 Mumbai, April 27 (IANS): Watching content on any medium with commercials peppered during its runtime is not a pleasant experience for viewers. Some of them opt for a premium OTT subscription and get a seamless experience, but theatres and television channels still regard advertisements as a revenue stream. The scenario, though, is changing. Theatres too are taking the ad-free route to offer an unparalleled cinematic experience to the audience, which hasn't been forthcoming about going to watch movies on the big screen. So, how does a theatre earn additional revenue if it gives up on commercials before each show and during intermissions? Commercials, after all, have been a feature of the cinema-viewing experience for as long as people remember. Well, the trick seems to be the utilisation of time. The string of advertisements per screening of a movie clocks anywhere between 30-35 minutes. Bypassing commercials, each theatre can save about 45 minutes and use it for the next screening, thereby generating additional revenue from ticket sales and food and beverage services. The ad-free movie experience is now available in the luxury segment of PVR INOX. The idea behind this experience stems from the time-conscious nature of the audience. Renaud Palliere, Chief of The Luxury Collection and Innovation, PVR INOX Limited, in a conversation with IANS, shared insights into why the chain has decided to go ad-free for the premium segment. "We discovered that a specific audience set valued time more than anything else," Palliere said. "The pre-show segment or the advertisements run for 30 to 40 minutes and we learnt that this audience figured that out. Not only did they figure it out, they also started arriving late for the movies to avoid the ads. They arrived close to the showtime. The doors of the hall are open as soon as it is ready to seat the audience." Talking about the impact of the changing audience behaviour, Palliere said, "Their arrival at the hall a few minutes before the screening of the movie kind of defeated the purpose of advertisements. That's the reason we decided to come up with providing an ad-free experience to the viewers. As I mentioned, this set of audience is willing to pay more, but doesn’t like to compromise on time." Palliere added that PVR INOX has decided to launch the ad-free experience for movies in three cities -- Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru -- in about 10 "ultra premium" Insignia and Director's Cut cinemas, and "the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive". Palliere added: “They now experience only 10 minutes of the pre-show package, which consists of trailers and teasers of upcoming movies." The revenues of each of the participating theatres have not been affected in the least. LED installations and plasma screens in the lounge and the gallery of each theatre are still very much intact, ensuring a steady flow of revenue from ads. These are the common areas and are accessed by the audience cutting across all segments. The multiplex chain has no plans of rolling out the ad-free experience to the rest of its cinemas, except those in the premium segment, which will see a further scaling up in the second phase of the rollout."Beyond the premium group of patrons, there seems to be no point in rolling out this feature to other audience segments that watch movies in theatres," Palliere concluded.Ad-free movies in theatres? A new viewing experience awaits cinema lovers | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
Ad-free movies in theatres? A new viewing experience awaits cinema lovers (2024-05-03T12:41:00+05:30)
Cartoon Network Go Active Boot Camp (2016-11-09T12:16:00+05:30)
It was a day full of energy, fitness and lots of fun as Finn and Jake from the Adventure Time series along with their friends from Cartoon Network organized the Cartoon Network Go Active Boot Camp event at MMRDA Grounds, Bandra Kurla Complex for over 7,000 enthusiastic kids and parents. A part of Cartoon Network’s global ‘Move It Movement’, the Go Active Boot Camp was organized to motivate kids and their parents to adopt a more healthy and fit lifestyle by engaging them in fun outdoor activities and games. To make the event more entertaining and compelling for the audiences, the channel put up spectacular live performances by all its popular characters including Finn and Jake (from Adventure Time), Kris (from Roll No. 21) Oggy (from Oggy and the Cockroaches), Ben 10 and many more! In addition to this, Cartoon Network also organized an extensive School Contact Programme (SCP) in Mumbaitargeting over 50,000 students.Themed around the ‘Go Active’ campaign, this SCP aimed to widen the reach and engage more kids. Kids across the country can also be a part of all the action by participating in the Cartoon Network Go Active Boot Camp contest! All they have to do is watch Roll No. 21 from Mon-Fri at 1:00 PM on Cartoon Network and they can win an exciting camping kit comprising of backpacks/ cycles/ caps/ sippers/ inflatable pools/ PSPs/ Mobile Phones/ Digital Cameras and much more! The contest ends on 15 December 2015. Cartoon Network Go Active Boot Camp is presented by Dabur Red Paste with associate sponsor Ford India. Source: http://www.page3bollywood.com/
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Tata Sky launches Dance Studio powered by Dance with Madhuri (2016-10-03T15:03:00+05:30)
Tata Sky, the pioneer of innovative services in the DTH industry has launched a new interactive service‘Dance Studio’ , powered by ‘Dance WithMadhuri’ (DWM), in collaboration with RnM Moving Pictures Pvt Ltd.(founded by the renowned actor & dancer, MadhuriDixit Nene and Dr.Shriram Nene). This service, on a DTH platform, enables Tata Sky’s subscribers to learn dance forms in the comfort of their homes. The highlight of Dance Studio is Madhuri herself, teaching dance to her popular Bollywood songs, including Ghagra, Ek Do Teen, TammaTamma, AajaNachle and more. The service also has an impressive line-up of legends of dance like Pt BirjuMaharaj, and ace choreographers like Saroj Khan, Remo D’Souza, Terence Lewis, Salman Yusuff Khan, Deepak Singh, Savio Barnes, ShampaGopikrishna, Meher Malik, who will provide introduction to different dance forms ranging from Bollywood dance to specialized forms like Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Jazz, Contemporary, Hip-Hop along with Salsa, Tango and more. With a launch offer for the first ten days as FREE, and economically priced at Rs 59 per month, the service makes learning dance from the experts accessible to subscribers everywhere, across age-groups and beyond geographical and socioeconomic boundaries. This is a 24x7 service available in two languages; Hindi and English on channel no 123. The subscriber can choose between two Bollywood songs every week, one for beginners and one for advanced learners and learn the dance step-by-step. There is even a unique ‘Catch Up’ section to cover what has been missed in case of starting late for the weekly lesson. Dance Studio was launched by Madhuri Dixit Nene, at a press conference in Mumbai’s Yash Raj Studios in the presence of Pallavi Puri, Chief Commercial Officer - Tata Sky, Malay Dikshit, Chief Communications Officer - Tata Sky and Dr Shriram Nene, MD, FACS - Managing Director - RnM Moving Pictures Pvt Ltd. and, along with the team of choreographers who are part of the movement.The event kick started with a captivating dance performance of various dance forms by eminent choreographers who are part of the movement. This was followed by the much awaited launch of Tata Sky Dance Studio powered by Dance WithMadhuri. The occasion was also graced by Saroj Khan. “Tata Sky is delighted to launch ‘Dance Studio’ in an exclusive partnership with Dance WithMadhuri. Now, our subscribers can not only learn dancing to the best Bollywood numbers, but also specialized dance forms like Kathak, Jazz, Street,etc. All of us often have an occasion to dance but not everybody has access to the best choreographers to help us learn a few easy steps and get over our inhibitions. Dance Studio powered by Dance With Madhuri, on Tata Sky, will make this possible. From the actor and dancer, Madhuri Dixit herself, to Pt. BirjuMaharaj, Saroj Khan, Remo D’Souza, Terence Lewis, and many more, will now be accessible to everybody who wants to learn how to dance.” says Pallavi Puri, Chief Commercial Officer, Tata Sky. Commenting on RnM Moving Picture’s association with Tata Sky, Madhuri Dixit said, “Our vision was to take the passion of dance to everyone and we believe our collaboration with Tata Sky will ensure that millions of people can now learn how to dance right in their living rooms in India. It has been our endeavour to spread the joy of dance for which, we put in a lot of effort to select the best choreographers, who help us create content that teaches how to dance in the most systematic, authentic and convenient way possible.“ Dancing to Bollywood songs is a part of every occasion, from birthdays to weddings. But not everybody has the confidence to get up and shake a leg on the dance floor. Through this new innovative service, Tata Sky is confident that more people will shed their inhibitions and get up to dance at the next event they attend. Content Features of Dance Studio: (1) Monday to Friday: Two Bollywood songs taught progressively, one being Beginner level, and the other Advanced. Every Monday a new song with its choreography will start and by Friday the song will be taught completely. (2) Saturday + Sunday: A new form of dance is shown every weekend, from Kathak to Hip-Hop and many more. ‘Easy Dance Moves’ is an interactive section that teaches a quick cool dance moves in just a few steps. Interesting trivia related to the song or the dance style being taught is also shared through the interactive layer. The service is available in both Hindi & English language on channel no 123. Source: http://www.page3bollywood.com
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Win or lose, Bigg Boss means big money for contestants (2015-09-23T17:41:00+05:30)
It’s not for no reason that they are ready to take a dip in deep sh*t (remember the cow dung task?), withstand electric shocks and swallow their egos while getting scolded by actor Salman Khan on national television. The fat pay cheque that they are drawing every week is what’s keeping the celebrity contestants reality TV show
 of Bigg Boss put up with all this and more. Sources reveal that in the last 10 weeks, actors such as Tanisha Mukherjiand Gauhar Khan have made more money than the actual cash prize of Rs. 50 lakh. According to sources, at Rs. 7.5 lakh per week, Tanisha is the highest paid contestant this season, while Gauahar is fetching Rs. 6 lakh per week. Actors Armaan Kohli and Kushal Tandon are drawing Rs. 5 lakh and VJ Andy and wrestler Sangram Singh are believed to be fetching anything between Rs. 3 lakh to Rs. 3.5 lakh each, every week. 
TV bahus Pratyusha Banerjee and Kamya Punjabi were reportedly signed for anything between Rs. 3.5 to Rs. 4 lakh respectively. “The contract for every contestant depends on how he or she has got the show. If the channel approached them, they can demand big money. But if they approached the channel, then they end up agreeing on a paltry sum for the heck of grabbing eyeballs,” says actor Kamal Rashid Khan, a former show contestant. “For instance, cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu was approached by the makers and he drew Rs. 10 lakh
 a day. I settled for Rs. 2 lakh per day and actor Vindu Dara Singh who eventually won the show merely got Rs. 25,000 per week,” he adds. Industry sources claim that the least paid contestants of this season include actor Elli Avram (Rs 75,000 to Rs. 1 lakh/week), model-singer Sofia Hayat (Rs 1.5 lakh/week), nude yoga guru Vivek Mishra (Rs 3 lakh/week) and actor Ajaz Khan (Rs 2.5-3 lakh/week). The channel’s spokesperson refuses to confirm on record, “We can’t comment on the payments of the artists.” What the contract says... An ex- contestant reveals that the show’s contract includes clauses that require participants to provoke the inmates or try and get cosy with them for more moolah. “If an inmate provides a lot of content, he/she can renegotiate the fee with the creative team. Wild card entrants, too, often hike their price. Also, the contestants are usually bound by a contract of six months, during which they cannot participate in any other reality show, and have to be at the channel’s beck. They also need to attend its award shows,” the contestant says, on the condition of anonymity. Source: Article, Open Images |
Ekta Kapoor Balaji Telefilms to launch biggest fiction show Ajeeb Daastaan Hain Ye (2014-10-08T15:45:00+05:30)
Saturday-27-September-2014: This festive season, Life OK in association with Ekta Kapoor’s Balaji Telefilms gears up for the launch of the biggest fiction show,Ajeeb Daastaan Hain Ye.The show highlights the journey of a tenacious woman Shobha (Sonali Bendre) who fights against all odds for her family and their well-being. Ajeeb Daastaan Hain Ye marks the debut of Sonali Bendre in fiction television series and will premiere on October 7, 9.30 pm. The story is about Shobha, who was happy and content in her own little world until she was left devastated after her politician husband Samarth (Harsh Chhaya)was put behind the bars for breach of information. Overnight, she was left holding the reigns of her family in the aftermath of her husband’s conducts. While trying to collect all pieces and settle, Shobhaends up meeting Vikram (Apurva Agnihotri), a coffee shop owner who hires her as hisassistant. Apart from dealing with difficulties of life at home, she also faces her galling boss at work. Excited about the latest venture Ajit Thakur, EVP & GM, Life OK, says, “We at Life OK have offered bold and innovative content to our viewers. With the launch of AjeebDaastaanHain Ye, we intend to raise the bar even higher. This show will be one of our biggest launches since it brings together three powerful forces, Ekta, Sonali and the story of an extremely strong female protagonist. We are confident the viewers will enjoy the show as much as we enjoyed making it.The show is definitely something you should watch for its extremely well defined characters and a compelling story. It's a journey of a woman from being a content homemaker to displaying the courage to step out and gain financial independence in order to secure the lives of her loved ones, her children.” Speaking about her new project, Ekta Kapoor from Balaji Telefilms says, “Relatable characters and diverse concepts are two key ingredients of all my shows. Ajeeb Daataan Hain Ye captures the story of Shobha who becomes a ‘hero’ for her family after she surmounts harshrealities of life. I am looking forward to my association with Life OK to bring forth this grand venture through an interesting storyline” An elated Sonali Bendre, whose debut is the talk of the town says, “Initially I was a little sceptical about taking up a fiction show until Ekta narrated Shobha’s character to me and I agreed instantly. The strength of the character and how she faces her life head on is what appealed to me .The fact that instead of being treated like a doormat she picks up her life and decides to have a fresh start is what resonated with me. I Hope the audience accepts me in the new role and supports me in this endeavour.” Ajeeb Daastaan Hain Yealso touches upon the secluded issue of infidelity. It highlights the tryst of a woman who is estranged by her husband and is made to break out of her inhibitions in quest of finding happiness for her loved ones. The show will be aired from October 7 onwards, Monday to Friday, 9.30 pm only on Life OK. Source: Article...................
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Ekta Kapoor and STAR Plus GM Gaurav Banerjee at the press conference of Ye Hai Mohobbatein (2014-05-06T17:31:00+05:30)
As someone once said, “Love Thy Neighbour”, Star Plus & Ekta Kapoor present a relatable, urban story of two neighbours in Ye Hai Mohobbatein. The Iyers and Bhallas are neighbours in Delhi, who have a conflict prone relationship but things are about to get even more interesting.
The Iyers' dentist daughter Ishita Iyer & the Bhallas' businessman son Raman Bhalla find themselves getting bound by an unusual bond. Not every relationship has a name and theirs is defined by Raman’s adorable daughter Ruhi with whom Ishita develops a strong attachment. This attachment leads Ishita into getting close to the man – Raman who she dislikes the most. Star Plus along with Balaji Telefilms brings Ye Hai Mohobbatein, an emotional story of love and loss that launches on December 3rd and will air from Monday - Friday at 11.00 p.m. The show marks the return of popular TV stars Divyanka Tripathi and Karan Patel in lead roles. How far can one really go for a child? Can someone get into a romantic relationship only for the love and attachment to a child? This is what Ye Hai Mohobbatein addresses. A heart-warming story that revolves around a simple, middle-class girl, Ishita Iyer, with a past of a failed relationship whose life changes when fate brings her face to face with a 5 year old girl, Ruhi with whom she develops an immediate bond. It is the love for this child that takes her on an unexpected journey of getting close to Ruhi’s father, Raman Bhalla. On the other hand, Raman is a rich business man, a single dad with a bitter outlook to life. With various upheavals in their lives, Ishita and Raman’s journey with Ruhi as their mediator makes a compelling story. “We are delighted to partner with Ekta once again for Ye Hai Mohabbatein. The story she has brought to us is urban and contemporary. This love story begins after a marriage gets over. It explores the theme of a second chance in love. With well etched characters and a strong urban narrative, the show deals with day-to-day issues faced by modern couples. We are positive that our metro audiences will see a connect with Ishita and Raman and follow their story.” says Gaurav Banerjee, General Manager, STAR Plus. Talking about the show, Ekta Kapoor, Balaji Telefilms, said "My association with STAR goes back a long way. We have together celebrated many successes and created iconic characters through generations. I look forward to working with them closely on this show and I am sure that the viewers will accept Ishita & Raman into their families." Ye Hai Mohobbatein also brings together veteran artists like Neena Kulkarni, Abhay Bhargav, Kaushal Kapoor, Shenaz Rizwan and Ruhanika Dhawan in pivotal characters. Star Plus’ viewers can expect to see a passionate and an emotional love story wrapped in stylized production, butter-soft cinematography and well-directed story-telling. Source: Article.......
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SONY SIX and TNA bring the Action to INDIA (2013-12-17T23:03:00+05:30)
 SONY SIX and TNA have announced that two of their global wrestling sensations – Kurt Angle and Gail Kim – will be arriving in India to conduct a variety of events to engage with the audiences. Kurt Angle, the Olympic Gold Medalist and multiple time TNA World Heavyweight Champion, along leading female wrestling superstar Gail Kim will travel to India on a promotional tour, that will see them visit Mumbai, Lucknow and Delhi from the 9th – 13th of December. PHOTO BY KABIR “Kurt is a wrestling superstar who not only garners critical following but is also a personality that attracts a huge fan base globally. With Kurt and Gail on TNA, fans will get to meet them up close and personal during their visit to India,” said Prasana Krishnan, Business Head, SONY SIX.  “The sport of wrestling has been embedded into the hearts of Indian viewers since their childhood and we are thrilled to present our audiences with some of their most iconic figures in the sport of wrestling.” Setting a different pace to the stars visit, SIX and TNA have taken an unconventional route to the tour by featuring the city of Lucknow as one of the pit stop. Commenting on this, Krishnan added, “We have not taken the typical route of limiting the visit to main metros. Lucknow has a huge fan following for TNA and we have received tremendous response with regard to viewership from this market. We want to take this opportunity to engage with the fans and give them a real feel of the entertainment TNA has to offer. Angle said, “I’ve been fortunate to travel the world with my amateur and professional wrestling career, and India is an extraordinary place. I’m  to thrilled to be traveling there promote TNA and build on our growing success in the area. Meeting the great wrestling fans in person, and taking in the sights and sounds of such an incredible nation will be an unforgettable experience for me.” “I love that India has embraced TNA in such a big way,” added Kim. “Traveling there for the first time to meet the fans and experience the rich and vibrant culture of India will be a dream come true.” During their visit, Kurt and Gail will be a part of a variety of promotional events to seed the growth of wrestling in India. TNA President Dixie Carter said, “We have been so pleased with the overwhelmingly enthusiastic response fans in India have shown TNA, and we cannot wait to bring Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle and reigning Knockouts Champion Gail Kim for our first press tour there.” “SONY SIX has been a terrific partner for us as we continue to grow our worldwide programming portfolio. We look forward to directly connecting with fans in our visit." Source: http://www.page3bollywood.com/ |