Pickle November 2013 Edition

I N D I A N E N T E R TA I N M E N T B I Z G U I D E N O VE M BE R 2013

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AMERIC AN FIL M MARKET L OS AN GEL ES

India’s Fastest Growing Post-Production Studio

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I N D I A N E N T E R TA I N M E N T B I Z G U I D E N O VE M BE R 2013

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AMERIC AN FIL M MARKET L OS AN GEL ES

India’s Fastest Growing Post-Production Studio

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WATCH OUT FOR M&E TRENDS 2014 PICKLE NEW YEAR ISSUE Pickle’s goal is to help you buy, sell and distribute content from overseas territories, find co-production partners, offshore with best of the Indian service companies and track media and entertainment business in India.

INDIA AND BEYOND

PICKLE 2014

M&E HANDBOOK Pickle Handbook 2014 is a treasure guide for everyone engaged in the business of media and entertainment. It has been conceived to help your everyday business activity. It has been designed after taking inputs from industry leaders on what is needed for today’s knowledge driven showbiz. It is one of a kind reference guide that provides much more than just contact details. The book also has a comprehensive coverage of India’s media and entertainment ecosystem. Email to pickle@in.com to know more on the guide and how to own a copy of it. It is a limited edition for the decision makers. Available from January 2014. www.picklemag.com

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FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

W

e are very happy to present the November edition of Pickle on the occasion of American Film Market 2013, Los Angeles. The American Film Market (AFM) will screen 402 motion pictures, including 75 world premieres and 321 market premieres, for thousands of buyers and industry professionals from 70 plus countries.

Undoubtedly, AFM’s a buyer’s paradise.

Around eighty per cent of the world market (leaving out countries like India & China) depend on export content and they are all here for acquisition. Also AFM is where the finest minds of Independents share experience and wisdom.

The message from the recently concluded MIPCOM and the pulse of the American Film Market is clear. The action is back to business, but with utmost caution. The focus is now to create engaging content that can play in multiple platforms.

Everywhere, people are becoming more connected, more networked. Media and entertainment would never be the same again.

Digital is leading all formats of media such movies, music, TV, games et all and a new digital media ecosystem is emerging.

The Indian contingent at AFM is as

focused as ever before. Majority of them are predominantly buyers. Depending on the genre, your film can be dubbed and explored into five to six languages for the Indian market (English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bhojpuri, Malayalam).

OTT Platforms like Ditto TV are new avenues for content distribution to reach out to target groups. YouTube has begun to offer paid movie ownership and rentals for Indian and foreign films for Indian consumers.

The Amazing Spiderman earned $14.5 mn from its release in India. Some of the Hollywood films that made a mark at box office include The Avengers ($13 mn), Skyfall ($11mn), Life of Pi ($10 mn), The Dark Knight Rises ($9mn) and MenIn-Black ($5mn).

You can get the best of the insights of Indian film market from Sanford Panitch, President, Fox International Productions featured in page no 16-19.

We are currently working on an Indian M&E handbook and #Trends2014: WhereAreWeHeading issue of Pickle capturing the exciting things that are getting shaped in the media space.

It will be in your hands around new year time. Feel free to email your thoughts and suggestions.

n vidyasagar pickle media nvidyasagar@picklemag.in, www.picklemag.com

Pickle Volume VII 6th edition Published by Pickle Media Private Limited Email: natvid@gmail.com ● Mumbai ● Chennai No.2, Habib Complex Dr Durgabhai Deshmukh Road RA Puram CHENNAI 600 028

Printed by Bon Graphics New #7, Arumugam Nagar, Dayalan Garden, Chinna Porur, Chennai – 600 116 Mobile: +91 9884816263 Email: bon_graphics@yahoo.co.in

Editorial Coordinators : M Sai Email: natvid@gmail.com

For advertising: natvid@gmail.com

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Pickle Handbook 2013 Copyright 2013 by Pickle Media Pvt Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Pickle is an ad supported business guide tracking the filmed entertainment business in India. This is a curtain raiser issue for CII Big Picture Summit 2013.

pickle entertainment biz guide

Layout Design: M Agnes Julie Consulting Photo Editor: K K Laskar

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Conferences: April 5 –10, 2014 | Exhibits: April 7–10 Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada USA

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Exhibits-only Pass: Use code PA01

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR

MUST

DO THINGS AT

AFM

American Film Market is the pivotal destination for independent filmmakers, directors, distributors, financiers, producers, talents, writers and all those who provide services to the worldwide motion picture industry. Here’s a peek at what to expect this year PRODUCER’S FORUM NEW AT AFM

What’s new this year is the Producers Forum, set up in response to the growing needs of the independent filmmaking community.

This is exclusively for experienced producers from around the world, to learn and network at the AFM. The participation at AFM Producers Forum is limited to 350 producers.

AFM IN NUMBERS BEST NETWORKING MARKET

“The 2013 American Film Market will screen 402 films, including 321 Market Premieres and 75 World Premieres, from 51 countries.

Films in 30 languages will be screened for more than 8,000 buyers and industry professionals from more than 70 countries” Jonathan Wolf AFM Managing Director Executive VP, Independent Film & Television Alliance

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FILMS TO WATCH & BUY AT AFM

MUST ATTEND

CONFERENCE SERIES

■ Entertainment One is selling foreign rights of Daniel Radcliffe’s romantic comedy The F Word ■ Pathe is selling international markets of Idris Elba’s Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom ■ Cory Monteith’s McCanick, is for sale in international markets though Bleiberg Entertainment

Finance Conference: It gives a macro view of emerging trends in what is going on in film financing Pitch Conference: You will learn the essential rules and tools of pitching from the experts Production Conference: One of the focus sessions this year will be on Crowdfunding Marketing Conference: The focus this year will be on Crowdsourcing Your Audience and film festivals Distribution Conference: Video on Demand 2014 and Specialty film release strategies will be explored.

■ Gia Coppola’s Palo Alto, starring Emma Roberts, James Franco and Val Kilmer; ■ Love Punch, starring Pierce Brosnan and Emma Thompson; the documentary ■ Made in America, directed by Ron Howard, starring Jay Z and Kanye West ■ Night Moves, starring Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning and Peter Sarsgaard ■ Two Night Stand, starring Miles Teller, Analeigh Lipton and Jessica Szohr; ■ Joe, starring Nicolas Cage and Tye Sheridan

WATCH MONSOON SHOOTOUT

AFM SCREENING NOV 11; 11:00; AMC 7 MONSOON SHOOTOUT (directed by Amit Kumar, International ales Agency FORTISSIMO FILMS) explores the impact that one’s choices make on the lives of others. As heavy monsoon rains lash the badlands of Mumbai, Adi, a rookie cop out on his first assignment faces a life altering decision when he must decide whether to shoot or not to shoot.

WHAT IS NEW AT AFM

JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) and UniJapan are creating a 2,000-square-foot Japan Pavilion. Unifrance is back again to the AFM. Relativity Media will participate in the American Film Market for the first time.

For those looking to enter China market attend industry conversations on November 7 Hong Kong: Asia’s Co-production Centre and Gateway to China.

ONE BILLION DOLLARS 5

Business deals generated at AFM

pickle entertainment biz guide

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INDIA AT AFM

ROHIT SHARMA Head – International Sales & Distribution Fox Star Studios

KAMAL GIANCHANDANI President PVR LTD

V. NAAGARAJAN

RUPESH PAUL

CEO Pyramid Entertainment Exports

Producer – Director RPPL

Linking India With AFM Rohit Sharma Fox Star Studios India Head – International Sales & Distribution

Fox Star Studios India is a joint venture between 20th Century Fox and STAR, Asia’s leading media conglomerate, to produce world-class local-language films for worldwide distribution. Fox Star Studios first film ‘My Name is Khan’ was a worldwide success and has done $23.5 million totally at the box-office outside India. Rohit is at AFM with forthcoming film Bullet Raja (an action thriller directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia starring Saif Ali Khan and Sonakshi Sinha) and half-a-dozen library titles (including Murder 3).

Kamal Gianchandani President, PVR Ltd

PVR is India’s leading Multiplex Cinema Exhibition company. They pioneered the multiplex revolution in India by establishing the first multiplex cinema in 1997. PVR currently operates a cinema circuit consisting of 398 screens spread across 92 cinemas covering 37 cities in India. PVR is the dominant leader and commands 30-35 per cent share of box office collections for Hollywood movies in India & 20-25 per cent share of Bollywood movies. Kamal Gianchandani is at

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AFM to acquire all rights for Hollywood films and other foreign language films for India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Pakistan territories.

V Naagarajan CEO, Pyramid Entertainment Exports

Naagarajan is at AFM to acquire English feature films for Indian territory (theatrical and non-theatrical). The company specialises in imports and exports of films and is based out of Chennai, India. Pyramid also distributes English, French, Spanish, Malay, Singhala and Chinese Programmes (feature films, tele-films, serials, documentary, educational programmes, sports) for overseas Market.

Rupesh Paul RPPL, Producer-Director

Makers of the Kamasutra Trliogy. The first production Kamasutra 3D is nearing completion. RPPL was founded by Rupesh Paul, Director of Saint Dracula 3D, the Hollywood movie which got long listed in three categories in Oscar Awards 2013.

Experts in 3D content production, Rupesh Paul and his RPPL team are at AFM for Worldwide Pre Sale of Kamasutra 3D. LIKE PICKLE IN FACEBOOK

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NEW RELEASES

SHOWBIZ in

ot just big movies, small films too are doing well at the box office. 2013 has been a really good and successful year for Indian film industry. The film sector is on a sustained growth path for the last three years. Overall, the box office collections have grown by over 40 per cent, this year. The multiplex screens - both in urban areas and small towns- have contributed to this growth. Good content, smart marketing and distribution strategy are reasons for this success.

Here’s a preview of top Hindi films to be released in November and December.

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All Eyes on Krrish 3 It is one of the most ambitious superhero Hindi movie to hit screens from Indian cinema. Where ever you go, people can’t stop talking about Hrithik Roshan starring sci-fi film Krrish 3 (FilmKRAFT Productions directed by Rakesh Roshan) slated for release on November 1.

There are icecream, video game, comic book on Krrish3, already 17 million hits for its trailer in YouTube and much more. The superhero franchise, which began in 2003 with Koi Mil Gaya and Krrish (2006), is about to hit over 5,000 screens with the third edition. It will also be dubbed and released in Tamil and Telugu).

Apart from Hrithik, it also stars Vivek Oberoi, Kangana Ranaut and Priyanka Chopra. Hrithik is proud of the project, especially as his father took a decision to use all ‘Hindustani’ artists for the visual effects and action.

“It is great that our cinema has come to a stage where, in one percent of the budget of a Hollywood film, so much can be incorporated,” said Hrithik.

FilmKRAFT will distribute in the domestic market and Eros International will distribute in the overseas market. “ Krrish 3 is the most awaited film this year,” says Pranab Kapadia, President – Marketing & Distribution, Eros International.

GLOBAL SALES EROS INTERNATIONAL KUMAR AHUJA ALICE COELHO President, Business Development VP Syndication Sales kumar.ahuja@erosintl.com alice.coelho@erosintl.com

Shakespeare’s Touch in Ram-Leela Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s RamLeela will open the 13th edition of Marrakech International Film Festival, starting November 29 in Morocco. The screening will be attended by Bhansali as well as the film’s leading lady Deepika Padukone. Ram-Leela, also starring Ranveer Singh, is a contemporary take on William Shakespeare’s famous play Romeo-Juliet. Co-produced by Eros International’s Kishore Lulla and Bhansali, Ram-Leela will hit theatres in India November 15.

Bhansali, known for making many a magum-opus (like Devdas) has added grandeur to the music album and it’s a feast for music lovers GLOBAL SALES EROS INTERNATIONAL KUMAR AHUJA ALICE COELHO President, Business Development VP Syndication Sales kumar.ahuja@erosintl.com alice.coelho@erosintl.com

A Point Blank Film Bullett Raja, set in the backdrop of a mafia based in Uttar Pradesh, will be an action packed entertainer.

This is Fox Star Studios’ biggest release of the year.

National Award winning director Tigmanshu Dhulia is back with his latest Bollywood venture, starring Saif Ali Khan, Sonakshi Sinha, It is the story of a common man Raja Mishra, who transforms into a dreaded gangster. A victim of the system, Raja’s life changes as he takes on those that rule, and shakes the nexus of the police, the government and the industrialists.

GLOBAL SALES FOX STAR STUDIOS INDIA ROHIT SHARMA Head – Intl. Sales & Distribution rohits@in.foxstarstudios.com

KANIKA VASUDEVA Associate VP – Intl Sales kanika.vasudeva@in.foxstarstudios.com

The Name is R.Rajkumar R.Rajkumar (earlier known as Rambo Rajkumar) is an action film directed by Prabhu Deva and written by Shiraz Ahmed.

The movie is produced

by Viki Rajani and Eros International. The film stars Shahid Kapoor and Sonakshi Sinha in lead roles.

Kannada actress Ragini Dwivedi will be making her Bollywood entry in the same song which will also feature Scarlett Wilson.

GLOBAL SALES EROS INTERNATIONAL KUMAR AHUJA ALICE COELHO President, Business Development VP Syndication Sales kumar.ahuja@erosintl.com alice.coelho@erosintl.com

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GLOBAL SALES YASH RAJ FILMS AVTAR PANESAR Vice President, International Operations avtar@yashrajfilms.com

It’s Dhoom Time Again

Yash Raj Film’s Dhoom 3 (D:3) is by far the most ambitious, most expensive, and the most awaited film from India this year. Also what’s interesting for the domestic and global audience is that D:3 is the first Indian film in IMAX, and the stunts in the film are quite spectacular so the audiences will really enjoy the ride in IMAX. D:3 has Aamir Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Katrina Kaif and Uday Chopra in lead roles among others.

The Dhoom franchise has been a tremendous success among Indian audiences around the world, and Dhoom:3 is all set to pump up the adrenaline again. Produced by Aditya Chopra, D:3 is written and directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya, popularly known as Victor, who has written Dhoom and Dhoom 2.

VIEW FROM THE TOP

Selling Hollywood ďŹ lms to Indian audiences was appealing for small growing pockets of Indian moviegoers, but not for mass audiences Sanford Panitch President Fox International Productions

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Hollywood AND

INDIA Reflections of Sanford Panitch, President, Fox International Productions, on the fast changing Indian film market. Excerpts from his address at the recently concluded CII Big Picture Summit

I

ndian cinema is undergoing big changes today. But we can’t talk about today without looking back - we don’t need to look too far, but let’s look to the near past of five years ago. Globally, until that time US studios had driven most of the revenues from making their own product and pushing this product out through their worldwide marketing distribution machines. This worked most everywhere for a long time, with a few notable exceptions, especially of course in India.

As we entered these emerging markets: Asia, South Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, the surprising realization was twofold: One, the more opportunity and access the audience was given to Hollywood didn’t always radically upset the ratio of Local films to Hollywood films.

In India of course it didn’t give the stu-

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dios any more than the scant 7-10% of the market we see today. Selling Hollywood films to Indian audiences was appealing for small growing pockets of Indian moviegoers, but not for mass audiences.

The other realization we learned is that it wasn’t only English language that was the hurdle, it was the entire Western storytelling itself that was part of the impediment.

Cut to 2013: every major studio is now set up in India making Indian language films, and all of these major US studios are producing Local language films in more than a dozen International markets where the Local market share is significant.

The Chennai born CEO of Pepsi, Indra Nooyi, refers to a term “dominant logic” that applies perfectly here. I like this

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term because it perfectly describes common business sense superseding old customs and outdated practices. Hollywood studios making local films in India is dominant logic for sure.

I remember when we set up our office six years ago, there was not a single Hollywood film in the top 25. In 2011, there was one. In 2012, there were four Hollywood in the top 25. We were lucky enough to have four films in the top 25 last year, of course three were Bollywood films and also Life of Pi, clear evidence that some grasp is happening. Locally of course is where we all are seeing genuine new spaces opening up, targeted youth films like Fukrey or Student Of The Year, lower budgeted horror that can primarily be targeted to young men, but more importantly it is the profit margins for these films that are healthier than in the past.

When you think about the female centric breakout films recently such as, Fashion, to Kahaani to No One Killed Jessica, to Dirty Picture, to Heroine, to English Vinglish, it’s really quite remarkable the size of a segment non existent just a few years ago. Instead of the Indian audience simplistically being divided into “mainstream or non-mainstream”, there indeed seems to be a quadrants of kind being developed which studios can make films for, and profitably succeed with. And, while traditional large scale all audience movie star films still take the majority of the market share in India, we should be encouraged to see films like Bhaag Milkha Bhaag where a great script and innovative casting can go on to become a breakout success. We need more of this.

We continue to believe there is a huge opportunity in India in 3D. I recall during Avatar there were only 54 3D screens, and now there are over 500 2K 3D. To continue to take bold creative chances, there needs to be a more viable business model for these films to be greenlit in the first place. As everyone here knows, US studios heavily rely on a windowing model to monetize our content through multiple distribution platforms over time.

Those significant ancillary revenues are critical to our overall economic model. In the US for the industry overall, the theatrical business accounts for about 27% of studio revenues with 34% coming from the home entertainment market, and the remaining 39% coming from television distribution. In India 90% of the revenue comes from Theatrical and TV. In the US Home Entertainment consumer spending is around $18 Billion. The entire International Global Home Entrainment consumer spend including India and China is only 20% higher than the US at about $22 billion. Yet, the International popu-

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lation is almost 20 times the size of the US population. To put it more clearly, the Home Entertainment per capita spend in the US is around $58, while Internationally it’s only around $3. If the International Home Entertainment per capita spend were $15 dollars, just one quarter of the US amount, International Home Entertainment spend would be off the charts at around $100 Billion. In order to monetize this increased consumption we all face some of the same impediments. one of course is piracy, essentially the theft of intellectual property. To tackle online piracy, we need to come at the problem from several angles. First, we need to take stronger action against pirate sites, and governments can help in this regard through initiatives including site-blocking. Second, we need do a better job at educating the public on piracy, helping them understand that it’s not a victimless crime. Far from it, what’s at stake is the development and growth of the film industry itself - creating thousands of new jobs and protecting the livelihood of those who today depend on film production to make their living. And finally, studios and distribution platforms must also do our part to continue to innovate in our distribution models, offering different ways to access legitimate content that provides convenience and fair value for consumers. This is particularly true in India where we need to literally create and then protect a home entertainment window for legitimate digital consumption. This is the best example of dominant logic, where’s business sense replaces woefully outdated practices, such as monetizing the so called dark zone before the Television window. Until this happens profits will remain thin even with increased screens and India film library value will remain depressed. But The audience needs to be active agents in our process. As Indian audiences are more exposed to the blight of piracy, and more exposed to different kinds of film content and accessing legitimate content wherever they want on a host of devices, a mating of sorts is happening where ideas are consumed, and combined, and recombined, and a generation of filmmakers are creating new content from these influences in exciting new ways.

We are seeing the strong evidence of this here in India, and many places in the world. For all of us working in a business that fundamentally runs on betting on creative potential, these changes that remind us about how precious the resource of creativity is, how important it is to protect it. It is the engine that expands jobs, brings opportunity and best of all, excites our imagination.

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SOFT POWER

Busting the Bollywood Myth The domestic market for Indian films is larger and growing faster than the global one. And most studios are focussed on that, for now, says Vanita Kohli Khandekar

Excerpted in large parts from ‘Hard Facts about Soft Power’, a paper the author presented at the University of Westminster recently

(Vanita Kohli-Khandekar is a media specialist and writer. She has been tracking the Indian media and entertainment business for over a decade. Currently she is a columnist and writer for Business Standard and Mid-Day. Her earlier stints include one at Businessworld and Ernst & Young. A Cambridge University fellow (2000), Vanita teaches at some of the top media schools in India. The fourth edition of her book, The Indian Media Business (Sage), was launched in September 2013.

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T

he global discussion on the soft power of Indian films is heartening. But it is hugely misguided. The fact is that after rising for a few years, the market for films coming out of India has halved to about $138 million in 2012. The reasons are not hard to find.

One, Indians have moved away from the ‘wedding ritual’ films while large sections of the global market are still into it. Two, the Indian market is huge now and growing much faster than the global one, so most studios choose to focus on it. And three, even if they want to, Indian studios do not have the size to make it big in the global markets. Not yet.

The demand for Indian films in the global market is driven by 22 million non-resident Indians or NRIs. It was their need to plug into stories from home is what gave rise to the boom in the nineties. Films such as Hum Aapke Hain Kaun(1994), Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge(1995) and Karan Johar with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) among other rode it for all it was worth.

The times they are changing In the nineties, when the overseas market took off, the film business in India was a basket case. It had been battered by cable television, piracy and black money. Every part of the value chain – production, distribution and retail (theatres) – was fragmented, chaotic and unviable. Films were failing, there was no growth, ticket prices were not rising and revenues were leaking consistently.

So when the demand for elaborate song and dance melodramas in the US, UK and the Middle East started rising, Indian producers hung on to it. The difference between the dollar and the rupee, better average prices in the UK and the US and a domestic market in the doldrums meant that a film that did well abroad could get 40 per cent or more of its revenues from there.

As a result of this the UK, the US and the Middle East became some of the biggest, most important markets for Indi-

pickle entertainment biz guide

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THE WORLD’S TOP FIVE STUDIOS RANGE BETWEEN $4-9 BILLION IN REVENUES. UNTIL HALF A DOZEN INDIAN STUDIOS HIT A TOPLINE OF AT LEAST A BILLION DOLLARS, SO BECOMING A POWER IN THE OVERSEAS MARKET IS DIFFICULT an films from the mid-nineties to about 2004. They brought in more than three-fourth of the total overseas box-office revenues for Indian films.

However by 2004-05 things started changing.

The granting of industry status which allowed the flow of organised capital(1998), the tax breaks for multiplexes (2001) and the launch of digital cinema (2003) all led to changes at the retail end. The tide began to turn. As capital began to flow into the building of screen infrastructure – multiplexes in the big towns and digital screens in the small ones –the Indian industry was transforming or transformed. Multiplexes and single-screen digitisation meant computerised ticketing and, therefore, total transparency.

The result: the total revenues of what was seen as a dead industry ten years ago, have grown nearly three-fold during this while.

This growth has unleashed the creative spirit of this industry. Johnny Gaddar (2007), Kai Po Che (2012), Vicky Donor, Oh! My God(2012) are among a rising number of films that say their stories without hiring star directors or star actors. Vicky Donor, for instance, is a take on issues a sperm donor faces with a twist of humour. Oh! My God is about an atheist who files a lawsuit against god when the insurance company fails to pay up for his business loss, citing an ‘act of god.’ These films now routinely find commercial success.

However they do not seem to work with the traditional audience for Indian films outside of India. If you track the 20-30 films that did well overseas versus the ones that performed in India over the last 6 years, the difference starts to show after the top five films. Avtar Panesar vice president, international operations, Yashraj Films, points out why. “The overseas market is very star-driven, extravaganza-driven.

Now, the US is changing. The UK, though, is less inclined to experiment. It is very much into weddings. It is still stuck in the old times. So Bhaag Milkha Bhaag(2013) did only quarter of a million pounds in the UK but $1.5 million in the US,” says he.

The result of this creative disconnect is that at an overall level, the global market now brings in only 6.7 per cent of the total revenues for Indian films, down from 30 to 40 per cent in 2000. “There is healthy double digit growth (in overseas) but it is not comparable with the growth in domestic theatrical,” says Ajit Andhare, chief operating officer, Viacom18 Motion Pictures.

Now add another factor. Films are one of the biggest drivers of television viewership. So cash-rich television firms happily pay top dollar for film rights, usually at the preproduction stage. The television rights alone could get anywhere from 20-40 per cent of a film’s revenue.

This then creates a bigger, stronger market for Indian films, within India. Why chase markets which aren’t very large and don’t sync with the domestic demand?

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Johnny Gaddar (2007), Kai Po Che (2012), Vicky Donor, Oh! My God (2012) are among a rising number of films that say their stories without hiring star directors or star actors. These films now routinely find commercial success.

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2500

2000

1500

1000

500

0 2008

2009

2010

TV rights ($mn)

2011

2012

Total revenues ($mn)

The biggest hit from India so far, Fox Star Studios’ My Name is Khan, has done $23.5 million totally at the box-office outside India A question of size

Eros International is the largest studio in India.

It has a topline of

$195 million and is the only one with a serious muscle in the global market 22

The big Indian hits earn between US$7-$10 million overseas– and sometimes a little more – but these are few and far in-between. There are countless others that earn a few thousand dollars each. There maybe a bigger market for many of these because the appeal of Indian films goes beyond just 22 million NRIs. That is evident from their success in the Middle East, China, Morocco, Hong Kong and dozens of other countries. These need to be nurtured before they start delivering results. Indian studios however do not have this muscle, as yet. The largest, Eros, has a top line of US$195 million, and is the only one with any serious muscle in the global market. The world’s top five studios range between US$4-9 billion in revenues. Until half a dozen Indian studios hit a top line of at least a billion dollars, becoming a power in the overseas market is difficult.

“India’s soft power is a myth fuelled by the media. If a film does US$2.5 million in America the trade and business press here go mad. But that US$2.5 million has not even registered in the top 100 at the box office there. For the Hollywood studios to actually invest in a team to distribute Indian content is not possible because they don’t have the bandwidth and the ROI (return on investment) does not justify it,” says the former India head of a large Hollywood studio.

Indian films start popping up on the charts only after the first 100, sometimes first 200 films. Other cinemas, such as French or Chinese, routinely do between US$10-30 million or more on the box-office numbers. Amelie(2001) did US$33 million at the US box office, while Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) did a mammothUS$1.28 billion. The biggest hit out of India so far, My Name is Khan has done US$23.5 million totally at the box-office outside of India.

So India has a long way to go.

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EUROPEAN FILM MARKET  IT ALL STARTS HERE.

614 Feb 2014

Early Bird Registration until Nov 30.

Online Film Submission until Dec 20.

WWW.EFM-BERLINALE.DE

We’re not just a post production studio but also a state of mind... where river of creativity combines with zeal and skills on the plains of technology Vijay Gutte Promoter VRG Digital Corporation

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ADDING VALUE TO ENTERTAINMENT

AFTER’s POST-PRODUCTIVITY AFTER began its journey as a Visual Entertainment Services company offering post-production services to broadcast and digital advertisements. It is now India’s fastest growing studio in the domain AFTER is the talk of the town in Mumbai. It is just a two-year-old brand but its creative and business minds are making their productive output heard everywhere. It has emerged as India’s fastest growing post-production company.

AFTER, a division of VRG Digital Corporation, is promoted by Sunil HiTech Engineers Limited, a listed entity with commitment and backing to establish, develop and expand a state-of-the-art facility for domestic and international Media & Entertainment industry.

“It is the innovative approach and disruptive thinking that has taken us to where we are,’’ says young entrepreneur Vijay Gutte, lead promoter of AFTER and also Director (Finance) at Sunil HiTech Engineers Ltd. ``We have the best creative and marketing minds in the industry. Their perseverance and dedication have shaped AFTER and we have many milestones to cross.’’

AFTER has a highly experienced team of skilled individuals with a creative bent of mind, constantly on the search for challenges to push the frontiers of the digital domain.

“We’re not just a post production studio but also a state of mind... where river of creativity combines with zeal and skills on the plains of technology,’’ says Gutte.

The journey of AFTER began as a Visual

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Entertainment Services company offering post production services to broadcast and digital advertisements. As services grew, a new offshoot EVERAFTER was created as a Production arm which has completed 26 ad films in a short span of six months.

As the company came close to the creative community, it grabbed the opportunity in talent management space creating AFTER GLITZ which manages some of the leading celebrities as their established clients.

The latest offshoot of AFTER brand is FOREVERAFTER (FA Studios) which has been catering to global markets in the CGI Animation and VFX space. FA Studios has begun to execute global projects and has created state-of-the-art facility (150 seats) with workflow and pipeline to manage 250+ artists working round the clock to create fascinating imagery.

“Ours is a 360 degrees approach and the primary focus is to service clients,’’ says Satish Baker Fenn, who has been instrumental in managing the business process of the AFTER. The brain behind AFTER Glitz, Fenn has professionalised talent management for Indian celebrities. AFTER Glitz follows some of the best practices followed globally in celebrity management.

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AFTER’s stateof-the-art studio is fully equipped to cater to all post-production needs. Combine this with an amazing set of talent, well strategised work flow, and experienced team, AFTER is a complete solution to all creative business requirements.

A production house specialising in ad films. It is a promising platform for professional artists to set a high benchmark in the industry in terms of their work and creativity.

It is one of India’s premiere Talent Management Agencies which provides entertainment and marketing solutions. AFTER Glitz provides a 360 degrees approach to talent management by moving beyond the basics. It taps areas like Endorsements, Appearances, adhoc PR, CSR and so on.

State-of-theart facilities for domestic and international M&E Industry with focus on long format content production.

FA Studios has modeled business in such a way as to do offshore product development work (work for hire) and looks at co-production in CGI Animation and VFX space with global leaders.

Imaginative, proactive and timely solutions are its key strengths that helped AFTER in satisfying clients creatively, technically and financially earned quick name in international markets serving to long format CGI Animated & VFX Content. “We at FA have now successfully delivered 3 DVDs to Sony Pictures, Lions Gate and Kickstart Entertainment in a short span of 10 months,’’ says Raakesh Parekh, CEO, FA Studios and a top technical mind in the CGI Animation and VFX space.

As the Director (Business Development), Shyam Salgoankar, aka Sally, is a creative asset for AFTER. With numerous awards under his belt, the unassuming air of Sally charms everyone.

The eye he has for details along with the creative edge makes his edits a work of art. He has come a long way from sound syncing for legendary director

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Manmohan Desai, to being an assistant editor at numerous studios before this venture.

AFTER renders best creative solutions comprehending the client’s project and requirements. Imaginative, proactive and timely solutions are its key strengths that have helped it in satisfying clients creatively, technically and financially.

Customised solutions to clients as per their specifications and budget, flexible pricing, powerful and proven “after” creative technologies are some of the strengths of the organisation.

In short, AFTER helps its clients realize and structure an intelligent drive to media solutions.

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ADVANTAGE ULTRA

Ultra Group has created a portfolio of services under one roof. Here’s a sneak peek into the advantages offered by Ultra for AFM delegates

State-of-the-art facilities at Ultra

Ultra has set up technical studio facilities needed in-house and has been hiring out its capacities. It is equipped with stateof-the-art on-line and off-line editing studios, all types of video transfers, DVD authoring facilities, dubbing studio and post-production facilities.

In short, Ultra is very well equipped with multiple units for various purposes to provide timely solutions to its clients.

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2D to 3D Conversions – UR3D is able to process an existing film (HD or higher (2K-4K)) and dimensionalize it for playback for: 3D stereo cinemas (RealD, Dolby3D), 3D stereo home systems (side by side or anaglyph) and/or digital signage systems (auto-stereoscopic, multi-view). Our process is in a controlled environment.

Production Consulting Services - For current or future productions that want to convert rather than film in 3D Stereo (based upon budgeting and preference), UR3D can provide a professional stereographer that would be available on set and/or off set to coordinate certain shots with the Director and D.P.

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3D Production Services - As an integrated 3D service company, Ultra embraces live-action 3D. It works together with the top people in 3D production industry to create unique environments designed to achieve uncompromising quality, from pre-production through delivery and finally end-user experience.

We are a single window source from production to distribution and an end-to-end studio solution provider. We assure quality service with substantial savings Sushilkumar Agrawal Managing Director Ultra Group

Film Restoration - Ultra’s newest thing in old film restoration is the cutting edge technology, brand new ARRISCAN Archive System with WETGATE technology, a multidisciplinary and data-centric approach to film restoration. The titles we work on end up looking and sounding more beautiful than when they were first seen in theatres.

State-of-the-art scanning is also done. Digital Restoration for Picture and Sound is one more advantage at Ultra.

Colorisation - Ultra’s wide range of facilities and experience in the technology side of the media industry, transformed many great black & white films into colorised version which have been telecasted on top television channels to cater the audience of the current generation keeping the aesthetic value of that era where the film belonged to.

Other Studio facilities offered by Ultra include digital intermediate & colour grading, DCP mastering, dubbing and editing units.

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IT’S WHERE YOU NEED TO BE

Block Your Diary for ATF

Asia TV Forum has come up with a line-up that reflects the evolution that TV content is undergoing. Comprehensive conference sessions, including a richly-packed one-day pre-market conference on December 3, are in store

A

sia TV Forum & Market (ATF), Asia’s leading entertainment content market, together with ScreenSingapore, unveils four days of comprehensive conference sessions, including a richly-packed one-day premarket conference on 3 December.

Television content in Asia remains dynamic, with today’s transformative technology and the viewers’ desire for interaction driving innovation and creativity.

Understanding this, ATF has come up with a line-up that reflects the evolution that TV content is undergoing. From a session providing an overview with David McGregor, Managing Partner, Technology, Media & Entertainment, Telecommunications (TMT), Ernst & Young (Australia) to one showcasing Asia’s version of ad-supported on-demand video streaming featuring Tommy Lee, Head of Business Content Module, SK Planet (South Korea) to workshops and master classes with the best in the industry, delegates will find their appetite for information on developments in the industry whetted.

“The ATF conference gives us the opportunity to discuss our entertainment and factual entertainment formats that have seen global success and can also appeal to Asian audiences”, said Beale.

Hear too from some of Asia’s most desirable buyers. With the changes in programming expected in China, Beryl Yan, Head of Programme Strategy Department, Hunan Satellite TV (China) and Summer Zheng, Director of Formats, Zhejiang Satellite TV (China) will join Shenthil Ranie, Content Acquisition Manager Entertainment, Samsung South East Asia (South Korea) and Lee Soo Hui, Head of Media Business Unit, Starhub (Singapore) to consider what the implications are.

New to Asia TV Forum this year is MIPAcademy Singapore

Some highlights will include a panel on the booming formats community in Asia. In addition to Vivian Yin, Chief Representative & Deputy General Manager, Star China International Media Ltd (China), Mike Beale, Director of International Formats, ITV Studios (UK) will also be sharing the latest on formats news and what they think will be the Next Big Format.

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And some of the top documentary commissioners in the region will also be sharing a panel to discuss their acquisition plans and their expectations from production companies.

The event also has a spotlight on the Asian film industry, with strong conference line-up. There will be panels on a range of topics, including one on film financing in the burgeoning South East Asia region. It is to be noted that India and China, the two highly populated countries in the world, have strong media and entertainment industries that are fast growing.

The event will take place from 3 to 6 December at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. For more details, log on to www.asiatvforum.com and www. screensingapore.com.sg.

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ANIMATION AWARDS

Honour for Tapaas Tapaas Chakravarti, Chairman of DQ Entertainment, will receive the Lifetime Achievement-Hall of Fame Award for his contributions to the growth of the animation industry. The award will be presented at the World Animation & VFX Summit in California.

“It’s been an honor to report on Tapaas’s amazing achievements and international partnerships in our magazine over the past 25 years,” says Jean Thoren, president of Animation Magazine and founder of the World Animation & VFX Summit.

June Foray, Hollywood’s animation icon will also receive Lifetime Achievement-Hall of Fame Award. Original Vision Award will be presented to Chris Sanders and Kirk DeMicco.

Tapaas Chakravarti Chairman DQ Entertainment

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15TH MUMBAI FILM FESTIVAL

Mumbai Film Festival brought cinema enthusiasts face to face in active engagement with the likes of Costa-Gavras, Bruce Beresford and Asghar Farhadi

Veteran actor Kamal Hassan received the Lifetime achievement award from Prithviraj Chavan, Chief Minister, Maharashtra

by Saibal Chatterjee

T

Saibal Chatterjee is New Delhi-based film critic and writer who has worked with several leading publications, served on the editorial board of Encyclopaedia Britannica’s volume on Hindi cinema and authored a biography of poet-filmmaker Gulzar

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he 15th edition of the Mumbai Film Festival (October 17-24, 2013) opened and closed with two American films inspired by real-life events – Lee Daniel’s The Butler and Bill Condon’s The Fifth Estate, respectively. But that apart, the focus of the eight-day event was squarely on some of the less visible cinematic streams from around the world.

A bunch of outstanding documentaries, a complement of restored classics, a package of films from war-ravaged Afghanistan, a celebration of Spanish cinema, a wide array of French offerings, and the latest works of acclaimed masters of world cinema, among a host of other sections, constituted the core of the festival this year.

Especially well-received were a six-film retrospective of Costa-Gavras and a three-film tribute to the French maverick Leos Carax. Both the filmmakers were in attendance and engaged in free-wheeling conversations with the audience in the course of the festival.

In his message in the catalogue of the 15th MFF, festival director Srinivasan Narayanan wrote: “The theme… simply is to showcase the best films from around the world. The endeavour has been to stimulate robust academic activity in the field of cinema through work-

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Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar’s Katiyabaaz, a lively documentary on electricity pilferage and its many ramifications in power-deficient Kanpur, won the Golden Gateway shops, master classes, panel discussions and interaction with the masters of cinema.”

So, the 15th MFF proffered more than just film viewings. It brought cinema enthusiasts face to face in active engagement with the likes of Costa-Gavras, Bruce Beresford and Asghar Farhadi. For those that known their cinema, it was a dream come true.

Among the most applauded films screened across three venues in the city – Liberty, Metro and Cinemax Versova – were Tsai Ming Liang’s Stray Dogs, Ethan and Joel Coen’s Inside Llewyn Davis, Asghar Farhadi’s Le Passe, Chadian director Mahamat-Saleh Haroun’s Grigris, Alex Gibney’s The Armstrong Lie and Abdellatif Kechiche’s Palme d’Or winner Blue is the Warmest Colour.

The Bruce Beresford-led international jury chose the Mexican film La Jaula de Oro (The Golden Cage), a road movie about three teenage Guatemalans trying to make it to the US, for the festival’s top prize, the Golden Gateway.

The four other members of the international jury were French actress Nathalie Baye, Japanese actor-director Masato Harada, Toronto-based writer-director Deepa Mehta and Indian actress Konkona Sen Sharma.

La Juala de Oro, which screened in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section earlier this year, is the first feature from Diego Quemada-Diez, who began his career as an assistant to Ken Loach.

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Another remarkable first film, the Marathi-language Fandry, directed by Nagraj Manjule, won the Jury Grand Prize (the Silver Gateway) for the second best entry in the international competition.

A powerful comment on caste dynamics in rural Maharashtra, Fandry is an unflinching probe into a Dalit schoolboy’s constant struggle to rise above his ingrained misgivings about his little dreams and aspirations as they come up short against the unforgiving social realities around him.

In the India Gold category, Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar’s Katiyabaaz, a lively documentary on electricity pilferage and its many ramifications in power-deficient Kanpur, won the Golden Gateway.

Anup Singh’s Qissa, a contemplative exploration of the deleterious effects of Partition on the mind and heart of a man uprooted from his land, was adjudged the second best Indian film and conferred the Silver Gateway award.

Assamese filmmaker Manju Borah’s Ko: Yad (The Silent Way), a film in the Mising language about a boatman fighting the elements and persistent poverty, won a Special Jury Prize.

The India Gold jury was headed by Oscarwinning Iranian director Asghar Farhadi. The other members of this jury were former Hong Kong international Film Festival director Roger Garcia, Afghan filmmaker Siddiq Barmak, British-Indian film and television director Waris Hussein and Australian film editor Jill Bilcock.

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MEDIA VISIONARY

Throughout the history, in not one instance did a new form of mass media replace an earlier form Jeffrey Katzenberg CEO DreamWorks Animation

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DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg is 2013 MIPCOM’s Personality of the Year. He delivered a keynote speech on the evolving TV, Film and online markets In the four decades I’ve been in the entertainment industry, I don’t think there’s ever been a time filled with so many new and unique opportunities for the world of television, Jeffrey Katzenberg said, adding: ‘But the reality is that everything about the opportunity isn’t always simple or easy’.

‘Opportunity involves risk. And, in many instances, it feels threatening. This is because a lot of people see the world as a zero-sum game. According to this view, if one person seizes a new opportunity, then someone else has to lose ground.’

Katzenberg cited a quote from Intel’s Sean Maloney in 2007 claiming traditional TV models were about to ‘completely unravel’, and noted that since then TV viewing has not only maintained its existing levels, but has grown.

‘So, it seems that all the zero-sum thinkers maybe should reconsider their math. Yes, there will continue to be exponential growth of Internetdelivered content, but linear TV will continue to do just fine,’ he said.

‘And I think I can prove it to you.’

Katzenberg took a whiz-stop tour of the last 550 years of the media business, from Gutenberg’s printing press in 1445, via the first newspaper 150 years later, and then film, radio, television and the web.

“If people like Sean Maloney were to be right in their predictions that the Internet will render linear television obsolete, then this would go against the entire half-millennium history of mass media,” said Katzenberg.

“Throughout this history, in not one instance did a new form of mass media replace an earlier form.”

Katzenberg highlighted DreamWorks’ strategy of continuously producing movies and series for linear TV channels, while also striking ‘the biggest first-run deal in Netflix history’ earlier in 2013 for more than 300 hours of original content.

Katzenberg sought to remind the MIPCOM audience that while technology may be disruptive in its ability to bring content to more people in more ways (and with more business models) than ever, it’s not the whole story.

‘While it’s certainly true that the prosumer electronics market has made it possible for anyone to create high-definition imagery, this fantastic equipment does not make it possible for anyone to create high-definition great stories,’ he said.

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Is the film business model broken? ‘It’s not broken for us,’ he said.

‘Things have come along to challenge what had been a very strong business model for 1520 years, which was really the transition from DVD to digital. So there’s no question that it has had its challenges, but we’ve now made 20 CG animated movies, 19 of which have been profitable. The average boxoffice gross of those 20 movies is over $500m dollars… We’re doing okay!’

pickle entertainment biz guide

He also talked about the way children’s media habits are ‘radically changing’, and said the industry can only understand it by watching them. ‘They’re not going to their television set to watch. It’s not that they’re not watching, it’s that that’s not the device. Today, these kids are engaged in this much more personal experience that happens when they’re on an iPad or tablet.’

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Thought Leader

Fragmentation Formula We are creating diversified product portfolio. Fragmentation is the order of the day. We will continue to develop more products to further segment the markets. We have to continuously innovate because the taste of audience changes so fast.

World is ZEE’s Family Speaking at the MIPCOM Keynote interview, MD & CEO of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Punit Goenka said that collaboration and partnership with competitors are to keep up with the pace of change in broadcasting. This shows his hands on approach, which has been instrumental in steering Zee’s empire successfully globally

Indian broadcast leader ZEE is one of the largest media companies with 670 million viewers across 34 domestic channels and 29 channels globally 36

pickle entertainment biz guide

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, Coallition Collaboration ay is movThe world tod llaboration ing towards co on. We than competiti borating are infact colla etition to with our comp n mutually see how we ca t and grow grow the marke long ourselves. As y tr us d as the in Freedom to people ies grows, compan Our capital is the human ow like ZEE will gr capital. At the end of the day, if we don’t have talent, we cannot deliver anything.

We have given freedom.

People at ZEE have the freedom to decide what they want to do and build a culture of entrepreneurship

New Platform We are the first company in India to launch the OTT Platform on a subscription model on our brand Ditto TV. Currently, we have over 200,000 active subscribers. But still it is in an early stage.

Change on fa st-track Chief Executiv es in M&E companies ha ve to realise that change is happening much faster th an we can see it. If you m iss the cycle, it will ta ke a long time to get bac k and it will be a long and painful journey.

All the world ’s a family We have rece ntly changed the corporate brand philosophy of ZEE. We now dedicate ourselves to a saying fro m India -Vasudeva Ku dumbakam.

It means the w orld is my family. I am w illing to offer and adapt ever ybody’s culture, lives, race, and treat them as part of me.

(R to L) ZEE Entertainment Enterprises’ MD & CEO Punit Goenka with PwC’s Phil Strokes Photo by: Eric MEGRET

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FACEBOOK HAS 1.15 BILLION USERS

Social TV Best Practices Facebook has expanded its list of data partners to include a broader array of global TV companies. Read more details from its vice president of partnerships Dan Rose ❯ Facebook’s vice president of partnerships Dan Rose in his MIPCOM keynote proposed the following three social TV best practices:

Spark the conversation Connect with fans Leverage the tools at your disposal In terms of tools, Rose encouraged the audience to leverage hashtags. Facebook also has new tools like its Keyword Insights API, which aggregates all posts around a given keyword. “Because people use their real identities on Facebook -- and we have massive scale -- Facebook is uniquely positioned to provide such rich data,” Rose said.

Keyword Insights launched in limited beta recently alongside the Public Feed API, which lets you find posts about a given term in real-time.

Rose announced that Facebook has expanded its list of data partners to include a broader array of global TV companies, including TF1, Esporte Interativo, Canal+, Star, CBC, Food Network, Channel 4, ProSieben, and Discovery.

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The second screen, instead of drawing people away from TV, is pushing people towards TV Dan Rose Vice President of Partnerships Facebook

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SUCCESS SECRETS OF RELATIVITY MEDIA

We as an industry haven’t kept up with the way people view content Ryan Kavanaugh Founder and CEO Relativity Media

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Relativity’s Theory Dubbed as the next generation studio, Relativity Media has financed nearly 200 movies and generated more than $22bn in box-office revenues. Founder and CEO Ryan Kavanaugh in his MIPCOM keynote address talked about how Relativity’s business is evolving, and the impact of new trends in financing, production and distribution ❯ “Each time a new technology platform has been introduced, we as an industry have to adapt and evolve to survive” feels Ryan Kavanaugh, Founder and CEO of Relativity Media. Apparently this passion should be one of the reasons for Relativity to emerge the next generation studio.

“We are in perhaps the most pivotal moment the industry has ever seen,” says Kavanaugh, explaining how Relativity sets about de-risking the costs that go into a traditional film by working with international partners, shooting in locations where it can maximise its dollars through tax rebates and credits, in order to make a profit on 85% of its films – the exact opposite of the traditional movie industry model, where 85% of films lose money, 10% break even and 5% are the blockbusters that have to make up for the rest.

“We as an industry haven’t kept up with the way people view content,” he said. “While this industry focuses on long form, these viewers don’t 41

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see any distinction between longform, shortform, sketch… They just see content they want to consume.”

Relativity is working on an ambitious plan to cater for this new generation of viewers, by opening a new platform which will make all its films and TV shows available “in perpetuity to everyone”, as well as content cocreated with its clients in the sports and fashion worlds, though its agency divisions in those sectors.

Microsoft’s Xbox division as having the potential to invest huge budgets in content: either producing their own or buying up shows from elsewhere. And he finished by talking about changing windows in the television industry, saying that he doesn’t expect a near-term collapse in the windows between big movies’ theatrical releases and their appearance on digital services.

“But I do believe that the collapse of subscription and download and transaction… in two or three years, it’s 50% of the audience.”

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KRISHNA SHAH 1938 - 2013

You will be missed Krishna Shah Krishna Shah, the first Asian-American writer, director and producer who won critical acclaim in films and television in Hollywood and even on Broadway, is no more. He was a regular at AFM, Cannes, Goa, MIPCOM and NATPE

by Bhuvan Lall Krishna Shah was a trailblazer and will be remembered as the man who was way ahead of his time in Hollywood and the Indian film industry.

Krishna was the first Asian-American writer, director and producer who won critical acclaim in films and television in Hollywood and even on Broadway. Krishan Shah succumbed to complications following a stroke on October 13, 2013 in Los Angeles. He is survived by his wife and son.

Born in India, a graduate from Bombay, Yale and UCLA, Krishna Shah was best known for his Hollywood India venture

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- Shalimar - also known as Raiders Of The Sacred Throne, one of the most accomplished Indian-Hollywood collaborations ever made. Starring Oscar winner Rex Harrison, Silvia Miles, John Saxon, Dharmendra and Zeenat Aman Shalimar was the first Indian film to be shot in Panavision and with Sync Sound.

Earlier reaching New York in the early 1960 Krishna plunged into the world of theatre with The King Of The Dark Chamber, an English language adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore’s Bengali play Raja. Other adaptations

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for the theatre include Kalidasa’s Shakuntala and Athol Fugard’s The Blood Knot. Shah wrote an episode each of The Man From U.N.C.L.E, The Flying Nun and The Six Million Dollar Man and directed episodes of Love, American Style and Ironside. He also directed Milton Hood Ward’s Kindly Monies at New Arts Theatre in London.

Fun (Prize winner at Sundance).

Actor Kabir Bedi remembering Krishna Shah said, “I knew him from the early 1980’s, when we both lived in LA. As fellow Indians in Hollywood we bonded quickly and became friends. For many years, he had monthly gatherings of friends in the business in Hollywood, and made it a point to introduce me to people that mattered. Krishna was a man who really cared about people. With his great sense of humour he’d keep us all entertained, and everyone loved him enormously.

He was the first to congratulate me, giggling with joy, when I got my role in the Bond film Octopussy. I’ll never forget that.” And Ashok Amritraj, Chairman of Hyde Park Entertainment added, “Krishna has been a friend of mine for many years, his warmth and love for cinema was always infectious. His talent and passion will be missed by colleagues and audiences”

In Hollywood, Krishna’s feature length screenplays include Island In Harlem for MGM, April Morning for Samuel Goldwyn, Jr., and Rivals that he produced and directed for Avco starring Joan Hackett and Robert Klein. Krishna’s River Niger starring Cicely Tyson, James Earl Jones and Lou Gosset Jr. garnered many award, including Best Direction at the Virgin Island International Film Festival and Golden Globe nomination.

He also co-wrote, directed and produced American Drive-In released by Vestron and Hard Rock Zombies, a classic released by Cannon.

Krishna directed the documentary film, Cinema Cinema that Krishna Shah was best was part of Director’s Fortnight at Cannes. known for his Hollywood Krishna also co wrote and produced The Prince Of Light, a twelve million dollar award winning animation film with Yugo Sako. It won the ‘Best Animation Film’ Of the Year at Santa Clarita International Family Film Festival.

India venture - Shalimar - also known as Raiders Of The Sacred Throne, one of the most accomplished IndianHollywood collaborations ever made

In the years 1984 to 1990 as a President and CEO of Double Helix Films, a public company, and then Carnegie Film Group, Krishna had an enviable track record as an entrepreneur in Hollywood.

Under his supervision, the company developed and produced several films: Kiss Daddy Goodnight (Uma Thurman’s first film), Warriors (William Shatner and Michael Pare), Cease Fire (Don Johnson), Matewan (James Earl Jones), ‘Mob Story’ (Margot Kidder), and the all-time horror cult favorites, Sleepaway Camp II & Sleepaway Camp III. As the President of his own company, MRI, INC a full fledged Production/ Distribution/Foreign sales company, Krishna handled many films, such as Introducing Janet (Jim Carrey’s first film), Omega Cop I and II (David Carradine and Adam West), Chinatown Connection (Bruce Ly and Lee Majors), Dust to Dust (Willie Nelson and Robert Vaughn), Little Noise (Tatum O’Neil),

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Krishna became the first Indian to be a member In of the Director’s branch of the Academy br of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, A USA and served as an U Assistant Secretary to A The Directors Guild Th of America. He also served as an alternate se Co-Chair of the AsianC American Committee A of Directors Guild of America.

He was the A first Indian to be a r member of The Writers m Guild of America.

G

The greatest Th performance of his life, pe though, was the time he spent in his later years in India working with the young Independent Indian filmmakers as a mentor and a script writing guru quietly overseeing the complete transformation of Indian cinema.

In 2012 Krishna Shah was all set to produce Birth Of A Nation, the story of Indira Gandhi and Driving Miss Daisy helmer Bruce Beresford was to direct.

Recalling his association with Krishna, Bruce Beresford said, “He was a man of immense charm and integrity. His enthusiasm for film was infectious and resulted in the accumulation of many friends, admirers and collaborators. His passing is saddening, but the memory of him is of a vibrant and warm personality”.

(Bhuvan Lall is Co Founder and Chairman, LALL Brothers Media & Entertainment Investment Group)

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MEDIA TRENDS EMERGING PLATFORMS POWER 100 FESTIVALS AND MARKETS FILM PRODUCTION REGIONAL CINEMA BROADCAST DIGITAL MEDIA DTH CONTENT PRODUCTION ANIMATION STUDIOS GAMING SERVICE PROVIDERS FINANCIERS & VCs MOBILE ENTERTAINMENT RADIO TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES BUYERS LOCATION SERVICES GLOBAL SHOWBIZ FIRMS BANKERS ADVERTISING & MUCH MORE www.picklemag.com pickle entertainment biz guide LIKE PICKLE IN FACEBOOK

PICKLE 2014

M&E HANDBOOK Pickle Handbook 2014 is a treasure guide for everyone engaged in the business of media and entertainment. It has been conceived to help your everyday business activity. It has been designed after taking inputs from industry leaders on what is needed for today’s knowledge driven showbiz. It is one of a kind reference guide that provides much more than just contact details. The book also has a comprehensive coverage of India’s media and entertainment ecosystem. Email to pickle@in.com to know more on the guide and how to own a copy of it. It is a limited edition for the decision makers. Available from January 2014. www.picklemag.com

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