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Tag: California

  • Raghav Bahl invests $3.25 million in Quintype

    Raghav Bahl invests $3.25 million in Quintype

    MUMBAI: Indian entrepreneur Raghav Bahl is invested $3.25 million in the California based data-driven publishing company Quintype.

     

    The company will use the capital raised to enhance product and business development. Specifically, the funding will be used to grow the product engineering, and sales teams, across locations in the US Bay Area, as well as in Bangalore, India.

     

    Bahl’s Quintillion Media runs a news site in India called The Quint, which was launched earlier this year on the Quintype platform.

     

    Quintype founder Amit Rathore said, “We are excited to have Mr. Bahl support our company as he has, and are looking forward to using the funds to grow the company even more, particularly from a business standpoint. At Quintype, our goal is to make it just as easy to start a non-trivial media operation, as it is to start a blog. So, if you want to start a new online magazine, or a news site or app, or any other high-velocity content property, you’ll be able to do it in minutes.”

     

    The Quintype platform is a seamless, end-to-end SaaS service that brings together all the functionality you need to run a modern media business, including everything needed to create and distribute content, understand and grow your audience, and also monetise that content. Because they’re all seamlessly integrated, these various functions work together extremely well, letting publishers focus on their content business, while the Quintype platform manages all the technology heavy lifting. It includes functionality like cardification, collaboration and team workflow tools, advanced semantic analytics, personalisation and recommendation systems, an advanced monetisation engine, and several other modules.

     

    This SaaS offering lets media organisations reduce technology costs, while at the same time, leveraging big data and predictive analytics to increase revenue and profits. In fact, Quintype’s business model is unique. The entire state-of-the-art platform is available to anyone, free of cost. Quintype partners with publishers by making money through a revenue-share model, effectively aligning their interests with that of the publisher. Quintype only makes money when the publisher does.

     

    Quintype also allows publishers to define more-nuanced audience segments, an attractive proposition for advertisers as well. Quintype takes this first-party data to the next level.

     

    Bahl, who launched his company Quintillion Media, after selling Network18 to Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries, has been investing in multiple ventures. Most recently he invested Rs 4 crore in the media platform Youth Ki Awaaz as well as in the women-oriented job portal Sheroes.

  • You’re Hired: ‘The Celebrity Apprentice’ tells Arnold Schwarzenegger

    You’re Hired: ‘The Celebrity Apprentice’ tells Arnold Schwarzenegger

    MUMBAI: Twice-elected California governor and international movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger has been named the new host of NBC’s The Celebrity Apprentice, which will return to the network for the 2016-17 season.

     

    Schwarzenegger steps into the shoes of erstwhile host Donald Trump, who, in his role as host of the seven seasons ofThe Celebrity Apprentice, helped raise more than $15 million for charity.

     

    Schwarzenegger served two terms as governor of California, managing more than 300,000 state employees and a state budget in the hundreds of billions. He has successfully invested in both real estate and sports franchises, and is known to millions globally for his starring role in the Terminator film franchise. His films, over a six-decade career, have grossed billions of dollars in worldwide box office.

     

    The Apprentice franchise is one of the most successful reality formats in television history. In The Celebrity Apprentice, business-savvy celebrity contestants work in teams and are asked to perform various tasks and win challenges, all the while employing a business model that promotes teamwork and, hopefully, ends with a financially successful outcome – all for a worthy charity. Contestants are subjected to long hours, grueling deadlines, intellectual challenges, personality clashes and intense scrutiny. Each task will end in the Boardroom, where contestants must account for their actions or risk being “fired” by the host until one remains.

     

    Previous Celebrity Apprentice winners include Joan Rivers, Piers Morgan, Bret Michaels, Trace Adkins, Arsenio Hall, John Rich and Leeza Gibbons.

     

    The Celebrity Apprentice is produced by United Artists Media Group. Mark Burnett, Schwarzenegger, Page Feldman and Eric Van Wagenen are executive producers.

  • Angelina Jolie was married to Brad Pitt even before wedding in France

    Angelina Jolie was married to Brad Pitt even before wedding in France

    MUMBAI: Last year in August, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt married in an intimate and low-key ceremony in France, attended by only close family members. The wedding was planned by the couple’s six children – Pax, Zahara, Vivienne, Shiloh, Knox and Maddox. The kids wrote the marital vows and their drawings even adorned Jolie’s Versace wedding gown.

     

    Interestingly in a recent interview to the Italian magazine Io Donna, Jolie confessed that she had actually been married to Pitt even before the summer wedding.

     

    She said, “Before the wedding in France with the kids, Brad and I were already married in California because as Americans, we couldn’t marry legally in France.”

     

    Jolie told the magazine that it was probably not the most romantic wedding but a rather spontaneous decision.

     

    She added, “One day I told Brad to meet up at 4:30pm.  I then called a justice of the peace and we signed the documents.”

     

    The Pitts said ‘I Do’ at their French estate, Chateau Mirval, in a ceremony presided over by a judge from California after they obtained their license in California. This confirmation comes after many had suspected they were already married before the ceremony due to U.S. laws which require citizens to obtain a license within the states.

     

  • Discovery turbo brings new car restoration series

    Discovery turbo brings new car restoration series

    MUMBAI: Renowned design expert Chip Foose returns with OVERHAULIN’: DECONSTRUCTED– featuring his most amazing and imaginative automotive builds yet. As the father of the modern hot rod and head of the iconic Foose Designs, Foose is revered by gearheads in every corner of the world.In Discovery Turbo’s new car renovation series OVERHAULIN’: DECONSTRUCTED viewers follow Chip Foose and his team transform vehicles into the most amazing and imaginative automotives.

    Starting December 16,OVERHAULIN’: DECONSTRUCTED airs every night at 11 PM on Discovery Turbo.
    Chip’s car builds represent the ultimate combination of art, technology and ingenuity, resulting in some of the most unique and breathtaking vehicles anywhere. The all-new OVERHAULIN’: DECONTRUCTEDgoes beyond the garage, exploring engaging human stories and the strong emotional connection between man and machine. Viewers go behind the scenes with the cast and crew for insider producer’s notes, never before seen show footage and cool car factoids.

    The restoration projects feature deserving individuals ranging from returning veterans to those negatively impacted by the tough economy. Each altered auto becomes a life-changing surprise for its unknowing owner. Will Chip and his team of automobile wizards be able to pull it all off in a few short days and on a tight budget? And how will the owner react to his new ride?

    It’s a bumper-to-bumper journey to the final transformation into a cool set of wheels. And along the way, the hosts keep the owner guessing as to where his car is while the work is getting done.

    In addition to Foose, the OVERHAULIN’: DECONSTRUCTED team includes some of the most talented design professionals anywhere. Longtime collaborator and co-host Chris Jacobs returns to help lead an automotive dream team in the garage. Don’t miss any of the action, only on Discovery Turbo.

    Some of the episodes are: 
    1965 Impala – Chip Foose and the A-Team restore a Marine Corps veteran’s prized Chevy Impala that he’s been forced to sell in order to support his young family.
    Chevy Pick Up Truck – Chip Foose and the A-Team restore a newly-retired teacher’s 1954 Pickup Truck that he’s put off investing in until his twin daughters’ college tuition has been paid for.

    1967 Camaro – Chip Foose and the A-Team restore the Camaro of a man who thought he got a great deal on an internet auction, only to be left with project well beyond his budget and expertise.
    Volkswagen Bug – Chip Foose and the A-Team restore the VW of a young mechanic whose health problems have made his project come to a halt. Not only will his car be Overhauled he’ll get the experience of a lifetime working alongside the crew.

    BIOGRAPHY – CHIP FOOSE
    Chip Foose began working on automobiles at age seven for his father’s company, Project Design, in Santa Barbara. Foose attended the Art Center College of Design for two years in 1982, then began working at ASHA Corporation for four years before returning to the Art Center to complete his education, graduating in 1990. Following graduation, Foose then worked full-time for Sterenberger Design and part-time for Boyd Coddington. Later, Chip became the president of Coddington’s company Hot Rods by Boyd. While working for Coddington, Foose designed many of Coddington’s well-known creations such as the Boydster I and II.

    In 1998, Foose started his own automotive and product design company called Foose Design in Huntington Beach, California. In 2001, Foose began his TV career by acting as a consultant for the TV series “Titus” before going on to be the custom painting consultant for the 2006 movie “Cars”. Foose gained more exposure in 2003 as a result of a TLC documentary on his design and creation of a modified 2002 Ford Thunderbird called the Speedbird. In 2004, the TLC version of Overhaulin’ began to air with Foose as the star of show. Other television credits include hosting the series “American Icon: The Hot Rod” for Discovery’s HD Theater.


    Throughout his career Foose has been honored with several awards including induction into the Hot Rod Hall of Fame at Peterson Publishing’s 50th Anniversary at SEMA (Special Equipment Marketing Association); the prestigious AMBR (America’s Most Beautiful Roadster) Award in 1999 and 2000; the coveted Ridler Award in 2002, and in 2003 Foose was inducted into the Grand national Roadster Show Hall of Fame.

    Today, Foose continues to operate Foose Design and provide design consultations to the big three automakers.

  • American Film Market 2013 to screen 402 films from 51 countries

    American Film Market 2013 to screen 402 films from 51 countries

    NEW DELHI: American Film Market 2013 will screen 402 films, including 321 market premieres and 75 world premieres, from 51 countries.

     

    Films in 30 languages will be screened for more than 8,000 buyers and industry professionals from more than 70 countries, according to Independent Film & Television Alliance, AFM managing director and executive VP Jonathan Wolf.

    The market is being held from 6 to 13 November in Santa Monica in California by the Independent Film & Television Alliance.

     

    Films premiering include the works of Zach Braff, Abigail Breslin, Pierce Brosnan, James Caan, Nicolas Cage, Helena Bonham Carter, Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Judi Dench, Gerard Depardieu, Richard Dreyfuss, Jesse Eisenberg, Chiwetal Ejoifor, Idris Elba, Dakota Fanning, Jenna Fischer, James Franco, Bill Hader, Josh Hartnett, Val Kilmer, Ben Kingsley, Mila Kunis, Cory Monteith, Thandie Newton, Haley Joel Osment, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Roberts, Peter Sarsgaard, Amy Smart, Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci, Kanye West, Jay Z and many more.

     

    Films making their market premiere include: Kiss Me (American Cinema International) starring Jenna Fischer, Emily Osment, Missi Pyle and John Corbett; Around the Block (Arclight Films) starring Christina Ricci, Hunter Page-Lochard and Mark Coles Smith; Le Grand Cahier (Beta Cinema) starring Laszlo Gyemant, Andras Gyemant, Piroska Molnar, Ulrich Thomsen, Ulrich Matthes and Sabin Tambrea; McCanick (Bleiberg Entertainment) starring David Morse, Cory Monteith, Mike Vogel, Ciaran Hinds, Tracie Thoms and Rachel Nichols; Cas and Dylan (Breakthrough Entertainment) directed by Jason Priestley, starring Richard Dreyfuss and Tatiana Maslany; The F Word (Entertainment One) starring Daniel Radcliffe, Zoe Kazan, Adam Driver and Rafe Spall; World Petank Tour (Europa Corp) starring Gerard Depardieu, Atmen Kelif, Edouard Baer, Daniel Prevost, Virginie Efira and Roschdy Zem; The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet (Gaumont) starring Helena Bonham Carter, Kyle Catlett, Callum Keith Rennie and Judy Davis; Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon (Huayi Brothers) starring Mark Zhao, Angelababy Yang and Carina Lau; The Sea (Independent) starring Ciaran Hinds, Charlotte Rampling and Rufus Sewell; Some Velvet Morning (International Film Trust) starring Stanley Tucci and Alice Eve; Walking with the Enemy (Koan Inc.) starring Ben Kingsley and Jonas Armstrong; Half of a Yellow Sun (Metro International Entertainment) starring Thandie Newton and Chiwetel Ejoifor; The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him & Her  (Myriad) starring Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, James McAvoy, William Hurt, Isabelle Huppert, Ciaran Hinds and Bill Hader; Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (Pathe International) starring Idris Elba and Naomie Harris; God Only Knows (Synchronicity Entertainment) starring Ben Barnes, Toby Jones, Leighton Meester and Harvey Keitel.

     

    Additional market premieres include Palo Alto (Pathe International) starring Emma Roberts, James Franco and Val Kilmer; Philomena (Pathe International) starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan; Love Punch (SND M6 Group) starring Pierce Brosnan and Emma Thompson; Tar (Spotlight Pictures) starring James Franco, Mila Kunis, Jessica Chastain, Zach Braff, Henry Hopper and  Bruce Campbell; Before the Winter Chill (TF1 International) starring Daniel Auteuil, Kristin Scott Thomas, Leila Bekhti and Richard Berry; C.O.G. (The Exchange) starring Jonathan Groff, Denis O’Hare and Corey Stoll; Made in America (The Exchange)directed by Ron Howard, starring Jay Z and Kanye West; Night Moves (The Match Factory) starring Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning and Peter Sarsgaard; Two Night Stand (The Solution Entertainment Group) starring Miles Teller, Analeigh Lipton and Jessica Szohr; and Joe (West End Films) starring Nicolas Cage and Tye Sheridan.

  • Yahoo sued over e-mail scanning for targeted advertising

    Yahoo sued over e-mail scanning for targeted advertising

    MUMBAI: Yahoo! Inc. has been sued over claims that its scanning of e-mail messages for targeted advertising invades users’ privacy in violation of state and federal wiretap laws.

     

    The lawsuit, filed recently in federal court in San Jose, California, was brought on behalf of residents of San Bruno, California, and seeks class-action status. The case was filed one week after US district judge Lucy H Koh in San Jose issued an order refusing to dismiss a similar suit against Google Inc. (GOOG).

     

    The interception of “any and all incoming electronic communications or e-mails to Yahoo! mail users” is used to profit from “targeted advertising, profiling, data collection, and other Yahoo! services unrelated to Yahoo! mail,” according to the complaint.

     

    Yahoo, based in Sunnyvale, California, said in an e-mailed statement that it doesn’t comment on ongoing litigation.

     

    Yahoo has beaten earnings expectations 19 times in the past 20 quarters, the most among global Internet media companies.

  • Eileen Brennan loses battle with cancer

    Eileen Brennan loses battle with cancer

    MUMBAI: Eileen Brennan, the ‘Private Benjamin’ star who is best known as the tormentor of Goldie Hawn’s character in the film passed away at her home in Burbank, California after losing her battle with bladder cancer.

    Brennan earned a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for her role in ‘Private Benjamin‘ and won an Emmy for reprising the part in the TV version of the movie. She also received Emmy nominations for her guest roles in TV series including Will & Grace in which she portrayed Zandra .

  • Titanic director’s production firm files for bankruptcy

    Titanic director’s production firm files for bankruptcy

    MUMBAI: Digital Domain Media Group Inc, the production outfit of Titanic director James Cameron has filed for bankruptcy protection and will be selling its operating business to a private investor for $15 million.
    The company, which won Academy Awards for Titanic and has given special effects in films like Transformers and Pirates Of The Caribbean, filed for bankruptcy protection in the US bankruptcy court along with a Canadian court.
    With operations in Florida, California, Canada, India, China and Abu Dhabi, the company has assets of $205 million and debt of $214 million in Chapter 11 papers filed by the company.
    Private investment firm Searchlight Capital Partners has agreed to pay $15 million for Digital Domain Productions, the key operation outfit of Digital Domain Media Group. Currently there are three films in its pipeline that includes Ender‘s Game, The Giant Killer and G.I. Joe: Retaliation.

  • I Am Kalam bags three Silent River film fest awards

    I Am Kalam bags three Silent River film fest awards

    MUMBAI: Nila Madhab Panda‘s I AM Kalam has bagged three prestigious awards – for best feature film, best director and best child actor (Harsh Mayar) at the Silent River Film Festival (SRFF).

    Said director Nila Madhab Panda, “I only got to know about our film‘s hat-trick of triumphs at the Silent River festival when the Festival‘s director Kalpana Singh-Chitnis called up to tell me about it. It‘s sad I couldn‘t be there. But the film has already been to 50 festivals and won 14 international awards.”

    The plot revolves around Chhotu, a poor Rajasthani boy, who is inspired by the life of former President of India, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, and his strong desire to learn to read.

    The film that premiered at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival on 12 May has been showcased in various film festivals and has bagged various awards.

    Panda sees the film‘s latest triumph at the Silent Film festival as a victory for independent cinema. “No one thought it was possible for me to complete I Am Kalam. I had to sell our home to make the film. It was traumatic for my family. But finally it was worth it.”

    The Silent Film Festival at Irvine, California celebrates and honours independent cinema.

  • Yahoo! India promotes Pranesh Anthapur to COO research & development

    Yahoo! India promotes Pranesh Anthapur to COO research & development

    MUMBAI: Yahoo! India has promoted Pranesh Anthapur to COO of its research and development centre.

    In his capacity, Anthapur will head up operations as well as bring new ideas to the company’s R&D center in Bangalore. He will work with the senior management team to put Yahoo! India R&D on a growth trajectory and will spearhead Yahoo!’s move to the new office, which is scheduled for early next year, informs an official release.

    Anthapur recently moved to Bangalore from Sunnyvale, the Yahoo! HQ in California. He brings with him experience in talent acquisition, talent development and cross border general management. Anthapur is a seven year Yahoo! veteran and has held several key positions in both the US and other International locations. Prior to moving to Bangalore, he was VP for Yahoo!’s International HR and HR Mergers and Acquisitions group in Sunnyvale.

    “The Bangalore Development centre is growing rapidly and currently employs over 800 knowledge workers and plans to cross the 1000 mark in headcount by the end of this year. We welcome the expertise in the field of global talent and operations that Pranesh brings with him to Yahoo! India R&D,” said Yahoo! India Research & Development CEO Venkat Panchapakesan.

    “In his new role, Pranesh will provide direction to all the operational areas of the center including business planning and process enhancements,” Panchapakesan added.

    Another recent addition to Yahoo!’s Bangalore centre is Pete Deemer who moved from Yahoo!’s Sunnyvale office to become the Chief Product Officer of Yahoo! India Research and Development, adds the release.

    Deemer who joined Yahoo! Inc in 2003 till recently held the position of VP – product development, overseeing Yahoo!’s product development practices, product quality and integration efforts under the chief product officer.

    In his new role, Deemer is closely aligned to the CPO office in Sunnyvale, USA. He is helping the Bangalore office define the strategy for the products being built and evolving the product development process besides incubating some new product initiatives. He will also be a player in the India specific initiatives recently started by the company.