ITV

Tag: Hollywood

  • Bollywood – on the road to more global recognition, professionalism

    Bollywood is slowly spreading its wings overseas. UTV, reports indicate, has already pre-sold the distribution rights for Farhan Akhtar‘s blockbuster Don, which released worldwide today, in Germany.Another noted film maker Karan Johar sold the distribution rights for Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (Kank) in Germany and Poland. Rakeysh Mehra‘s Rang De Basanti became the first Hindi film to be screened in a mainstream movie theatre in Israel.

    Stars are increasingly being welcomed. In France for instance, earlier this year at Paris‘ famous Champs Elysees Virgin megastore, French girls and boys strained to get a glimpse of Bollywood ka badshah Shah Rukh Khan who was promoting Veer Zara about a cross border romance. The star and his director Yash Chopra were caught unawares by the extent of the crowd. Increasingly, Bollywood stars like Aishwarya Rai, the Big B Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Priyanka Chopra make their presence felt at film festivals, road shows and premieres in several countries. Often, it is not just south Asians who are interested but even the local population who become inquisitive about the buzz.

    Johar, who recently attended the Toronto film festival, points out that Bollywood is noted not just for the song and dance sequences, but also for its frank emotional value. That, according to him, is the key differentiator.

    Film and Television Producers Guild of India president Amit Khanna believes that the future is bright in terms of growing more mainstream abroad as it is the only alternative to Hollywood that can appeal to global audiences. One market that is exploding is the UK. Bollywood films are now making more money in Britain than UK-made productions and many movies are being shot in this country as also in US to make them more relevant to South Asians living there.


    Shah Rukh Khan in Kank

    69 Bollywood films have been released in the UK this year. 14 productions financed by the Indian film industry are being shot there. In the five weeks since its UK release, Kank grossed more than two million pounds – the same as Vera Drake, the critically acclaimed British film which got Bafta awards and Oscar nominations. It is no surprise that some Indian producers now regard overseas sales as more lucrative than India. This is because besides the traditional NRI markets in the US, UK, Middle East and Australia, mainstream Hindi movies are now starting to find acceptance in countries like Germany, France, Poland, Israel, Turkey, Japan, South America and even China.

    This means that films have a better chance of recovering their costs of production. The multiple-delivery system has been a boon for Bollywood. There are new technologies like VoD, which are helping boost the reach of Indian films abroad. An awards event like Iifa helps make locals in a country at least inquisitive about Indian film. Filmmakers are also realising that a film with excellent subject matter can do well abroad, even if there are not many masala songs and dances. It requires good marketing though. A case in point is Lage Raho Munnabhai, which did well in the US and UK due to the Gandhi theme that people can identify with.


    Ashok Amritraj has made his mark in the US

    Also pushing Indian films abroad is the fact that Indian filmmakers and producers are making their mark in countries like the US. A case in point is Ashok Amritraj, who with his firm Hyde Park Entertainment, has made films like Bringing Down the House and Shopgirl.

    Mira Nair‘s work has made Americans and people from other countries aware of Indian film culture

    Both were done with Steve Martin. Then there are the two famous women directors Mira Nair of Monsoon Wedding fame and Gurinder Chadha (Bend it Like Beckham). Both films received Golden Globe nominations a few years back. Of course Bollywood‘s impact abroad is nowhere compared to Hollywood which apart from India dominates in several countries. In some cases it has overtaken the cinema of that country. Still the signs for Bollywood in terms of looking for new markets is good and performing better in countries like the US.

    After all Yash Raj Films, reported last year that Bollywood films in the US earn around $100 million a year through theatre screenings, video sales and the sale of movie soundtracks. Yash Raj Films quoted the Internet Movie Database for this. There is still room for improvement though overseas when it comes to distribution and marketing. Efforts should be made to have Bollywood films released in more cinemas particularly in the US.

    The now $8 billion Indian film industry produces more than 900 movies a year in more than 20 languages. This makes India the world‘s most prolific film producer.

     

     

    The Distribution Scene: The Film and Television Producers Guild of India estimates that in India Bollywood films sold 3.9 billion tickets last year making around $1.4 billion. With luxurious multiplexes coming up with tickets priced higher, the situation will only improve. India is expected to have almost 300 multiplexes within a couple of years‘ time. This is quite a change from the single screen scenario a few years ago. This has led to Bollywood changing the way it handles releases. The big blockbusters have more prints released while a smaller film, which is only targeting a select audience, is released in certain areas.


    Gurinder Chadha celebrates the nomination of Bend It Like Beckham at the Golden Globes

    More theatres means that one needs less time to recover costs as the prints released are more. Sometimes a few weeks is enough. There is no longer a need for a Silver or Golden jubilee to make a handsome profit. Multiplexes also resort to differential pricing. So evening shows cost more than morning shows; weekends are more expensive than weekdays. This ensures that a Bollywood film can catch different audiences, whether it is the family or the college crowd.

    An interesting and well known connection between India and overseas is that we are using foreign locales for shoots. Besides Switzerland, films are being shot in countries like South Africa, Singapore, London, New Zealand. It is no surprise that the tourism boards of countries like Hong Kong actively woo Indian filmmakers with their facilities and locales.

    One positive sign is that there is more organisation and structure with institutional finance now available. Estimates are that around Rs 3 billion in financing will have been sanctioned and disbursed this year. In the past, money came from private financiers and from dubious sources like the underworld.

    Better Marketing: Bollywood is also doing more to promote its products. They are increasingly taking advantage of the new media by having contests, offering downloads on the mobile, etc. Music videos are also given to the likes of MTV. There are also tie ups with news channels for interviews, clips. The promotion for Bunty Aur Bablii, for instance, saw the two stars hosting a show on a news channel. Now one also sees the producer, distributor and exhibitor jointly planning promotions and working on it.

    Online the sites of Bollywood films are more jazzed up compared to the past. There are games, contests and blogs on offer. According to reports, while a producer would ideally invest 10-15 per cent of the total production budget on marketing and promotions, there are increasing incidents where it is getting stretched to 20-25 per cent.

    On ground events are becoming creative. In one marketing incident Mallika Sherawat sold tickets of her film Bachke Rehna Re Baba at a theatre in Delhi. Urmila Matondkar shared her supernatural experiences on Sony‘s show Aahat before the release of her film Naina. In a unique innovation the filmmakers of Oops threw stripping parties at pubs in Mumbai. Oops looked at the lives of male strippers.

    While all this is fine it is important to remember that no amount of good marketing can replace the importance of content. A good campaign cannot cover up for a poor film and a negative audience reaction.

    Co-productions: The big filmmakers are also doing a wide range of initiatives with a broader purpose. Subhash Ghai, for one, did an IPO for Mukta Arts and also set up a training school Whistlingwoods. Corporates are also entering the business, which is helping it become more professional.

    An example is Reliance taking a stake in the Adlabs multiplex chain. It helps that 100 per cent foreign investment is permitted in production, distribution, financing and distribution. Studios from the US are also looking at partnerships. Disney recently invested in UTV taking a 14.9 per cent stake for $14 million in the studio which made Rang De Basanti, India‘s entry for the Oscars. UTV is also doing co-productions with Fox Searchlight for Chris Rock‘s I Think I Love My Wife, Will Smith‘s Overbrook Entertainment and Sony. UTV and Fox will release the Mira Nair film The Namesake next year. UTV is also looking for assistance from its Hollywood partners in pushing Rang De Basanti for the Oscar awards in the US. Should it be among the five foreign films chosen it will serve as a great platform for Indian film to get noticed by millions across the globe.

    At an event it recently had for cinema exhibitors, Sony announced that it will be releasing its first co-production in India the Sanjay Leela Bhansali film Saawariya (Beloved) next Diwali. Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman and CEO Michael Lynton said, “India has a rich and a prolific film history and we at Sony Pictures recognise the potential and importance of the Indian market and welcome the opportunity to team up with the film industry in India. This is a defining moment for us as a company and for filmmakers, artists and audiences in India as well.”

    Conclusion: With Indian cinema getting more professional in its working, becoming more marketing savvy and finding more markets abroad, as well as foreign studios waking up to Bollywood‘s potential, there is every likelihood that in the coming years Bollywood might become a more globally recognised brand.

  • ‘There are lot of shows out there about Hollywood and actors. But if it does not contribute to the movie watching experience, then it will not suit Pix’ : Sunder Aaron – Pix business head

    ‘There are lot of shows out there about Hollywood and actors. But if it does not contribute to the movie watching experience, then it will not suit Pix’ : Sunder Aaron – Pix business head

    These are busy times for Sony in the English entertainment space. Earlier this year it launched an English movie channel Pix. It also revamped Animax which is now a youth and lifestyle brand as opposed to being a kids brand earlier.

     

    AXN meanwhile is taking its local initiatives to the next level with Amazing Race Asia which kicks off next month.Indiantelevision.com‘s Ashwin Pinto and Renelle Snelleczk caught up up with Pix business head and AXN, Animax India country manager Sunder Aaron for a lowdown on the plans.

     

    Excerpts:

    How much of a challenge has it been to push Pix into homes both on a distribution level and on a sampling level for the consumer? In a sense it is a niche within a niche.

    Our library is a mix of older and newer films. The point is that we want to show films that have great stories It does not matter if it is old or new. When you say niche within a niche you are thinking of a classic film channel. We are not that. Our marketing and positioning focusses on telling good stories.

     

    What you find is that a lot of English movie channels are focussed on brand new titles, big stars, big budgets, big special effects, big Hollywood stars. That gets you as lot of people who don’t even speak English just checking the channel. They touch it which gives wide reach. What we have though is a high tel appeal. My audience is a little more older, more affluent and they stay with us a little longer.

     

    Strong stories are what guarantees a good movie. There are lots of examples of films with big stars, budgets etc which are not good. Getting into homes wasn’t that big a challenge as we are with the One Alliance. It already has relationships with the cable fraternity Our focus is on the main Metros. Cable operators make it difficult. We are growing though and have surpassed Zee Studio.

     

    We have been careful in our communication and marketing efforts. Our communication makes sure that our viewer gets the message that films are specially chosen after going thousands of titles.

    Then there is the question of adult films not being allowed. How is Pix coping with this situation in terms of getting titles cleared?

    The different parties are meeting with the I&B secretary this week. Hopefully a solution will be found. When you think Adult you normally think of nudity or sex.

     

    However a lot of English films are rated ‘A’ because the themes are mature.

    Do you feel that an exception should be made for DTH as technology allows for parental control?

    While the technology is there how many people will use parental locks? The greatest control at the end of the day is parental. What you are saying is taking the job of the parent and putting it on the programmer and service provider. It also comes down to what one considers to be an adult film.

    A show like Inside the Actor’s Studio gives Pix variety. What plans do you have as far as showing content other than films is concerned?

    We have ideas. But the important thing is that it should not distract from the fact that Pix is a movie channel.

     

    There are lot of shows out there about Hollywood and actors. But if it does not contribute to the movie watching experience, it it does not feel like a cinema oriented show then it will not suit Pix.
    ‘The Man’s World returns for a second season. There
    will be a kickoff on 17 November. It has been on my
    mind to look at a sports based reality show‘

    You had earlier mentioned plans for localisation as as getting titles from independent studios. Has any progress been made here?

    We will be airing Being Cyrus next month and 15 Park Avenue soon after that. Down the road we will create original shows that are reality based.

     

    We are going to Mipcom this week to get titles. We will also go to the American Film Market in Los Angeles. Pix will be also be used as a vehicle to push theatrical films like Casino Royale. This will be part of an integrated 360 degree marketing campaign.

    You are now going after the advertisers with Pix. What is the pitch being made?

    The pitch is that we have content that have great stories which will draw in viewers. Our philosophy which is stated in the film Field of Dreams is that if you build it they will come.

    What is happening with AXN?

    AXN will unveil The Amazing Race Asia next month. It was produced out of Singapore and was a pan regional effort. The Indian team taking part will add local interest.

     

    The teams basically travel across Asia in a race to finish first. As is the case with the US edition there is a gradual process of elimination. We have been secretive about the show in terms of locations the teams will visit and other details since if word gets out about who won or lost interest will dissipate.

    What else can we expect from AXN on the localisation front?

    The Man’s World returns for a second season. There will be a kickof on 17 November. It has been on my mind to look at a sports based reality show. Once these two initiatives that I mentioned conclude then we will be in a position to focus on the other ideas.

    Any other new initiatives?

    We have a marathon for Diwali. This is from 20-22 October 2006. It starts with a seven hour marathon of the World’s Most Amazing Videos. Then Fear Factor will have an eight hour marathon the next day. There will be three phases. The first is about adrenaline junkies facing their fears. The second phase deals with families and friends.

     

    The third is where people are competing to win a million dollars. Then there will be a movie marathon. We have the Elite Weekdays at 11 pm from Monday –Thursday and the Elite Weekends from Saturday to Sunday from noon to 2 pm. We have shows like Nip/Tuck,CSI airing here. This is for the serious, thinking audience.
    ‘Animax was originally positioned as a kids channel.
    What we realised was that the animation we are showing is much more sophisticated in the sense of the storylines. So it wasn’t really appealing for little kids‘

    Could you talk about the revamp of Animax?

    Animax was originally positioned as a kids channel. What we realised was that the animation we are showing is much more sophisticated in the sense of the storylines. It is like dramatic serials. There is more conflict, human emotions, deeper characterisation. So it wasn’t really appealing for little kids.

     

    The target audience that we are focussed on now that we should have focussed on in the beginning is 15-24. It is young adults who are just starting to consume. It is an exciting group to go after.

     

    They are going to cafes, getting a new phone every few months. They wear designer jeans. There is nexus between Animax and gaming and all those teenage aspirations. While Animax’s programming is animated it is not kiddie cartoons. It is what we call animation grown up. For the revamp we changed some of the colours. The appearance and look were changed. We also have animated hosts. We have also taken off shows that could be construed as being for kids. You will see more and more young, mature stuff. We also have new programming blocks.

     

    There is Aniblast in the evenings. A little later on there is AniSutra which is more cutting edge. AniFlix on Saturdays shows films. It will take time though for the viewers perception to change. It will take several months to completely change market expectations whether it is viewers or advertisers. It will feel like a lifestyle and animation channel.

    So you are also competing with the likes of Star World and Zee Cafe?

    I would say that we are also competing with the likes of MTV, Zoom, Discovery Travel And Living. Right now we are still seen as competing with kids channels and the challenge is to get the message out that we are not in the same space as Cartoon Network.

     

    We will talk more to our viewers. We wil go out talk to our TG and put them on the channel. There will be local vignettes. Gaming is an area we are looking at. We already have Gamemax on the channel.

     

    Eventually we will get to a point where we can commission some shows. But that is still some time away. Right now it is an English feed. The problem was that we had Hindi mixed in earlier which confused operators and viewers. Down the line as the channel gets re established we will look at a Hindi feed as well.

    You are also looking at on ground activities?

    Yes. We are planning one that will be campus oriented towards the end of the year. We are also looking at doing a gaming event year on year. We are looking to provide a touch feel experience which is what AXN has done really well. AXN is a badge of pride brand for viewers. That we are hoping will happen for Animax also. Even if you do not get the stories it is cool in terms of the visuals.

     

    Our marketing has also changed. We will not do a school contact programme. It will be a college campus connect initiative. Animax might help people get jobs in the animation industry or do career counselling. The profile of advertisers will also change. Brands like Nike, Pepsi will be seen instead of say a kids health drink brand.

    Is merchandising also an option?

    We feel that there are a few shows that look promising in this area. It will not be as big an area for us as Disney though. We will use merchandising to push the channel. Disney does the opposite.

    Looking at the English entertainment scene DTH and addressability does give players the chance to launch channels dedicated to specific genres like crime which AXN has done in Europe. Are there plans to launch more channels like this in India sometime in the future?

    Let’s see. We have a challenge to see that the channels we have including Pix which we launched earlier this year, Animax which has repositioned itself this year do well. We always have ideas and we are considering launching other channels in India.

     

    The best way for a channel owner to thrive is to launch new channels which I am sure we will do sometime down the line.

     

    If for some reason cable addressability again gets stalled is there a chance that Sony might take the English chanels off cable and put it only on DTH?

    I don’t think so. As distributors of content we want to take it to as many platforms as possible and as many modes of distribution as we can. We are agnostic when it comes to that. The basic game for any programmer is to distribute content on any platform whether it is DTH, IPTV, mobile or cable.

     

    Of course we want a fair price. This is where the challenge lies in India. English entertainment is a growing niche. The affluent English speaking
    population is very desirable. So though we are relatively small businesses compared to the main Hindi channels it is nonetheless expanding. Each English entertainment channel from Sony has a unique offering. The more the number of viewers exposed the better they will do. That will not be the case if we do not have it on one platform.
  • Imagilon launches online news sharing community ‘Jhanki.com’

    Imagilon launches online news sharing community ‘Jhanki.com’

    MUMBAI: Imagilon, a New York based media company, has launched www.jhanki.com, an online community for sharing news and views.

    Jhanki – literally glimpse or snapshot in Hindi, is a site where readers can add news stories that they think are interesting, along with their comments. Readers can also vote or “Jhanki” stories posted by others, and post comments. In this way, Jhanki provides a very powerful forum for all Indians to voice and share their opinion about news, states an official release.

    Jhanki includes stories in many categories, including current affairs, international news, Hollywood, bollywood, cricket, television, citizens’ concerns and many others. Within a week of its launch, over 1300 stories, all submitted by readers, can be read on the site. There is no editorial control over the content, it is entirely driven by the community, the release adds.

    Speaking at the occasion, Imagilon CEO Jay Joshi said, “We felt that the time was right for an online news community, as net usage among Indians is at a never-before seen high, with almost 40 million users. More and more people are turning to the net to access news, but more importantly, many are also using the net to voice their opinion in the form of blogs and online communities. We designed Jhanki to be a meeting point for news and opinions that would normally be dispersed among various news sites, blogs and communities. Our job is to provide an excellent technical backbone, that makes it easy and fun for users to add news and comments, then the community takes over.”

    During the launch period, Jhanki is being promoted through an exciting contest for users, with prizes that include a laptop, iPods and mobile phones. This has motivated many users to use the site very extensively, and also invite their friends to “Jhanki.”

    The future plans for www.jhanki.com include – more opportunities for the user community to express their minds, providing public opinion information to media and researchers, and advertising sales.

  • Animal Planet Intl to broadcast programming trubute to Steve Irwin

    New Delhi, September 09, 2006: As the world continues to mourn the loss of Steve Irwin, Animal Planet International will broadcast a special full day programming tribute beginning on Sunday, 10th September at midnight. The event will highlight Steve’s background and personal history, from his early days at Australia Zoo, to his worldwide fame as the Crocodile Hunter, as well as his boundless passion for wildlife and his family. This special programming marathon will feature some of the best episodes from the long-running Crocodile Hunter series, which showcase Steve’s dedication to conservation and his exuberant approach to educating viewers about the natural world.

    Discovery Communications is deeply saddened by the tragic and sudden loss of Steve Irwin, who was beloved by millions of fans and animal lovers around the world and was one of our planet’s most passionate conservationists. He has graced Animal Planet’s air since October 1996 and was essential in building Animal Planet into a global brand.

    Rebecca Batties, Executive Vice President of Creative Development for Discovery Networks International, overseeing Animal Planet International said, “Steve was a true pioneer and heralded a fresh and innovative approach to wildlife filmmaking. He invigorated the genre and introduced a new generation of viewers to the natural world with his joyful, enthusiastic style. We are celebrating his legacy by showcasing his unforgettable work on Animal Planet.”

    Animal Planet is proud to broadcast the following programs as part of Sunday’s special tribute:

     

    Start Time
    Programme Title

    00:00
    Operation: Bunya Rescue

    1:00
    Lights! Croc! Action!

    2:00
    Crocodile Hunter Wildest Home Videos

    3:00
    Captured On Camera

    4:00
    They Shoot Crocodiles, Don’t They?

    5:00
    Search For A Super Croc

    6:00
    Steve’s Singapore Safari

    7:00
    Final Entry

    8:00
    Confessions Of The Crocodile Hunter

    9:00
    Steve’s Story

    10:00
    Crocodile Hunter Up Over The Down Under

    11:00
    Outback To Hollywood

    12:00
    Operation: Bunya Rescue

    13:00
    Lights! Croc! Action!

    14:00
    Crocodile Hunter Wildest Home Videos

    15:00
    Captured On Camera

    16:00
    They Shoot Crocodiles, Don’t They?

    17:00
    Search For A Super Croc

    18:00
    Steve’s Singapore Safari

    19:00
    Final Entry

    20:00
    Confessions Of The Crocodile Hunter

    21:00
    Steve’s Story

    22:00
    Crocodile Hunter Up Over The Down Under

    23:00
    Outback To Hollywood

     

    To honour Steve and the enormous contribution he made to the world and to our company, DCI will rename the garden space in front of Discovery’s world headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, the “Steve Irwin Memorial Garden .”

    In addition, DCI is planning to create the Steve Irwin Crocodile Hunter Fund. The Fund will be established to honour Steve’s passion and exuberance for conservation and the animal kingdom and is expected to provide a way for people from across the globe to make contributions in Steve’s honor to support wildlife protection, education and conservation.

    Immediate contributions in the memory of Steve Irwin can be made to the Wildlife Warriors Fund at www.wildlifewarriors.org.au

    Animal Planet grabs you. The world’s leading animal entertainment brand, Animal Planet reaches 195 million subscribers in more than 160 countries outside of the United States with programming customized in 24 languages. Offering intrigue, adventure, humor, relationships, life and death, Animal Planet is the only television network on the planet dedicated to people’s fascination with animals. A joint venture between Discovery Communications and BBC Worldwide, Animal Planet launched in India in 1998 and is currently distributed to 24 million subscribers in the region.

  • CNN’s ‘Global Office’ investigates technology in Tinseltown

    Airtimes: Indian Standard Times

    Sat, September 16 @1300hrs and 1900hrs
    Sun, September 17 @ 1700hrs, 2300hrs
    Thurs, September 21 @1900hrs, 2300hrs

    Kristie Lu Stout and the GLOBAL OFFICE team visit Hollywood and Bollywood in September to investigate how the latest developments in media technology are transforming the way the film industry works.

    To gain a first hand view of these changes, Kristie heads to Hollywood to meet leading figures from the world of film. Independent producer Ted Hope (’21 Grams’, ‘The Ice Storm’), Mandalay Entertainment CEO Peter Guber, whose production credits include ‘Batman’ and ‘Rain Man’ and MGM CEO Harry Sloan all share their insights on the latest trends affecting the film industry.
    GLOBAL OFFICE’s regular tech segment GO:Tech looks at CinemaNow, the world’s number one legal movie download store and a company that is aiming to revolutionize the way movies are distributed. Are digital downloads the way of the future for movie watchers?
    New Line Cinema is one of the most progressive film companies, successfully employing novel marketing and distribution ideas with recent projects such as the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy. The company has taken one further creative step with ‘Snakes on a Plane’ — asking online audiences to submit story lines. New Line’s CEOs join GLOBAL OFFICE to discuss the importance of innovation in staying ahead in the movie business.
    But nowhere else makes more films than Bollywood — a US$700 million business. Over the past two years the Hindi-language film industry has received growing international acclaim. To showcase the change from what was once a business financed in part by underworld figures, GLOBAL OFFICE profiles two students trying to reach for the stars at Bollywood’s brand new movie school, Whistling Woods International. Set in the sprawling grounds of Mumbai’s famous film city, the school teaches the latest Hollywood technology and techniques to its Indian students.
    For more CNN International programming information, please visit our website at www.cnnasiapacific.com

  • Salma Sizzles on Inside the Actors Studio this Sunday only on PIX

    MUMBAI: Widely considered to be the first Mexican actress to become a Hollywood movie star since Dolores Del Rio, Salma Hayek is known for her striking and dark-eyed personality which brings a fiery presence and an unusual sort of beauty to the screen. So wait no more to experience Salma sizzle on Inside the Actors Studio this Sunday only on PIX.

     

    A soap star in her native Mexico, Hayek risked her entire career to come to Los Angeles, where she struggled to be taken seriously. Her discovery by director Robert Rodriguez, who cast her in his 1995 film Desperado, gave Hayek her breakthrough, and she subsequently gained a reputation as one of Hollywood’s sexiest and busiest actresses.

     

    Read more and get a peak into Salma’s talk with James Lipton on Inside the Actors Studio this Sunday.

     

    Facts about Salma

    Chosen by People (USA) magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world.

     

    Salma is an Arabic name that means “peace” or “calm”.

     

    She was sent to a boarding school in Louisiana at age 12, but was soon sent back home after getting in trouble for frequently terrorizing the nuns.

     

    Salma loves dogs. She told Jay Leno that one of her dogs tries to dance with someone whenever it hears salsa music.

     

    Starting out in local theatre productions, she eventually moved to television and landed a starring role in the popular soap opera Teresa.

     

    Was nominated for her first Oscar for her role in FRIDA at the 75th Academy Awards.

     

    Get this and more of the “Bombshell” star on Inside the Actors Studio at 7:00 pm this Sunday on PIX!!!

  • Bennett Media Worldwide announces programming line up at Mipcom 2006

    Bennett Media Worldwide announces programming line up at Mipcom 2006

    MUMBAI: Bennett Media Worldwide (BMW), the Bennett Group’s global distribution operation, has announced at Mipcom 2006, their programming slate for global broadcasters. It will feature three all-new high-defintion series, including Playing In Paradise, Beyond the List and Oh, No! It’s Kato!

    Said BMW president Paul Rich, “The Bennett Group reflects our company’s new industry positioning as a full-fledged, fully-integrated entertainment studio, with all areas of production and distribution all under one corporate ‘roof.’ Through Bennett Group’s four distinct divisions, we have the capacity to take a project from concept through every phase of production and post-production, as well as domestic and international distribution.”

    “Our new high-def line-up further underscores our company as the production leader in this burgeoning format,” said Bennett Productions president Casey Bennett. “We are recognized as a pioneer in the production of HD programming having created and produced high-def series and specials as far back as 1998. Today, Bennett Productions is widely regarded for our HD productions which are backed by complete surround sound audio.”

    The new-to-Mipcom Bennett Media Worldwide slate includes:

    Playing In Paradise – Viewers experience a new dimension of exotic travel as top bikini models guide the audience through the world’s most desirable locations from the Bahamas to Thailand.
    Beyond the List – It covers the hippest threads, cars, gadgets and what it takes to get a sneak peek into the world’s most exclusive lifestyles where only a recognized face or name on the list gains entrance.

    Oh, No! It’s Kato!- After being rejected by Hollywood, Kato Kaelin takes his quick wit and sharp tongue to hot spots around the world in Oh, No! It’s Kato! From crashing the sidelines for the inside story at the Lingerie Bowl to sneaking into the Spring Break bikini pageant in Cancun, viewers are able to join Kato on his mission-possible journeys where the perfect mix of comedy and adventure drive each episode, informs an official release.

    In addition to Bennett Media Worldwide, the newly established Bennett Group, housed at its West Los Angeles headquarters, encompasses: Bennett Productions, the content development and production division that includes state-of-the-art in-house soundstages; Bennett Music, a newly-created producer and supplier of both production and original music that is also home to complete recording studios as well as recording, mixing and mastering facilities utilizing the most current in digital recording technology; and Bennett HD/LA, one of the few fully-HD post-production facilities in Los Angeles.

  • NGC deduces the science of Hollywood

    NGC deduces the science of Hollywood

    MUMBAI: What is fact and what is fiction? In Hollywood it is often difficult to tell the diference.

    Now the National Geographic Channel (NGC) is set to unveil the realism behind stunts and special effects in Hollywood films with a new show Science of Hollywood. Can what is shown on the silver screen actually happen in real life?

    The show kicks off on 27 November at 9 pm.
    Appropriately enough the first episode looks at car chases. How realistic were the car chases in flicks such as The Bourne Identity, Bullit and The French Connection? Can the vehicles in the films really burn rubber and do hairpin turns?

    In the episode Disasters At Sea the show examines whether the oceanic disasters depicted in the big gorssing film of al time Titanic, The Perfect Storm and The Poseidon Adventure true to life or was there a tidal wave of Hollywood fiction at play?

    Fans of 007 should check out Spy Gadgets. From Bond to Bourne, the world of espionage has fascinated cinemagoers for decades. But how many of the gadgets are actually used in real life?

    CGI and interviews with top scientists and filmmakers combine to separate fact and fiction within Hollywood’s most famous depictions of scientific phenomena and historical fact.Bond’s Aston Martin and Knight Rider’s KITT were high-tech for their time, but Minority Report gave us a very different look at the future of cars. Was the director of that film Steven Spielberg realistic about his vision of the future?

    Next month the channel takes a look inside special events with what it calls Inside Series. This kicks of on 18 December 2006 at 10 pm. Speaking to indiantelevision.com on this NGC VP marketing Rajesh Sheshadri says, “This takes viewers inside special events and the logistics that go into making them possible. The first episode is called Inside – Rolling Stones In Rio.

    ” This is is one of the biggest concerts in history with an iconic band. 1.5 million people attended the free concert. Viewers will see what takes place behind the scenes to transform salt and sand into a high-tech light and sound extravaganza. 200 tons of equipment were used to build a seven story stage, and keep over a million screaming fans safe.”

    The show will also go inside the Fifa Club Championship Toyota Cup. For clubs around the globe the crowning of the Fifa Club World Champions is the ultimate event. Teams from six continents battle for the title in the great soccer cathedrals of Japan. 1,500 media will be accredited and over 45,000 fans will cram into each stadium.

    The show goes behind the scenes to see what it takes to put on such an international spectacle. A spidercam will give soccer viewers at home a new perspective on the game. Viewers will follow the story of a team of referees as they encounter their moment of truth, the announcement of the selected referees for the final match.

    Another episode is called Inside – Hong Kong’s Big Bang. Seven million revelers take to the streets of Hong Kong to join one of the biggest parties in the world.

    How do you throw the party of the century? At the close of each lunar year, the streets of Hong Kong fill with tourists hungry to be entertained by some of the best party-planners in the world. But this is no ordinary year.. Over a half million tourists are expected to join the seven million Hong Kong residents to celebrate the Year of the Dog. Entertainers come from all over the world, 1,000 boats crowd Victoria Harbor and hundreds of highly-trained police officers will oversee the masses to make sure the celebration goes off without a hitch.

    Viewers will find out what goes on in the control rooms, on the floating powder kegs, and beyond the stage doors of Hong Kong’s most anticipated day. As tourists, organisers, and partygoers converge upon Hong Kong, Inside captures the technology and toil of the Chinese New Year celebrations.

  • Filmy to launch Hollywood dubbed movie block; revamps programming

    Filmy to launch Hollywood dubbed movie block; revamps programming

    MUMBAI: Sahara One Media & Entertainment Ltd’s Hindi movie channel Filmy is entering the second half of its first year with a slew of new initiatives. One key move on the programming front would be the launch of a Hollywood dubbed movie segment.

    “We want to explore the Hollywood action movie genre for Filmy. For this, we are planning to have a dubbed movie block. Filmy will be unveiling the segment very soon and we are working on the slots. At present we are in talks with a couple of foreign players for movie acquisition,” says Filmy business head Ashutosh, while not divulging further details.

    According to market sources, Sahara is in talks with at least three international studios for acquiring the international titles. The list includes Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, the motion picture and television feature distribution company owned by The Walt Disney Company.

    This move will see Filmy joining rival channels Max and Star Gold, which are already into telecasting dubbed versions of popular Hollywood movies. However, Zee Cinema has been distancing itself from the strategy of telecasting Hollywood movies dubbed in Hindi.

    As part of the programming revamp, Filmy is also increasing the footage of its wrap-around content, which includes film-based shows and spoofs. The channel’s anchors Rokki, Lal Gulab, Lallan and Ruchi Reporter will now do more shows on the channel during the breaks.

    The decision to up the wrap-around programming was taken on the basis of an audience study Filmy conducted after completing three months, according to Filmy marketing and content head Shailesh Kapoor.

    “We have received feedback from our viewers, asking us to increase the participation of our anchors in our programming. They want to watch more of the film-based content. Accordingly, We have a new segment ‘Filmy Hot Break’, which will be of the duration of 60 to 90 seconds. Our anchors will be presenting various forms of content, based on the particular movie on air at that time, during these breaks. This segment comes in 21 movies a week, in each time slot of 10 am, 3 pm and 8 pm,” says Kapoor.

    The learnings have inspired Filmy to take a re-look at its film news programming as well. Accepting the demand for the latest film news updates, the channel has now started airing 60 second capsules of film news throughout the day, Monday to Friday. In the weekends, the channel continues telecasting its 30 minutes film news programme Aaj Ka Filmy Khabar. “The effort is to break stories and offer our viewers live updates on the happenings in the entertainment industry,” reasons Kapoor.

    The Filmy Short Film Festival contest, which is positioned as one of its big ideas of 2006, will start rolling from the third week of August. Filmy will be telecasting the shortlisted entries Monday to Friday and during the weekends, it will air some of the best entries handpicked by the jury head Madhur Bhandarkar. The channel will be announcing the final winner in September.

    On the marketing front, Filmy is following the strategy of taking its lead anchors off air and positioning amidst the public. The channel recently associated with Rakesh Roshan for his latest release Krrish and had Lallan performing in the respective theatres. Similarly, Lallan will be doing a Shahrukh act in theatres where Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna would be releasing.

  • Pix to launch ‘Inside the Actors Studio’ on 16 July

    Pix to launch ‘Inside the Actors Studio’ on 16 July

    MUMBAI: Pix will be launching the Hollywood talk show Inside the Actors Studio (ITAS) on 16 July. The show will be aired every Sunday at 7 pm.

    Pix has acquired 47 episodes of this series. Some of the guests interviewed include: Will Smith, Antonio Banderas, Hugh Grant, Charlize Ttheron, Richard Gere, Renee Zellweger, Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie and Al Pacino.
    Inside the Actors Studio has been on air in the US for more than 11 years and is now broadcast in over 125 countries.

    From its origin, Inside the Actors Studio has followed an interesting format in which the show is taped in front of an audience made up of students from the Actors Studio’s Master of Fine Arts program.

    The interviewees share intimate and personal experiences that influenced their choice of career and what it is that continues to fascinate them about showbiz. The interview then concludes with a standardised questionnaire of 10 questions that requires candid answers, leading to hilarious and sometimes touching moments on the show.

    The channel has also weaved an ITAS contest wherein viewers will have a chance to win Pix goodies. Contestants can SMS ‘JL’ to 2525 and win DVDs of Hollywood movies.

    The show has won nominations for Outstanding Nonfiction Special and Outstanding Non-fiction Series, 11 Emmy award nominations, the Cable Ace Award as best talk show and The New York Festival Award for the world’s best talk/entertainment.