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Tag: France

  • ESG CEO Manoj Srivastava is observer at Berlinale

    ESG CEO Manoj Srivastava is observer at Berlinale

    MUMBAI: Manoj Srivastava, the CEO of the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG), has joined the team of international observers for the European Film Market (EFM), a part of the Berlin International Film Festival that gets going on 9 February.

    Srivastava will observe and guide co-productions between various countries. He will be presented case studies at the Berlinale co-production market and will also attend the Talent Project Highlights where two prizes will be awarded.

    Srivastava joins Sonja Heinen, Martina Bleis, Kathi Bildhauer, Míriam Boixader, Antje Glawe, Tanika Sajatovic, Agita Duwe, Henning Adam, Inez Templeton and Brigid O’Shea, the other observers in the team.

    Last year too Srivastava was invited to serve on the International Film Jury in Korea at CINDI Film Festival in August 2011, along with other members from UK, France, Japan and Korea.

    The ECG co-organises the International Film Festival of India at Goa.

  • Hero comes on board as title sponsor of Olympics’ hockey qualifiers

    Hero comes on board as title sponsor of Olympics’ hockey qualifiers

    MUMBAI: Two-wheeler major Hero MotoCorp Ltd (formerly Hero Honda) has renewed its commitment towards national sport Hockey by coming on board as the title sponsor of the upcoming men‘s and women‘s Olympic qualifying tournament for 2012 London Olympics.

    The deal was brokered by Commune Sports & Entertainmen, the commercial representative of FIH in India.

    Titled as ‘Hero FIH Road to London’, the event is first of the three leg Olympic qualifying events for the London Olympic Games scheduled for July this year and will be played at Major Dhyan Chand Hockey National Stadium in New Delhi from February 18-26.

    The event will feature six teams from both men’s and women’s category competing against each other in a round robin format for two Olympic berths out of the six berths available (1 of 3 men’s and 1 of 3 women’s) in the 2012 London Olympics.

    The tournament holds great importance for the Indian men’s and women’s hockey team as this will be their only window to qualify for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

    Following the round robin league, the teams ranked first and second will play and the winner will qualify for the London 2012 Olympic Games, while the remaining four teams will play placement games for FIH World Ranking points.

    Commenting on the partnership, Hero MotoCorp MD & CEO Pawan Munjal said, “Hockey, being the national sport of the country, holds a special place in our hearts and we are pleased to partner with FIH in presenting the “Hero FIH Road to London” Olympic Hockey Qualifiers. We have always believed in nurturing and supporting various sporting disciplines including cricket, golf, shooting and hockey.”

    The India leg of the Hero FIH Road to London Olympic qualifiers will feature the men’s national field hockey teams from India, Italy, Poland, Singapore, Canada and France. The Indian National women’s hockey team will play against South Africa, Canada, Italy, Poland and Ukraine.

    The tournament will be aired on Ten Sports.

    In 2010, Hero MotoCorp started its partnership with FIH, by bringing the coveted men’s hockey World Cup event to India, titled “Hero Honda FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2010”. The company executed a multi media campaign, “Phir Dil Do Hockey Ko” featuring Hero brand ambassadors – cricketer Virender Sehwag, Olympic silver medallist shooter Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and popular Hindi movie actor Priyanka Chopra.

    Further aligning with the company’s objective of long-term promotion of the game at the grassroots level, Hero MotoCorp also organised pan-India inter-school hockey tournaments.

    Speaking on the partnership, FIH partnership Leandro Negre said, “Hero are ideal partners for hockey and FIH in that they really help us promote the event and hockey in India. Their promotion for the FIH Hockey World Cup in 2010 was fundamental in leading to a renaissance of hockey enthusiasm in India and we hope that the Hero FIH Road to London will build on that.”

  • Dhobi Ghat out of BAFTA

    Dhobi Ghat out of BAFTA

    MUMBAI: Aamir Khan’s Dhobi Ghat, which was among the BAFTA Longlist of films in non-English language, has failed to make it to the top five list.

    The top five that will now vie for the best foreign language film include Incendies (Canada), Pina (Germany), Potiche (France), A Separation (Iran) and The Skin I Live In (Spain).

    Kiran Rao‘s directorial debut Dhobi Ghat featured in the BAFTA Longlist in Film Not in the English Language category, but it has failed to make it to the top five list for the prestigious international award.

    The Longlist is the result of round one of voting by members of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts members. It lists 15 contenders in each category, which are reduced to five for the final nominations.

  • Tintin records Rs 73.5 million in opening weekend

    Tintin records Rs 73.5 million in opening weekend

    MUMBAI: The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn has become the highest opening animated film in India, according to Sony Pictures India.


    The film garnered approximately Rs 73.5 million at the three-day box office with a 90 to 100 per cent occupancy in most centres. The film released with over 350 prints, a record-breaking number for an animated film in both English and Hindi in 3D, 2D and IMAX 3D formats.


    Said Sony Pictures India Managing Director Kercy Daruwala, “Not only is the animated genre gaining ground amongst all age groups in India, but Tintin is unique in the sense that the franchise is enjoyed and appreciated by a very wide audience right from kids to adults who grew up on Tintin.


    There is an amazing passion for both the franchise and the film in India with even celebrities like Aamir Khan giving the film an enthusiastic thumbs-up. Naturally, this is reflected in the wide release the film is getting in the country. The film’s collections have increased day upon day and we expect to see the film sustain strongly based on excellent word of mouth.”


    The film also garnered 3.5 to 4 ratings amongst all major reviewers.


    The film is also the first animated film to have made new inroads into smaller centres, having opened simultaneously across India in smaller cities such as Alwar, Gwalior, Akola, Amravati, Madurai, Salem and Trichur.


    The Adventures of Tintin has already garnered over $159m at the box office in Europe alone and has broken several records in countries like France and Belgium.

  • ‘India is fast becoming one of WWE’s most important international markets’ : Andrew Whitaker- WWE president, International

    ‘India is fast becoming one of WWE’s most important international markets’ : Andrew Whitaker- WWE president, International

    World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has emerged as one of the strongest TV brands in India, providing sports broadcaster Ten Sports a daily diet of popular content.

     

    While US stays as its main revenue earner, WWE’s international revenues make up 26 per cent, or $135 million, of its total pie. UK, Australia and France are its top three markets in terms of size, but the fan base in India is growing. So is WWE’s efforts to market the property as it recently brought down one of its Superstars Kane for a promotional visit to Mumbai and Delhi.

     

    Despite the enormous proliferation of content in the market, WWE is a significant force within the entertainment and pop culture.

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com’s Ashwin Pinto, WWE president, International Andrew Whitaker unveils the company’s growth plans in global markets.

     

    Excerpts:

    Why do you think WWE is so effective in connecting with audiences globally?
    One of WWE’s greatest strengths is that it offers quintessential American content that translates well across cultural boundaries. Developed over the last 25 years, our broad portfolio of specialised business units ranges from live and televised entertainment through to consumer products, digital media and our studios division. These business units, all marketed and distributed under the WWE brand, have made WWE into the recognised global leader in sports entertainment. The content is easy for audiences to relate to. So regardless of our fans’ culture or language, they can become enthralled in the drama, storylines and characters.

    In terms of revenue and business generated, how much comes from outside the US?
    In 2008, international revenues represented 26 per cent of total annual revenue for the WWE, equating to around $135 million. The top three markets in terms of size are currently the UK, Australia and France.

    Where does India fit in?
    Given how quickly the WWE’s fan base continues to grow in size, loyalty and passion, India is fast becoming one of WWE’s most important international markets.

    Ten Sports recently started airing WWE content in the same week as the US. Is this practice followed by most broadcasters globally?
    Yes, we aim to deliver WWE content to our international fans as soon as we can.

    Do you have a special relationship with Ten Sports?
    Ten Sports has been WWE’s television affiliate for over seven years. During this time, it has invested in successfully growing WWE’s profile across India. They are one of our most proactive and supportive television partners internationally.
    ‘Our most important revenue generators are live and televised entertainment and consumer products. Our aim is to continue to grow in these areas, as well as in the digital and studios divisions‘

    The last time the WWE had a full tour here was back in 2002. How come there has not been more activity in this regard?
    WWE is broadcast in 145 countries globally. We are continuously assessing the right time to hold a live event tour in every market.

     

    Outside of the US, we deliver around 80 live events per year. While we do not have any confirmed tour dates for India at the moment, we hope to return in the near future.

    Has the number of tours in Asia gone up over the last couple of years?
    Yes, in line with WWE’s growth within Asia, we are also increasing our live events in the region.

    Which of your four divisions has grown the most over the past year?
    Our most important revenue generators are live and televised entertainment and consumer products. Our aim is to continue to grow in these areas, as well as in the digital and studios divisions.

    What increase has there been in revenues derived from television licensing fees over the last five years?
    Internationally, revenues generated from TV licensing fees have grown by well over 30 per cent in the last five years.

    Are you looking at other areas like licensing and merchandising to grow the WWE brand in India?
    Yes. The WWE has appointed an agency to solicit licensing opportunities on our behalf in India, allied to Mattel’s launch of WWE’s new toy line in 2010. The WWE is also exploring the opportunity to develop stand alone official merchandise stores in Mumbai and Delhi.

    WWE reported a drop in the first quarter revenues. By when do you expect to see a turn around?
    During the first quarter, WWE’s core businesses performed relatively well. It is important to note that WWE’s annual WrestleMania event (WrestleMania XXV) occurred on 5 April, 2009 and consequently will be included in our second fiscal quarter financial results.

     

    By comparison, WrestleMania XXIV in 2008 occurred on 31 March and was included as part of our first quarter results that same year, contributing approximately $31.3 million in revenues and 7.1 million in profit from across our various business lines.

     

    All in all, despite a challenging economy, WWE stock actually outperformed other entertainment companies on both stock price performance and total return basis for the first quarter of 2009. WWE was actually up 4.2 per cent on a stock price basis versus the likes of CBS, Dream Works and Walt Disney Company, who were all down.

    With the economic slowdown, how is WWE looking to manage costs more efficiently?
    Although WWE is performing relatively well in the current economic environment, as a company we are working to significantly reduce operating expenses. The changes we have made will allow us to deliver even stronger financial performance in a challenging economic climate.

    Could you shed light on how the WWE is using new media?
    WWE’s online presence is continuously growing and developing. We have more than 14 million unique visitors worldwide every month to our primary website, WWE.com, viewing approximately 22 million video streams.

     

    This makes us a larger site than those of professional sports leagues, such as the NFL and Major League Baseball, and in 2008 WWE was the second most searched term on Yahoo! after Britney Spears.

     

    We have also launched localised websites in a number of international markets including Spain, Italy, Portugal and, of course, India. In India, WWE has partnered with Sify to deliver a local Indian website. WWE content is also available to fans via on and off portal mobile platforms across the globe.
    In terms of getting in fans at on ground events and driving pay-per-view buys, who are your top three performers at the moment?
    The great thing about WWE Superstars and Divas is that they each hold a different appeal for different fans. While one fan will follow Rey Mysterio or John Cena, another will be a Jeff Hardy supporter. WWE offers something for everyone and that diversity comes to life at live events just by observing the amount of different WWE Superstar signs that are being held and merchandise worn by the fans.
    What have the learnings been from making movies through WWE Studios?
    The success proves that there is an immense appetite from our fans to see their favourite WWE Superstars undertaking movie roles for their enjoyment, either in cinemas or on DVD. It has also highlighted some exceptional talent among several WWE Superstars for applying their acting skills to the big screen.

    How do you view competition like TNA which airs on another sports channel?
    All forms of entertainment are competition for WWE as we compete for the public’s attention and entertainment dollar. For any sports or entertainment company, whether you are Manchester United, U2 or WWE, the biggest concern is the enormous proliferation of content in the market.

     

    However, WWE is a significant force within entertainment and pop culture. Within our specific entertainment genre, we clearly are the industry leader. While TNA is pro-wrestling, WWE is entertainment.
  • BBC Worldwide opens production outfit in France

    BBC Worldwide opens production outfit in France

    MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide has announced the opening of a production office in Paris, France.

    The local production base will build up BBC Worldwide formats in this key territory and is part of the company’s wider strategy to establish a network of production offices throughout the world.

    BBC Worldwide Productions France will be headed by Jean-Louis Blot, who will be working with all of the local terrestrial networks to grow the company’s French production business.

    As director of the new production office, Jean-Louis will report to BBC Worldwide Content and Production director of international formats Colin Jarvis and will be supported by Cécile Lamarque, who joins as development executive and will oversee production.

    Jarvis said, “France is a key market for us. Establishing a thriving production base in this major European territory fits into our strategy to position BBC Worldwide as a leading global content network.

    “Through the success of our Sales & Distribution office, BBC Worldwide enjoys a strong relationship with all of the major broadcasters in France and we look forward to extending this to local production.

    “I’m pleased to welcome Jean-Louis onboard, he has the background and experience to develop our production office into a prominent player in the French market.

    BBC Worldwide Productions France director Jean-Louis Blot says, “I’m very excited to be part of BBC Worldwide’s production plans in France as they have one of the richest catalogues in the world. My first priority will be to establish a production team.”

    BBC Worldwide Productions France will work alongside BBC Worldwide’s sales and distribution team in France, managed by Tim Muff, which continues to oversee all of the company’s programme distribution, publishing and licensing activity in France.

    BBC Worldwide has a history of licensing British formats in France, including The Weakest Link, Top of the Pops, Great French and The Office.

    The Paris production office is BBC Worldwide’s latest in a growing network of production bases, the others being in Los Angeles, New York, Mumbai, Toronto and Sydney.

    Blot joins BBC Worldwide Productions France from Air Productions, where he was Head of Development as well as a producer.

    At Air Productions, he produced two of France’s most popular game shows: Don’t Forget the Lyrics and Tout le Monde veut prendre sa Place. Lamarque joins BBC Worldwide France Productions from Fremantlemedia where she worked on the launch and development of series such as Jamie’s Kitchen, Supernanny, How Clean is Your House? and The Farmer Wants A Wife.

  • France to set pace for digital TV in Europe: Study

    France to set pace for digital TV in Europe: Study

    MUMBAI: France has set a new benchmark for European digital television (DTV) policy.

    Strategy Analytics Broadband Media and Communications service has come out with a study Digital TV Transition: Europe Watches France’s Mandates As Terrestrial HDTV Arrives.

    France’s new ‘TV of the Future’ law has taken an important step towards high definition television (HDTV) on the digital terrestrial television (DTT) platform by allocating capacity for HD channels and mandating HD tuners in HD-Ready TV sets.

    These decisions will have ramifications for other countries in Europe, which will watch these developments with interest. There will also be important lessons from the French approach to licensing HD channels that takes place over the next few months.

    According to this report, the decisions made in France will put increased pressure on other European countries to accelerate their own policies towards HD on DTT platforms.

    Strategy Analytics principal analyst David Mercer says, “Most other European countries are still at the discussion stage regarding the introduction of HDTV on their DTT platforms.

    “France has taken an important lead by allocating the capacity for HDTV and ensuring that future HDTVs will be able to receive these new channels. The industry will be satisfied that France has set clear policy goals on these important issues.”

    Also according to the report, France’s plan to switch off analogue television broadcasts by 30 November, 2011 remains an ambitious goal, given much of the country’s still heavy dependence on those signals. But the country’s aggressive top-down approach to policy setting gives much-needed clarity to industry decision makers, which will allow technology vendors and service providers to plan with confidence.

  • Reliability issues turn off mobile TV users in Europe

    Reliability issues turn off mobile TV users in Europe

    MUMBAI: A survey of 22,000 European mobile users commissioned by Tellabs has revealed that a high percentage of early adopters of mobile TV and video services are snubbing a second helping. The research, conducted by M:Metrics in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France and Spain, brought up an interesting issue: on average, former users of mobile TV and video outnumber current users by more than 19%. Users cited price, quality and reliability issues as the main reasons why they do not come back for more.

    “At 3GSM we will be treated to a feast of new mobile TV launches with millions of dollars being spent on developing, marketing and distributing mobile TV services. But if services fall short of user expectations on quality and reliability, it could be money wasted,” said Pat Dolan, Tellabs vice president for Europe, Middle East and Africa. “So while we share our industry’s enthusiasm for mobile TV, the detailed results of this survey provide important food for thought for the global operator community, who want to address network backhaul issues to improve mobile TV and video services.”

    Forty-five percent of European mobile video and TV users cited pricing issues as a factor causing them to switch off the services. And nearly a quarter (24%) of users who tried mobile video and TV stopped using the services due to concerns about service quality and reliability.

    The split between perception and reality was most pronounced in the United Kingdom. Only 6% of those who had never used mobile video and TV cited quality and reliability as reasons not to try such services, but 29% of users had stopped using services because of quality and reliability.

    “Pricing has already been highlighted as a stumbling block for recurrent use of mobile video and TV services, but we were surprised by just how much value users place on quality and reliability,” said Paul Goode, senior analyst, M:Metrics. “Once the basic requirements of quality and reliability are good enough, the focus will rightly shift to issues of programming, brands and marketing in addition to price. This research highlights the need to address quality and reliability so the industry can retain viewers, which is a key part of growing audience numbers.”

  • Dr. Sanjay Gupta & Lance Armstrong team up for cancer special

    MUMBAI: In a powerful hour of informative and inspirational conversation, CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Tour de France champion and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong join forces to discuss the killer disease that touches everyone in some way: cancer.

    Also joining saving your life are renowned cancer experts, Dr. Harold Freeman, associate director of the US National Cancer Institute and medical director of the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention, and Dr. Jim Hotz, an expert on rural health care and cancer whose story inspired the movie Doc Hollywood. The panel also features dedicated individuals who devote their time to educate their community in better understanding cancer.

    The special program also includes the following segments:

    · A discussion with Armstrong, Freeman and cancer survivor and magazine editor Clifton Leaf in which they conclude that the lives of hundreds of thousands cancer victims could be saved through the application of current knowledge about cancer;

    · A profile of Baker and Terrell Counties in southwest Georgia, which hold some of the highest cancer rates and colon cancer death rates in the nation;

    · A profile of a young African-American woman with breast cancer and of Freeman, who designed a “navigator” system to help Harlem women with breast cancer have a better chance of survival;

    · A profile of a young Colorado boy with a rare bone cancer and a look at the issues of childhood cancers and orphan drugs;

    · A profile of a man who thought he had beaten cancer only to learn months later the cancer had spread. Gupta, Armstrong and Leaf examine the relative lack of funding for metastatic cancer, the most deadly form of the disease;

    · An exclusive look at Armstrong’s MRI images revealing the two large tumors that almost killed the man now synonymous with cancer survival.

    “This is an exclusive opportunity to hear from some of the most distinguished members of the medical community about their advice on how to avoid and beat cancer,” Gupta said. “It’s also a testament to those survivors who can offer firsthand advice that can save lives”

    Airtimes: Indian Standard Times

    Sat, January 13 at 1230hrs and 2030hrs

    Sun, January 14 at 1230hrs

    CNN is the world’s leading global 24-hour news network and one of the world’s most respected and trusted sources for news and information. The CNN brand is available to two billion people via 25 CNN branded TV, internet and mobile services produced by CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System Inc and a Time Warner company.

    CNN International is the international directorate of CNN Worldwide and distributes news via 14 services in seven different languages. CNN International can be seen in almost 200 million television households and hotel rooms in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide, including more than 30 million across the Asia Pacific region and online at www.cnn.com/international.

  • France looks to partner entertainment sector in India

    France looks to partner entertainment sector in India

    MUMBAI: The French are coming. And in a manner never seen before. That too in the Indian entertainment sector with a focus on cinema.

    Says French Ambassador in India Dominique Girard: “We are quite serious about India. We believe the timing is right. India is no longer an exotic place alone, it is culturally integrated with the rest of the world, it has also emerged as a nation of economic power. And a country which has lots of technical expertise and skills.”

    For starters, the French Embassy has set up an office in Mumbai right in the heart of Bollywood with the head of the film and TV department Mohammed Bendjebbour leading the charge of the French film brigade. Earlier, Bendjebbour was stationed in Delhi with a couple of people under him. The Mumbai office will have a similar component of people under him.

    “Bendejebbour and his team will assist Indian film producers in every way they can to help them should they want to do anything relating to cinema in France,” says Girard.

    Girard points out that additionally, a new film cooperating treaty between India and France is being penned right now. “The French film authorities met with the Information & Ministry officials at the Goa Film festival and agreed to rejuvenate the 1985 treaty on cinema. It is currently being drafted and will be signed at the Cannes film Festival this May with India celebrating its 60th year of independence,” says Girard.

    Girard believes it is about time Indian film makers move away from their traditional overseas locations like Switzerland, New Zealand, Malayasia and use France’s “magnifique locales” for filming just as Don had its opening sequence shot in Paris.

    “We have fabulous monuments – the Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame de Paris, the Champs Elysees – which can serve as interesting backdrops,” says he. “The French are not too finicky about permitting filming in them. You remember Mittal and the Chateau de Versailles. In fact, we had organized a visit for Yash Chopra earlier this year to the Chateau in the wee hours of the morning and he was quite excited by it.”

    The French Embassy is taking steps to ensure that Indian film producers wanting to film in France are given preferential treatment in terms of visas. “Unlike IT and other professions, film professionals will only need a business visa to film in France. And the head of the TV and film department will help making life easier for them.”

    He points out that a step in that direction was taken when the Accor group of hotels and the French Tourism Promotion Board signed an agreement permitting Indian film crews to fly in their cooks with them and use the kitchens on the premises to rustle up Indian vegetarian fare for them. “This should be really beneficial to those who are vegetarian, we were told it is a major issue with many film people.”

    Girard reveals that he has ambitions to make French cinema popular in India. “The multiplex culture has made it viable for distributors and exhibitors to screen French movies. The feedback we have received from Indian youth is that they would love to watch the new wave of French cinema,” says Girard.

    Thus there are plans are to have festivals of French cinema; and dub French films into various Indian languages. For starters Skyfighters – a Top Gun kind of French film – which is being distributed by the PVR group is to be released with a Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and English dub. “The French Embassy is setting aside funds for dubs if distributors are willing to distribute French films,” reveals Girard.

    That’s some red carpet treatment. Now it’s up to the Indian film trade to take the bait.