ITV

Tag: Hooq

  • Hooq delivers new mobile web experience with google technology

    Hooq delivers new mobile web experience with google technology

    MUMBAI: HOOQ – the largest Video on Demand service in Southeast Asia – launched an all-new mobile web experience for its customers using PWA – a technology that is championed by Google.  This technology allows HOOQ to deliver an app-like experience on the web and displays seamlessly and identically on all devices, including desktop, mobile and tablet. 

    “HOOQ’s deployment of PWA came on the back of findings that four in five consumers access the internet daily on their smartphones and the usage between apps and websites were about the same.  At the same time, we’ve also learned that more than half of those who came to the app store, interested in HOOQ chose not to download the app largely due to data constraints or storage limits on their device.  This means that having a mobile app will only serve 50% of those mobile users but serving up a pure web experience allows HOOQ to potentially double its reach to mobile users consuming content regardless of their choice of viewing over web or app.” said Michael Fleshman, Chief Technology Officer of HOOQ.

    “The intent of introducing PWA is to deliver a smooth and engaging experience where customers with lower-end devices or low data caps can still enjoy the full HOOQ experience without the need to compromise.  What’s more, we are able to combine the ease of access and reach of the Web together with the immersive experience of a native app for customers to engage with HOOQ; browse the complete catalogue and play content without having to download the app”, Fleshman added.

    HOOQ users can now experience faster load times and smoother interactions even in uncertain network conditions.  With the help of pre-caching, HOOQ’s PWA stays up-to-date, serving the user with the newest premium content upon launch and users can also save HOOQ’s PWA to their home screen; making HOOQ accessible, without the hassle of downloading it from the app stores.

    Smartphone penetration in emerging Asia has been on the rise and in 2017 over 230 million smartphones were sold, according to GFK.  Whilst a 44% year-on-year growth in smartphone penetration provides HOOQ with a ripe opportunity in Southeast Asia, over 60% of these handsets are in the low to mid-range.  This growing base of smartphone users are cognizant of their precious storage space on their phones and are less likely to download an app.  By removing all this friction, more users can now access HOOQ directly from a URL and are able to share it on social media, email, text message etc. and skip the hassle of app downloads from the app store, resulting in a much larger potential user base.

    PWA is now live in all HOOQ markets – the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, India and Singapore, where users can enjoy the best of local and Hollywood movies and TV series by simply going to www.hooq.tv.

  • Andrew Marshall joins HOOQ as general counsel

    Andrew Marshall joins HOOQ as general counsel

    MUMBAI: HOOQ, Asia’s first video-on-demand service, has appointed Andrew Marshall as the new general counsel. Marshall, who will be  based out of the company’s headquarters in Singapore, will bring his legal and regulatory expertise to the streaming platform.

    Speaking about his new role, Andrew said, “HOOQ presents an exciting opportunity, given the brand’s commitment to evolve in response to consumers’ needs and the promising growth of the industry overall.  I look forward to working closely with the management team to provide strategic, effective advice that will help HOOQ achieve its ambitions.”

    Marshall has got 20 years of experience in legal, regulatory, and public policy, and has worked with leading media companies like ESPN, STAR Sports and The Walt Disney Company.  This wealth of experience has fostered his deep understanding of the regulatory landscape for media and entertainment, protection and exploitation of intellectual property, and evolving disruptive technologies in Asia Pacific.

    He has served Disney as the regional counsel for all lines of business in Australia, New Zealand and South-East Asia with a focus on content licensing, including theatrical distribution, studio marketing, and home entertainment.  He has provided legal and business development support at Eleven Sports. 

    With deep experience in both technology and media companies, Andrew also has a unique perspective on evolving disruptive technologies in the media industry.

    Also Read :

    BBC Studios, HOOQ India sign content deal for three British dramas

    Hooq to maintain its Hollywood focus in India

    Zulfiqar Khan joins Hooq India as MD

  • 2017’s biggest blockbusters are coming to Hooq this march

    2017’s biggest blockbusters are coming to Hooq this march

    MUMBAI: HOOQ – the largest Video on Demand service in South-East Asia – is proud to announce that it will be bringing 5 powerhouse Hollywood blockbusters from 2017 to its transactional video-on-demand (TVOD) offering, all within the span of a month.

    There is truly something for everybody this March on HOOQ’s TVOD service.  Lovers of animated films can enjoy Pixar’s Coco and comic book fans can rejoice as HOOQ brings you the absolute best that the Marvel and DC Cinematic Universe has to offer with Thor: Ragnarok and Justice League.  Those looking to make a trip to a galaxy far, far away can eagerly await the arrival of Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi and, finally, for the nostalgic lovers of 90s cinema, the highly successful Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle would be a winning choice.

    HOOQ’s Chief Content Officer, Jennifer Batty said, “Our unique partnerships with blockbuster juggernauts like Disney, Warner Bros., and Sony Pictures, truly allows us to bring the world’s premier movie titles to the comfort of our subscribers’ homes straight out of the cinemas.  March is going to be a fantastic month to be a movie buff!”

  • Hooq announces release of first Hollywood original series

    Hooq announces release of first Hollywood original series

    MUMBAI: Hooq is marking its presence as one of the homes of Hollywood original series. The platform announced its first foray into Hollywood originals with Crackle’s The Oath. The series is debuting with all 10 episodes on 8 March 2018 in the US, and it will be fully available on Hooq after 24 hours, from 9 March 2018.

    Hooq chief content officer Jennifer Batty said, “This marks a truly significant milestone for HOOQ Originals. While we continue to blaze a trail for homegrown Asian content and talent, we are now proud to strengthen our offering and bring in the best original content that Hollywood has to offer. With established producers of gritty visual stories like Joe Halpin and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson on the team and not to mention hard hitters like Ryan Kwanten and Sean Bean, we’re confident that we’ve got a winner here. I can’t wait for you all to see it.”

    Set in Los Angeles, this hard-hitting crime drama dives deep into a world of gangs made up of those sworn to protect and defend. The Oath chooses to tread where most cop dramas don’t, shedding light on corruption and “police gang” culture by examining secret societies that are nearly impossible to join. Only a select few make the cut but, once inside, members will do what they must to protect each other from enemies not only on the outside but also from within.

    Hooq CEO Peter Bithos said, “We have always dedicated ourselves to bringing our subscribers the best that Asia and Hollywood have to offer. With The Oath now joining our family of Originals, we’re proud to continue bringing the kind of stories that our customers love and continue to expect from us. This is the first of many to come.”

    Created by Joe Halpin (Hawaii Five-O, Secrets and Lies), the characters and relationships in the series are informed by his first-hand experience working as a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy in South Central for 18 years, 12 of which was as an undercover officer.

    The Oath stars Ryan Kwanten (True Blood), Cory Hardrict (American Sniper, Gran Torino), Katrina Law (Training Day), Arlen Escarpeta (The Magicians), JJ Soria (Animal Kingdom, The Fosters) andGame Of Thrones alum Sean Bean.

  • Hooq to maintain its Hollywood focus in India

    Hooq to maintain its Hollywood focus in India

    MUMBAI: Content differentiates the platform and hook the consumers. To become a differentiator, VoD platform Hooq differentiated its offering by not diluting its energy into various verticals.

    In an interaction with Indiantelevision.com, Hooq MD India Salil Kapoor said, “We have the best of Hollywood and locals in all the markets, whereas in India, we are focusing only on Hollywood.”

    “We took this call because there are 25-30 players as far as the Indian market is concerned, and the cost of content is significantly high as compared to other market primarily for the local content. In India, broadcasters and several other players focusing on the local content that has pushed the price of the local content higher. So, we decided that instead of trying and win in every vertical, i.e., Hollywood, Bollywood, Local-Regional and Original, it would be better to concentrate our energy on one,” he added.

    Hooq, which offers content in Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines and India, is one of the cheapest video-on-demand offerings in India with Rs 89 per month subscription pack, which lets viewers stream and download up to 10, 000 movies and 78 TV shows. Its content includes films owned and distributed by Sony and Warner Bros, such as Wonder Woman, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Baby Driver, Suicide Squad, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

    Kapoor said that the platform has recently launched an additional service in India which will allow viewers to watch the latest Hollywood offerings just after their theatrical release. “We have launched TVoD service in India, in which latest movies (after theatrical release) can be watched on Hooq in a little amount of about Rs 59, while TV shows and other movies will be a part of subscription package.”

    In 2018, Hooq will shift its focus towards providing content in various regional languages. Talking briefly about the same, Kapoor said, “We have launched Spiderman home coming in four languages – English, Hindi, Telugu and Tamil. This is something we will do in coming time. We are going to build up a lot of dubbed movies in our systems, so that people around the country can get taste of it.”

    “Although, English content is very popular on Hooq but we also want to give our subscribers an option of watching dubbed content, i.e., content in their own language. We have observed that people are liking it and we have observed the consumption of dubbed content picking up on website as well. However, apart from English, we see a lot of traction in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu as far as consumer interest is concerned.”

    Hooq has different sources of attracting subscribers, one is through the deals with Vodafone and Airtel in which customers get free access to Hooq, and on the other side, they have the partnership with ACT Fibernet, which is a broadband player. While discussing about their distribution partnerships, Kapoor said, “We get a lot of subscribers from partners and we are planning to get into partnership with smartphone brands. We get a large chunk of customers from B to C and from B to B to C.” Currently, Hooq is in partnership with Vodafone, Airtel, ACT Fibernet and ICICI Credit Card, and Hooq will be announcing couple of tie ups soon as they currently are in advanced discussion level. Mobile handset brands like Samsung, Xiaomi and Motorola-Lenovo are on top three positions in terms of usage of watching content on Hooq.

    Salil Kapoor has shifted his focus from D2h to OTT. While talking about the future of television, he said that television is not going anywhere in near future. He said, “OTT is complimentary to the television, a lot of people are shifting from watching TV in standard manner to watching it online.”

    In 2018, the trend will move towards three directions according to Kapoor, which will include – first, TV shows becoming more popular than movies like Live TV or catch up TV is already picking up; second, the numbers of people getting engaged from mobile phone is high, however, the relation of engagement is much higher in the large screens, i.e., TV, will continue to grow, and third is that more and more people want to watch it on demand, so, hardware based boxes through which they can get television interface like Chromecast, dongle, and more will grow very fast. He said that international content is anyway growing In India but regional content consumption will grow fast in 2018.

    Also Read:

    Indian filmmaker among 6 selected for Hooq

    Hooq plans to invest $2 million on original Indian content

  • Guest column: Taking Indian content to the global market

    Guest column: Taking Indian content to the global market

    The year 2017 has been a year of paradigm shifts in the wake of Digital India. Over the last couple of years, international OTT and VOD players such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, etc, have been making inroads in the Indian market to unlock the true potential that our increasing digital-first audience provide. Telecom, print, broadcasting, FMCG, and virtually every industry has ventured into the digital space. India’s journey on the digital path saw a rise in the number of homegrown content streaming platforms, with some creating original content and some taking and distributing content from external creators. While it came as a boon to India’s digitally driven audience, there was still a paucity of locally relevant content creators and platforms. On the other hand, short length format shows/series soon began to launch in regional markets as well. Additionally, region specific OTT platforms took shape. These developments assured that not just millennials, but family audiences as well were fed entertaining content on digital that matched their tastes and preferences.

    Internet penetration and adoption in India has been at an all-time high. As per the KPMG India – Indian M&E report 2017, currently there are 462 million internet users in the country out of which 82 per cent of them access the web through mobile devices. Competitive mobile data pricing and the overwhelming mass adoption of 4G led to a revolution of gigantic proportions for content creators in the digital space. It positively aided the growth of OTT/VOD platforms and thereby, short format content. However, while we continue to open windows for international players and brands to get more and more access to Indian audiences, either by placing our shows on their platforms or striking partnerships to deliver their content here, the most significant question for me is how far are we actually taking ourselves beyond India and Hollywood?

    While India’s vision of digital continues to get served, how is that making a difference to the country’s economy? How far are we expanding our digital footprints beyond existing geographies by leveraging both homegrown and international OTT platforms? The year 2018 might well be a step in this direction which in turn would begin to provide the answers to us. A SWOT analysis for the possibility of this happening in the near future would give some key insights on the plan of action.

    Focus on the strength – Content, the driving force

    While we speak about the generalisation of Indian content across territories through OTT platforms, a similar example was already set this year. Dangal’s staggering success numbers in other countries and approx Rs 200 crore (fifth-highest earning non-English film in global box office history) in China speaks for itself. A similar fate followed for Secret Superstar. These examples prove the potential that lies for Indian content creators to venture into untapped regions beyond India. These mega movies clearly state that strategy plays a vital role in accomplishing the desired results. India is another key selling factor is the original content curated by every media and entertainment entity which brings a fresh perspective. With such great pool of data that lies with us, only selling it won’t serve the purpose. Where do you sell it and how is what will decide its best outcome.

    Understand weaknesses

    The major roadblock in venturing into other regions is the language barrier. Upon deciding the target regions, next thing to consider is the national language of the country and whether its audience prefers the global language. Analysing this would mean additions or modifications for dubbing or sub-titles in the content, such that it match the sensibilities of the audience across different languages and sensibilities.

    Tap into the right opportunities

    India’s rich content resonates well with the masses. We are fed with entertainment from across the world, likewise, there also exists a majority of Indian diaspora in regions where we haven’t made in-roads yet. Evaluating such regions helps tapping onto a ready audience base. In order to expand the reach further, it is very crucial to research about the consumption pattern of the region, the inclination towards short-format content, internet usage statistics, number of mobile device users in that region. The digitally savvy audience looks for great content, be it from any source. A populous region having an audience base with varied tastes automatically ensures effective penetration of content into a newer market.

    Evaluate the threats –  adapt a differentiated approach and have an evolving nature

    The digital world in itself is quite vast with various existing and upcoming mediums that provide access to entertaining content making it widely available. A stark comparison would be between Asia’s first premium VOD service Hooq and the homegrown platform Voot. Hooq’s strong strategy reflects in its distinguished offering. It serves its customer with varied options to choose from Hollywood, local and regional shows across multiple platforms. On the other hand, Voot has tactfully planned its expansion across geographies in a short span of time. There is this agnostic nature of the players from other territories looking at a similar expansion plan that would increase the competition for Indian content creators to gain visibility overseas. Building a differentiated plan of action and being flexible is the key in such a scenario.

    While we analyse the various means by which we can best cater to the potential markets across territories, the digital platforms and content creators should continue to maintain a strong foothold within India itself. Having a catalogue of rich content and effective reach pan-India will attract more international brands that look at reaching out to their TG in the country. This in turn will bring in more international buyers which will eventually pave way for homegrown content to have a global presence few years down the line without having to actually root for the expansion, the other way round. This indeed will be a game changer in taking Indian content to global markets.

    The author is the CEO of Worldwide Media.The views expressed are personal and Indiatelevision.com may not subscribe to them.

  • Marvel’s Runaways to telecast same day as US on Hooq

    Marvel’s Runaways to telecast same day as US on Hooq

    MUMBAI: Hooq announced a new exclusive Marvel offering- the first three episodes of Marvel’s Runaways will debut on 21 Nov with brand new episodes coming every week to Hooq, same day as the US telecast.

    Hooq chief content officer Jennifer Batty said, “We’re very excited, Runaways ticks all the boxes that we are looking for in a comic book Entertainment series! Everyone thinks their parents are evil when they are a teenager BUT what happens when you find out they really are evil!?! With showrunners like Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, producers of The O.C. and Gossip Girl, also available on Hooq, we can expect the series to break away from some of the conventions and tropes that muddle teenage dramas. The 1st 3 episodes of Runaways drop on Hooq within 12 hrs of the US on Nov 22nd, and a brand-new episode will follow each week, same day as the U.S. and fully localized for our viewers.”

    The series, based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name, follows the story of six teenagers who unite against a common enemy: their parents, who reveal themselves to be super-villains in a sinister group called the Church of Gibborim. Running away from their respective homes, the teenagers decide to work together to right the wrongs of their parents, and set on a journey to discover the secret of their origins in a fun and original spin on the superhero narrative. Helping them in this struggle are larger-than-life characters such as Gert, a superheroine with a telepathic connection to a genetically engineered dinosaur known as Old Lace.

    Runaways stars Rhenzy Feliz (Teen Wolf), Lyrica Okano (The Affair), Virginia Gardner (Project Almanac), Ariela Barer (Yo Gabba Gabba!), Gregg Sulkin (Sixty Six, Wizards of Waverly Place) and Allegra Acosta (100 Things To Do Before High School).

    Runaways comes at the back of an exclusive landmark deal between Hooq and The Walt Disney Company that gives Hooq exclusive rights to three of Marvel’s series: Marvel’s Inhumans, Marvel’s Runaways and Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger.

  • Hooq Filmmakers Guild is a hot bed for creative talent, says CEO Peter Bithos

    Hooq Filmmakers Guild is a hot bed for creative talent, says CEO Peter Bithos

    MUMBAI: Days after announcing five filmmakers from Southeast Asia, who have the chance to submit their scripts for a pilot, Hooq Filmmakers Guild has selected five more submissions. It claims to be one of the top video on demand service in the region.

    The selections are Crazy in Love (Indonesia), Golden Star (Philippines), Merit Score (Thailand), ReLie (Thailand) and Trips (Singapore).

    Hooq CEO Peter Bithos said, “The Hooq Filmmakers Guild has really highlighted the immense talent out in Asia and the selection process for the top six pilots announced earlier was not an easy task.  The fact that we could pick out five more brilliant ideas on top of the six we already chose for pilot development means this region is a hot bed for creative talent.  We are excited and committed to developing these talents and helping them turn their vision into your next favourite series.”

    While these five new submissions are not ready to be developed into pilots, they hold enough merit and potential to become compelling stories that will appeal to audiences around South-East Asia. Hooq is investing in the potential of these ideas by developing them into scripts.

    The confirmed 2017 selections are Bhak (India), Suay (Thailand), Haunt Me (Singapore), How To Be A Good Girl (Singapore), Aliansi (Indonesia) and Heaven and Hell (Indonesia) with any of the five, commissioned for script development, having the potential to join them.

    The top ideas will get $30,000 to produce a pilot episode for the platform. Hooq subscribers and judges will vote for their best choice which will be converted into a full series.

    The five submissions bookmarked for script development are as follows:

    Merit Score by Lit Samajarn from Thailand follows the story of 25-year-old entertainment diva and mean queen Nadia, who meets an untimely end in a movie accident. Determined to do whatever it takes to get into Heaven, she has to improve her meagre merit score, secure enough brownie points and karma in the next 30 days.

    The other Thai submission is ReLie by Nirattisai Ratphithak. This thriller revolves around a wildly popular mobile game app that becomes all too real for a group of university students when the players begin dying one by one. To stop the deaths, they need to figure out who the murderer is, but doing so leads them to face the unexpected truth that is much bigger than what they would ever imagine.

    From Singaporean Xavier Ong comes Trips, about a down-on-his-luck model who joins a host club so he can earn enough money to marry his girlfriend. However, he soon finds himself being drawn deeper and deeper into a world where love and money are nebulously entwined and the only way to survive, is to lose yourself.

    The Philippines is represented by Jed Cyril Punongbayan of We Love Motion Inc. under Go Motion Productions. He created Golden Star, the story of a 48-year-old mother of three who tries to secure a better future for herself and her family by entering the tricky world of show business.

    Finally, Indonesia’s Mahakarya Pictures and Aditya Testarossa present Crazy In Love, an offbeat romance about plain jane Kinanti, who gets a peculiar gift from a mysterious stranger – a lip colour that will make fall in love with her through a single kiss. When Aaron, a famous celebrity, accidently kisses her, Kinanti’s destiny changes completely.

    The Hooq Filmmakers Guild drew nearly 500 submissions for original content from across the region. The submissions drew from a large range of genres and styles, ranging from science fiction to historical dramas.

    Also Read:

     

     

  • Indian filmmaker among 6 selected for Hooq

    Indian filmmaker among 6 selected for Hooq

    MUMBAI: Hooq Filmmakers Guild has turned six filmmakers’ ideas into reality. Hooq has announced six titles for pilot development from its inaugural Hooq Filmmakers Guild 2017. The Guild, launched in June 2017, is an annual initiative designed to seek out film talents in Asia that have great ideas but lack the opportunity to turn these ideas into reality. It claims to be one of the top VOD service in Southeast Asia.

    The 2017 selections are Bhak (India), Suay (Thailand), Haunt Me (Singapore), How To Be A Good Girl (Singapore), Aliansi (Indonesia) and Heaven and Hell (Indonesia).  The six were selected from 500 submissions received by Hooq over a 2-month period from all over the region.

    The top ideas will get $30,000 to produce a pilot episode for the platform. Hooq subscribers and judges will vote for their best choice which will be converted into a full series.

    Hooq CEO Peter Bithos said, “Hooq has always been a big supporter of the Asian film industry.  The Hooq Filmmakers Guild was designed with this aim in mind and focuses on developing the next generation of Asian film talents by providing them with the opportunity to showcase their ideas and develop their skills through connecting with the Guild’s judges who are the crème de la crème of the Asian film business.” He further added, “We are so excited to announce the six pilots that we have selected to be produced.  There were so many great ideas to select from so we decided to produce six pilots instead of the five that we had intended.  We look forward to the completed pilots and hope that everyone will get Hooq’d on them.

    Judge Puttipong Promsaka Na Sakolnakorn commented, “The number of submissions was far more than what any of us were expecting”.  The submissions spanned a range of genres and styles, from science fiction to supernatural and even historical dramas.  The dominant genres submitted were drama, horror/supernatural and comedy, with science fiction and fantasy a close fourth.

    “I was deeply amazed by the quality of the submissions, so much so that it made judging really difficult!” said judge Mouly Surya, director of ‘Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts’.  “It was affirmation to me that Asia truly has immense talent when it comes to filmmaking.”

    This sentiment was echoed by her fellow Indonesian judge, actor Nicholas Saputra. She said, “Not only were their submissions for the Hooq Filmmakers Guild fantastic, they are so energetic, creative and bursting with ideas and serves as a reminder to all seasoned filmmakers to never lose that spark inside of us.”

    Judging was based on the relevance and potential appeal to Asian audiences, demonstrable creativity in storytelling and most of all, a well told Asian story with an original point of view. 

    India’s winning entry, ‘Bhak,’ is a colourful dramedy that follows the adventures of two ambitious young filmmakers in the Bollywood film industry.  Written by Arjun Chatterjee and Shreyom Ghosh from Big3 Media, it explores themes of passion, betrayal and love.

    ‘Suay,’ a Thai crime thriller by Marcelo von Schwartz, follows the story of ladyboy go-go dancer Lola, who receives a cut-off ear belonging to her best friend and mentor, Carly.  She is then forced to draw upon her past identity as a tough male private detective and descend into the underbelly of Bangkok.

    Supernatural drama ‘Haunt Me,’ by Oman Dhas and Goh Ming Siu from Third Floor Pictures, follows the story of Kwong, a widower, who after his father’s death, moves into his family ancestral home and discovers his family’s secret sacred destiny; guiding lost souls to the other side.

    The other Singaporean entry, ‘How To Be A Good Girl,’ comes from Abundant Productions and follows former socialite turned ex-convict, Frances Lee, who is looking to reclaim her life after time behind bars.

    The Indonesian winning entries reflect two ends of the genre spectrum. ‘Aliansi’ is an offbeat comedy by Muttaqiena Imaamaa.  It follows the story of a down-and-out Jakarta-based creative executive, who gets a chance to start over when a mysterious millionaire approaches him to create advertising campaigns – to convince the public that aliens are real.

    By contrast, Bobby Prabowo & Eric Tiwa’s ‘Heaven and Hell,’ takes us into the world of the Eastern Indonesia mafia.  When a gang war about to break out in Darmaga Batu, his adoptive hometown, Chris contemplates leaving the violent world of crime, until he realises, the only way he can protect his jailed father, is by becoming the head of the crime world.

    Thai Hooq Filmmakers Guild judge Wasin Pokpong said, “I am very happy that Hooq launched the Hooq Filmmakers Guild this year because it has become a platform for aspiring filmmakers who were lacking resources to finally be able to bring their ideas to life. Sometimes, all it takes is a little boost to make dreams come true.”

    Millions of viewers across the region are now keeping their eyes peeled as these six titles make the transition from a good idea to great stories.