enable converged services across service-provider networks, enterprise networks and an array of personal devices. This presents extraordinary opportunities for our combined company to accelerate its growth. The combination creates a new industry competitor with the most comprehensive portfolio that will be poised to deliver significant benefits to customers, shareowners and employees.”

    The cost synergies are expected to be achieved within three years of closing and will come from several areas, including consolidating support functions, optimizing the supply chain and procurement structure, leveraging R&D and services across a larger base, and reducing the combined worldwide workforce by approximately 10 percent.

    The merger also will result in approximately Euro 1.4 billion (USD 1.7 billion) in new cash restructuring charges, with the charges to be recorded primarily in the first year. A substantial majority of the restructuring is expected to be completed within 24 months after closing. The transaction is expected to be accretive to earnings per share in the first year post closing with synergies, excluding restructuring charges and amortization of intangible assets, states an official release.

    Between signing and closing, Serge Tchuruk and Patricia Russo will supervise an integration team to be nominated shortly, which will seek to ensure that synergies will start to be realized as soon as closing takes place.

    The combined company created by this merger of equals is incorporated in France, with executive offices located in Paris. The North American operations will be based in New Jersey, U.S.A., where global Bell Labs will remain headquartered. The board of directors of the combined company will be composed of 14 members and will have equal representation from each company, including Tchuruk and Russo, five of Alcatel’s current directors and five of Lucent’s current directors. The board will also include two new independent European directors to be mutually agreed upon.

    The combined company intends to form a separate, independent U.S. subsidiary holding certain contracts with U.S. government agencies. This subsidiary would be separately managed by a board, to be composed of three independent U.S. citizens acceptable to the U.S. government. This type of structure is routinely used to protect certain government programs in the course of mergers involving a non-U.S. party, the release adds.

    The combined company will remain the industrial partner of Thales and a key shareholder alongside the French state. Directors to the Thales board who are nominated by the combined company would be European Union citizens. Serge Tchuruk, or a French director or a French corporate executive of the combined company would be the principal liaison with Thales. Furthermore, the board of Alcatel has approved the continuation of negotiations with Thales with a view to reinforce the partnership through the contribution of certain assets and an increased shareholding position in Thales.

    The merger is subject to customary regulatory and governmental reviews in the United States, Europe and elsewhere, as well as the approval by shareholders of both companies and other customary conditions. The transaction is expected to be completed in six to twelve months. Until the merger is completed, both companies will continue to operate their businesses independently.

  • Actor Sean Astin to lend voice for Animal Planet’s ‘Meerkat Manor’

    Actor Sean Astin to lend voice for Animal Planet’s ‘Meerkat Manor’

    MUMBAI: Actor Sean Astin Lord of the Rings, 24 tries to embody two new character traits — small and furry.

    He lends his talents to narrate Meerkat Manor, Animal Planet US’ new 13-part docu-drama. The show premieres in June 2006.

    With all the love, squabbling, self-sacrifice and rivalry found in any family, a group of Meerkats struggles to survive in Africa’s Kalahari Desert.

    The show was filmed over the course of a 10-year Cambridge University study, and explains to viewers the context of the behaviour they have recorded. There will be family feuds, secret love affairs and backstabbing .

    Animal Planet US GM Maureen Smith says, “It’s like a soap-opera, and I mean that in a good way. Meerkats are very social creatures, so you find yourself really pulling for certain characters. It’s compelling reality television”.

    With cameras recording their every move, the show introduces viewers to the Whiskers, a family of Meerkats, revealing their personalities over the course of the series.

  • Discovery Channel breaks the science fiction barrier with ‘Beyond Tomorrow’

    Discovery Channel breaks the science fiction barrier with ‘Beyond Tomorrow’

    Discovery Channel will showcase several such dream innovations that are destined to change human lives forever in its new and engaging programme BEYOND TOMORROW. The programme travels around the world for information on and demonstrations of far-reaching breakthroughs in a diverse range of fields – medicine, aviation, computers, space research, agriculture, transport, architecture, energy, environment, leisure and adventure.

    In an endeavour to bring the world’s attention to India’s untapped and abundant talent, Discovery Channel, in association with National Innovation Foundation, has juxtaposed Indian grassroots innovations along with the global technological breakthroughs and scientific advancements. So while the programme BEYOND TOMORROW will present stories on products like the Aquada, the next generation amphibian car from New Zealand which is as sleek on land as on water; the channel has produced a short film on Indian grassroots innovations like an amphibious bicycle, created by Mohammad Saidullah from Bihar – a conventional bicycle that can be modified to cross ponds and other water bodies and is extremely useful during floods.

    To showcase the immense talent present in the interiors of India like Motihari in Bihar, Kutch in Gujarat, Malappuram in Kerala, Discovery Channel has produced short films on the Indian grassroots innovators which it will air on the channel during the three-month long series.

    To generate a discussion on the progress, pace and potential of Indian science and innovations in the backdrop of the global examples, Discovery Channel will showcase the global and Indian innovations through a nationwide roadshow which will include a special address by some of India’s most eminent scientists and experts including: former UGC Chairman and Padmabhushan Prof. Yash Pal; Padmabhushan Dr. R A Mashelkar, Director General of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the largest chain of publicly funded industrial research and development institutions in the world; Dr. A P Mitra, Honorary Scientist of Eminence, National Physical Laboratory and former Director General, CSIR; Prof. S Mohan, Chief Executive – Society for Innovation and Development, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore; Bakul Dholakia, Director, IIM-Ahmedabad and Prof. Anil Gupta, Executive Vice Chairperson, National Innovation Foundation.

    “I have always believed that ‘I’ in India should stand for Innovation. What is most gratifying for us is to see the extraordinary blend of innovations not only in high tech sectors, where CSIR is in the forefront, but also at the grassroots level, where Honey Bee Network and National Innovation Foundation (NIF) are the pioneers. Where else in the world, would an organization like NIF would exist, which has mobilized about 50,000 traditional knowledge practices and grassroot innovations from over 400 districts of the country? I have no doubt that India is poised to be a global leader in sustainable technologies, which will provide better living conditions not only for our people in India but also the people worldwide,” said Dr. R A Mashelkar, Director General of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Chairman, National Innovation Foundation.

    Mr. Deepak Shourie, Managing Director, Discovery Networks India, said, “BEYOND TOMORROW breaks the science fiction barrier and looks further into the future to see what is now within the realms of possibility. The series is packed with amazing technological innovations and breakthrough scientific advancements destined to change the way we live. We will, for the first time ever, showcase the Indian potential providing them an ideal platform to communicate with the world. These grassroots innovators have no or little academic qualification or formal training but through their single-minded focus, unmatched passion and above all the ‘need’ have created unique products and solutions. Discovery Channel salutes their spirit of innovation.”

    IIM-A Prof. Anil Gupta and the Executive Vice Chairperson, National Innovation Foundation, said, “One resource in which economically poor people may be rich is their knowledge and innovative potential. Honey Bee Network started more than 17 years ago has created a new benchmark in the field of scouting, documentation, dissemination, value addition, protection of IPR and benefit sharing. SRISTI (Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institutions, GIAN (Grassroots Innovation Augmentation Network) and NIF (National Innovation Foundation) with help of other Honey Bee Network collaborators such as SEVA (Sustainable-agriculture & Environmental Voluntary Action), PRITVI (People Rewarding Initiatives in Technology, Value and Institutions), etc., have mobilised thousands of green grassroots innovations and traditional knowledge from around the country. Many of the innovators have got patent in US and also in India. The technologies have been commercialised not only within the country but also internationally. Journey from the grassroots to global is bound to provide model for India to become a creative, collaborative, and compassionate society sharing its innovations with disadvantaged people in the rest of the world.”

    BEYOND TOMORROW, an 18-episode series features more than 130 stories on the latest product and service innovations that are shaping the 21st century will premiere on Discovery Channel every day in the first week from February 20th to February 24th at 8 pm and thereafter will air once a week every Friday at 10 pm. The Indian innovations will be presented on the channel during the series and even beyond that.

    Some of the innovations included in BEYOND TOMORROW*
    Aquada: A next generation amphibian! Neither a boat nor a car, the Aquada is as sleek in the water as it is on land, combining the best principles of on-road design with streamlined aquatic performance.

    BIS Monitor: Being awake during an operation sounds like a scene from a horror film, but it’s a terrifying reality for victims of anesthesia awareness. This new device, for the first time, enables doctors to monitor a patient’s brainwaves during surgery and accurately determine the level of a patient’s consciousness under anesthesia.

    Future Shopping: The store uses pay-as-you-walk technology to tick off items as you put them in your computerised trolley. The trolley also acts as an in-store GPS, guiding you to products. It can even suggest recipes and then lead you to the ingredients!

    Hand Held Translator: The biggest difficulty for a traveller to a foreign country is to communicate in the local language. Whether it be reading a menu in Thailand, getting directions in Italy, or doing business in Paris, that headache can now be a thing of the past with the help of this technology which makes you multilingual.

    *more examples mentioned in the fact sheet

    Some of the Indian grassroots innovations that will be aired on the channel*
    Pedal Operated Washing Machine: This washing machine follows a “tumble wash” system which can be operated using a pedal system that has been developed using parts of a conventional bicycle. In rural areas, this electricity free washing machine can have enormous applications and simplify the lives of many. Ms. Remya Jose from Kerala.

    Amphibious Bicycle: A conventional cycle retrofitted to cross rivers, ponds and other water bodies. Now, you will have no obstacles in commuting during floods and in areas having high proportion of water coverage like the Kerala backwaters. Innovator: Mohammad Saidullah from Bihar.

    Scooter for the Handicapped: The innovator of this product, Dhanjibhai, is physically challenged. He has modified an existing scooter making it possible for the physically challenged to ride it. The scooter has the potential to become a treasured possession for the physically challenged. Innovator: Dhanjibhai Kerai from Gujarat.

    Tree Climber: A device which makes climbing high trunk trees like palm and coconut very simple and safe. Has a direct use in the maintenance of electric poles, street lights, etc. Innovator: Appachan from Kerala. *more examples mentioned in the fact sheet.

  • UK study highlights the need for more innovative TV on mobile phones

    UK study highlights the need for more innovative TV on mobile phones

    MUMBAI: The results of a new study, Mobile TV – Attitudes to Broadcast on Mobile, confirms the need for broadcast and entertainment brands to work harder to tailor their content to mobile phones.

    The qualitative study by Red Bee Media (formerly BBC Broadcast) and digital media research agency, iBurbia, aimed to research consumer attitudes to specially made or tailored mobile content compared to TV streamed to mobile phones.

    The findings suggested that full length programming on mobile is not as popular as made for mobile TV because screen sizes are too small, opportunities to watch full length programmes on-the-go are rare and subjects preferred to watch full-length programming on the TV.

    iBurbia’s Omar Bakhshi says, “We talked with a broad range of people in this study and there was significant interest in concepts that complemented TV viewing with extra and exclusive content on mobile phones. But, the content had to be sufficiently compelling to be worth the effort and there is a fear of billing abuse, meaning that cost needs to be made clear”.

    The results have also suggested that the most effective way to market mobile TV will be using on-screen prompts within related television shows. The most successful mobile TV will also be of the right quality to work on a mobile screen and targeted to a specific audience. Participants in the study found that, on the smallest of mobile screens, any content over three minutes was too long and anything over one pound was too expensive.

    The recent Oxford trials confirmed that there is an appetite for mobile TV, but this research highlights how ‘TV’ for mobile is wildly different from the ‘TV’ of linear broadcasting. New rules for advertising, navigating and entertaining apply. We worked with iBurbia to find out what viewers really want to watch on their mobile phones. Red Bee Media has built a successful business in understanding consumers’ needs in order to create and tailor content and communicaton for multiple platforms and formats.

    Red Bee Media business director new creative content Catriona Tate says, “The results point towards the mobile TV market being driven in the short term by advertiser funded content and mobile video that compliments or promotes TV programmes”.

    The qualitative study was produced by iBurbia in its interactive media research centre in West London. It included six focus groups – two groups made up of people aged 16-25, three 26-40 and one 41-60. One of these groups consisted of ‘gadget’ users (26-40 age group), the rest only having freeview TV at home and mostly using their mobile phones just for calls.

    The subjects were shown content specially made for mobile on mobile handsets that was created by Red Bee Media. The content included a sport clip, comedy clip, one minute mobidrama, advertiser funded programme, interview with football manager and reality TV clip. As a comparison, subjects were also shown a full length High Definition programme on a PSP (portable Play Station) and a Freeview channel streamed live to a mobile phone.

  • Anthony Dale is FCC acting MD

    Anthony Dale is FCC acting MD

    MUMBAI: US media regulatory body Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Kevin J. Martin has named Anthony Dale as FCC acting MD and Mark Stephens as acting CFO.

    Dale has been with the FCC for almost 10 years working on a broad range of management and policy roles. Most recently, Dale served as acting deputy M D in the commission’s office of MD. Dale also served as interim director of the Commission’s Office of Legislative Affairs.

    He served in management positions in the Wireline Competition Bureau where he also served as special advisor for homeland security, the International Bureau, the Enforcement Bureau, and the Common Carrier Bureau. In these roles, Mr. Dale supervised a variety of issues, including Universal Service Fund policy and management issues, budget presentation and execution, financial reporting and compliance, audits and investigations, mergers and competition policy, homeland security matters, and various proceedings addressing telecommunications issues.

    Stephens has over two decades experience in financial management, auditing, and accounting in both the public and the private sectors. Most recently, Stephens served as acting deputy CFO in the commission’s office of MD. In that capacity, he managed the commission’s financial reporting and compliance, oversaw preparation and implementation of the Commission’s budget, and provided advice on financial management and accounting matters.

    Stephens also served as special advisor for Universal Service Fund Oversight in the Commission’s Wireline Competition Bureau, where he worked to strengthen the FCC’s safeguards against potential waste, fraud, and abuse. Stephens also worked as a senior audit manager and systems accountant in the Wireline Competition Bureau (including the former Common Carrier Bureau) and the Enforcement Bureau.

  • Zee TV launches a giant of a portal

    Zee TV launches a giant of a portal

    Zee Telefilms’ subsidiary E-Connect has launched its portal www.zeenext.com on 22 March 2000. The B-2-C and C-2-C portal covers everything from entertainment to business. The horizontal portal is going head to head in competition with most general Indian portals, including rediff.com, indiainfo.com, and satyamonline.com. It features more content than any other portal and is also involved in unique services like ‘Mobilenext’ which is a messaging tool connecting to about 260 mobile networks globally.

    ZeeNext boasts of having over 1,30,000 e-mail subscribers and over 1,000 Mobilenext downloads during the beta phase of the portal. The company is ready with broadband content which will be launched within a month and half. It is currently converting its entire programme library into streaming video.

    ZeeNext President Sunil Jasuja says it will expand its content by acquiring and purchasing content through strategic alliances with other portals and content providers. The company says the site has 128-bit encryption and hence has a high level of protection, which will serve it well in the case of e-commerce transactions. It is in the process of obtaining a security certification from VeriSign.

    On the company’s plans to attract surfers hooked to other popular portals such as rediff.com, satyamonline.com, etc, E-Connect President Sunil Jasuja says, “Zee is a brand which is trusted and which reaches 30 million people worldwide.”

    E-Connect will launch dial-up Internet access services in Mumbai on 26 March costing Rs 499 per month. Net-over-cable TV, which is to be launched soon will be priced at Rs 1,500 per month for unlimited access. The cable modems are currently priced at Rs 10,000. Jasuja is however optimistic about it matching the price of conventional telephone modems. This will increase the penetration of Cable-over-Internet services of E-Connect, which will be enabled through SitiCable.

    The company has invested Rs 250 million in the last three months of operations. E-Connect officials are confident of maintaining the budget of Rs 4 billion as decided earlier by the Zee management.

    The revenue model of E-Connect is a combination of access, advertising, direct e-commerce and e-commerce facilitation. The major chink of revenues would come through the Internet access services. E-commerce revenues would also be significant The company hopes to break-even within three years of its operations.

    The content and access mix of E-Connect will prove to be an advantage over many other Indian portals. It is likely to stand head and shoulders above most other portals in the broadband era thanks to its huge library of television software.

  • Zee to buy out broadband services provider Pacenet

    Zee to buy out broadband services provider Pacenet

    MUMBAI: Zee Telefilms Ltd (ZTL) is buying out broadband services provider Broadband Pacenet, which is promoted by Jagjit Singh Kohli, Yogesh Shah and Yogesh Radhakrishnan.

    Kohli, who is the CEO of Siti cable, is an immediate beneficiary of the proposed demerger of India’s largest multi systems operator (in terms of size) and the cable related business of Zee Telefilms Ltd. He is being given a 2 per cent stake in the new company, Wire and Wireless (India) Ltd, which he will be heading.

    A detailed business plan is being prepared for Wire and Wireless which will venture into triple play services as well, Zee Telefilms chairman Subhash Chandra said, while addressing analysts here today.

    Pacenet will be merged with Wire and Wireless and Kohli’s partners will also be given shares in the new entity. “We have agreed to buy out Pacenet. The valuation is under progress. The existing shareholders of Pacenet will be given shares in Wire and Wireless,” Chandra said.

    Broadband Pacenet offers broadband services using the cable network infrastructure of its franchisees and claims to be servicing over 25,000 home subscribers apart from many corporates.

  • ‘The spring of Hong Kong’s film industry is in Mainland China’ : Wong Kar Wai – Hong Kong film director ( published in ‘Yazhou Zhoukan’ )

    ‘The spring of Hong Kong’s film industry is in Mainland China’ : Wong Kar Wai – Hong Kong film director ( published in ‘Yazhou Zhoukan’ )

    Wong Kar-wai believes that the culture and language of films in Hong Kong and mainland China share much in common. With the opportunities made possible by CEPA, there is plenty of room for the development of Hong Kong films in mainland China. The trick lies in how to capitalise on Hong Kong films’ uniqueness and strengths to plant seeds for their growth in the mainland.

    In Hong Kong, Wong Kar-wai is the film director who has won the most awards in international film festivals, yet he finds that the spring of Hong Kong’s film industry is in mainland China, since “the biggest market for Hong Kong films now is mainland China”. Wong is currently in New York preparing for his new film. He will act as the president of the jury in the Cannes Film Festival in May.

    In an exclusive interview with Yazhou Zhoukan, Wong shared his views on the development of Hong Kong’s film industry.

    Excerpts:

    You have recently become the first Chinese to be the president of the jury in the Cannes Film Festival. You seem to be closely associated with France, and a number of French people said they could easily relate to your films without any cultural barriers. What do you think are the reasons?
    The success of a film depends not only on the film’s quality, but good publicity and good film guides are also crucial. In this regard, my French distributor has been doing a superb job. The popularity of “In the Mood for Love” is mainly due to its relatively simple plot and characters. The film’s story and background as well as the characters’ relationships can be found in almost any city. For this universality, the film has been able to touch audiences in many different regions.

    All your films, from “As Tears Go By” to “Days of Being Wild”, “Happy Together” and “2046”, feature stories happening in Hong Kong, yet they can arouse empathy from audiences in different communities and races. They have an international audience. Can you share with us some tips and insights?
    The stories in my films happen mostly in Hong Kong, as Hong Kong is the place where I grew up. I have strong feelings for this city. Over the years, my creative experiences have been intertwined with happenings in this city. In filming “As Tears Go By” and “Days of Being Wild”, most of the shots were taken on Hong Kong streets. For “Happy Together”, although the film was shot in Argentina, the theme is also about Hong Kong. The city in “2046” is also a simulated Hong Kong created out of my subjective impressions from images taken in Thailand, Shanghai and Macau. Like most modern cities, Hong Kong has its own charm and all the characteristics of a cosmopolitan city. Stories happening here may very well happen in any other city. As I’ve said just now, because of this universality, my films can touch audiences outside of Hong Kong.

    The film industry in Asia including mainland China, Korea and Thailand have enjoyed increased box office sales and won wide acclaim. On the contrary, although Hong Kong films dominated the Chinese film market in the 80s and 90s, the industry’s development has not seen any major breakthroughs in recent years. What do think about the present Hong Kong film industry?
    Hong Kong films are now in a stage of transformation. Looking back, the boom in Hong Kong’s film industry had its historical reasons. Hong Kong’s film industry began to develop rapidly in the 40s in the last century. It catered not only to the local market then, but also met the needs of the numerous Chinese residing overseas. By the 70s, 80s and 90s, Hong Kong films basically dominated the Asian market. Backed by such a vast market, the Hong Kong film industry had grown to be so prosperous that not only did mainstream action films and comedies have a market, but other film genres could also exist.

    Take myself as an example, when I first joined the film industry, opportunities abounded for newcomers. But in the past several years, strong competitors have surfaced and eroded Hong Kong’s share in the film markets. Today, the future for Hong Kong’s film industry lies very much in mainland China where there is a population of 1.3 billion who speak Putonghua or Mandarin. Following the opening up of mainland China’s film industry to Hong Kong under CEPA (Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement), coupled with the gradual easing of restrictions in the market, the mainland China is a good way out for Hong Kong’s film industry. We definitely have competitive advantages over Thai and Korean films, but have to think hard to identify our niche and strengths in the mainland market. We should revitalise the Hong Kong film industry with the backing of the mainland market on the one hand and have our eyes set on the world market on the other.

    So how do you think Hong Kong films should be positioned in the mainland China market?
    In the past two decades, Hong Kong has made significant contributions towards the development of mainland China’s film industry. Apart from investment in capital, Hong Kong film workers have also influenced their mainland counterparts in areas such as film techniques, creative thinking and marketing concepts. We should seize the opportunities made available by the current expansion of the China film market. Our greatest difficulty now is how to modify our films to meet with the needs of this enormous market, as moviegoers’ tastes in Hong Kong and the mainland differ a lot. We may easily find ourselves ending up in a situation where we pay too much attention to one and lose sight of the other. If we cater only to the needs of the mainland Chinese audience, we may lose our Hong Kong audience and perhaps also the essence of Hong Kong films.

    To address this “indigestion” problem, we have to be familiar with our own strengths and maximise our creative freedom to produce more film genres so that we can tap into more markets.

    What are Hong Kong’s competitive advantages in the mainland China market?
    In the mainland China market, Hong Kong has at least three competitive advantages. Firstly, in terms of culture, for historical reasons, Hong Kong is the point where east meets the west. In dealing with cross-culture themes in films or in partnering with western filmmakers, we definitely have a competitive edge. Secondly, in terms of themes, we have more freedom to create. All along, we have had a rather lenient censorship regime, giving us great flexibility in the choice of themes. Thirdly, in terms of financing, Hong Kong has a healthy and stable economic and finance systems, providing a favourable environment for film financing. This is also one of the strengths of our film industry.
    ‘Restrictions on films gradually easing in the Mainland China market‘

    The Korean film industry has been flourishing in recent years. What are its lessons for Hong Kong?
    Some people think that the boom in the Korean film industry in recent years is related to the Korean government’s protectionist measures, whereas in fact such measures have been in place for a long time. The prime reason for the boom in Korean films is that the Korean government has lifted restrictions on themes allowed in films in response to the major changes taking place in Korean society. As a result, themes banned in the past are now all of a sudden put on cinema screens. These films have made people sit up and attracted more moviegoers. The success of Korean films therefore lies in filmmakers’ ability to grasp the changes in Korean society and launch a facelift for their films.

    On the other hand, the Hong Kong film industry is very conservative. Perhaps because of the shrinking market, filmmakers are unwilling to take risks and tend to stick to old thinking and work patterns. Hong Kong film workers should widen their horizons and keep a close watch on our fast-changing world. They should not just reminisce on the glory of the past.

    For instance, when Hong Kong film workers complain about the lack of talents, have they ever considered where our talents have gone? If we can export our first-rate action choreographers to other countries, why can’t we borrow talents from other places? I believe that with the solid foundation of Hong Kong films and an open attitude, the prospects of Hong Kong’s film industry are still very promising.

    What are the areas for improvement in Hong Kong’s film industry?
    There are at least three areas where improvements can be made. Firstly, we need to strengthen our communication with banks. Although Hong Kong has a relatively stable finance system, banks are rather passive when it comes to talking about film financing. Secondly, the Hong Kong film industry lacks new blood. Although the government and community bodies have been organising filmmaking training programmes, the problem is that trainees do not have many career prospects when they have completed the training. This has put people off.

    Let’s take a look at the Directors Guild of America. They also organise training programmes in which trainees are put on every process in film production so that they can try out what they have learned. Hong Kong’s operating conditions are less favourable, and we do not have in place a mechanism to find jobs for trainees before the programmes are organised. This is a predicament of Hong Kong’s film industry. Thirdly, Hong Kong lacks professional film producers.

    The creative head and the producer are often the same person. Therefore, it may be difficult for them take a more macro perspective on the mainland China market or the international market.

    What do you think should be the division of work between a film’s creative head and its producer?
    A good analogy will be to liken the creative head to a seed and the producer to a gardener. A good seed needs the gardener to put it in good soil and water it. A good gardener with good soil but without a good seed cannot do much. Hence, the two should complement each other in their roles. For example, the theme of Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain was originally catered for a small audience. The director’s role is to film it to the best of his ability, while the producer should provide an environment, under limited costs, where the director can deliver his best, and bring the film to the right market. When a film has the ability to touch people, it can produce a good harvest given the right soil. If we say that a director is the soul in the creative process, the producer is then the guide of the film.

    Being part of the Hong Kong film industry, how do you wish the government can help and support the industry?
    The more urgent and short-term assistance needed is to clamp down on the piracy of films and BT, and the government is working hard on it now. In the long term, the film industry should sit together and discuss the issues that should be brought to the government’s attention. In fact, officials in the related government departments do not come from the film industry and will have difficulty in understanding our needs. It is best that we think about and express our needs to them.
  • ‘Organising a fashion event is a question of management – order, discipline, logistics, delivery’ : Simon Lock – IMG Fashion Asia Pacific managing director

    ‘Organising a fashion event is a question of management – order, discipline, logistics, delivery’ : Simon Lock – IMG Fashion Asia Pacific managing director

    IMG Fashion Asia Pacific MD Simon P Lock, the man who thrust Australian fashion onto the world stage, is in town for the Lakme Fashion Week, which kicks off tomorrow in Mumbai and runs till 1 April 2006.

     

    Lock, the founder and former CEO of Fashion Innovators (AFI), as too the region’s premier fashion event, Mercedes Australian Fashion Week, took over as head of IMG Fashion AsiaPac after his company was bought out by IMG in October 2005. The acquisition by IMG also included the management and production of the Mercedes-Benz Start Up program in Australia and New Zealand, the Mercedes-Benz Asia Fashion Award program that is currently held in six countries throughout Asia, the Singapore Fashion Festival and other fashion events around the Asia Pacific region in development, including events in India, China and Japan.

     

    Indiantelevision.com’s Ashwin Pinto caught up with Lock to find out more about IMG Fashion and its plans.

    How has IMG expanded its presence in the fashion world in the past five years?

    Quite significantly! Here in the Asia Pacific they acquired my company in Australia AFI which produces the Mercedes Fashion Week in Sydney. It also produces the Singapore Fashion Festival. So that has become a part of IMG Fashion family. In India we have the Lakme Fashion Week. New fashion weeks have started in many cities including Los Angeles and Miami. IMG Fashion is also involved closely with a number of Fashion Weeks in Europe.

    Anything else?

    IMG Fashion also has IMG Models. I am involved with developing that sphere as well and we are doing a lot of work in the Asia Pacific region. IMG Models represents some of the leading models in the world. They include Kate Moss, Heidi Klum and Giselle Bundchen. My role is to look for opportunities for those girls in Asian markets. My job is also to spot new talent who can become a part of the IMG fold globally.

    In what way has the business model evolved along with the industry?

    The business model of IMG Fashion is primarily based on the ownership and the development of fashion events. They can be trade events for the industry or events for the public who are fans of fashion. The revenue model revolves around contributions fro m designers to participate in these events and also sponsorship to drive the events.

    How difficult is it to find sponsorship?

    It is always a challenge. You are competing with other parts of the marketing spend. This is the advertising spend, public relations spend. IMG has vast opportunities because it has such good significant properties around the world.

     

    So if you are an international brand like Lakme or Olympus or Mercedes Benz and looking to create an association with the fashion industry and therefore reach consumers then IMG Fashion can be a valuable partner for you.

    How has the takeover of the takeover of IMG by investment company Forstmann Little & Co impacted the company?

    It has added value to both management and the operational structure. Forstmann has great vision which they have been able to transfer into the development of IMG Fashion. They are bringing in some new things like a focus on the internet and new media.
    ‘We are seeing designers images going up on the Internet straight away and retailers copying them. Many designers are considering pulling out of online galleries‘

    How is IMG Fashion looking to leverage the Internet and new media?

    New York is the best example of what we are looking to do. Recently we created a partnership with Microsoft and Sprint to deliver fashion show content online.

     

    This is the first time it has been done live anywhere in the world. It was successful. The site imgfashionworld.com started to rank alongside other great event sites around the world like Wimbledon, US Open. It is a win win value proposition and allows us another window to showcase our collection.

    Is the mobile also an opportunity?

    Definitely. We are in discussion with a lot of operators. With the advent of 3G and mobile, TV people are coming to grips with what the consumer wants. Do they want five minutes edited highlights of fashion shows? Do they want to be able to see what is happening backstage? Do they want critiques? Do I want to watch it while traveling on a bus or while I am at work?

     

    As consumers we do not know what we want out of this new media. But IMG Fashion is well positioned to deliver the content in whatever manner it suits the consumer. It is a question how we apply content to the medium.

    How important a market is India for IMG from the fashion side compared to other Asian countries?

    It is significant and we have been here for six years already. India has a vibrant fashion industry that we are partners with. India has a huge growing consumer population. They are getting more involved with fashion.

    Could you talk about some of the learnings from other countries that you have applied for the Indian market?

    Lots! I have been running fashion Weeks for 10-12 years. We bring 20 years of running them and it benefits India. There is a lot of detail, procedure, information.

    What are the ways in which IMG is leveraging the synergies between fashion and the worlds of music and entertainment?

    We did an innovation recently in Singapore. This was a collaboration with MTV. We produced a special MTV Fashionably Loud. This the epitomy of live music rock concert married to a fashion show and developed into a brilliant television programme which will air across Asia, including India, on 9 April 2006.

     

    It stars top designers like John Paul Gautier, Gucci, Prada. We have an indirect relationship with the film world. Many designers who participate in our fashion Weeks dress film celebrities.
    ‘The overall challenge is in fighting for the consumer dollar against different industries like cosmetics, entertainment, food etc‘

    What role do major events like the Oscar Awards play in increasing synergy between the world’s of entertainment and fashion?

    The first hour of a major film programme, whether it is the Oscar Awards, the Golden Globes, the Baftas, focus on what people are wearing. On the red carpet the interviewers are more interested in the outfits than on the films. This is a huge opportunity for designers to get noticed in a way that otherwise would not be possible.

     

    The downside is that some of the mystique is lost when viewers find out that the dress is being returned tomorrow along with the jewelry. This is something though that the industry has to learn to live with.

     

    When you have a celebrity for a fashion event the danger is that he/she might have their own aims. This need not be promoting their designers. When the relationship works well in terms of the celebrity talking about the designer and vice versa. It needs to be balanced though. A personal connection helps when a celebrity likes to wear a particular designers clothes, as it looks good on them. It does not always happen though.

    Could you talk about how IMG increases the brand equity of a fashion event through its expertise?

    We have a series of production partners who help us produce events. We have contractors around the world. IMG Fashion also has experienced executives who help manage sponsorships, marketing and bringing in international buyers and producing events. It helps create better outcomes for the participants. Designers will sell more clothes and the media coverage for Lakme Fashion Week will grow exponentially.

     

    So they know that the return on investment is strong. At the end of the day we bring measurable outcomes to participants. Without commercial outcomes we cannot commercially substantiate our involvement or their involvement.

     

    Our aim is never to create a homogenous Fashion Week circuit. In New York it has its own style and personality of showcasing sports wear. Los Angeles, Mumbai, Sydney are also distinctive. The inherent nature of the industry allows each event to be different. Indian designers have a certain, style, feel and way of doing business. We have no intention of taking this spirit away. We want to embrace and enhance that spirit. Lakme fashion Week has sense of community and that is the spirit.

    What is the main difference between organising a fashion event and a sports event?

    The basic principles are the same. You need organisational skills for both. However, a specific expertise a required to run fashion events. This means that you have to understand the industry. Organising a fashion event is a question of management – order, discipline, logistics, delivery.

    What are the ways in which IMG meets these challenges?

    It is about having a plan that will offer a successful outcome. You need to be very structured and focussed. You need great creativity and logistical execution. You need to balance both.

     

    There is no point in having a creative Fashion Week if the sets fall down. If it is not run on time or the media is not getting what is going on, then the event will be affected.

    Are you satisfied with how television channels cover the fashion industry or do you feel that there is a need for greater in-depth coverage? What I am trying to get at is that the genuine understanding of the fashion business is very low in India among journalists in particular and the media in general.

    It is a good point. Designers need to be more prepared to deal with the media. They need to be more educated. The media needs to understand the subject matter and then put it in an international context.

     

    If an Indian designer comes out tomorrow on the catwalk with a Gucci rip off then the journalist must be able to spot it. That is your responsibility to the consumer.

     

    To do that you have to take your journalism and research equity very seriously. We need to see more of that in India. What ultimately works is mutual respect between the two parties.

    On its part what efforts is IMG taking to make its fashion events more TV friendly?

    We have excellent lighting and sound. So the quality that we can get out of our events is good. We have great partnerships like with Zee here. We also did one with Microsoft in the US. IMG owns one of the largest television production companies in the world -TWI. So we have a lot of experience in this area.

    In India one problem that the fashion industry commonly faces is charges of copying of designs. What in your view is the solution and is this problem faced in other countries?

    This problem is faced everywhere. We are seeing it now with designers images going up on the Internet straight away and retailers copying them. Many designers are considering pulling out of online galleries. I am not sure of what the solution is to this problem.

     

    The overall challenge is in fighting for the consumer dollar against different industries like cosmetics, entertainment, food etc. Hopefully we will get our fair share and this can be done by providing people with the right products.

    Could you talk about IMG’s expansion plans globally on the fashion side?

    We have development plans for new events across the Asia Pacific region. We can talk about this when the time is right.

    What are the plans that IMG has for India going forward?

    The way forward is to grow and develop the Lakme Fashion Week. You grow it by getting more buyers and more media to attend. They write for more orders, the designers get bigger. Both parties come back. It is cyclic.

     

    The event has to be of a high quality so that designers want to participate. So content has to grow.

    Then again there is no good having great content if you do not tell people about it. Our job is to tell people globally what is going on here.