ITV

Category: TV Shows

  • Star World launches ‘Crime At Ten’ band

    Star World launches ‘Crime At Ten’ band

    MUMBAI: English GEC Star World has created a block called ‘Crime At Ten‘ that will kick off on 5 March.

    With the crime related shows airing every weekday at 10 pm, the broadcaster has taken a step towards imbibing the American style of showcasing programmes in a checkered format.

    The property will showcase the latest seasons of crime shows. These include ‘Dexter‘, ‘Castle‘ and ‘Criminal Minds‘ that will air everyday weekday at 10 pm along with new shows ‘Person Of Interest‘ and ‘Unforgettable‘.

    Star India GM, senior VP, English Channels Saurabh Yagnik said, “Star World is constantly designing ways to engage viewers either by bringing the latest Hollywood shows to India or launching innovative properties like Crime At Ten. With this property, we are mirroring the American way of showcasing programmes in a checkered format. Our research shows that Indian viewers have a high tendency to consume crime content and we are hence launching five crime shows on our 10 pm slot.”

    Coming up first on‘Crime At Ten‘ is the sixth season of ‘Dexter‘. Michael C. Hall continues his role as Dexter the serial killer as he explores beyond his surroundings and enters new arenas. But unfortunately whenever a serial killer enters new arenas, they always find someone that‘s needs to be killed.

    On 6 March a new crime show, ‘Person Of Interest‘, kicks off. The series revolves around Mr. Flinch who creates a computer programme that can see the future, providing information about individuals that could be in danger. His first target is to save the life of Diane Hanson, an Assistant District Attorney currently working on a major prosecution with the help of his newly employed colleague John Reese.

    The show not just boasts of nuanced writing and characteriaation but also engages viewers with a post 9/11 sense of paranoia.

    Crime duo- Richard Castle and Kate Becket take centrestage on Wednesday with the fourth season of ‘Castle‘. Following ‘Castle‘ comes a new crime show ‘Unforgettable‘. The show follows the story of Former Syracuse, New York police detective Carrie Wells who has hyperthymesia, a rare medical condition that gives her the ability to visually remember everything. A series of events helps her to find out the one thing she has been unable to remember i.e. what happened the day her sister was murdered.

    On ‘Crime At Ten‘ is also the latest season of ‘Criminal Minds‘. The show revolves around the Behavioral Analysis Unit who analyses the country‘s most twisted criminal minds, anticipating their next moves before they strike again. This season takes off from Season 6 where the BAU team is at crossroads when they are questioned by a Senate Committee for their retaliatory actions to get revenge on Doyle.

  • Nick acquires factual series ‘The Adrenaline Project’ from DHX Media

    MUMBAI: Nickelodeon India has acquired the factual series ‘The Adrenaline Project‘ from DHX Media, an independent international producer, distributor and licensor of mainly children‘s entertainment content.

    DHX Media has signed deals from its library of kids TV series with broadcasters in Asia.

    In Korea, KBS and Kids Talk Talk have acquired Pirates – Adventures in Art with the digital broadcaster also picking up animated eco-centric series dirtgirlworld which has also sold to Mediacorp in Singapore alongside Martha Speaks, Poppetstown, Pirates – Adventures in Art and Watership Down.

    In Malaysia, broadcaster Astro has licensed preschool shows dirtgirlworld, Pirates – Adventures in Art, Poko and Monster Math Squad, while in Taiwan, YoYo (Eastern Broadcasting Co.) has bought the new season of Super Why! True Visions in Thailand has taken all seasons of ‘Kid vs Kat‘.

    DHX Media territory manager for Asia Craig McGillivray said, “Asia is a significant market for our shows with broadcasters picking up a diverse range of product from our library. One of our key properties for ATF will be Rastamouse, which is performing very well in the UK on CBeebies and the iPlayer and attracting significant interest from licensees with several key categories already signed. We believe it would perform very well in Asia and are keen to speak to prospective broadcast partners.”

  • Miditech’s documentary on Tihar Jail wins Intl Gold Panda Award

    MUMBAI: Delhi-based production company Miditech has won the International Gold Panda Award for its documentary ‘Inside: Asia’s Largest Jail’ at the Sichuan TV Festival, 2011.

    The documentary is part of National Geographic Channel’s ‘Inside’ – a series which enters the world’s most restrictive places, unraveling the non stop drama helmed by a compelling cast of characters.

    Inside: Asia’s Largest Jail goes behind the walls of Asia’s largest jail complex in New Delhi, India. Through stories of several prisoners and staff, the film explores the challenges, fears, anxieties, hopes and disappointments of those who live and work inside Tihar. It’s a world set apart, on the one hand, with dreaded criminals who are prone to violent conflict with each other and with the staff. On another it is a correctional facility with a range of educational facilities and meditation programs, designed for reform and rehabilitation of prisoners.

    Miditech president Niret Alva said, “This film is restless, roving, ever present, the camera is at once ubiquitous, yet seemingly invisible. Why, because Tihar jail inmates seem completely oblivious of it. The stories of different characters intersect and sometimes merge, so beautifully that you feel you have a ring side view of a big living thing called Tihar. We at Miditech enjoyed making this film and are truly thrilled by this news.”

    Miditech MD and CEO Nikhil J Alva added, “Documentaries are an important part of Miditech’s DNA as a production company. With this win, Miditech’s documentary division has once again proved it can create compelling documentaries on Indian subjects that appeal to audiences all over the world because of their universal themes, strong research, innovative storytelling and high end production value.”

  • Simmons inducted into Factual Entertainment Hall of Fame

    MUMBAI: Legendary rock star Gene Simmons will be inducted into the Factual Entertainment Awards Hall of Fame as the ‘Personality of the Year’ at the awards celebration on 1 June in Santa Monica.

    Along with his unconventional family, Simmons stars in Gene Simmons Family Jewels on A&E’s celebrity family-based reality show on television.

    Realscreen VP and publisher Claire Macdonald said, “The show’s longevity, loyal fan base and consistently high ratings, coupled with Gene’s engaging onscreen presence and the wonderful family dynamic that makes the show ‘appointment’ television, all factor into this recognition”.

    This is the second nod from the international non-fiction community, as Gene Simmons Family Jewels emerged the winner in the docusoap category at the 2010 edition of the Factual Entertainment Awards which are judged by over 30 senior global non-fiction programming execs and producers.

    A&E’s Gene Simmons Family Jewels is produced by Thinkfactory Media and the Gene Simmons Company. Adam Freeman, Adam Reed, Gene Simmons, Moriah Muse, Erin Kelly and Leslie Greif are the series executive producers. David McKillop, Neil A. Cohen and Steve Harris are the A&E executive producers.

    Simmons said, “I am who I am because of my family. Shannon, Sophie and Nick make me a better man, and that’s factual. I’m honored to receive this award.”

    Thinkfactory Media CEO Leslie Greif said, “Gene Simmons has gone from entertaining millions of fans to becoming one of TV’s most recognizable faces globally reaching over 83 countries and we couldn’t be happier for him being named this year’s Personality of the Year.

    A&E’s Gene Simmons Family Jewels continues to break records as the longest running celebrity docu-series on the air and we’d like to thank realscreen and the Factual Entertainment Awards for recognizing Gene and this ground-breaking series.”

    The entire Simmons family including Gene, his long-time girlfriend Shannon Tweed and children Nick and Sophie, will also set the stage for the Factual Entertainment Forum. In a panel discussion delegates will hear from the quintessential first family of reality about how their on-air lives intertwine with real family life. The audience is promised an interesting, unusual and entertaining glimpse into their not-so-private lives and into the making of the hit show.

  • ‘As content creators, we have to be more entrepreneurial in our approach’ : Castle creator and executive producer Andrew Marlowe

    ‘As content creators, we have to be more entrepreneurial in our approach’ : Castle creator and executive producer Andrew Marlowe

    With the television landscape having to work under a struggling global economy, it is becoming more of a challenge for content creators to stay creative under financial constraints.

     

    Fiscal responsibility has become a part of the creative process, says Castle creator and executive producer Andrew Marlowe.

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com‘s Ashwin Pinto, Marlowe talks about the creation of Castle, its USP of focussing on characters, the relationship with ABC Studios, what is needed for a show to work, the importance of being in the digital space and the need for a collaborative relationship between broadcasters and content creators.

     

    Excerpts:

    How did the idea of Castle come about?
    I was watching a lot of procedurals on American television like CSI, Law and Order. I was missing the fun characters that I saw on TV growing up – like Moonlighting. On those shows, you really got a sense of who the people were and that is what you were following more than the case. I wanted to bring something like that back to television. It felt like there was room for it since the other shows were doing things that were different. They were not focusing on characters.

     

    When I was imagining the character of Richard Castle as a writer myself, I thought that it would be great if I could get up and do some of the things that I was writing about. That is where the idea came from. To create a character who is a mystery novelist who thinks of ways to kill people and get away with it. Then to have him go out with a detective in real life solving crime felt to me to be rich, fertile material for storytelling.

     

    We are at a time when there is a lot of competition among channels and shows for viewers attention. What sets Castle apart from other shows?
    The relationship between the two major characters sets it apart. You have to find what attracts your audience. Something like Law and Order was attractive at the time. CSI looks at forensics which was new. For us, it is about the character dynamic and the relationship. When we market the show, this is what we sell. We know that there has to be a procedural element as audiences expect it. However this is the strand on which we put the relationship pearls to make the necklace.

     

    Creating interesting characters for Castle was important. How did you approach this job?
    I looked at the dynamics between the two lead characters. I knew that I had to have characters that were in conflict but who also had a romantic interest in each other. For Castle, he thinks highly of himself. He is a bit of a narcissist but is also charming. Things have come easily for him. I wanted him to be in a relationship with a woman who is a bit of a mystery and who did not fall for him. She did not fall for his surface charm and surface wit but be a match for him. The characters approach storytelling from two different points of view.

     

    For detective Beckett, it is about what the evidence suggests. But Castle looks at it in terms of the story of the dead person like a frozen woman found at a construction site. He wonders how she got there. Though they approach things from different points of view, they help each other reach the solution. We capitalise on the spark and the great relationship that they have working together.

    You have to juggle different genres. Was this tricky?
    It is tricky while writing. We can go from comedy to drama quickly. It is important to treat the victim and the victim‘s family with respect. But we know that we allow viewers to have more fun with the murder mystery than they would with other procedurals. We walk the fine line of walking from a crime scene and have fun. The detective is on point carrying the torch for the victim.

     

    But Castle sometimes says inappropriate things and has more fun with it. Cops have come up and say how much they like our show. They have to find humour in their daily real life situations. Otherwise, it gets overbearing. On other shows where police officers are humourless, it feels less authentic to them. Even though our show exists in a fantasy setting, a lot of law enforcement officers seem to be relating to it.
    ‘New technology has to be in the service of the storytelling rather than the other way around. We have seen big budget action affects movies that do not have a quality story at the heart of it. It is like watching fireworks. You watch something interesting but are not emotionally engaged‘

    Generally as a show gets more popular it gets more expensive to do. What is happening with Castle?
    Finances are a continuous challenge. We figure out which episodes we want to have which are bigger in scale and make a lot of noise. Then you have episodes that are smaller and more personal in scale. The production costs are smaller here and it becomes a more intensely focused drama in terms of the sets that we have. We shoot in Los Angeles but we want to give an authentic feel of New York. There is money that we have to spend on recreating New York.

     

    Fiscal responsibility has become a part of the creative process for us. I don‘t mind it that much as it seems to me that a lot of great creativity can come when you push against constraints. If you have all the time and money in the world, often TV shows are not as good as they should be. Facing constraints can challenge you as an artist to create something better and more interesting rather than opting for what is easy.

     

    How is the show perceived by viewers?
    They enjoy it as it is different from the other stuff on air. The other procedurals are sensationalistic and go to a darker place. Advertisers are excited due to our TG. Women watch us the most. We win the night every time in this demographic. In the US, we have Dancing With The Stars as the lead in. So it helps us build a strong female audience.

     

    We are also getting stronger with men. We have tried to craft an experience where they too can have fun when they come to the show. We are fortunate that our viewers are passionate and bring others into the experience. Advertisers are seeing the value of our show. But so much of the coveted 18-35 TG are seeking out content in non traditional forms on the net, portals. Everybody in the broadcast space is trying to figure out how to best monetise this.

     

    How is Castle faring in countries like India?
    From the conversations I have been having, people have been responding favourably. They like the relationships and the fact that Castle is a family man. They like the creativity of the storytelling. So far the feedback has been very good.

     

    How important is it for a show to be in the digital space?
    It is essential to create a community for viewers. Viewing habits are changing. Some people view content on the net, phone and not just on the TV. Creating a digital watercooler where people can have a conversation about your show is important to extend their experience. We launched a couple of initiatives to have better relationships with fans and deepen their entertainment value. Between the first two seasons in the US, our fiction character Richard Castle was tweeting.

     

    He went on vacation and got involved in a murder mystery. So in the break between seasons, he was keeping loyal viewers engaged and deepening their loyalty but having a story telling vehicle on twitter. Our audience was engaged between the seasons. These people became emissaries. It helped with viewership when we returned for the second season. Having a facebbok page helps get feedback. It helps extend the brand. This is what viewers expect from entertainment these days.

     

    We know what viewers respond to and like or do not like. In the past when you built an online community, it was the fanatics that visited. But now that twitter has gone mainstream, there are more viewers there. You can get more balanced information on what people feel about your show which helps in storytelling.

     

    Are you creating Castle content for the net and mobile?
    It is an on-going discussion. Is this being done to market the show or to try and create another revenue stream? People have not figured out the economic model. You have to have actors. They already work a lot on the television show. You need to figure out why you are doing it. Is it to attract a new audience, go to a new platform to bring people to the main show or is it to generate more revenue? It has a price tag.

     

    There is stuff we want to do, but we do not have the capability yet. The proven business model is not there and so it is always a risk. We might have a great idea but are we generating revenue or bringing more viewers to the table? These questions must be answered or you could have unnecessary capital expenditure.

     

    What are the key ingredients needed for a show to work and draw audiences regularly in an increasingly fragmented environment?
    You need something at the heart of a show for people to talk about. There has to be reason for them to leave the storytelling and go out to the community and talk about their experience. You can do it with a compelling premise like Lost. Or you can have a key relationship at the heart of it and characters that viewers fall in love with.

     

    If this happens, viewers will invite the characters into their homes week after week and live the adventures with them. It is either the premise that is very bold or characters that we fall in love with. Ideally, you should have both. The minute a premise loses its interest, then the characters keep you coming back for more.

     

    What trends are we seeing now in terms of the kinds of shows that work and do not?
    Comedy is making a bit of a comeback. There was a time when comedies were not working. But when things get bad economically, people want an escapist experience. People are attracted to really good content, characters. This is hard to do.

     

    Are dramas and realities tapering off a bit in terms of popularity?
    I think that they are both evolving. Some new reality shows are successful while others are not. What is specific premise? Is it resonating? Dramas had a tough year where few shows got traction or caught on. However, broadcasters are being more patient and seeing they can grow a show.

     

    Marketing is a challenge for everybody. There is a lot of product including online with YouTube. I think patience can help develop a show so that people can understand that this cultural experience will be something they would want to be a part of. Broadcasters will be more patient out of necessity to see if they can grow an audience. There is no hard and fast rule. If something goes strong out of the gate, people will be more generous and foster it over the next couple of years.

    What are the fresh challenges that you and the creative community in general face?
    We always think that our stories are worth telling and there is audience. We have to be entrepreneurial, be better partners for studios and networks. It means that we have to take chances. We have to take risks as the audience wants new and interesting material.

     

    They also want an experience that they are comfortable with. Sometime people spend a lot of money and at other times there is belt tightening. As a content creator, you have to roll with those punches and do the best that you can.

    Has the production process of making a show changed?
    Not really. The fundamental stuff is there. A lot of shows have switched to HD. People are doing more special effects work for less money. We can go to states where there are tax breaks. We still shoot on film. We don‘t feel that HD cameras are there yet in terms of how they capture light. They will catch up. There will be cost savings but also time issues.

     

    The new technology has to be in the service of the storytelling rather than the other way around. We have seen big budget action affects movies that do not have a quality story at the heart of it. It is like watching fireworks. You watch something interesting but you are not emotionally engaged. It is important for us that the cart does not lead the horse.

    Are you happy at the deal the WGA did with the AMPTP?
    That remains to be seen as to whether or not we are happy with what the settlement was. The issues that we had were in terms of new media. This landscape is changing rapidly. When we went on strike in terms of digital rights and payments, nobody understood the landscape. This brought the town‘s attention to the fact that this is an issue. It is an issue worldwide. What does it mean to have IP in a digital age when it is so easy to make a copy? How do you define and protect IP in the digital age?

     

    It goes to the heart of piracy. These issues have not been resolved by the marketplace. I know a lot of writers and studios who are still recovering from the strike. Nobody wants to see this labour strike again. But the issues that were raised across the board by the strike are the ones that we are going to be dealing with for a while.

    Will YouTube be the new TV five years down the road?
    No! There is too much content for people to sort through. People want to know that they will commit their time to something worthwhile. So the notion of a brand or a channel or community will not go away. I do think that the screen will change. This will create chaos but out of chaos comes opportunity.

     

    If there is too much product, people are not going to know where to look. They will ask their peers or stick to trusted brands. While there are hundreds of channels in the US, most people I know only watch five or six channels. They only talk about five or six shows. That is because it is hard to make great content that resonates. It will come down to making good shows and it will find an audience it is worthwhile. I don‘t have time to go to YouTube and sift through the noise and nonsense to find something worthwhile. I need a filtration system. This is why brand and channels will still be important in the new formulation.

     

    As a writer do you constantly learn from the work going on in other shows, especially those that have been going on for a while?
    We look at other shows to make sure that we are not doing the same thing. We also study older shows like Moonlighting to see how the relationship between the two lead characters was handled. On that show it was handled well for a while, and then it wasn‘t.

     

    I also look at shows like Bones. You never want to get too complacent and only look inside your own show. You would also want outside perspective to shape up your storytelling.

     
    What is the difference between writing for television and writing for film?
    In films, you have more leeway in terms of location and money that you can spend. You can paint on a much bigger canvas. In case of television, you need to be clever in terms of the storytelling – and overcome financial constraints.
     
    Are you looking at other concepts or is Castle your only focus?
    Right now it is my primary focus. I want to make sure that the series does well. But I have an appetite for creating shows.

    In films, I have a couple of projects that are actively moving forward. I have an alien invasion movie with Warner Bros. It will be directed by Pierre Morel who made Taken. He has just signed on.

  • BBC Knowledge loads up factual content

    MUMBAI: Over 200 new hours of factual titles have been acquired for global audiences of BBC Knowledge, following the conclusion of significant new deals by BBC Worldwide Channels.

    The programming slate is drawn from leading distributors – All3Media International, Endemol, and Zodiak Rights – and includes titles such as Genius, Secret Millionaire US, Joanna Lumley: Jewel In the Nile, Ross Kemp In The Middle East, Kevin McCloud’s Grand Tour and Derren Brown Investigates.

    These will air next year.

    BBC Worldwide Channels VP acquisitions Bun Scrase-Dickins said, “We are committed to working with UK and international suppliers to source the best quality programmes for our international audiences. These represent only a fraction of the great content available in the market and we’re delighted to bring them to audiences through our localised channels.”

    From Zodiak Rights comes content like Genius, featuring some of the world’s leading scientists including Stephen Hawking and David Attenborough. Historical series Lost Kingdoms of Africa and documentary-dramas The Queen and 1929: The Great Crash have also been acquired.

    Endemol‘s content includes epic journey series Joanna Lumley: Jewel In the Nile, The Stephen Tompkinson Australian Balloon Adventure and The Stephen Tompkinson Great African Balloon Adventure.

    Also acquired from Endemol are historical investigations Convoy, Turin Shroud: The New Evidence and WWI: Finding The Lost Battalions. From All3Media International, Derren Brown Investigates has been acquired, as well as historical investigations – Britain’s African Emperor, Alexandria: The Greatest City and Pompeii: Cellar of Skeletons.

    Lost Kingdoms of Africa reveals the story of Africa’s ancient civilizations. Presented by historian and art expert, Dr Gus Casely-Hayford, this series uncovers the forgotten history of pre-colonial Africa. Comparing modern Africa with the historic kingdoms, each film is a rich visual journey as Gus crosses the dramatic landscapes to discover the legacy of Africa’s past glory.

    Joanna Lumley: Jewel In The Nile follows the actress and campaigner as she embarks on the trip of a lifetime; to follow the River Nile, the longest river in the world, from sea to source.

    On a 4000 mile journey, passing through Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda and Rwanda, Joanna revisits the romantic history of the Nile and talks with the people working and living on the river.

    In Derren Brown Investigates the renowned psychological illusionist hits the road to investigate extraordinary paranormal claims from around the world. In the UK, he meets psychic medium Joe Power, who claims he can communicate with the dead, before travelling to America to find out if things really do go bump in the night, on a surprising investigation into the world of leading ghost hunter Lou Gentile.

    Finally, Brown explores one of the most ambitious claims, travelling to Holland to meet Russian Vyacheslav Bronnikov.

  • Singapore, China intensify partnership in TV, documentaries

    MUMBAI: Television audiences in China and Singapore can look forward to more programmes co-produced by the two countries, including telemovies, documentaries and a televised concert featuring film and TV theme songs.

    These were among the outcomes of a business mission organised by the Media Development Authority (MDA) to Beijing, China, aimed at helping Singapore’s media companies gain further inroads into China. Fourteen Singapore companies – with a mix of content producers, channel operators, platform owners and media fund managers – took part in the four-day trip.

    China and Singapore had begun exchanges in TV more than 20 years ago. Singapore dramas shown in China in the 80s and 90s and their theme songs are fondly remembered by Chinese till today. And the popularity of Little Nyonya in China when it was shown earlier this year has helped to re-kindle Chinese interest in Singapore TV productions.

    Said MDA Chairman Dr Tan Chin Nam, “With a rising global demand for entertainment and media, there is immense potential for China and Singapore to join forces to harness the opportunities in the fast expanding international media space, especially in presenting content from New Asia to the world.

    We hope to build on this traction and ignite a new wave of China-Singapore media collaboration that is broader and deeper in scope. Other than paving the way for Singapore media companies to enter into China, we also hope to position Singapore as a key partner for Chinese media enterprises going international.”

    Altogether, nine agreements were sealed during the business mission, paving the way for industry collaborations, ranging from financing, pre-production, production to distribution and marketing.

    The first was a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between MDA and China International TV Corporation (CITVC) and China Radio Film TV Program Exchange Centre (CPEC) to exchange programmes, co-produce content and participate in annual TV trade markets hosted by the other party, namely the China Radio, Film & TV International Expo hosted by CITVC in Beijing, and the Asia Media Festival hosted by MDA in Singapore. Both CITVC and CPEC are wholly-owned subsidiaries of China Central Television (CCTV).

    Next was a tripartite MoU between MDA, Central Newsreel Documentary Film Studio (CNDF) and China Information Business Network (CIBN) to co-produce a slate of five TV documentary series for global distribution. CNDF, part of the CCTV group of companies, specialises in producing TV and movie documentaries, backed by a treasure trove of archival footage on China dating back to 1938. CIBN is a professional new media network operating in the digital broadcast, mobile TV and internet space.

    Combining the strengths of each party, the documentary slate resulting from the partnership is expected to feature rich moving visuals of past and contemporary China packaged in a way that will appeal to the international market.

    Asia Media and Technology Capital Management, part of the Singapore delegation, signed a MoU with CIBN to collaborate on media industry venture investments in China. AMTC manages the $500 million Asia Media & Technology Capital Fund, which invests into media and technology companies in Asia, with a particular emphasis on China.

    During the trip, MDA enhanced its collaboration with China Education TV (CETV), with whom it first established a partnership in 2008 to co-produce a 20-part half-hour documentary series titled Our Children. Reflecting contemporary children’s lifestyles in Singapore and China, the series is scheduled to simulcast end of this year on MediaCorp Channel 8 and CETV, a channel under China’s Ministry of Education.

    Under the new MoU, MDA and CETV agreed to expand the scope of filming to cover subjects of different age groups, and extend the property across different programme formats and platforms. Both parties hope to develop Our Children into a landmark project that heralds more collaboration in the media-in-learning space.

    MDA also signed a letter of intent with the China Film Foundation (CFF) to co-produce a slate of 10 telemovies over the next three years. The telemovies will potentially be shown on CCTV’s movie channel, CCTV-6. This marked the first time that Singapore and China are collaborating on telemovies. Led by legendary Chinese filmmaker Li Qian Kuan, CFF is a non-profit organisation under the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) that promotes film exchanges between China and foreign countries. MDA and CFF will match-make Singapore and Chinese filmmakers to undertake the production of the telemovies.

    In addition, the Singapore delegation had fruitful meetings with the State Council of Information Third Bureau and its affiliated company China International Communication Centre, during which preliminary discussions to collaborate in both the traditional and new media space were broached.

    Upcoming television, music and film events: On the immediate horizon, audiences in China and Singapore can look forward to a series of co-produced TV, music and film events taking place from September to November this year.

    MDA CEO Dr. Christopher Chia signed a letter of intent with China Broadcasting Performance Arts Group (CBPAG) General Manager Mr Wang Shu Wei, to co-host the China-Singapore Film and TV Golden Melodies Concert. The concert, which is tentatively slated to take place in Beijing on 19 September 2010, will feature singers and artistes from both countries performing popular drama theme songs. The TV recording of the concert will be broadcast in China and Singapore at a later date.

    The concert will be executive produced by Singapore broadcaster MediaCorp, together with China Radio Film and TV Culture Performance, a company under CBPAG. The two parties signed a letter of intent on their collaboration at the press briefing.

    MDA and CBPAG also agreed to incorporate a China-Singapore youth pianist showcase to the programme line-up for the Second Beijing International Piano Festival opening on 18 November, where young promising pianists from both counties will perform alongside music maestros from around the world.

    CBPAG is a state-run professional performing arts group under Sarft. These two events are supported by Sarft and Singapore’s Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts.

  • Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob” ready for documentary

    MUMBAI: Nickelodeon has partnered with the O’Malley Creadon production company to produce a documentary on SpongeBob SquarePants.

    The film will be directed and written by Patrick Creadon. Creadon will also produce the film along with Christine O’Malley.

    This one-hour and yet-to-be titled “SpongeBob” television documentary will attempt to chronicle the ascent of the character’s journey to pop culture stardom.

    The documentary will be telecast across MTV Networks’ various TV platforms in July to commemorate the anniversary of the series’ first episode.

    Says Nickelodeon executive vice president development and original programming Marjorie Cohn, “Patrick and Christine have a talent for finding a greater cultural significance in their film subjects. We’re excited to see how they will explore SpongeBob’s 10-year evolution from a cartoon character to an international pop-culture phenomenon.”

  • Star News’ crime show Sansani completes 1000 episodes

    MUMBAI: Sansani, the crime show on Star News, has completed 1000 episodes. Anchored by Shrivardhan Trivedi, it is running in its fourth year.

    On the completion of the 1000 episode, Sansani has launched a special series called Muheem, on crime against women. Any woman who has a problem or has been harassed can call on Sansani‘s helpline number or email and the Sansani team will try to help the victim.

    In the 1001 episode of Sansani ‘Muheem‘, the team rescued a girl from Gurgaon. This girl was married twice, once she married with her lover by her own wish and the second time she was married forcefully by her parents with a double aged person, wherein she got captured by her second husband. Sansani not only rescued her but also returned her to her beloved.

    MCCS managing editor Shazi Zaman said, “Sansani was an attempt to promote the safety concerns of the common people by involving the viewer in uncovering the face of crime and expose criminals of every hue in society, some petty, others high brow and part of the establishment. On completing 1000 episode, the viewers have given a huge thumbs-up to Sansani‘s reformist agenda a testimony to the programme‘s success in contributing to a safer neighbourhood.”