N3TWORK partners with The Tetris Company to develop and publish new Tetris games

N3TWORK, a  games, media, and technology company, has partnered with The Tetris Company, to exclusively develop and publish new Tetris games built from the ground up for mobile devices worldwide, excluding China.

The multi-year agreement will leverage N3TWORK’s expertise in game design and publishing to create fresh Tetris experiences that harness the global popularity of the iconic franchise. Tetris Royale, N3TWORK’s debut title in the partnership, is a fast and fun Tetris game with large-scale friendly competition at its core.

“Tetris is a timeless pop culture icon that has shaped the history of videogames and is truly loved around the world. Our team at N3TWORK is inspired to partner with this incredible brand and create new ways for millions of mobile game players around the world to play, compete and enjoy Tetris at an unprecedented scale,” said N3TWORK founder and CEO Neil Young.

The foundation of Tetris Royale is built on the core gameplay experience of Tetris, rotating and moving a procession of Tetriminos down the matrix to clear lines by completing horizontal rows. Tetris Royale will feature a variety of game modes, from the hallmark 100-player Tetris Royale mode to massive daily competitions of thousands of players to solo marathon mode where players can hone their Tetris skills.

“Fans across the globe love playing Tetris on their mobile devices, which is why we’re pleased to join forces with N3TWORK to introduce new games that will push the Tetris gameplay experience to whole new levels of competitive fun. Tetris Royale is just the start, and one that we think players will really enjoy. We look forward to letting the battles begin,”  said Planet Software, the sole agent for the Tetris brand president and CEO of Blue Maya Rogers.

The Tetris Royale mode is a 100-player competitive mode where players will battle their way to the top of the leaderboards every season. Players will have the ability to complete daily challenges while competing in the Tetris Royale mode to earn rewards including customization options as well as power-ups and boosters that can be used in battle.

Tetris Royale is currently in development for iPhone and iPad and Android devices and will be available in select territories for beta testing in 2019.

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Google isn’t aiming to run a beta test for its Stadia gaming service

All the game lovers might be counting days for the upcoming cloud gaming platform Google Stadia’s November launch. But unfortunately Google has disclosed that there will not be any beta test in route according to GamesRadar’s interaction with Google’s vice president and head of Stadia Phil Harrison.

However, enthusiasts can approach for the pre-order access to the cloud gaming service – but signing up for a beta test will not be possible anymore.

“We are not going to do another test in the UK or Europe.If we had time we probably would have done so, but we don’t need to says Harrison. ”

The catch is one will not get a chance to try before one buy it – one have to trust that Stadia is going to work on with the available internet connection and hardware when one spend on it.

Adding to that in a different interview, Harrison says he expects broadband data caps in the US to increase or disappear altogether so that Stadia gamers can stream interrupted.

For a $10 monthly fee, one will able to get access to a selection of games as part of their subscription, and in 4K as well. However certain top-tier titles are going to cost  extra; the free version, with lower resolutions, will launch next year.

The only way to get into Google Stadia at the moment is to pre-order the Founder’s Edition for $129 direct from Google. As yet there don’t appear to be any plans to launch the gaming service in Australia.

He also confirmed if games were pulled from the Stadia library, they’d still be available to those who had purchased them. Are you planning to opt for stadia? What are your thoughts do share it with us!

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The Royal Television Society announces 2019 Student Television Awards winners

The Royal Television Society (RTS), Britain’s forum for television and related media, announced the winners of its national RTS Student Television Awards 2019, sponsored by Motion Content Group, at a ceremony held this afternoon at the BFI Southbank. The high-profile awards ceremony was hosted by BBC Radio One presenters Matt Edmondson and Mollie King.

Royal Television Society

Across six categories, the RTS Student Awards celebrate the best audiovisual work created by students with both an undergraduate and postgraduate winner awarded in each category across Animation, Comedy and Entertainment, Drama, Factual, News and Short Form. This year, the winning entries came from students at 12 universities and institutions across the UK. Students from the National Film and Television School led the way with five wins, closely followed by the Institute of Art, Design, and Technology, Dun Laoghaire with four wins and the University of Sunderland with three. 

To reward excellence in craft skills, awards were presented in the following categories at the judges’ discretion: Camerawork, Editing, Production Design, Sound and Writing. The RTS Student Television Judges’ Award was presented to Music & Clowns, Alex Widdowson from the Royal College of Art, who also took home the award for Postgraduate Animation. 

Siobhan Greene, Head of Entertainment Commissioning, ITV and Chair of the RTS Student Television Awards, said, “The juries this year had some extremely tough decisions to make, narrowing down an impressive line-up of incredibly creative entries from all over the UK. We were delighted to recognise and celebrate the incredible talent coming into the industry last night. Congratulations to all the winners!”

Please see below the full list of winners and nominees, as well as the juries’ comments on each winner: 

Animation, Undergraduate:

  • WINNER – Earthly Delights – Efa Blosse-Mason (University of the West of England)

The jury loved the originality of this stylised and sensual film. Being an allegory about mother nature it opened up a wider debate about ecology with the jury. Delights conveyed serious issues using the comedic touch that made us all laugh out loud.

Nominees: 

  • Anna – Jessica Mountfield, Dominic Povall and Team (Arts University Bournemouth)
  • Towels – Prawta Annez  and Camilla Kjaernet (Falmouth University) 

Postgraduate:

WINNER – Music & Clowns – Alex Widdowson (Royal College of Art)

The jury was moved by this fascinating snapshot of a family. The filmmakers had laid themselves bare and created an honest and genuinely affecting film.

Nominees:

  • Desire Line – Ruini Shi, Gareth Young, Michele Bianch and Mike Wyeld (Royal College of Art)
  • Good Intentions – Anna Mantzaris (Royal College of Art)


    Comedy & Entertainment, 
    Undergraduate: 

WINNER – Delicious Love – Alana Volavola, Freddie Berman, Ben Holmes, Jade Elwood, Sophie Masterman and Team (University of Gloucestershire)

Unanimous in its impact on the whole jury. It was distinctive, original, and a memorable visual treat with its use of graphics, colour, and set. Loved the narration too. Congratulations.

Nominees: 

  • Chopsticks!! – Aeddan Sussex (Middlesex University)
  • Meatball – Jack Barrie, Cal Brown, Charlotte Glasgow, Celine Woodburn and Ben Evans (University of Derby)

Postgraduate: 

WINNER – Uncommon – Connor Langley, Michael Rowlands, Mark Hunter and Jack Jarvis (University of Sunderland)

Brilliant, mortality tale for Christmas. The jury loved the use of a rhyming narration and the friendship which was at the centre of the storytelling. Warm, well-shot and comic timing was excellent in the writing and the acting.

Nominees: 

  • Control – Webster Mugavazi and Robin Pagnanelli (National Film and Television School)
  • Pre-Occupation – Elena Marotta, Adam Tindall, Moira James-Moore and Emie Wang (Goldsmiths University)

Drama, Undergraduate: 

WINNER – Backwater Brendan McCallion, Frank O’Malley, Robin J. Kavanagh and Brendan Corcoran (Institute of Art, Design, and Technology, Dun Laoghaire)

“This film takes a big topic but cleverly delivers it in a small and sensitive way.  Very well directed with a structure that allows the conflict between its characters to play out sensitively and without judgement.  This film was confident, beautifully shot, well-acted and really delivered on its promise.”  

Nominees

  • Just Josie – Georgina Rowlands, Ben Porro, Katia Shipulina, Lily-Evelina England and Nathalie Carraro (University of Westminster)
  • What Separates Us From the Beasts – Edward Kondracki, Sedona May Tubbs, Kieran Howe, JP Pezet  and Team (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland)

Postgraduate: 

WINNER – Smoked Mackerel – Ciarán Charles, Scott Butler, Michael Lambert and Gemma Carline (University of Sunderland)

Smoked Mackerel is a terrific piece of grounded realist filmmaking, making full use of the Irish setting and language, which gives it an immersive sense of place.  The panel praised this subtle coming of age film for its fantastic young performances and atmosphere.

Nominees:

  • Dead Birds – Johnny Kenton, Sabina Smitham, Amelia Spencer and Team (National Film and Television School)
  • The Pilot – Nathan Carter (University of York)

Factual, Undergraduate: 

WINNER – Nick Reynolds: The Final Portrait – Jesse Hargrave, Adam Polley, Curtis Stephan, Stacey Willis and Lewis Woolcock (Solent University)

Had the jurors gripped from the start. It was a layered film that had so much to say about death and how we view the subject matter. Nick is a great documentary character and the film left us wanting more. Great music.

Nominees:

  • Mathew vs Pritchard – Jake Hardy-Behrends, Ethan Blake Brooks, Vratislav Karas and Marketa Janouskova (University of South Wales)
  • The Bad Guy – Cory Thomas, Laura Buchanan, Giulia Veronelli, Marco Di Gioia and Danny Flynn (University of Stirling)

Postgraduate, WINNER – Fake News Fairytale – Kate Stonehill, Jimmy Campbell Smith, Ronnie McQuillan, Conor Meechan, Alexandra McArdle and Team (National Film and Television School)

A highly original film that tells a topical urban horror story with insight, wit and panache.

Nominees:

  • some of these days – Vincent Förster, Olesya Ryasik, Anne Talenta, Scott McCrone, Tino Mensel and Team (Edinburgh College of Art)
  • We Are All Here – Hannah Currie (Goldsmiths, University of London) 

News, Undergraduate: 

WINNER – Horse Racing’s Gender Divide: The Final Hurdle – Elliot Hawkins (University of Lincoln)

Judges thought this was a fresh look at the role of women in sport. Good voices that were given time to breath. The entry was technically accomplished in its production and judges had particular praise for the sequences shot out on the gallops.

Nominees:

  • A Testing Choice for Down’s Syndrome – Jennifer Smith (University of Salford)
  • At Arm’s Length – Teri Limongi (University of Sheffield)

Postgraduate, WINNER – There’s Something in the Water – Grace Marner (University of Sheffield)

The judges loved Grace’s entry. A well-produced package that delivered for its target audience – complex science told in an engaging way. Grace succeeded in not dumbing down her journalism. The real highlight was Kurt the Crab – a simple idea and well executed.

Nominees

  • Special Needs: Failure to Educate – Philip Sime and Imogen Harper (City, University of London)
  • Twnel y Rhondda – The Rhondda Tunnel – Jared Lawthom (University of Sheffield)

Short Form, Undergraduate: 

WINNER – I Love Tennis – Sam Buffery (London South Bank University)

The writing was poetic with a rhythmic coherence.

Nominees:

  • Nose – Izzy Mooney, Kiki Nafig, Emma Lazenby, Jake Lucas and Team (University of the West of England) 
  • Speak to Her – Jack Desmond, Philip Emo, Sean Doupe and Cian Desmond (Institute of Art, Design, and Technology, Dun Laoghaire)

Postgraduate, WINNER – Hold Still – Alexandra Brodski, Nikita Leibovici, Matt Gillan and Team (National Film and Television School)

Simple, stunning and fantastically executed in a single shot.

Nominees:

  • A Missing Beat – Maria Abdel Karim (Bournemouth University)
  • The Pool – Julia Alcamo (Arts University Bournemouth)

Camerawork, Undergraduate: 

WINNER – Backwater – Robin J. Kavanagh (Institute of Art, Design, and Technology, Dun Laoghaire)

This film grabbed you for the opening shot, the camerawork in this film was incredibly accomplished. Natural and well lit, you could have been watching work done by a professional.

Nominees

  • Chopsticks!! – Roan Lenihan (Middlesex University)
  • Speak to Her – Sean Doupe (Institute of Art, Design, and Technology, Dun Laoghaire)

Postgraduate, WINNER – Dead Birds – Jonathan Flint (National Film and Television School)

An incredibly impressive film, filled with stand-out moments and featuring a wide range of outstanding shots, all shot by a very skilled practitioner.

Nominees:

  • Fake News Fairytale – Ronnie McQuillan and Kate Stonehill (National Film and Television School)
  • some of these days – Vincent Förster (Edinburgh College of Art)

Editing, Undergraduate:

WINNER – Backwater Brendan Corcoran (Institute of Art, Design, and Technology, Dun Laoghaire)

Fantastic timing, an impressive edit helped to tell this story in the best way possible. Nailed it.

Nominees:

  • Chopsticks!! – Aeddan Sussex (Middlesex University)
  • Speak to Her – Cian Desmond (Institute of Art, Design, and Technology, Dun Laoghaire)

Postgraduate, WINNER – some of these days – Anne Talenta (Edinburgh College of Art)

The edit for this film really helped bring to the fore the heart in this story.

Nominees:

  • Dead Birds – Conor Meechan (National Film and Television School)
  • Smoked Mackerel – Gemma Carline (University of Sunderland)

Production Design, Undergraduate

WINNER – Delicious Love – Jade Elwood (University of Gloucestershire)

So bright and so clever, the look and design of this film were simply outstanding.

Nominees:

  • Backwater – Muireann Howley (Institute of Art, Design, and Technology, Dun Laoghaire)
  • Just Josie – Nathalie Carraro (University of Westminster)

Postgraduate,

WINNER Dead Birds – Ian Crossland (National Film and Television School)

The design in this film was very well thought out and executed.

Nominees: 

  • A Missing Beat – Alena Shen (National Film and Television School)
  • Control – Fiona Guest (National Film and Television School)

Sound, Undergraduate: 

WINNERWhat Separates Us From the Beasts – Robin Boreham (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland)

Multi-layered and well mixed, technically very accomplished and very impressive use of location sound, this was done by a highly talented practitioner.

Nominees:

  • Chopsticks!! – Aeddan Sussex and Zack Wills (Middlesex University)
  • Delicious Love – Kate Sininde (University of Gloucestershire) 

Postgraduate: 

WINNER – Dead Birds – Sean McGarrity (National Film and Television School)

Fantastic sound design which was well executed, the dub both complimented and enhanced the visuals and dramatic sections.

Nominees

  • A Missing Beat – Filipe Botelho (Bournemouth University)
  • some of these days – Scott McCrone and Sebastian Dieterle (Edinburgh College of Art)

Writing 

WINNER – Speak to Her – Philip Emo (Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Dun Laoghaire)

A beautiful story, very well told.

Nominees:

  • Anna – Jessica Mountfield (Arts University Bournemouth)
  • Backwater – Brendan McCallion and Frank O’Malley (Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Dun Laoghaire)

Postgraduate: 

WINNER – Smoked Mackerel – Ciarán Charles (University of Sunderland)

An excellent script is just the beginning for this outstanding film.

Nominees:

  • Dead Birds – Amelia Spencer (National Film and Television School)
  • Fake News Fairytale – Kate Stonehill (National Film and Television School)

Judges’ Award 

WINNER – Music & Clowns – Alex Widdowson (Royal College of Art)

 

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Lion King Hindi Trailer: Shah Rukh Khan shares the first glimpse of his version of King Mufasa

Actor Shah Rukh Khan recently shared the first clip of his version of King Mufasa in the upcoming Hindi version of The Lion King which also features his son Simba voiced by his own son Aryan, the meaning of being a true king.

The trailer of the upcoming live-action movie opens with Shah Rukh gazing into the camera at a recording studio, as he stresses the importance of staying connected to one’s identity.

“Delighted to be a part of this global legacy. In cinemas on July 19,” SRK tweeted on Friday while sharing the link of the trailer.

“Main hamesha tumhare saath hun, aur hamesha tumhare saath hi rahunga…Bas yaad rakhna ke tum kaun ho… Ek sacha raja (Simba, I am always with you and will always be there for you. Just remember, who you are – a true king),” Shah Rukh says as Mufasa.

The trailer also features Pride Lands, Scar and hyenas cornering Simba.

In the closing moments of the trailer, Mufasa tells Simba to always remember who he is — “A true king”. The end of the trailer also gives a glimpse of Simba’s showdown with his villainous uncle Scar.

The Jungle Book fame director Jon Favreau has re-imagined the world of Disney’s classic to bring alive a live-action film. He has stayed true to the classic story of Simba and used pioneering filmmaking techniques to bring the iconic characters to the big screen in a whole new way.

Disney India has brought in Ashish Vidyarthi, Shreyas Talpade, Sanjay Mishra and Asrani for the Hindi version as well. Ashish has lent his voice to Scar, Shreyas has given voice of Timon, Sanjay to Pumbaa and Asrani to Zazu.

The film will release in India on 19 July 2019 in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

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MINTE Studios

MINTE is a leading creative studio based in India, servicing clients world wide since September 2014.

Our core business is the Entertainment industry,​ through three different kind of services: Preproduction, Comic Studio, 2D Animation.

Since 2014, we’ve delivered thousands of comic pages, from colors to complete pages, artworks, covers, lettering… Hundreds of concept arts and story-boards for swipe comic, board games, motion comic, turbomedia…

Since 2017, we’ve produced hundreds hours of 2D animation for TV cartoon series and commercials, and became the first TOON BOOM HARMONY certified studio in the world… The adventure continues!

Some of your projects: Angry Birds-Stella,Frigiel & Fluffy, PSG Craft, Hello Maestro…Life, Vinifera Collection, etc.

www.minte.co

Job Location: Kharadi,Pune

Note: Candidates can mail their CV with their demo link to email id : animation@minte.co/ kanchan@minte.co or contact number : 020 27012323

We are looking candidates at the below following streams

Qualification: Diploma / Any Graduation in Animation, Multimedia, Fine Arts, digital communication

Junior 2D Animator

Experience: 1to 5 yrs

Responsibilities / Job Description:
  • Understands the assignment and need of the project.
  • Deliver per production deadlines.
  • Able to animate as per the Animation director/Leads instructions as well as suggest out of the box ideas.
  • Ensures “cleanliness”/organization in the assigned scenes at any stage
  • Ensure no technical mistakes in assignments
  • Animate, animate, animate in Harmony (mind and software)
“Must have” skills
  • Good in sketching, drawing and coloring.
  • Composition, Camera work
  • understanding of the physics of light
  • Good understanding of the international standards, in term of designs, narrative processes, quality requirement, and variety of style, always looking forward for new sources of inspiration.
  • Teamwork,takes direction well, but is also able to make decisions and take initiative if required
  • Strong Time management skills and can meet deadlines consistently and a good work life balance
  • Punctual, professional, dependable, good work ethics, detail-oriented, dedication to high quality, high sense of self-growth.
  • Well versed in the 12 principles of Animation
  • have a good level of computer literacy
  • Good observation of live action, motions, emotion’s and expressions. The ability to translate these observations strong believable animations
“Preferred” skills
  • Digital drawing proficiency
  • Knowledge of Toon Boom storyboard pro/Harmony is an advantage.
  • Motivating
  • have a good knowledge of relevant graphics, animation and compositing software, including Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects Flash
  • have an appreciation of accuracy and pay close attention to detail

The candidates will work with international artists therefore good communication skills are plus point (speaking / reading / writing).

Preferred Software: photoshop, toon boom Harmony-15

2D Animator

Experience: 5 to 10 yrs

Responsibilities / Job Description:
  • Understands the assignment and need of the project.
  • Deliver per production deadlines.
  • Able to animate as per the Animation director/Leads instructions as well as suggest out of the box ideas.
  • Ensures “cleanliness”/organization in the assigned scenes at any stage
  • Ensure no technical mistakes in assignments
  • Animate, animate, animate in Harmony (mind and software)
“Must have” skills
  • Good in sketching, drawing and coloring.
  • Composition, Camera work
  • understanding of the physics of light
  • Good understanding of the international standards, in term of designs, narrative processes, quality requirement, and variety of style, always looking forward for new sources of inspiration.
  • Teamwork,takes direction well, but is also able to make decisions and take initiative if required
  • Strong Time management skills and can meet deadlines consistently and a good work life balance
  • Punctual, professional, dependable, good work ethics, detail-oriented, dedication to high quality, high sense of self-growth.
  • Well versed in the 12 principles of Animation
  • have a good level of computer literacy
  • Good observation of live action, motions, emotion’s and expressions. The ability to translate these observations strong believable animations
“Preferred” skills
  • Digital drawing proficiency
  • Knowledge of Toon Boom storyboard pro/Harmony is an advantage.
  • Motivating
  • have a good knowledge of relevant graphics, animation and compositing software, including Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects Flash
  • have an appreciation of accuracy and pay close attention to detail

The candidates will work with international artists therefore good communication skills are plus point (speaking / reading / writing).

Preferred Software: photoshop, toon boom Harmony-15

Penciller

Experience: 1 to 5 yrs

Responsibilities /Job Description :
  • A pencillers job is to take the boards and give it a form.
  • Sometimes the boards suggest exactly how everything should look .
  • At other times, there is only a basic suggestion as to what should be exactly on the page.
  • In any case, a penciller should take the boards and give them life in a way that makes sense, moves the story along, and with a consistent quality.
  • The penciller is the primary contributing artist and determines the look of the comic.
  • If the character changes the way they look throughout the comic, and it isn’t intentional, your reader will be confused. Same goes for the backgrounds.
  • This person lays down the base drawing upon which all further art builds.
  • After the boards are approved, the penciller illustrates the full
  • comic and work out their panel composition including characters as well as backgrounds in each page.

  • Should revise their work to reflect a changing board or comments from the Art Director or Clients.
“Must have” skills,
  • Needs to know how to draw expressions, body structure, etc.
  • Have a good understanding of layout, composition and perspective.
  • Have excellent drawing skills and the ability to adapt to a wide range of styles.
  • Be able to work as part of a team.
  • Be able to take direction, and be prepared to make changes to your work in response to constructive feedback
  • Have good communication skills and literacy in English to understand the scripts better.
  • Be able to work calmly and efficiently to tight deadlines
  • A good understanding of human anatomy.
  • Should know Photoshop efficiently.
Preferred skills
  • Problem solving
  • Initiative in bringing creative Ideas and solutions.
  • Self-management, Learning
  • Knowledge of Manga studio / Clip studio paint software.

The candidates will work with international artists therefore good communication skills are plus point (speaking / reading / writing).

Preferred Software: Photoshop

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The ‘Current War Trailer’ sets the internet buzzing

The Current War spans over the grainy relationship between Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla who are known for lighting up the world with the invention of the light bulb.

The Current War is all about the famed battle of the bulb between two 19th century scientists, Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla. 101 Studios has finally released an official new trailer for the Martin Scorcese-produced thriller.

The trailer features Benedict Cumberbatch as Edison while Nicholas Hoult will be seen as Tesla, and Michael Shannon will portray George Westinghouse in the movie.  Based on a true event, the film also stars Tom Holland, Katherine Waterston, Matthew Macfadyen and Tuppence Middleton.

In the teaser, while Edison says, “This is a battle of the greatest minds of America,” Westinghouse threatens, “If you want to be remembered, it’s simple: Shoot a president. But if you prefer to have what I call a legacy, you leave the world a better place than you found it.”

Here’s the look at the much-awaited film’s trailer:

The Current War is slated for release in October.

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Brain Zoo launch Kickstarter Campaign to fund upcoming production ‘The Mueller Report: An Animated Series’

Emmy award-winning animation company Brain Zoo Studios, along with Julian August Productions, have launched a Kickstarter Campaign in an effort to generate funds for it’s upcoming production, The Mueller Report: An Animated Series.

Producers Erick Armelin and Mohammed Davoudian are aiming to develop the controversial 448-page Special Counsel’s report on Russia’s apparent interference in the 2016 US presidential elections, into a 10-episode mini-series, touted to be “an entertaining, objective and informative 10-episode mini-series”.

Armelin said, ““Mo and I believe there are many concerned Americans at the grassroots who want this series produced and we hope they will become backers for this important Kickstarter Project. We’ve received a lot of positive feedback on Facebook. People have commented the series is a great idea and some said it is brilliant!”

“Brain Zoo is ready to start production, and there is much enthusiasm for the project,” Davoudian added. “We are trying to do a public service. Many people have said, they have felt powerless about what’s been going on in Washington, and this Kickstarter Project gives them some hope that they can personally make a real difference.”

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‘Final Fantasy XIV’ being developed for live-action series with Hivemind and Sony Pictures Television

Sony Pictures Television and Hivemind, the production company behind Amazon’s The Expanse and Netflix’s upcoming adaptation of The Witcher, announced that a new partnership with global video game powerhouse Square Enix to develop a first-of-its-kind, live-action adaptation of a beloved chapter from the blockbuster Final Fantasy series, which has sold more than 144 million units worldwide across three decades.

The live-action television series will tell an original story set in the fantastic world of Eorzea, based on Final Fantasy  XIV, the franchise’s blockbuster online role-playing game. Since it first debuted in 2013, the online title has continued to delight and amass millions of players around the world year over year and only further cemented Final Fantasy as one of the most storied and influential franchises in gaming history.

Inspired directly by the world and characters of the title’s fourteenth instalment, the project will embrace the bold and genre-bending sensibilities of the revered and long-running Final Fantasy series as it explores the struggle between magic and technology in a quest to bring peace to a land in conflict. Filled with iconic hallmarks of the title’s revered mythology – magitek and beastmen, airships and chocobos – the forthcoming series will feature a mixture of new and familiar faces. Those will, notably, include the live-action debut of Cid – one of the games’ central and most beloved characters who has appeared in almost every instalment of the franchise to date.

Final Fantasy  XIV and Eorzea are the perfect gateways into Final Fantasy for longtime fans and newcomers alike. This show is about embracing and embodying all of the elements that have made the mythos such an endlessly captivating phenomenon, and it’s an immense honour to be bringing all of Eorzea’s iconic characters, settings, and concepts – including fan-favourites like Cid and, of course, the chocobos – to life for a television audience,” said Sony Pictures Television co-president Chris Parnell.

“Television is the ideal medium to capture the extraordinary depth, sophisticated themes, and unparalleled imagination of Final Fantasy and its multitude of unique and fully realized characters.We are working tirelessly to bring together artists from around the world who are united in honouring the extraordinary legacy of this franchise and its millions of fans around the world,” said Hivemind co-founder and co-president Jason Brown.

Final Fantasy ‘s multibillion-dollar legacy is one of the most influential pieces of global pop culture of the past 30 years with a footprint that now encompasses all major home and handheld consoles, as well as toys, card games, manga, soundtracks, concerts and live events on three continents. The upcoming television adaptation represents a momentous new milestone for the franchise and will mark the first time a Final Fantasy world – and its many beloved inhabitants – will be realized in live action.

Jason F. Brown, Sean Daniel, and Dinesh Shamdasani of Hivemind will serve as executive producers on the series. Ben Lustig and Jake Thornton (Winter’s Knight, The Wells Initiative) have been commissioned to write for the series and will also serve as executive producers.

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TBS Planet’s ‘Karma’ comic will be available for the readers in Dainik Bhaskar daily

TBS Planet Comics’ Karma comic gets syndicated in the daily Dainik Bhaskar. It is available currently for the readers in Jabalpur and the surrounding regions. TBS Planet Comics was in touch with Dainik Bhaskar for sometime in regards to the syndication, mentioned TBS Planet founder Rajeev Tamhankar.

When asked about choosing Karma for this syndication, Tamhankar said, “Karma is one of the most unique characters from the publication house.”  In comics industry, there is a variety of heroes- some capture the criminals and hand over them to the police – like Nagraj or Superman or Batman and there are others who kill the criminals like Doga or Punisher. Karma lies in between these two extremists and believes that a criminal should be punished only exactly equal to his crime. So if one has stolen something from someone, he will punish that person by stealing something from him/her. This makes the stories intriguing, interesting and unique.

Talking about the collaboration, Tamhankar added, “It is a strong indication of the immense potential that the IP industry holds. And I am extremely happy that a leading national daily is taking this initiative.”

The idea behind this collaboration was to encourage the young readers and promote comic reading. “The kids can collect the comic strips from the newspaper everyday and form their own booklet,” said Tamhankar.

Tamhankar intends to collaborate with other dailies in the future. But as of now, the team’s focus is on their partnership with Dainik Bhaskar which starts today.

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Where will fantasy sports ‘My11Circle’ be heading post cricket season?

Hold your horses! Fantasy sports has come galloping its way into the Indian gaming ecosystem. The ground for the fantasy sports industry looks fertile as Bombay High Court recently declined the PIL against Dream11 and declared it as a game of skills. On top of that, the cricket season is on! The engagement and buzz around it seen to be reaching the fever pitch. WorldCup has always been a sensational event for all, especially Indians who look forward to it with bated breath. Adding to the excitement, fantasy sports has opened a whole new dimension for fans to express their emotions off the field which amps the ‘Josh’ quotient even higher!

But one question which has piqued me is what will happen post the cricket season? Will the craze fizzle out? During a candid conversation with Animation Xpress, My11Circle head of business, Saroj Panigrahi said “Cricket is now a global sport. With the success of IPL, there are other domestic and international leagues which are getting played around the year apart from other international games. We see a high level of engagement of Indian cricket fan on all these games thanks to fantasy sport. On My11Circle, we will ensure there is no dull moment. We will continue to provide an exciting game format to keep them engaged with the sport throughout the year.”

Indian fantasy sports platforms accounted for 80.62 per cent of all investments until Q1-2019. According to him, fantasy sports is playing a critical role to shape India as a sports nation and the investment scene will continue in the second decade as well. He said “the fan is the core of any sport. Fantasy is able to create a newer fan for different sport in India be it cricket, football, kabaddi. Investors understand this and support this creation of a new ecosystem. Yes, we are a very young nation in term of sports penetration; this is growing in the next decade.”

Having the world’s largest youth population and second largest internet population, India indeed has an abundance of creative talent with world-class infrastructure. “We have the right ecosystem to provide compelling content with social and cultural context, which will be key in engaging the Indian consumer. And this will help us to overtake China by 2023. Fantasy sports is going to lead this fight of becoming the world’s leading market in the gaming industry,” said he.

Speaking of which, when we asked him to shed light on challenges like gender disparity in the Indian gaming ecosystem he said, “The change has already begun in the last couple of years. With the arrival of more and more female sporting icon, this is set to change forever,” he added.

Setting the journey on upward direction, My11Circle has recently named Sourav Ganguly as the brand ambassador of My11Circle and they have noticed that business-wise, it has benefitted them in the cricket season as “fans took a lot of pride in not only competing with Sourav but to beat him,” he added.

Apart from that, My11Circle aims to become a favourite destination for all Indians to play online skill-game and aiming to continue investing in technology and innovation to provide Indian consumer with an unmatched game-playing experience even post cricket season.

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