ITV

Tag: Sony Pictures

  • Sony Pictures has US rights of Where Do We Go Now?

    Sony Pictures has US rights of Where Do We Go Now?

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Classics has acquired the US rights of Nadine Labaki‘s Where Do We Go Now?

    Produced by Anne-Dominque Toussaint of Les Films des Tournelles, Where Do We Go Now? won the Cadillac People‘s Choice Award at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival, Best European Film at the 2011 San Sebastian Film Festival. The film is Lebanon‘s entry in the Best foreign language film category for the 2012 Academy Awards.

    Set in a remote village where the church and the mosque stand side by side, Where Do We Go Now? follows the antics of the town‘s women to keep their blowhard men from starting a religious war. Women heartsick over sons, husbands and fathers lost to previous flare-ups unite to distract their men with clever ruses, from faking a miracle to hiring a troop of Ukrainian strippers.

    “Nadine Labacki has made a warm, human film that is both perfect for this moment in time and will satisfy audiences across the country. We couldn‘t be happier about distributing Where Do We Go Now? and to be working again with our good friends at Pathé International,” said a statement of Sony Pictures Classics.

    “To be added to this list of highly distinguished filmmakers supported by Sony Classics is an achievement in itself for me! I am proud and honored to say that I have become now part of the very prestigious Sony Classics family!”remarked director Nadine Labacki.

  • Sony Pictures to release Jo Dooba So Par on 14 October

    Sony Pictures to release Jo Dooba So Par on 14 October

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures India will release Andaaz Productions‘ Jo Dooba So Par–It‘s Love In Bihar on 14 October.


    The film is an offbeat comedy about a headstrong Bihari youth who falls in love with an American girl, amidst the chaos and corruption of Bihar.


    Said Sony Pictures India managing director Kercy Daruwala, “Jo Dooba So Par is a charming film shot against an unusual setting – the streets of Bihar and features stalwarts of the industry combined with fresh new talent in its cast. We are pleased to bring Sony Pictures‘ strong distribution network, unmatched experience and leadership position over nine consecutive years, to support the film.”


    Avers director Praveen Kumar, “I‘ve made a film drawing upon memories of both growing up in Bihar and falling in love. It has been an enjoyable, if sometimes strenuous experience. One has treaded the comic and commercial while keeping close to the truth (not always hilarious) of these coming-of-age experiences on the part of the planet we call Bihar. And yet, I believe, these experiences of violence and love are universal.”


    The film stars Anand Tiwari, Vinay Pathak, Rajat Kapoor, Sadiya Siddique and Pitobash.

  • Sony plans sequel of The Smurfs

    Sony plans sequel of The Smurfs

    MUMBAI: After its robust $35 million opening weekend haul, Sony Pictures is closer to the second edition of The Smurfs to be produced by Jordan Kerner.

    Now, the studio has gone ahead and set a date for the release of the sequel on 2 August, 2013. However the studio didn‘t reveal the fact that it had been working on a script for months and has a completed draft in hand.

    Earlier this year, when the film began taking the form of a viable franchise launcher, Sony went to its original writers to begin work on a sequel.

    The early assignment was due to the large amount of lead-time required for live action/CG hybrids.

  • ‘Why would BCCI want its biggest new property on a new channel?’ – Kunal Dasgupta

    ‘Why would BCCI want its biggest new property on a new channel?’ – Kunal Dasgupta

    For Sony Entertainment Television (Set) India CEO Kunal Dasgupta, the big wish for 2008 is to throw up that one hit narrative show that would get some momentum going for his network’s flagship channel Set. Other than the vexed issue of Set and its equally struggling Hindi GEC sibling Sab, the network is doing fine thank you, argues the long serving head honcho of the Indian broadcast operations of Sony Pictures  In conversation with Indiantelevision.com recently, Dasgupta looks back on the difficult year that was 2007 and offers some pointers to the strategic direction Set India (now renamed Multi Screen Media Private Limited) is looking to take in 2008 and beyond.Excerpts:

    Let’s start with the new name. Is this because your parent Sony Pictures Entertainment is distancing the Sony brand name from the Indian broadcast entity?
    Certainly not. The name is reflective of the company’s evolution from a pure television broadcaster to a multimedia one. We want to be on all screens that are video enabled. Going forward, we will be actively investing in mobile, movies, Internet, and out of home screens. Mobile in particular is going to be a focus area for us.

    When you say you want to be on all screens, could you elaborate on that?
    I am going to be recycling the over 30,000 hours of television content and 750+ movie titles that I have with me. We plan to repurpose a lot of it not just across the different screens, but across networks too. The realm of exclusivity is no longer the norm. To stay ahead of the game you have to be focused on how best to leverage the content that you have.

    Like the Rs 40 crore (RS 400 million) deal you did with Peter Mukerjea’s INX for 60 movie titles?
    Yes. That deal entitles INX to three airings of each film I have syndicated to them.

    Looking back to 2007, how would you rate the performance of the channels in the Sony network?
    Well, Max was fantastic; Pix became viable. On Sony and Sab we have suffered reverses on account of our fiction programming not working.

    And looking ahead into 2008?
    The business paradigm is changing and we are at the forefront of that. You could say we are the catalysts for change. Syndication, mobile; these are going to be areas that will explode. The one who reads the writing on the wall and adapts will survive.

    How has the year been in terms of revenues? The perception in the market is that Sony had a terrible year?
    If you add up ad sales, distribution and our international business, it would be Rs 1,200 crores (Rs 12 billion) overall, so you can’t say it was a terrible year.

    One reason for the perception that Sony had a lousy year, aside from its programming not working, was the ICC World Cup debacle in March. We understand you lost some RS 800 million odd due to India’s early exit. Comment?

    The ICC rights should not be looked at from the results from one tournament, but on how it delivered over four years. And it delivered on every count for us.

    Looking at the larger perspective, what have been the big challenges the broadcast sector faced and will face, going forward?
    The pathetically slow pace of digital rollout (Cas) has been the biggest challenge for existing players. Though I do believe digital distribution will come into play from 2008 onwards.Combating all these new players will be the big upcoming challenge. The (leadership) pecking order will have to be reestablished. Star is not complacent in its position of number 1. Even Zee as a challenger is not complacent. Everybody will face challenge. The whole media business will face challenge.

    The industry is seeing huge churn now. The channel explosion is going to further fragment audiences. We will soon have 9/10 channels in each of the genres – news, sports and movies.

    You say pathetically slow digital rollout on the cable front is the biggest challenge for the new players as well as the existing players. But if we look at 9X, the numbers they are drawing are not due to cannibalization, but due to new viewers?
    It’s not cannibalization of GEC but other genres like music.

    So you don’t believe that people have an inherent desire to consume entertainment content but may have been tuned off by the lack of variety presently on offer so they are trying out channels like 9X?
    It’s not just 9X. Even Bindass is getting new viewers. 9X is making a lot of noise but give me a name of one show that stands out. On NDTV Imagine also, nothing will stand out.

    What do we have in 2008? BCCI’s Indian Premier League will take off and what else?
    I don’t know on which channel it will take off. I hope it is on ours.

    But as you yourself said, there will be new sports channels launching and we should expect bids from new players?
    They can of course bid but why would BCCI want its biggest new property on a new channel? Its not just money, they (the cricket board) have to make it successful.

    We do have an example of Ten Sports, which launched with World Cup Soccer in 2002?

    There were only two channels – ESPN and Star Sports – then. Today there are seven channels (DD Sports, Ten Sports, Zee Sports, ESPN, Star Sports, Star Cricket, Neo Sports). Additionally, Max is half a sports channel.

    Each time you launch a new channel, the space will get further fragmented. There is too much out there. There is going be a blood bath.

    What about a platform proposition, like in the case of Sky in the UK? For a rights holder, could IPL potentially become as critical as EPL was to Sky?

    Firstly, in India no exclusivity is being allowed. Secondly, the new guys bidding for the rights are channels which are not yet launched. If platforms like Dish TV or Reliance were to buy the rights, then I would understand but the guys buying are unknown people. They are all startups. They are doing it for their business valuations. They are not bothered whether IPL succeeds or not. Whereas BCCI wants IPL to succeed. IPL will collapse with new players.

    Coming back to the year ahead, how do you see 2008 for your network and the industry?

    As far as the industry is concerned, we would want to see the Reliance launches happening. It’s a very big thing. Then IPL should succeed. New players should enter digital distribution in the cable front. More people are required, more funding is required.

    As for ourselves, we will take some other new initiatives and continue to build our business. We need one hit show. Saat Phere was the starting point for Zee. I need one hit show from Monday to Thursday. That is my perspective. I have no problem in any other area of my business except that. We need to build up, which is not happening.

    Each channel is doing its own thing and so are we. In the meantime, I am doing syndication and international distribution. I am doing everything right except getting that one hit show.

  • Ripley’s Believe it or Not available as mobisodes

    Ripley’s Believe it or Not available as mobisodes

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures International secured the rights from Ripley Entertainment Inc and plans to distribute “mobisodes,” or segments of the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! television show on mobile phone and Internet.

    The segments include unbelievable and completely wacky humans, incredible feats and animal oddities ranging from a microchip dog to mountain stilt hikers.

    “The show segments are expected to be available to the public later this year and will be available through mobile devices, Internet, airline in-flight entertainment and on-demand channels.

     
    The three-year deal signed with CPT Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Television International showcases the need for mobile information and content for the Internet.

    “We are pioneers in the broadcasting of weird and wacky and unbelievable material, both on radio and television. Through the years, we have proven that truth is absolutely stranger than fiction,” said Ripley Entertainment president Bob Masterson.

    “These shows transcend time and we’re fortunate to have the ability to adapt the clips for use in today’s popular media platforms through our partnership with Sony, ” he added.

     
    Norm Deska, Executive Vice President of Intellectual Property for Ripley Entertainment, agrees that most of the show segments are timeless.

    “When we worked with Sony years ago on the production of these shows, we never dreamed this footage would have any use other than that of television. We are excited that a whole new generation will have the opportunity to witness amazing Believe It or Nots! through a more contemporary channel of communication.”

    Sony Pictures Television will draw in material from the 79 one-hour episodes of the Ripley Believe It or Not! Television hosted by Jack Palance that aired in the 1980s and from the 88 one-hour episodes in the Dean Cain series that ran between 1999 and 2003.

  • Hungama Mobile ties up with T-Series for music download

    Hungama Mobile ties up with T-Series for music download

    MUMBAI: Hungama Mobile in association with T-Series launched the Kar Le kar Le Koi Dhamaal music for mobile. This is the first time in Asia that the music will be available for downloading on mobile before it is available in music stores.

    Several other add on features like ‘Full Music’ monophonic ringtones, polytones, ringback tones wallpaper will also be available, suitable for every type of mobile phones.

    The star at the launch of the music was ofcourse Shah Rukh Khan who has performed in the music video. Talking about the product he said, “When I personally downloaded the music it was a great experience hearing it on my own phone. Hungama Mobile is providing a new platform by giving a new experience to the audience. The Gen X is definitely going to be excited with such exciting features and I can say now mobile will be the next new destination, for music.”

    Hungama Mobile managing director and CEO Neeraj Roy said, “We sincerely appreciate the support of Shahrukh, who in his own way encouraged this step. Experiencing the success and looking at the potential in mobile content market, we are delighted to partner with T-series. Through this initiative we can reach out to a vast audience across the globe.”

    Speaking on the occasion T-Series managing director .Bhushan Kumar said, “Considering our long association with Hungama Mobile, we are delighted to take it one step further for the mobile content industry. Seeing the success of previous projects like the Krrish, added to which this time we have SRK himself. This combination makes us confident of this initiative being a great success!”

    Hungama Mobile also owns Bollywood portal, www.indiafm.com and has worked on over 1000 films on the mobile and the online space.

    To download the music one can SMS SRK to 4646 and it will be made available through Hungama Mobile distribution network with over 77 Wireless Carriers in 30 plus countries.

    Hungama Mobile has exclusive worldwide rights to India’s largest music label T-Series and in addition has over 100 content alliances with companies as diverse as Warner Bros, Sony Pictures etc.

  • Sony Pictures pushing licensing in Korea

    Sony Pictures pushing licensing in Korea

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) announced that it is expanding its operations in Asia by opening a TV licensing office in Korea. Soojin Chung has been appointed as executive director of licensing and will head SPTI’s office in Seoul. She reports to SPTI senior vice president, distribution, Asia Ross Pollack.

    “Opening a licensing office in Korea demonstrates our continued efforts to better serve our Korean clients and to offer more choices to our customers throughout Asia where SPTI already has numerous commitments,” said Pollack. “We are delighted to have Soojin join our team. Her experience and impressive track record as a TV executive is widely recognized in the Korean marketplace. She will be a great fit with the rest of our Asian team based in Hong Kong, Singapore and Beijing.”

    In her new position, Chung is responsible for the licensing of SPTI’s series and features, along with the Company’s growing lineup of successful international productions, to traditional and new media partners in Korea. In addition, she will provide support to SPTI’s Asian product acquisition efforts by assisting in the ongoing evaluation of, investment in and distribution of Korean content for SPTI in Asia and worldwide. SPTI currently has a Korean TV drama distribution deal with CJ Media in addition to distributing select movie titles from CJ and Korean anime from other partners.

    Chung joins SPTI from Buena Vista International Television where she was head of sales for Korea since 2004. Prior to Buena Vista, she held a number of positions in Korea, including content acquisition manager at SBS Productions and acquisition manager at Hollyvision Saehan Media.

    SPTI has been active in distributing Asian entertainment worldwide. Two of the highest grossing Asian movies of all-time Kung Fu Hustle and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon were distributed through SPTI. SPTI’s office in Seoul will be located in the Kyobo Tower and opens in February 2007.

  • Sony Pictures reaches $3 billion worldwide box office for the first time

    Sony Pictures reaches $3 billion worldwide box office for the first time

    MUMBAI: While its electronics division is in trouble one area where Sony has been doing really well in is in films. For the first time in its history, Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) has crossed more than $3 billion in worldwide ticket sales.

    As had been reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, in India Sony crossed the Rs 1 billion mark for the third time in four years.

    This marks the fourth time in history that any studio has reached the $3 billion mark in a single year. Internationally, the studio has already realised its best year of all time, with just under $1.5 billion and counting. Domestically, the studio has already passed more than $1.5 billion and is on pace to surpass $1.573 billion, the most any studio has ever generated at the box office in a single year in North America, a record held by Sony since 2002.

    2006 marks the third time in the past five years that SPE has been the number one studio in the US in terms of share. As Sony finishes the year, the studio controls over 18 per cent of all tickets sold in the US and Canada. Led by The DaVinci Code, the worldwide blockbuster that has grossed over $750 million at the box office, SPE has seen four films exceed more than $100 million in domestic box office — including Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Click, The DaVinci Code, Casino Royale — and five more have surpassed the $100 million worldwide threshold (Pink Panther, Monster House, Open Season, Underworld: Evolution and Little Man).

    Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group chairman worldwide marketing and distribution Jeff Blake says, “This is the kind of year that is pretty hard to top. Hitting $3 billion in worldwide box office is an incredible accomplishment in every way. The fact that we are reaching this peak by potentially passing the domestic industry box office record while at the same time enjoying our best year ever internationally is just a staggering achievement that makes us all very proud.

    “This isn’t the result of just one film — our entire slate really worked this year, and credit for our success goes first and foremost to the extraordinary filmmakers and actors that brought us The DaVinci Code, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Click, Casino Royale, The Pink Panther, Underworld: Evolution, Monster House, Open Season and so many others.”‘

    Blake also credited “The remarkable talent and hard work exhibited by our production, marketing, and distribution teams. Today, we’re celebrating and thanking everyone who played a part in the success of our 2006 slate worldwide.”

    The studio reached its achievement in a year that featured a record 12 films opening at number one and strong performances from all the labels under the Sony Pictures Entertainment banner: Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, Revolution Studios, TriStar Pictures, and co-productions in association with MGM.

  • Sony Pictures India crosses Rs 1 billion mark for third time in four years

    Sony Pictures India crosses Rs 1 billion mark for third time in four years

    MUMBAI: The Indian operations of Sony Pictures Entertainment are going from strength to strength. Following a disappointing 2005, the studio has rebounded and has announced that it has crossed the Rs 1 billion mark in ticket sales for the third time in four years.

    This milestone was previously crossed in 2002 and 2004 and is a record for Hollywood in India. For 2006, Sony broke its own record. It made Rs 1,056,856,024 compared to Rs 1,019,240,000 in 2002 and Rs 1,001,693,000 in 2004.

    The record was helped by the latest Bond film Casino Royale, probably the best Bond film since Sean Connery. As had been reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, the film opened across 427 prints and 452 screens, largest print and screen count. In the opening weekend it made Rs 149 million almost twice that of Spider-Man 2, which had made Rs 78 million in 2004.

    This year Sony also had four films in the top 10 list for opening weekend for Hollywood films. Besides the Bond film, Pirates of the Caribbean 3 made Rs 31 million. Thanks to the controversy surrounding its release The Da Vinci Code made Rs 30 million and The Chronicles of Narnia made Rs 24 million.

    Sony also became the first Hollywood studio to foray into local production with Saawariya. The film, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, will be released next Diwali.

    Casino Royale was the first Hollywood film to cross the Rs 100 million mark. It did that in two days. Sony anticipates it to be the second largest grosser of all times for any foreign language film in India. It made Rs 330 million as of 29 November 2006.

    Sony Pictures releasing of India MD Uday Singh says, “We are extremely proud to be the only studio to ever reach this box office pinnacle and that too thrice in a short span of four years. This inspired performance has been due to a fabulous line-up put together by Sony Pictures Entertainment, Buena Vista International and our partners in India and of course the stupendous efforts put in by our talented and dedicated marketing and distribution teams across India. This is truly a historic and a memorable moment for all of us.

    “The future looks exciting with highly anticipated tent pole products like Ghost Rider, Pursuit of Happiness, Spider-Man 3, Pirates of the Caribbean 4, Surf Up, Resident Evil 3 and National Treasure 2. 2007 is also a special year as it marks the launch of our first Hindi title, Sanjay Leela Bhansalis Saawariya on 9 November, 2007.”

    In a year, approximately 70-72 films are released by the Hollywood Studios in India. Releases from other sources (the Independent Importers) is not known. More and more titles are being released day and date with the US – to kill piracy at one end and to cash in on the global marketing campaign at one shot at the other end.

  • Filmy inks 3-year movie deal with Buena Vista

    Filmy inks 3-year movie deal with Buena Vista

    MUMBAI: Sahara One Media and Entertainment’s movie channel Filmy has signed a three year agreement with Buena Vista International Television-Asia Pacific (BVITV-AP), the international television distribution arm of The Walt Disney Company, to showcase 20 titles on the channel’s Hollywood movie block Firangi Filmy.

    As reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, Sahara was in talks with several international studios for acquiring titles. The channel continues to be scouting for other international studios including Sony Pictures, as well as other independent producers in the US to build a bank of offerings.

    The acquired titles will be dubbed in Hindi and aired during the Friday 8 pm slot on Firangi Filmy. The movies acquired by the channel as part of this deal include Signs, Shanghai Knights, Star Ship Troopers, The Three Musketeers and Metro. Besides action and thrillers, Filmy has also added children’s movies to its kitty.

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Filmy business head Ashutosh said, “Besides the big movies, we have also selected movies that have not had a theatrical release or been viewed on television in India. The newness of the channel will thrust us towards buying more titles and therefore we will continue to acquire.

    “It is Filmy’s privilege to work with Buena Vista International Television. We plan to showcase the best of Hollywood for our masses in their own language. We have received unparalleled support from BVITV, and look forward to building our relationship with them even further.”

    The deal also coincides with The Walt Disney Company’s focus to expand its presence in India, a key strategic market for the company.

    “We are delighted to be the first US studio to be licensing Hollywood movies to Filmy,” commented BVITV-AP’s senior vice president and managing director Steve Macallister. “India is a key strategic market for our company and we are looking forward to working closely with Filmy to provide top quality content that will enthral their viewers.”