‘Frozen 2’ earns $3.2 million in India and $350.2 million worldwide till date

Elsa and Anna have received a hearty welcome in India!

Frozen 2, that released on 22 November, has become the biggest weekend grosser for animated movies in India. It has earned Rs. 22.74 Crore (about $3.2 million) in three days, surpassing Disney’s Incredibles that grossed Rs. 22.3 Crores in India. 

Frozen 2 earned Rs. 3.35 crore on the day of release and doubled its collections on day two as it collected Rs. 6.75 crore on Saturday. 

Worldwide, the sequel to animated classic Frozen (2013), has brought in an estimated $350.2 million (about Rs. 2,509 crores) in its opening weekend at the global box office, delivering the biggest opening for an animated movie of all time in the process. 

Frozen 2 has passed over Disney’s own offerings – The Lion King remake ($245.95 million) and Toy Story 4 ($244.52 million) from earlier this year. Additionally, Frozen 2 also delivered the biggest opening weekend for a Disney Animation title and second-best for Disney Animation and Pixar in India.

Of its $350.2 million opening weekend, Frozen 2 garnered an estimated $127 million (about Rs. 910 crores) in the US and Canada, with the remaining estimated $223.2 million (about Rs. 1,600 crores) coming in from 37 other markets. China ($53 million) was the biggest of all, followed by the likes of South Korea ($31.5 million), Japan ($18.2 million), UK ($17.8 million), Germany ($14.9 million), France ($13.4 million), Mexico ($9.3 million), Indonesia ($6.2 million), the Philippines ($6.1 million), and Spain ($5.8 million).

As per Deadline, this was the highest opening weekend ever for an animated title in France, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Indonesia, Malaysia, Poland, Serbia, Slovenia, the UAE, and Ukraine; and highest 3-day opening weekend in Iceland and the UK. It was also the third highest industry opening of all time in Korea, and the third highest opening weekend of all time for an animated title in China.

Frozen 2 also delivered the highest opening weekend ever for a Disney Animation / Pixar movie in China, Germany, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. In addition to India, this is also the highest opening weekend for a Disney Animation title in Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, Hong Kong, Mexico and Peru.

This week, Frozen 2  will be released in Italy on Wednesday, followed by Australia, Chile, Greece, New Zealand, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Ukraine on Thursday, and Lebanon on Friday.

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Much-awaited movie ‘Irishman’ lands on Netflix

Martin Scorsese’s most recent schlock sees him tie up yet again with Hollywood veterans Robert De Niro and Al Pacino and has already garnered much praise from the those who have watched the movie in cinemas.

Based on the book I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt, Irishman tells the story of Frank Sheeran, a gangster, hitman and World War Two veteran.

 

Irishman

 

 The film chronicles one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in American history, the disappearance of legendary union boss Jimmy Hoffa, and offers a monumental journey through the hidden corridors of organised crime.

Sheeran (played by De Niro in the film) finds himself tagged with some of the most notorious people of the 20th century.

The film used de-ageing technology to make the cast look younger.

The movie shows Frank reflecting on his mobster career, with particular focus on the disappearance of his old friend and controversial union leader Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino)

The gangster thriller has been praised for its use of state-of-the-art technology.

Instead of casting younger actors to play the stars in their former years, the production team invested a heavy dose of the budget on sophisticated anti-ageing software, allowing De Niro and Pacino to relive their 30s again while flexing their acting chops.

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Disney Stocks up after successful streaming debut

The Walt Disney Company has shared that their shares have risen about two per cent after its newly launched streaming service, Disney+, had been downloaded 15.5 million times in less than two weeks (as of Tuesday).

As per Apptopia, the $6.99-per-month service brought in about $5 million through in-app purchases within its first 13 days and that doesn’t include those who paid for the service through the Disney+ website. Its estimate was 3.2 app downloads, which was consistent with the usual mobile vs. living room dynamics. Even so, the number exceeded all estimates and powered the stock to a then-record $150 a share. It closed Tuesday’s trading day at $151.57, up more than one per cent for the day on above-average volume, pulling back in the final hour of the session along with the broader market. 

Just a day after the launch of Disney+ in the U.S., Canada and the Netherlands on 12 November, Disney announced to had drawn 10 million ‘sign-ups’ – a different number than actual paid subscribers.

Analysts are of the opinion that these numbers could point to a legitimate competitor for Netflix driven by a strong pricing, content, and bundling strategy. The service also enjoys some content advantages over Apple TV+, although Apple TV starts with a significant install base and strong pricing compared to many streaming competitors.

The news also comes as the company’s Frozen 2 grossed $127 million domestically and $223 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing debut ever for any animated film.

From a technical standpoint, the relative strength index (RSI) remains overbought with a reading of 74.64, but the moving average convergence divergence (MACD) continues to trend higher. These indicators suggest that the stock could see some near-term consolidation before extending its move higher over the coming sessions.

Traders should watch for some consolidation above reaction support levels at around $150 over the coming sessions. If the stock breaks down from these levels, traders could see a move toward reaction lows of around $140 or the 50-day moving average at around $134.80. If the stock continues to break out, traders could see a move to fresh highs.

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Cyber Group Studios announces a new slate of deals with key broadcasters worldwide

Following a successful year at MIPCOM, Cyber Group Studios, the multi-award-winning company that produces and distributes animated series for kids and families, has announced to have secured a raft of international deals with leading broadcasters.

Cyber Group Studios Sales, Acquisitions and Digital senior vice president Raphaelle Mathieu commented, “We are thrilled that the market has so warmly welcomed our programs around the world” said I am particularly proud to strengthen our relationships with clients in Eastern Europe and Asia, territories that have become increasingly important in our development strategy.”

The new partnerships include:

In Western Europe: 

Droners

  • FRANCE & BENELUX – Droners (26×22’ HD-2D-CGI), the new hit series from Cyber Group Studios and La Chouette Compagnie, which has ranked as the #17 most-screened program at MIPJUNIOR this year, has been pre-sold to TF1 (France) and Disney Channel (France and Benelux) 
  • NETHERLANDS – Mini-Ninjas season 1 (52×11’ HD-2D-CGI) based on the best-selling video game distributed by Square Enix (over a million units sold) and official nominee at Pulcinella Awards, Cartoon On The Bay (Italy) and at the Seoul International Cartoon & Animation Festival, SICAF (South Korea) has been acquired by Disney 

 

  • ITALY – Ernest and Rebecca (52×11’ HD-2D) an animated comedy series commissioned by TF1 (France), full of tenderness, energy and based on the eponymous comic book has been acquired by Discovery 

Ernest&Rebecca

In Eastern Europe:

POLAND – TVP ABC has acquired three major series:

 

  • Gigantosaurus (52×11’ HD-2D-CGI) – Cyber Group Studio’s hit series, commissioned by Disney Worldwide and France TV

 

  • Tom Sawyer (26×22’ HD-2D-CGI) The company’s latest classic hit, coproduced with PVP and with RAI/SRC/HR/ARD, among others, as initial partners  
  • Zorro The Chronicles (26×22’ HD-CGI) The iconic series that has already been sold in more than 170 territories globally

POLAND – ITI Neovision has acquired two series: 

  • Ernest and Rebecca (52×11’ HD-2D)
  • Mirette Investigates (52×11’ HD-2D) 

SERBIA, MONTENEGRO, BOSNIA, CROATIA – Prava i Prevodi has acquired a package of four library titles: 

 

  • Raju the Rickshaw (78×7’ HD-CGI) 
  • Animalia (40×24’ HD-CGI)
  • Guess What? (52×7’ HD-CGI)
  • Patch Pillows (78×7’ – HD CGI) 

In Asia Pacific: 

Cyber Group Studios continues to establish its presence in a number of global territories with recent sales in:

AUSTRALIA – ABC Australia has acquired Sadie Sparks (52×11’ HD- 2D- CGI)  

CHINA – Shanghai Senyu Culture Media has acquired Mia (39×11’ – HD-CGI) 

TAIWAN – PTS has acquired Gigantosaurus (52×11’ HD-2D-CGI)

Mini Ninjas

MYANMAR – Canal+ has acquired:

  • Mini Ninjas season 2 (104×11’ HD-CGI) 

 

  • Mademoizelle Zazie (78×7’ HD-CGI) 

THAILAND – Cinexplex/True Visions has picked up:

  • Leo the Wildlife Ranger (60×11’ HD-CGI)
  • Zak Jinks (52×11’ HD 2D)

HONG-KONG – TVB has acquired:

  • The Pirates Next Door (52×11’ HD-CGI)

 

  • The Long Long Holiday (26×22’ HD-CGI) 

BANGLADESH Barind  has acquired a package of programs, including:

  • Ozie Boo Save the Planet (78×7’ HD-CGI)
  • Season one of Mini Ninjas (104×11’ HD-CGI)
  • Iqbal, Tale of a Fearless Child (80’ HD-CGI)

VIETNAM – SCTV has acquired Mini Ninjas season one (104×11’ HD-CGI) 

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Kantar and VTION partners to launch OTT measurement in India

Kantar has collaborated with audience measurement and analytics company VTION to launch OTT audience measurement for video platforms, audio streaming, podcasting and broadcast radio FM platforms in India.

Commenting on this partnership, Kantar Insights Division managing director Hemant Mehta said, “With the launch of OTT Audience Measurement solution, we hope to provide rich insights into audience profiles, their content and platform preferences as well as give guidelines for communication planning and activation.”

The service will provide communication planning insights for brands, media planners and platforms, and assessment of return on investment for media spend. It is India’s first OTT measurement tool to operate in real-time, according to the companies. VTION’s data management framework uses machine learning algorithms to measure and analyse consumer media consumption on OTT channels.

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Disney Channel India inspires kids to upcycle with property ‘Imagine That’

Disney Channel India is set to treat kids and families with an exciting property – Imagine That in the year 2020. Bringing back DIY with a purpose, the property – Imagine That aims to sparkle imagination, encourage creativity among kids and tap into their natural desire to explore, all centered around upcycling.

“Curiosity and imagination are the cornerstones of every child in his growing years and with this property, we are encouraging kids to get creative and express themselves through the imaginative world of DIYs. It will give kids an opportunity to experience the fun in upcycling while instilling the importance of repurposing at a very young age. We are happy to partner with Rob who we believe will stimulate young minds into exploring their artistic side while making a difference to the world, one upcycled DIY at a time,” said Star India head – Infotainment, English and Kids Anuradha Aggarwal.

The property will aim to create a platform for the free-spirited minds of the country. Imagine That will start off with a television show with Rob, India’s most popular artist, who will inspire kids to think out of the proverbial box and motivate them to repurpose and transform resources into high quality art. This concept of upcycling with DIY will also be extended through a series of on-ground and digital engagements; each aimed to foster creativity and imagination in kids.

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KhelPlay Rummy rolls out new campaign with Kajal Aggarwal

KhelPlay Rummy – the online gaming platform which has revolutionised the game and trends of playing online rummy, has launched a new campaign #ShowYourSkills with ace actress and KhelPlay Rummy’s brand ambassador Kajal Aggarwal to highlight and spread awareness about the comprehension and reasoning abilities that its players develop.

The multi – platform ad campaign spread across TV, YouTube, HotStar and social media comprises of commercials in Marathi, Tamil, Kannada and Telugu, and is designed to reach out to the masses while focusing on transferable life skill such as taking quick calculated decision, sharp memory and promptness. Speaking about the campaign, the face of KhelPlay Rummy, Kajal Aggarwal said, “I like KPR’s initiative to bring about the confluence of rummy in the digital world by creatively highlighting the benefits of the game on various platforms with #ShowYourSkill campaign. This campaign emphasises on fun and excitement along with rummy as a game of skill.”

A few weeks back KPR announced Kajal as the face of the brand, to which Kajal further commented, “I am glad to be a part of KhelPlay Rummy – one of the leaders in the online rummy space in India. Being an avid player myself, Rummy has provided me with one of the best forms of mental workouts. It also helps me lower stress and relax my mind after an eventful day.” #ShowYourSkill campaign is an example of how KPR keeps their players engaged in a game which helps them de-stress and develop their cognitive skills simultaneously.

Talking about KhelPlay’s intent,  Khel Group head of marketing Sourabh Agarwal, said, “#ShowYourSkills campaign is born out of one of the key challenges that the Indian Rummy industry faces – the misconception that it is a game of chance. With this new brand communication, we aim to bring awareness amongst our target audience about Rummy. Moreover, with Kajal driving the campaign it will help people relate more with rummy and reiterate the fact that rummy is a skill-based game which offers fun & thrill at the same time.”

With the growing passion for rummy in India, the thought behind KPR is driven by the idea of customization and focusing on the target audience. Agarwal further elaborated, “Responsible gaming and healthy involvement are two of the most important attributes of an online rummy game and the more you play, the better you get at it. At KPR, we ensure to present our players the offers that suit their requirements and tournaments with secure payment gateways and a fantastic gameplay experience.”

India’s online gaming industry is reported to generate a revenue of Rs.11,900 crore by 2023 and is currently spurring at 22 per cent CGAR by a KPMG report. To boost this further, KhelPlay Rummy has a database of 30 lakh users and continuously strives to engage their players and retain them by having an array of 10, 13, 21 and 27 cards rummy like pool, points, and deals.

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My reflections on the IndiaJoy festival 2019

Industry is at the crossroads and the market appears to be in a flux as we straddle the golden age of content. If the profusion of the OTT space can be likened to rains, then each droplet contains a massive repository of content aimed at global consumption. And by extension, it feels like this unending digital monsoon is all set to irrigate the Indian storytelling landscape. New players are emerging by the day and the nature of the market continues to show its vagaries and caprice.

Inaugration

This, in effect, necessitates aggregator platforms which can verily facilitate connectivity, partnership, understanding if the market and the status-quo. Over the past five years, we have seen a flurry of summits and platforms that have collectively aimed to bring under one roof all the market players ranging from creators, producers, animators, artists and important stakeholders of the AVGC industry.


Packing a buzzing microcosm of the AVGC industry, IndiaJoy recently concluded on a high note and I was there to experience it first-hand.



However, in the apotheosis of aggregator events, IndiaJoy festival emerges as the most potent one in its promise and size. Perhaps it would be apt to say; In the ocean of AVGC events, IndiaJoy is quite an oyster.

Packing a buzzing microcosm of the AVGC industry, IndiaJoy recently concluded on a high note and I was there to experience it first-hand. While Hyderabad is termed as the heart of the Indian subcontinent, in the heart of the city itself lies a technology hotspot where India’s largest digital entertainment festival was ceremoniously held. And it saw a definitive gathering of Industry linchpins and over thirty thousand visitors from all across the world.

 

Participant poses for a picture

At the HICC venue, The festival was optimally stitched together to help the attendees easily maneuver through a series of events transpiring at different places in the venue. While the four-day event attracted thousands of big players from India’s AVGC sector, I could see a massive contingent of international delegates traversing the aisles of the exhibition area.


Seeing myself vicariously turn into a four-legged monster on the screen was cool enough but playing those nifty games near e-sports arena was just otherworldly.


You can draw parallels between Hogwarts and the IndiaJoy festival in the way students and aspirants feast upon the seemingly impossible wizardry that unfolds before them albeit IndiaJoy also aimed to explain the muggle (Human-made) technologies that helped create them. 

Riot Games VFX artist Jason Keyser speaks to students

Instead of wands, presenters carried remotes that beamed at the large screens behind them, allowing them to switch slides and illustrate how complex VFX imagery was created on celluloid. India has had its own share of VFX-rich blockbuster movies that have also struck a chord with the global audience. Recent movies Bahubali saga and 2.0 that coincidentally also find their origins in the city of Hyderabad have become the landmark projects for the use of technology. VFX summit itself saw world’s top-drawer projects presented by the VFX wizards themselves. The line-up included big names like (2.0 fame) Srinivas Mohan, and Oscar-awardee VFX veteran Tim McGovern and redchillies.vfx supervisor Ronak Sanghadia and Technicolor India Head Biren Ghose.

Various stalls displayed their software offerings and plied visitors with a chance to experience the latest technologies like motion capture and virtual reality. Seeing myself vicariously turn into a four-legged monster on the screen was cool enough but playing those nifty games near e-sports arena was just otherworldly.

Tiger face paint at IndiaJoy

Speaking of gaming, there was a dedicated space reserved for gaming where participants participated with great fervour and there I actually acquainted myself with the sheer rage gaming scenario has grown to become. Players vying for the top spot had travelled from far yonders to get themselves registered for the gaming contests and the passions flared as the running commentary played out.

Artistic competitions saw its own razzmatazz with students participating in sketching, face-painting, clay-moulding and various other crafty contests and being handsomely rewarded by the end of the day.

India Joy 2019 packed a veritable treasure trove of knowledge and hot line up of nine premium events that included IGDC (India Game Developer Conference), Desi Toons, VFX Summit, InfluencerCon, Investor-Publisher Connect, E-Sports, OTT Pulse and the Indiajoy Music Fest.

OTT rush

With the explosion of digital space, Influencers have carved a space of their own. The onset of advertisement, promotional opportunities and brand partnerships that have emerged for influencers has brought on a wave of demand for knowledge on the crests and troughs of the market and how creators and brands can find inventive ways to form synergies..

While InfluencerCon turned in, serving as the holy grail of market information, reports and ongoing trends, OTT pulse saw an elaborate series of discussions on various facets of digital content. Several interactive sessions, including those by Facebook and Tik Tok bestowed nuggets of insight and tricks on making it big in their respective genres of content.

Arbaz Khan promotes Rogue Hiest (game) at IGDC

No longer is gaming a wayward hobby that children or (to be more specific I) often got grounded for. Gaming Industry has come to seize the pulse of millions, becoming a billion dollar industry worldwide. Ripples of which are being increasingly felt in India’s largest gaming conference that took place under the IndiaJoy umbrella. Attendees comprising of aspiring-game developers and stakeholders had the opportunity to witness various aspects of gaming right from developments to its business. IGDC flew down to the aisles of IndiaJoy a variety of gaming professions and market experts that discussed all facets of the industry.


“Well, it’s always fun creating babies, whether on screen or otherwise” – Green Gold Studios founder Rajiv Chilaka 


On the Animation front, we saw giants of Indian Animation industry exchange inputs and enlarge on their journeys and pitfalls.

Was it thought provoking?

Hell yeah! Although it only scratches the surface of the larger issue, AnimationXpress founder and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari pointed out on the DesiToonz panel how creative folks are not given their due, which is the reason why we don’t see newer animated content or something to that effect. I hope those in charge heed that!

Mighty Little Bheem

Speaking about the recent superhit show in the kids’ category, Mighty Little Bheem ( I kid you not, is the cutest animated baby the world has ever seen) which is rocking at number one on Netflix, Green Gold Studios founder Rajiv Chilaka tickled the funny bone by saying, “Well, it’s always fun creating babies, whether on screen or otherwise”

Hyderabad-based and international Institutes offering courses in various aspects of digital entertainment and filmmaking also made their attendance with their own stalls.

Apart from Hyderabad emerging as the hub of technology boasting of the upcoming image tower, the sessions affirmed one notion; India’s AVGC industry is on steroids and content continues to get face-lifts by technology everyday. It’s only a matter of time before the India starts soaring through the global firmament.

 

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Kroger “Anthem” Dir: Cesar Pelizer

Team Corinthians wins Free Fire World Series 2019

In an intense and hard-fought battle, team Corinthians has won the championship at the 2019 Free Fire World Series held this weekend at Barra Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, narrowly beating out Russian team Sbornaya ChR. Illuminate from Thailand became the second runner-up.  

Brazilian team Corinthians outplayed 11 other teams from North America, Latin America (South and North), Russia, Southeast Asia, India and MENA with a total of 2300 points to earn the top cash prize of $200,000. The champion path was not easy for team Corinthians because they were behind Russian team Sbornaya ChR 7th round. Corinthians made a comeback in the final round to win the Free Fire World Series 2019.

Team Corinthians

The full scoreboard of Free Fire World Series 2019 finals goes like:  

  •       Corinthians (2300 pts)
  •       Sbornaya CHR (2190 pts)
  •       Illuminate (2020 pts)
  •       LGDS (1695 pts)
  •       Infinity Esports Mobile (1580 pts)
  •       Team Flash (1455 pts)
  •       Arctic Gaming (1200 pts)
  •       Dranix Esports (805 pts)
  •       Loud (790 pts)
  •       Infinity_YT (765 pts)
  •       Nawabzade (630 pts)
  •       Samurai Team (490 pts)

Free Fire World Series 2019 attracted more than 2 million peak concurrent views online, which is a world record high for a mobile esports tournament, according to Esports Charts. In total, the World Series racked up over 100 million online views around the world.

The biggest Free Fire event of the year, the World Series tournament brought together 12 teams who earned the number one seed from regional leagues to compete for a total prize pool of $400,000. Brazil’s top DJ and record producer Alok, Brazilian star Mano Brown and  MC Jottapê opened the event with an exclusive performance. As Free Fire’s first resident DJ, Alok performed his recently released Vale Vale.

Garena also confirmed that Free Fire World Series 2020 will take place in Jakarta, Indonesia – bringing the heart of the action back to Southeast Asia. As of the third quarter of 2019, Free Fire was ranked among the top five most downloaded mobile games globally for the third straight quarter across the Google Play and iOS App Stores combined, according to App Annie.

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