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Graphic India Pvt. Ltd raises $5 million to embark on its next phase of growth

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Graphic India Pvt. Ltd raises $5 million to embark on its next phase of growth

Bengaluru-based character entertainment company Graphic India Pvt. Ltd has raised $5 million (Rs 32 crore) to go ahead on its next phase of growth with more original superhero characters, character entertainment franchises and live-action production.

The new round was led by investors at Liquid Comics LLC, Graphic India’s US-based parent, while a group of global media and investment leaders participated in the round.

Those who took part in the round include Start Media LLC, Backflip Studios co-founder Julian Farrior, TV Mohandas Pai’s 3One4 Capital and Zodius Capital founder Neeraj Bhargava.

The company produces digital comics and animation with character franchises, and is looking to tap into the 600-million youth population under the age of 25, as well as the 850 million-strong mobile phone user base in India.

With the fresh capital infusion, the company will launch new characters for both domestic and international markets and expand its offerings beyond digital comics and animation. It is working on original mobile content, live-action TV and films, besides virtual and augmented reality-based properties.

“There is an increasing number of digital and broadcasting platforms emerging in India that are looking for differentiated content. We think we are perfectly positioned to create content that caters to pop-culture fans across both animation and other digital content offerings,” said Sharad Devarajan, co-founder and CEO, Graphic India. “We are also moving into live action production and planning to expand our business lines to areas such as VR and AR,” he added.

“We have already created a leadership position in the character entertainment space in the country. This investment will help us expand that dominance further and develop more properties, more co-productions and content, besides scaling up our digital initiatives for incubation of content,” said Devarajan, adding that the company will also expand its team.

“We look at digital as an area where we can create tremendous amount of digital comics and other content that can really engage with the fans. We hope to take such engaging content from there to larger animation shows, live action shows and other products,” he added.

The company was launched in 2012 by media entrepreneurs Devarajan, Gotham Chopra, the son of US-based alternative therapy practitioner and speaker Deepak Chopra and Suresh Seetharaman.

CASBAA appoints Louis Boswell as CEO

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CASBAA appoints Louis Boswell as CEO

 

By way of an announcement, CASBAA has appointed Louis Boswell as chief executive officer. Succeeding outgoing CEO Christopher Slaughter, he will begin his tenure on January 1, 2018.

In his new role, Boswell will serve as the content distribution industry’s advocate with industry leaders and policymakers throughout Asia-Pacific. Besides driving the programmes and initiatives of the association, Boswell will work with business heads of the member organisations to shape positively the increasingly rapid evolution of the industry in the region.

Boswell’s background in Asia includes senior positions at Discovery, ESPN Star Sports, BBC, AETN All Asia Networks and most recently he was the general manager, Asia for Da Vinci.

His experience includes leading businesses in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and all of the major markets in Southeast Asia.

In a press release, Joe Welch, chairman of the CASBAA board of directors and senior vice president, 21st Century Fox said, “Louis is one of the most well respected senior commercial executives in the content distribution industry in Asia. We are proud to have him leading our Association. Louis’s track record of leadership and insight make him an ideal fit to work strategically with in-country business and government leaders to address the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead as the industry continues to invest, innovate and evolve at an unprecedented pace.”

Boswell said in a press release, “I am thrilled to be joining CASBAA. The industry is changing and it is paramount that its representative body keeps up and is reflective of those changes. I believe the need for CASBAA is greater now than it ever has been and I look forward to making sure that we lead the industry from the front as we confront those changes.”

Boswell is an Oxford University graduate and speaks Mandarin and is proficient in Cantonese and Japanese.

 

Freaky Friday: FC Barcelona- Having a mix of terrific football players

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Freaky Friday: FC Barcelona- Having a mix of terrific football players

What? What are you saying? You have heard about Ronaldo, Romário, Ronaldinho and Messi but have never heard about FC Barcelona? It is the club that these four have been associated with.

Well, Futbol Club Barcelona, (FC Barcelona) commonly known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a sports club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

It is the second most valuable sports team in the world worth $3.56 billion and is the world’s second richest football club in terms of revenue with an annual turnover of €560.8 million.

The club is mostly notable for its professional football team which currently competes in La Liga, the first division of the Spanish football league system.

FC Barcelona was founded in 1899 by a group of Swiss, English and Catalan footballers led by Joan Gamper. Since the club is the symbol of Catalan culture and Catalanism, hence the motto ‘Més que un club’ (More than a club in English ). Unlike many other football clubs, the supporters own and operate Barcelona.

Domestically, Barcelona FC has won 24 La Liga, 29 Copa del Rey, 12 Supercopa de España, 3 Copa Eva Duarte and 2 Copa de la Liga trophies and is the record holder for the latter four competitions.

Internationally, the club has won twenty European and World titles four UEFA Champions League titles and one European Cup, a record four UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, a shared record five UEFA Super Cup, a record three Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and a record three FIFA Club World Cup.

Barcelona FC was ranked first in the IFFHS Club World Ranking in 1997, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2015  respectively and currently occupies the third position on the UEFA club rankings. The club has a long-standing rivalry with Real Madrid and the matches between the two are referred to as El Clásico.

The Barcelonian  team is one of the most widely supported teams in the world, and the club has one of the largest social media following in the world among sports teams.

Players of Barcelona FC have won a record number of Ballon d’Or awards (11), with recipients including Johan Cruyff, as well as a record number of FIFA World Player of the Year awards (7) along with Ronaldo, Romário and Ronaldinho.

In 2010, three players who came through the club’s youth academy namely Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta and Xavi were chosen as the three best players in the world in the FIFA Ballon d’Or awards, an unprecedented feat for players from the same football school.

Apart from its professional football senior team, FC Barcelona has a large number of successful sections that include women’s football, beach soccer, basketball, wheelchair basketball, handball, roller hockey, ice hockey, rugby union, rugby league, futsal and men’s and women’s volleyball.

Now, let us talk about the four named players of the tem viz Ronaldo, Romário, Ronaldinho and Messi.

Ronaldo, who played as a striker is now a retired person. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest football players of all time. In his prime, he was known for his dribbling at speed, feints and clinical finishing.

Romário is now a Brazilian politician who had earlier achieved worldwide fame as a professional footballer. A prolific striker renowned for his clinical finishing, he is still regarded as one of the greatest forwards of all time.

Romário starred for Brazil in their 1994 FIFA World Cup triumph, receiving the FIFA Golden Ball as player of the tournament. He was named FIFA World Player of the Year the same year. He came fifth in the FIFA Player of the Century internet poll in 1999 and was elected to the FIFA World Cup Dream Team in 2002 and was named in the FIFA 100 list of the world’s greatest living players in 2004.

Ronaldinho Gaúcho, is a former Brazilian professional footballer and ambassador of FC Barcelona. He used to play mostly as an attacking midfielder but was sometimes also deployed as a forward or a winger.

He played most of his career with European clubs Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Milan as well as he played for the Brazilian national team. Often considered one of the best players of his generation and regarded by many as one of the greatest of all time, Ronaldinho won two FIFA World Player of the Year awards and a Ballon d’Or.

He was renowned for his technical skills and creativity; due to his agility, pace and dribbling ability, as well as his use of tricks, overhead kicks, no-look passes and accuracy from free-kicks.

Messi Cuccittini, an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team. Often considered the best player in the world and regarded by many as the greatest of all time, Messi is the only player in history to win five FIFA Ballon d’Or awards,four of which he won consecutively and a record-tying four European Golden Shoes.

He won as many as 29 trophies with Barcelona, including eight La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League titles, and five Copas del Rey.

Both a prolific goal scorer and a creative playmaker, Messi holds the records for most official goals scored in La Liga (361), a La Liga season (50), a club football season in Europe (73), a calendar year (91), as well as those for most assists made in La Liga (141) and the Copa América. He has scored over 600 senior career goals for club and country.

 

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment in partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to launch Merry Minions Holiday Program

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Universal Pictures Home Entertainment in partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to launch Merry Minions Holiday Program

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has entered into a partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America in order to launch a Merry Minions Holiday Program.

The joint venture will celebrate the season along with the home entertainment release of the CG animated blockbuster Despicable Me 3.

Under the Merry Minions Holiday Programme, the Boys & Girls Club members will engage in exciting Minion-themed activities designed to foster the values of friendship, teamwork, leadership and creativity.

Participating clubs in select markets will include New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Dallas, Seattle and others will receive unique ‘Merry Minions’ holiday kits containing a variety of Despicable Me 3 party, baking and craft items to help spread the holiday cheer.

The celebrations will run throughout the month of December, as the Boys & Girls Club kids will be working together in order to create holiday ornaments or gift items, decorate baked goods, design artwork inspired by the Minions, hold Minion-themed screening parties, and more.

Let it be known that Despicable Me 3 has grossed over $1 billion at the global box office and would be available on digital and on Blu-ray, DVD, On Demand and 4K Ultra HD from December 5.

 

One Animation appoints Kids Station Toys as North American master toy partner

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One Animation appoints Kids Station Toys as North American master toy partner

One Animation has appointed Kids Station Toys as North American master toy partner for its animated comedy series Oddbods while Bentex Group has been tapped to serve as the brand’s master apparel licensee in the territory. The licensed products, including t-shirts and fashion tops, will launch in retail in fall 2018.

The Kids Station agreement will see the company create a range of branded interactive electronic toys as well as collectibles, blind bags, play sets and plush accessories.

Bentex Group, that includes its divisions Extreme Concepts and H.I.S. International will develop a line of kids apparel inspired by the colorful creatures in Oddbods.

On top of its new North American licensing partners, One Animation has inked new European agreements across a number of categories. Confectionery and juices from Talent Show will launch in Central Europe in early 2018 while deals with Confitrade (fruit gums) and Balocco (Oddbods Easter Eggs) will come to fruition in March.

Early next year will also see the launch of bedding and home textiles (Herding) across Germany, as well as a range of activity books and puzzle crafts (Nelson). Baltic will develop a line of back-to-school bags and stationery items, while Origami Group is launching a range of puzzles and an arts and crafts line in Russia.

Also in Russia, the retail chain Europe will run a loyalty programme across 50 locations next month. The initiative will distribute more than 100,000 Oddbods plush items, and is supported by TV advertising, outdoor media and in-store point of sale. In the UK, meanwhile, Coveris will provide promotional branded packaging for kids meals to the food service sector throughout 2018.

 

Half Moon Bay names Etta Saunders as new head of licensing and product development

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Half Moon Bay names Etta Saunders as new head of licensing and product development

Half Moon Bay has named Etta Saunders formerly serving Parragon Books as its new head of licensing and product development. Saunders will take up her new job at Half Moon Bay in January next year.

“Etta’s creative flair coupled with her ten years of licensing experience will bring further innovation to our classic range of high-quality product,” said Half Moon Bay’s managing director, Peter Thompson.

Saunders exclaimed, “I am chuffed to bits to be joining Half Moon Bay and will look forward to building on their success.”

Half Moon Bay’s licensed portfolio includes the likes of Disney, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Marvel, DC Comics, Doctor Who and Star Wars.

 

BBC Worldwide to merge with BBC Studios

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BBC Worldwide to merge with BBC Studios

 

In a move to compete against rival broadcasters like ITV and Endemol Shine in the best possible manner, the BBC has decided to merge its commercial arm BBC Worldwide with its production arm BBC Studios into a single operation. The combined business is expected to begin operating in April.

The new entity, which will remain as BBC Studios, will be led by Tim Davie as chief executive officer and Mark Linsey as chief creative officer will aim to bring the broadcaster in line with the rest of the industry by creating a single business plan and combined operating model.

The new business will work to maximize the IP value of BBC programming to benefit U.K. license fee payers and will support the U.K. creative economy by distributing British content as a cultural export and source of global influence. According to reports, the BBC receives about $5 billion a year from license fee payers.

The new, integrated company will also continue to invest in third party production companies and distribute non-BBC content.

In terms of brand licensing, BBC Worldwide is the world’s No. 35 largest licensor reporting $1.6 billion in licensed retail sales in 2016, according to a report.

 

Calvin Klein inks multi-year partnership with The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts

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Calvin Klein inks multi-year partnership with The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts

Calvin Klein, a wholly owned subsidiary of PVH Corp., has inked a multi-year partnership with The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts thereby allowing the fashion brand unprecedented access to the late artist’s works.

The global partnership which will be effective till 2020, will see Calvin Klein support the foundation’s endowment from which it distributes grants for contemporary visual art. In turn, Calvin Klein will be able to utilize the artist’s entire portfolio including many works that have not yet been published.

The first phase of the newly formed partnership was unveiled in September last. The collection, which will be available in January, incorporates a selection of Warhol artworks as placement screen prints including portraits of Warhol intimate and art collector Sandra Brant and movie star Dennis Hopper, as well as the pieces “Knives,” “Electric Chair” and “Ambulence Disaster.” The range also includes pieces created under license and in collaboration with Hopper Goods, a brand inspired by Dennis Hopper.

The partnership between Calvin Klein and the Andy Warhol Foundation is also expected to expand across various licensing categories and future activations within the Calvin Klein brand portfolio.

“I am proud that through this licensing agreement with The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Calvin Klein will be continuing its longstanding commitment to the celebration of American artists and their prolific work,” said Steve Shiffman, chief executive officer, Calvin Klein. “I look forward to the global rollout of this partnership across multiple levels of the Calvin Klein consumer experience,” he added.

 

Fremantle Media acquires format rights of sports entertainment series Vs Kids

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Fremantle Media acquires format rights of sports entertainment series Vs Kids

Fremantle Media has acquired the format rights of sports entertainment series Vs Kids from Japanese broadcaster TV Asahi.

Vs Kids pits former sports professionals against next-generation stars to see who will be crowned the ultimate champion.

Vasha Wallace, executive VP of global acquisitions and development at FremantleMedia, said the format had “universal appeal” and had done “incredibly well” in terms of rating and reception on TV Asahi, where it airs in prime time.

The acquisition comes shortly after the news that FremantleMedia had signed a development deal with UK production company 87 Films to collaborate on scripted projects for the international market alongside Fremantle’s global in-house producers.

 

Successor to Bob Iger almost certain!

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Successor to Bob Iger almost certain!

Amid a flurry of rumors that Disney current chairman and chairman Bob Iger has finally found a successor to him when he relinquishes office in July 2019, sources familiar with the company are of the say that it would be Bob Chapek, currently chairman of the company’s Parks & Resorts division who will succeed him.

The rumors of Chapek’s appointment come on the heels of Disney’s fiscal year-end earnings in which only Chapek’s Parks & Resorts division posted gains in both sales and operating income.

While no formal announcement, Disney is pressed for time. It may be noted that some years ago, Iger had revealed his plans to step down in 2016. However, in 2014, his tenure was extended by another two years till June 2018.

Last March, he extended his contract again to July 2, 2019 and said just last month, “This time I mean it.” The Disney board has been seeking his successor for two years.

“Leading this great company is a tremendous privilege, and I am honored to have been asked to continue serving as CEO through July 2, 2019,” says Iger. “Even with the incredible success the company has achieved, I am confident that Disney’s best days are still ahead, and I look forward to continuing to build on our proven strategy for growth while working with the board to identify a successor as CEO and ensure a successful transition.”

Earlier, Disney had two candidates in line for Iger’s role in  former executives Tom Staggs and Jay Rasulo. Staggs, who was promoted to the position of chief operating officer in 2015, left after a year  while Rasulo, the company’s former chief financial officer and parks division head, also left the company after being passed over for Staggs’ former position.

After Staggs’ departure, there has been no clear front runner for the job until now.

Chapek has led the Parks & Resorts division since 2015. Before that, the 24-year Disney veteran served as president of Disney Consumer Products from 2001 to 2015 and drove a technology-led transformation of the company’s consumer products, retail and publishing operations.

Prior to Disney Consumer Products, he served as president of distribution for Walt Disney Studios from 2009 to 2011. He also served as president of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment where he spearheaded the successful “vault strategy” for the company’s iconic films and transformed the primary of format of home entertainment from DVD to Blu-ray.

 

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