ITV

Tag: Cannes

  • MGM to honour director Oliver Stone at Cannes

    MGM to honour director Oliver Stone at Cannes

    MUMBAI: Oliver Stone will receive the first annual Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Leo The Lion Award on 21 May at the Cannes Film Festival.

    The award will be presented to Stone by MGM chairman and CEO Harry Sloan, at a cocktail reception to be held at the Majestic Hotel.

    The award has been established to recognise and encourage artistic excellence in individuals who, through significant contributions to filmmaking, have made an indelible impact on the overall value and merit of the library of MGM released films as well as on the world’s movie going public.

    Stone’s first film on the Vietnam war – Platoon – starring Charlie Sheen, Willem Dafoe, Tom Berenger and Forest Whitaker, will have a special screening. Platoon which earned $135 million at the US box office during its 1986 release and won the Oscar for Best Picture, is celebrating its 20th anniversary.

    Sloan says, “Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer is proud of its film legacy. This year we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Oliver Stone’s Platoon. This was not just another war film. It was written and directed by a combat veteran who brought an authenticity to cinema that had not been seen before, and consequently set the standard for all other films concerning the US involvement in Vietnam. MGM is honoured that the 2006 Cannes Film Festival has scheduled a special anniversary presentation of Platoon.”

    Stone says, “Getting to make Platoon was one of the highlights of my life. To have it shown 20 years later in this great garden of cinema is a deep honour.” MGM COO Rick Sands confirmed that Oliver Stone, Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe who star in the film would be travelling to Cannes for the special anniversary presentation.

  • Indians notch up MipTV success

    Indians notch up MipTV success

    MUMBAI: MipTV, the world’s biggest content marketplace, which ended last week in Cannes, proved to be a very successful one for India’s content creators, distributors and aggregators.

    Some 43 production, broadcasting and mobile phone companies jetted their way down to Cannes to keep a tab on content trends in Europe and globally, buy and sell films, series and formats, find co-production partners and schmooze with the world’s most important players in the TV, animation, film and mobile content sweepstakes.
    The change this time around was that TV producers have invested in buying formats as against just broadcasters doing so. “The power has been weighing heavily in the hands of TV channel programming executives who have been behaving in a high handed manner with TV producers ordering them around as if they were serfs and they – the programmers – the fount of all that is creative,” one of the producers was candid enough to say. “Now with us buying formats, we will also be able to have our say. The times have to change. More power has to come to TV producers’ hands.”
    And mobile players from India aggressively scoured the landscape looking to do deals for video. Among these: Reliance Infocomm, Hungama Mobile, and Cellnext Solutions.

    Almost everyone who attended the market from India went back with a smile on their faces. Krishna Durbha Head of Business and Marketing – Reliance Infocomm Ltd., Applications Solutions Group (India), a panelist at a session on Asian markets, received a standing ovation and was spoken of as one of the more eloquent and candid speakers during the conference programme. Says Durbha: “It’s been a major eye opener for us. We are in the content space for the mobile and I got at least half a dozen leads which will lead to positive results.”

    Sahara Motion Pictures, which took a stand for the first time, was so delighted with the response that it has evinced interest in exhibiting in MipCom as well. “MipTV proved a great platform for us for creating business opportunities,” says Sandeep Bhargava, Chief. Operating Officer, Sahara One Motion Pictures. “We get to meet the who’s who of content in the world in one place and get results.”

    Sony Entertainment Television India, which took a stand, too had a rewarding market. Led by Kaushal Modi on the sales and syndication side, and by programming head Anupama Mandloi on acquisition, the content owner had a very busy market.

    WEG India, Eros and Suman – three other companies that have been attending and exhibiting at MipTV and MipCom for several years now – too had a good market. “Both MipCom and MipTV to be honest are great ways for us to meet, greet and service all our clients at one place,” says Vimal Gupta of the UK based distributor Suman Film.

    Zee TV, which was represented by Deblina Chakrabarty, Parul Chatruvedi and digital head Abhijit Saxena, too, made its mark. While Chakrabarty was sizing up opportunites for content acquisition – though she had a fall from the stairs in the Palais des Festivals and was even taken to hospital – Chatturvedi was exploring how India’s largest network could up its syndication revenues. Saxena – like a lone ranger – moved around in the shadows meeting all and sundry trying to further milk the potential of the 60,000 hours or so of the Zee TV content library, which is currently being digitized by IBM. Watch out for action in this space from Saxena as Zee TV chairman Subhash Chandra is himself driving the digital initiative with Saxena as his lieutenant.

    Star India, which used to have a separate stand until a year and a half ago when it was brought under the umbrella of Hong Kong based centralized syndication arm Fortune Star, too had a sizeable presence. Viren Popley, Ravi Menon and Manju Nair were at the forefront of the Star TV charge. Syndication experts however point out that it would be better if Star India’s Hindi content were not subsumed by the larger interests of Fortune Star’s huge Chinese library. A separate stand with a separate identity for Star India would help it further exploit its syndication potential.

    Other broadcasters who made their way to the market included NDTV (represented by KVL Narayan Rao and I.P. “Baj” Bajpai) and Aaj Tak (CEO G Krishnan).

    The buzz this year from the Indian delegation was centered around the production companies. Optimystix, Contiloe, Miditech, Maverick, Clapstem, AIM Television, UTV, ESP Films were amongst those who made waves. ESP is on the verge of signing a huge deal with a European producer for co-producing a new documentary.

    Sorely missed at MipTV were the two other big players Balaji Telefilms and BAG Films, who, are missing out on several opportunities in the global content marketplace. “Agreed they are more than busy in the domestic marketplace,” says a Cannes veteran. “But not being present internationally means that not many people in the world know you at a time when boundaries between nations are dissolving and cultures are beginning to merge. That is a huge opportunity loss.”

    The animation presence at MipTV came in the shape of Maya, Crest, Toonz Animation, Graphiti Multimedia which continued with their efforts to make themselves better understood by the world at large. And in the process snap up some co-production, original IP deals.

    Indian presence at MipTV:

    Aim Television Pvt. Ltd.
    Broadcast Worldwide Limited
    Cellnext Solutions Limited
    Clapstem Productions
    Color Chips India Limited
    Contiloe Films Pvt Ltd.
    Dawsen Infotech Private Limited
    Dessin Works
    Digikore Studios Limited
    Digimate Productions
    DQ Entertainment Ltd
    Escotoonz Entertainment Pvt Ltd (Subsidiary Of Escosoft Tech)
    ESP Films
    Fortune Star
    Fusion Films Inc. (Part Of Giriraj Group)
    Graphiti Multimedia Pvt Ltd
    HTMT
    I Stylus
    Maverick Productions Pvt. Ltd.
    Maya Entertainment Ltd.
    Miditech Pvt. Ltd.
    New Delhi Television Limited
    Optimystix Entertainment India Pvt. Ltd.
    Oxigen Infovision Pvt. Ltd
    Percept Picture Company Pvt Ltd
    React Media Pvt Ltd
    Sahara One Media And Entertainment Limited
    Sony Entertainment Television India (P) Ltd
    Super Cassettes Industries Limited Aka-T-Series
    Toonz Animation India Pvt. Ltd
    TV Today Network Ltd
    UTV / Hungama TV
    Video Movie International
    Weg India Pictures Pvt Ltd
    Zee Telefilms Limited

  • Riviera Resort Cannes readies for TV fiesta

    Riviera Resort Cannes readies for TV fiesta

    CANNES: Blue skies. Crystal clear sea. A full sun overhead. Warm sand. A cool breeze that wraps around you. Cafes and restaurants with tables lining the sidewalk and serving mouth watering yummy French food from Provence and Cote D’Azur. Not to forget the wines from Bordeaux.

    Welcome to Cannes on the famous French Riviera – home to the famed Film and Advertising Festivals and the lesser known TV festivals MipTV and MipCom.

    The Cannes Croisette is packed with people, one sees dogs of every shape and size, every breed and race, being led around by their masters and mistresses – also of every shape and size. The elderly walk slowly, stumblingly, the youngsters make big strides.

    The place is dotted with both young and old alike happy for a sunny escape to the warmer climes of this southern haven in France. A few kids are kicking a ball around on the sand, while others are hitting it around in a game of volleyball. A middle aged woman strips down, revealing a swim suit and plunges into the sea. Somewhere else an old couple sit on two chairs by the beach quietly holding hands, while another younger couple are kissing like they mean serious business.

    The rest of France seems to be upset with its government for trying to institute a practical labour law and has been protesting; Cannes seems to be oblivious to all of this. Thankfully so.

    30 March 2006 seems just perfect. The management at Reed Midem could not have asked for better weather. And even as it readies for its busiest MipDoc and MipTV ever, scores of trucks, vans, tents, containers, line up outside the Palais des Festivals and the Carlton Hotel. Close to 700 executives and workers are at work to bring out the 43rd MipTV. Twelve thousand TV broadcasting, and animation production, distribution and commissioning professionals and documentary producers are expected to descend on Cannes in the next two days for seven days of hectic back to back meetings, and deal making, followed by partying.

    Inside the Palais, carpets are being laid out, booths and kiosks being erected, direction markers being put up. Clearly, MipTV has arrived and made its mark globally as one of the biggest content markets in the world. The TV division is led by the young and good looking Paul Johnson who under the leadership of Paul Zilk has been working hard to globalise what was once a more Europe and America focused TV market. Asia has been the target for the past two years since the duo took over a couple of years ago. Two years ago, China was given the status of country of honour, last year it was Korea, this year it is Dubai. Two years from now it could well be India, if the TV, mobile and animation community so desire it!

    Wherever you look within and outside the Palais you can see the stamp of the west Asian kingdom of Dubai everywhere whether it is at the registration area where huge posters promoting the Dubai Media City or it is at the entrance to the Palais.

    The ESP Films gang of Vineet Gupta, Rajgopal, Harry and Rana

    This year gains significance from India’s viewpoint as more than 40 Indian producers and broadcasters have ventured out in order to increase their global competitiveness. First time attendees – actors and producers Anuj Saxena and JD Majethia – will add colour to the international TV star studded MipTV. Three – four years back there used to be barely 12-15 companies attending MipTV or MipCom. Other majors attending the market include Star TV (under Fortune Star, Hong Kong), Sahara One Media and Entertainment (to distribute their film library), Zee TV, the Ronnie Screwvala promoted UTV and Hungama TV, the Kishore and Sunil Lulla promoted Eros, Reliance Entertainment (senior executive Krishnan Durbhe is part of a speaking panel), WEG India (the private distributor of Hindi films), Endemol India (CEO Rajesh Kamath), Optimystix Entertainment, Maya Entertainment, Color Chips (the company has sponsored a table for its clients at the first International Interactive Television Emmy Awards being held at Cannes), Graphiti Multimedia, ESP Films (which won the documentary pitch last year at MipDoc), veteran documentary film maker Iqbal Malhotra of AIM Television, among many others.

    Sanjeev Sharma of optymistix (extreme right), along with Iqbal Malhotra of Aim Television and Ashutosh Barve of Maverick Productions.

    “What makes MipTV significant is the fact that the audiovisual content market is finding new outlets today. First there was just analog TV, now there’s digital and interactive TV and the mobile phone – and they are coming in a big way,” says Johnson. “You have majors such as Intel, Microsoft, AOL, Motorola – they are all coming to content markets such as MipTV and MipCom as buyers. They have learned that while they are leaders in technology there’s a lot they have to do from the creative content front in order to continue to retain their edge.”

    The changing paradigm of creative content has provided opportunity for the Indian community, which some players such as Indiagames have grabbed and have been producing games for Hollywood. Some animation studios too have been outsourcing for Hollywood, though a lot more needs to be done here. Large Indian players such as Reliance too are getting into content acquisition directly as is evidenced from its presence at MipCom. Hopefully others will also take advantage of the global opportunity in a business that is probably the world’s largest industry.

  • Distraction Formats is bringing comedies to MIPTV

    Distraction Formats is bringing comedies to MIPTV

    MUMBAI: Two new scripted comedies from international format distributor Distraction Formats will make their debut at the television marketplace MipTV next month.

    MIPTV takes place in Cannes, France from 2-6 April.

    Aimed at the 15 to 35 age group, The Invincibles and Radio Sex are thoroughly modern vehicles that get maximum laugh mileage out age-old and ever-popular topics. At the same time, Distraction is exploiting the strength of its flagship comedy Love Bugs and the burgeoning popularity of new technologies with the development of interactive elements.

    The Invincibles provides a look at the lives of four buddies facing imminent maturity. As their 30th birthdays approach, they ask the questions all young men must ask: Have we partied enough? Have we had our fair share of women, of thrills – of fun? There’s only one way to be sure, which provides the basis for the wild times that make up this outrageous 60-minute comedy.

    Distraction’s second new scripted format comes in 100 quick 5-minute episodes, each one a burst of insight into sex, love, relationships and the baggage that accompanies them. Radio Sex focusses on a late-night radio show whose mission it is to create a communication channel between men and women. In a case of life imitating art, secrets are exchanged, plots are hatched, and the sexes “communicate” in the broadcast studio, the production office and the radio station bathroom.

    Distraction CEO, Michel Rodrigue says, “We are very pleased to bring these shows to MipTV. Both are very clever and extremely funny, which makes them a natural fit within our formats catalogue.”

    Working with Interactive Rights Management (IRM), Distraction has already developed a range of interactive services from fixed line telephony brand extensions to MMS comic strips and mobile video downloads for Love Bugs in Russia. Interactive elements have also been introduced into the format in Italy, and services will soon launch in Ukraine and the Middle-East.

    IRM’s Valérie Bozzetto says, “The strong format brands that Distraction represents provide excellent launch pads for interactive services. We enjoy working with Distraction’s clients to implement these and to help them fully realize interactive potential.”

    Another Distraction property, Sins of Love, has recently sold in France, and development of interactive applications around the format is under way. Sins of Love was launched at Mipcom last October.

  • The Kitchen will travel to MIPTV

    The Kitchen will travel to MIPTV

    MUMBAI: The Kitchen a media firm that positions itself as the television industry’s only ‘one stop shop’ for all language customisation requirements will have a presence at the television event MIPTV.

    The event takes place next month in Cannes, France.

    Explaining the services that The Kitchen provides the company’s president, CEO Ken Lorber says, “Typically we will take a programme sample and have it dubbed and/or subtitled in as many as ten languages as a ‘test’.

    “This serves as a vehicle for the distributor to generate programme sales in multiple languages, while providing us additional opportunities to customize programming on a global basis. We are able to provide this service for all types of content including: live action, animation, children’s programming, telenovelas, and series. It’s an opportunity for our clients to access their libraries and recycle material creating many new revenue streams.”

    At The Kitchen, the language services division of TM Systems, developers of end to end language localisation software solution, there is no more shipping of videotapes and no more customs delays. All masters are digitised and time coded, files are encrypted and then sent via secure Internet and FTP sites to a global language network of approved ‘partner facilities’ in territories throughout the continents.

    An original language ‘template’ is created, which is then distributed to the countries requested to complete the job, time codes and digitized scripts are sent immediately, review of casting and QC can be done from any PC and all material may be QC’d and mixed back at The Kitchen and/or in territory.

    In addition to language transcription, translation, dubbing and subtitling, The Kitchen services include closed captioning, Sap services and graphics customisation.