ITV

Tag: New York

  • Sophia College witness the first edition of The Great Indian Pillow Fight powered by Portico, New York

    Sophia College witness the first edition of The Great Indian Pillow Fight powered by Portico, New York

    MUMBAI: Last Saturday, Sophia College saw what will be known as the first edition of ‘The Great Indian Pillow Fight’. At their annual festival, Kaliedoscope, scores of  young collegians assembled on Sophia College Grounds on Saturday, bowled over by the thought of  taking part in the First Indian Pillow Fight ever, a concept put together by Portico, the premium home fashion brand.

    Pillows were hurled down on an eager batchof youngsters and the girls lashed at each other as soon as they got their catch. There was no stopping the crowd, exhausted as they seemed, the girls wrestled with gusto.

    With a special stylish bedding collection designed especially for the 24×7 generation, Portico, New York realizes the youth have frenzied lifestyles. The free spirit populace was thus given a chance to relive memories and bond with friends their way, and what would be better than a high spirited, crazy Pillow Fight. Spirits soared as feathers flew through the air, amid shrieks of college girls excited to be given full license to attack their peers in a good ol’fashioned pillow flight.

    Speaking on the event, Arun Bhawsingka CEO, Portico New York said, “We are glad that we have connected with the new generation. And the platform which we have used to relate to them is quite innovative, and we are proud of that. We are sure that the collection for these young customers will be appreciated and be the most preferred in this segment.”

    Commenting on the occasion, one of the Sophia’s students that participated in the fight said, “This is by far to have such a great pillow fight with so many people and so many pillows. I really hope other colleges catch on to the idea because I’d love to do it again!”

    To take the Pillow Fight online, Portico, New York has also created an app on their Facebook page called The Great Indian Pillow Fight. The users have to choose a friend from their friend list and a weapon to fight. The top 3 winners get daily prizes of Rs. 1,000 each Flipkart vouchers. Top 3 scorers at the end of the activity will be awarded a PS3 – 500 GB, Sony Xperia U and Canon Power Shot A1400 – Point &Shoot. The Facebook app is designed by Brand Design.

    One of India’s leading brands in the bed and bath furnishings category along with their new and innovative solutions, Portico aspires to give a new lease of life to personal spaces of gen next. With its contemporary and bold designs, the youth collection, cater to tastes of these nonconformists.

  • Three million homes have no CBS service via TWC

    Three million homes have no CBS service via TWC

    MUMBAI: As Time Warner Cable and CBS continue their negotiating deadlock, Starcom MediaVest researcher Sam Armando has discovered how widespread the blackouts are individually in the New York, Los Angeles and Dallas markets. TWC has refused to make the figures available.

     

    Armando writes in a blog post that 17 per cent of homes in both New York and Dallas are without the local CBS station, while the figure climbs to 26 per cent in the Los Angeles market.

     

    On a national level, the number of homes with CBS-owned local stations blacked out is around 3.2 million, according to CBS. Showtime is off the air across TWC’s national footprint, as TWC and CBS continue to battle over terms of re-upping a carriage deal. The blackouts started 2 August.

     

    CBS has called on talent to encourage TWC customers to switch providers and on Monday brought the Manning brothers into the fold. A newspaper ad in New York might suggest CBS thinks the blackouts could continue until 15 September.

     

    “You could miss this historic matchup,” the ad reads, referring to the New York Giants vs. Denver Broncos game on that Sunday, with Peyton and Eli Manning facing off.

     

    The ad also suggests viewers could miss the much-anticipated college game between Alabama and Texas A&M on 14 September “featuring Heisman winner Johnny Manziel.” That copy could become moot any day now as Manziel is under NCAA investigation for receiving payments for his autograph; he could be suspended for the game.

  • Time Warner Cable supplies customers with rabbit ears “TV antennas” during CBS Blackout

    Time Warner Cable supplies customers with rabbit ears “TV antennas” during CBS Blackout

    MUMBAI: Time Warner Cable is trying out a traditional solution to its longstanding CBS blackout problem. The cable operator has started offering free television antennas to help its customers continue watching their favorite CBS shows via broadcast signals. The offer is particularly effective in major cities including Los Angeles, Dallas, and New York.

    The cable company notified its customers in affected areas about its latest offer that would serve as a temporary solution to the CBS blackout. It has posted the message on its Website and has sent communication through email. Time Warner Cable is giving away basic indoor antennas to its subscribers. The tool could be claimed at any Time Warner Cable store. It is also offering a $20 voucher to each customer who prefers to purchase TV antennas at any Best Buy location.

  • Time Warner Cable supplies customers with rabbit ears “TV antennas” during CBS Blackout

    MUMBAI: Time Warner Cable is trying out a traditional solution to its longstanding CBS blackout problem. The cable operator has started offering free television antennas to help its customers continue watching their favorite CBS shows via broadcast signals. The offer is particularly effective in major cities including Los Angeles, Dallas, and New York.

    The cable company notified its customers in affected areas about its latest offer that would serve as a temporary solution to the CBS blackout. It has posted the message on its Website and has sent communication through email. Time Warner Cable is giving away basic indoor antennas to its subscribers. The tool could be claimed at any Time Warner Cable store. It is also offering a $20 voucher to each customer who prefers to purchase TV antennas at any Best Buy location.
     
  • International Emmy Awards judging held in Mumbai

    International Emmy Awards judging held in Mumbai

    MUMBAI: Judging is not an easy task and especially when it is for the International Emmy Awards which are considered as the Oscars of the television world.

    Indiantelevision.com founder Anil Wanvari once again – for the ninth year – hosted the semi-final judging round of The International Emmy Awards for the New York-based International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. A bevy of Indian television professionals – 12 of them from both on screen and off screen – descended on to the Raheja Classique Club, in the Andheri suburb of Mumbai on 23 August to decide which of the entries – from two categories, comedy and telenovellas – would get into the final round of the International Emmy Awards 2013. The International Emmys had a healthy response from television content creators and broadcasters world wide with more than 1000 entries pouring in, but the Mumbai leg of judging saw seven entries for comedy and four entries for telenovelas being judged.

    The jury comprised of producers, directors, actors and writers. The ones judging comedy were: Anita Basu, Amit Aaryan, Harshad Joshi, Prabal Baruah and Divyanka Tripathi. On the other hand, Meghna Malik, Ashka Goradia, Shruti Ulfat, Rajan Shahi, Yash Patnaik and Sudhir Sharma were judging the telenovela category.

    Founded in 1969, the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences promotes excellence in international television programming. With more than 700 members from 50 companies in the media and entertainment space in 500 countries, it is the International Emmy Awards are the premier recognition for those involved in content creation in television, internet, and mobile.

    “It is always a pleasure to have India as a part of our judging which is taking place in more than 20 countries worldwide this year,” says The International Emmy judging director Nathaniel Brendel. “And we are delighted to have indiantelevision.com and Anil Wanvari as our hosting partner, like we have done for so many years.”

    “The International Emmys is a recognition producers and broadcasters and creators globally aspire for,” says Wanvari. “By hosting the judging we continue the very good relationship we have with the International Academy and we also become a part of a global initiative. This apart, it gives me and my company a good opportunity to give the Indian creative and production community exposure to the best in global content. We are grateful to the Academy.”

    After the first round of shortlisting and filtration, six to seven entries for each category make it to the semi-final round. Following this, the entries are posted online for final jurors to decide on the final nominees and winners. The main two criteria of judging are content and execution. Indian industry professionals were more than happy with Wanvari’s initiative to host the judging and on being called to do International Emmy jury duty.

    Says comedy juror Big Synergy director / producer Anita Basu: “This is my third year with the International Emmy, and it is a fantastic experience to see a lot of rich and good content and be exposed to a lot of innovative content outside India.

    ”Telenovela juror and Beyond Dreams Entertainment producer & creative director Yash Patnaik says being on the jury is a time for him to get away and chill on the best of international content. “Judging the International Emmys is a wonderful experience. This is my second year with Emmy and we get to see a lot of good content and you get to know what kind of effort they put in. Their style of working is very different from ours. The storytelling, cameras, scale is different.”

    “It is always very good and educational to come and watch different programs and this time it is the international platform and watching good shows from all over the world. The telenovelas are brilliant and it’s a good experience and you get to see good work and good content of international quality,” says director and producer Rajan Shahi.

    “It was a very different experience judging the telenovela category,” says respected actor Meghna Mallick. “The entries were of a very high order, and a couple of them, well they blew me away.”

    What surprised the jurors was the absence of entries from India in the categories they were judging. Say Brendel: “The fact is Indians would not get not judge entries from India; they would be judged elsewhere. Going by the huge production base India has entries can only go up, I believe that Indian producers should compete in the International Emmys because it is the only way that their shows can be judged and be seen by the best producers, networks. These may then be interested in buying their shows.”

    Agrees Patnaik says: “Yes of course Indian shows should compete, because there is a lot of original content in India. Our programs are quiet popular in the US and UK and we have Indian audience everywhere. It will be good refreshing change for them to see Indian content which are original and go beyond self-zone.”

    Anita Basu chips in: “Production and technical wise we are much ahead and there is a lot of good content here. We are way ahead of the curve, and I think we need to make an effort to represent ourselves in a very big platform like the Emmy awards.”

    “There are two reasons why we don’t see Indian entries in Emmys is a lack of information and I think Indian television industry is still evolving. And you never know maybe next year we will see entries from here as well. Indian content is improving every year so we definitely stand a chance to showcase out talent in the international platform,” adds Sharma.

    The gala event is slated to take place on 25 November in New York. The next competition will start early this December and the deadline is till February 2014 to submit their shows.

  • Prime Focus: 77% rise in q-o-q profit from operations for Q1-2014; lower net profit

    Prime Focus: 77% rise in q-o-q profit from operations for Q1-2014; lower net profit

    BENGALURU: Indian visual effect and 3-D conversion player Prime Focus Limited (Prime Focus) reported consolidated profit from operations for Q1-2014 at Rs 34.26 crore which was 76.72 per cent higher than the Rs 19.39 crore for the previous quarter Q4-2013 but was 5.85 per cent lower than the Rs 36.39 crore for Q1-2013.

    However, consolidated net profit after tax and minority interest for Q1-2014 at Rs 8.53 crore was 31.4 per cent lower than the Rs 12.44 crore for Q4-2013 and just 40.6 per cent of the Rs 20.98 crore for Q1-2013.

    Let us look at Prime Focus’ other figures for Q1-2014

    Net Sales/Income from operations on a consolidated basis for Q1-2014 at Rs 188.47 crore was almost flat (0.14 per cent higher) as compared to the Rs 188.21 crore for Q1-2013 and 4.3 per cent lower than the Rs 193.87 crore for Q4-2013.

    Prime Focus reported an exchange gain of Rs 14.06 crore in Q1-2014 which was 12.05 per cent more than the exchange gain of Rs 12.54 crore in Q1-2013. In Q4-2013 the company incurred an exchange loss of Rs 3.01 crore.

    Neglecting the exchange gain or loss, Prime Focus reported consolidated expenditure of Rs 168.26 crore which was 2.37 per cent higher than the Rs 164.36 crore in Q1-2013 and 3.6 per cent lower than the Rs 17.45 crore in Q4-2013.

    Depreciation and amortisation cost of Rs 22.47 crore for Q1-2014 was 8.2 per cent higher than the Rs 20.77 crore in Q1-2013 and 36.4 per cent lower than the Rs 35.32 crore for Q4-2013.

    Personnel cost for Q1-2014 at Rs 88.35 crore was higher by 1.2 per cent as compared to the Rs 87.29 crore in Q1-2013, but 6.1 per cent lower than the Rs 94.12 crore for Q4-2013.

    Other expenditure for Q1-2014 at Rs 51.67 crore was 24.8 per cent higher than the Rs 41.42 crore for Q1-2013 and almost flat (0.4 per cent lower) as against the Rs 51.88 crore for Q4-2014.

    Finance cost at Rs 13.05 crore for Q1-2014 was 67.5 per cent higher than the Rs 7.79 crore for Q1-2013 and 19.3 per cent more than the Rs 10.94 crore for Q4-2013.

    Exceptional Item:

    Exceptional item includes revaluation loss of Rs 82.28 crore on redemption of FCCBs of $55 million on 13 December, 2012 and also includes provision and write off of debtors amounting to Rs 25.38 crore.

    As a part of reorganisation of businesses of the group under common control, Prime Focus Technologies acquired the New York based post-production business from Prime Focus World on 1 April, 2013. As a result of this there is a write-down in the value of assets by Rs 721.68 lakh ($1.3 million) during Q1-2014.

    Notes:

    (1)  The Company has informed BSE that the Board of Directors of the Company at its meeting held on 21 June, 2013, inter alia, has transacted the following:
    a) Took on record principal terms and conditions on which Prime Focus World, N.V. proposes to raise $38,000,000 from Macquarie (UK) Group Services Limited at an Enterprise Valuation of USD 300 million.

    b) Considered and approved to provide a corporate guarantee for an amount not exceeding $44,650,000 in favour of Macquarie (UK) Group Services Limited to secure the obligations of Prime Focus World Limited, Mauritius, a wholly owned subsidiary of Prime Focus.

    (2)  The Board of Directors of Prime Focus at its meeting held on 5 August, 2013, inter-alia, has considered and approved to sell, transfer, and/or otherwise dispose of its ‘Backend Business’, which includes (a) business of providing the services of conversion of 2D audio visual/moving images to stereo 3D audio visual/moving images provided by the Company to Prime Focus World N.V., a company incorporated and operating under the laws of Netherlands (“PFW”) (‘Conversion Business’); and (b) the business of providing the services of computer generated film visual special effects by the Company to PFW (“VFX Business”),to Prime Focus World Creative Services Pvt. Ltd.’, a company incorporated in India and an indirect controlled subsidiary of the Company on a going concern basis by way of slump sale for a total consideration not less than INR equivalent of $38 million subject to the approval of the shareholders of the Company through a postal ballot and on receipt of requisite/regulatory approvals.

    Click here for Prime Focus – Financial Result

  • Breaking Bad writer to pen Cop-Mafia Clash ’90 Church’

    Breaking Bad writer to pen Cop-Mafia Clash ’90 Church’

    MUMBAI: Universal has set George Mastras to adapt the Dean Unkefer book ’90 Church: the true story of the narcotics squad from hell’ who has won an Emmy for Breaking Bad. Rupert Sanders will be helming the project. +

     

    Three people will be producing it: Joe Roth, Palak Patel and Deborah Giarratana. The name ’90 Church’ refers to the place of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics in New York, when it was formed to tackle the increasing organised crime and drug traffic in the 1960s and 1970s. FBI agents used cunning tactics to stop the increasing numbers. The reputation of ’90 Church’ grew with the body count as well.

     

    The book was a fiction story but was written by an agent himself who worked in the department. Mastras is repped by CAA and manager Dan Halsted.

  • 92.7 Big FM announces sixth edition of big green Ganesha campaign across eight Indian cities

    92.7 Big FM announces sixth edition of big green Ganesha campaign across eight Indian cities

    Mumbai, 29 July 2013: 92.7 BIG FM, India’s No. 1 radio network, today announced the launch of the 6th edition of BIG Green Ganesha, its hugely popular and immensely successful campaign launched in 2008 as part of a vision for a better tomorrow. The initiative aims at instilling a sense of responsibility amongst citizens towards creating a better environment by celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi, one of India’s most widely followed festivals, in an eco-friendly way. This year’s campaign will be initiated in eight different cities that will involve Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mysore, Tirupati, Sholapur, Vizag and Mangalore.

    The 2013 campaign is being launched by way of the brand new concept of ‘Ashta-Vinayak’, where eight unique eco-friendly paper mâché Ganesha idols will be installed at the eight locations in which the campaign will be run. In addition, the campaign will also attempt to set a record by collecting the maximum number of old newspapers from a single location and enter the prestigious ‘Limca Book of Records’. With the installation of 30 Ganesha Pandals, the campaign will be spread across 8 cities with the setting up of 48 paper mâché idols.

    Drawing attention to the massive use of toxins and non-biodegradable elements for the construction of Ganesha idols, the BIG Green Ganesha Campaign comes as a fresh reminder of change for all. A massive on-ground newspaper collection drive in residential areas, offices, shops and commercial establishments will mark the beginning of the campaign. The collected newspapers will be supplied to renowned sculptors and be used to create beautiful eco-friendly paper mâché Ganesha idols. The donation drive is a significant move since it educates the community and draws their support in order to create a better environment.

    The campaign will be promoted through high-decibel strategies and promotions involving an amalgamation of media networks that will include radio, print, outdoor, on-ground and digital. Apart from connecting with 1.5 crore people each year, more than 200 celebrities and 350 civic authorities will support the campaign.

    Commenting on BIG Green Ganesha Campaign 2013, Ashwin Padmanabhan, Business Head, 92.7 BIG FM said, “We are delighted to launch the 6th successive edition of the Big Green Ganesha Campaign, which is a fundamental part of our vision and responsibility to care for the environment. We believe that respecting the earth is the need of the hour. Whilst we spend time in prayer and celebration, we also do our bit towards creating a greener tomorrow by installing biodegradable and eco-friendly idols. We extend a warm welcome to all our partners in this sustainable celebration and would like to thank the community for the support that has helped make this campaign bigger each year.”

    Powered by the strong message it carries, the BIG Green Ganesha Campaign has witnessed unparalleled success and popularity, inspiring over a million people in multiple cities across India. The movement has cornered glory at prestigious global platforms including the Silver Radio Award at the New York Festivals and nine awards at the India Radio Forum 2013, proving that 92.7 BIG FM is not just about great music but passionate about creating a better world.

  • Indian filmmaker Susi Ganesh honoured by Maryland Governor

    Indian filmmaker Susi Ganesh honoured by Maryland Governor

    NEW DELHI: Susi Ganesh, the director of Shortcut Romeo, has received a special honour from Maryland Governor Martin O‘Malley for his contribution to Indian cinema.

    Ganesh and his team were in New York to promote Shortcut Romeo after screening the movie and walking the red carpet at Cannes Film Festival along with actress Ameesha Patel and Puja Gupta.

    Ganeshan has directed some award winning movies in Tamil such as Virumbukiren, Five Star, Thiruttu Payale and Kanthaswamy.

    Recalling his 15 years of service and hard work to promote Indian movies especially Tamil and now Hindi, the Governor said, "The State of Maryland is proud to bestow the honour for his contribution to the entertainment industry."

    The award and the replica of great seal of the state of Maryland was presented by Dr. Rajan Natarajan, deputy secretary in the state of Maryland and one of the high-ranking Indian-American political appointees.

    Shortcut Romeo is a remake of Ganesh‘s super hit Tamil film ‘Thiruttu Payale‘, produced by Manjari Susi Ganesh. It also features Neil Nitin Mukesh, and will be released on 21 June.

  • Ishkq In Paris: Just another love story!

    Ishkq In Paris: Just another love story!

    MUMBAI: Inspired by 1995 Hollywood film, Before Sunrise, Ishkq In Paris is an attempt to revive the career of the film’s leading lady as well as the producer, Preity Zinta. The theme is familiar, about two strangers meeting up while travelling, spending some time together and falling in love. The idea in itself was not bad, really. It could have been made into a cute romantic movie had it been made with a fresh face instead of Zinta herself.

    Producers: Preity Zinta, Neelu Zinta.
    Director: Prem Raj.
    Cast: Preity Zinta, Rhehan Malliek, Isabelle Adjani, and cameos by Salman Khan, Shekhar Kapur, Chunkey Pande.

    Zinta, named Ishkq in the film, is on her way back home to Paris from Rome where she had gone to spend a weekend. She is the daughter of Isabelle Adjani, a famous artiste, a single mother having parted from her husband, Shekhar Kapur, when Zinta was only seven. Sitting across from Zinta on the train is Rhehan Malliek, an Indian settled in London. He is on the train because he missed his morning flight to London, hence onto Paris to take a morning train to London!

    Since childhood Ishkq has been taught Hindi to near perfection and the duo get talking. Since Zinta is a local and Malliek has a night to while away, he suggests she spends the night with him and show him around town and generally have fun together. Obviously, Malliek also has sex in mind so, thoughtfully, also packs a condom with his loose change. On the way, a street vendor, Chunkey Pandey, sells them a dice, you toss it and it decides your next programme; it has drinks, dinner, dance, sex etc written on its sides. Zinta is game for drinks, dinner, dance but not sex. She is more traditional than Malliek. This revelry which continues till interval was evident in a recent film, London Paris, New York. Wanting you to come back after the interval, a slide before the interval promises you a story in the second half; in a 97 minute film, at least now a story needed to be incorporated since Malliek is coming back to Paris for work as well as with hopes of catching up with Zinta.

    The gist of the story is this, that Zinta hates marriages because she hates divorces because her father deserted her and Adjani early in life. Malliek also hates marriage because of similar reason. And, subconsciously, they both have fallen in love but spend rest of the time in denial till this become the story of an aged Adjani and the aging Zinta where Adjani confides that her father, Kapur, had not deserted them but since he and Adjani were both passionate about their work, they had decided to part amicably. Before Adjani even finishes explaining the real thing, Zinta is on the run, halfway through to catching Malliek before he leaves her for good. Come to think of it, the first half without a story was less complicated!

    What the film has to offer is scenic Paris and some witty exchanges between Zinta and Malliek. As for performances, since the casting is not convincing, acting does not matter. Music needed to be much better. However, Kudiye di kurti…, performed by Salman Khan and Teri choodiyan…have sectional audio appeal. Direction is passable. Photography is eye pleasing.

    Ishkq In Paris faces poor prospects.