The Nielsen Company released on January 23rd its annual Guide to the Super Bowl, which showcases a full range of consumer and media information about the most anticipated marketing event in the U.S. This year’s matchup between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers is scheduled for February 1 in Tampa, FL.Among the key findings from Nielsen:

• TELEVISION: Last year’s tilt between the Patriots and the Giants was viewed by a record 97.5 million people nationwide. As expected, the Super Bowl was the most-watched TV broadcast in 2008.

• ADVERTISERS: The cost of a 30-second spot in last year’s Super Bowl was $2.7 million. Total spending for the game reached over $195 million. Anheuser-Busch bought the most commercial time (4 minutes total). The highest-rated commercial minute was the Victoria’s Secret spot at 9:44pm, seen by 103.7 million viewers. The most-liked ad was produced by the NFL. The most-recalled ad was produced by FedEx.

• ONLINE: Super Bowl advertisers saw a 24 percent jump in Web traffic the day after last year’s Super Bowl. The Pepsi commercial featuring Justin Timberlake gathered the most Internet buzz.

• MUSIC AND MOVIES: In the week following Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers’ halftime performance last year, sales of their “Greatest Hits” album jumped 196%. Petty’s “Anthology: Through the Years” album jumped 240% that same week. Box office sales on the weekend of Super Bowl Sunday show notable decline. The NFL Super Bowl XLII DVD was the #1 selling sports DVD in 2008.

• SNACKS AND BEER: The Super Bowl is the 8th-largest beer-selling event each year. Markets with hometown teams involved in the big game are more likely buy more beer. Potato chips are the snack of choice at Super Bowl parties, but tortilla chips are quickly gaining.

• CONSUMER TRENDS: There’s a softer side to football fans. People identifying themselves as avid NFL fans outpaced total U.S. spending in skin care by 74% from 2005 to 2007. NFL fans are also more likely to own hi-tech electronic items than the average adult.

• DEMOGRAPHICS: About 138 million adults - or more than 60% of the adult population in the U.S. - are NFL fans. The league is slightly more likely to attract fans from higher education and income brackets. Fans are also generally more physically active than the average American.

For more details and analysis, please see the full downloadable news release.

For additional advertising and media trends, visit Nielsen’s blog at: http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/.

About The Nielsen Company

The Nielsen Company is a global information and media company with leading market positions in marketing and consumer information, television and other media measurement, online intelligence, mobile measurement, trade shows and business publications (Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, and Adweek). The privately held company is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in New York, USA. For more information, please visit, www.nielsen.com.

At the motion picture box office, there is one man who keeps showing that nobody does it better: Bond. James Bond.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures’/Columbia Pictures’ Quantum of Solace, the 22nd James Bond adventure, has taken in over $167.1 million to become the most successful Bond film of all time in North America, surpassing the $167 million grossed domestically by Casino Royale, it was announced on January 8th by Jeff Blake, chairman of Sony Pictures Worldwide Marketing and Distribution. The film is still playing in 891 theaters in the United States.

In addition, Quantum of Solace has grossed another $382.9 internationally, with the important market of Japan still yet to open. Taking in a worldwide gross so far of $550 million, Quantum of Solace is already the second-highest grossing Bond film of all time worldwide.

Commenting on the announcement, Blake said, “It is always gratifying when the audience responds to a film, but to be working with a character as successful as James Bond and see the two films Sony has handled become the two most successful films in the history of the franchise makes us all tremendously proud. It has been a special thrill to work on the Bond films, and we couldn’t be more excited by the success of Quantum of Solace.”

Daniel Craig reprises his role as Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007 in Quantum of Solace, the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures/Columbia Pictures release of EON Productions’ 22nd adventure in the longest-running film franchise in motion picture history. The film is produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli and directed by Marc Forster. The screenplay was written by Paul Haggis and Neal Purvis & Robert Wade.

About EON Productions

EON Productions/Danjaq, LLC, is owned by the Broccoli family and has produced twenty two James Bond films since 1962, including QUANTUM OF SOLACE. The James Bond films, produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, make up the longest running franchise in film history and include the recent blockbuster films GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough, Die Another Day and Casino Royale. EON Productions and Danjaq LLC, are affiliate companies and control all worldwide merchandising of the James Bond franchise.

About Columbia Pictures

Columbia Pictures, part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company. Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in more than 100 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com.

About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., through its operating subsidiaries, is actively engaged in the worldwide production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home video, interactive media, music and licensed merchandise. The company owns the world’s largest library of modern films, comprising around 4,100 titles. Operating units include Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc., United Artists Films Inc., Ventanazul, MGM Television Entertainment Inc., MGM Networks Inc., MGM Domestic Networks LLC, MGM Distribution Co, MGM International Television Distribution Inc, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment LLC, MGM ON STAGE, MGM Music, MGM Worldwide Digital Media, MGM Consumer Products and MGM Interactive. In addition, MGM has ownership interests in international TV channels reaching nearly 120 countries. MGM ownership is as follows: Providence Equity Partners (29%), TPG (21%), Sony Corporation of America (20%), Comcast (20%), DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (7%) and Quadrangle Group (3%). For more information, visit www.mgm.com.

Sony/MGM’s Quantum Of Solace scored the best launch in James Bond franchise history at the weekend with a thunderous $70.4m that far exceeded predictions and dwarfed the competition.

The result beat the previous franchise record of $47.1m set by Die Another Day in 2002 and combined with 007’s continued international domination to propel the global tally past $322m in just over two weeks.

For the record Daniel Craig and Co easily surpassed the $40.8m launch of Casino Royale almost exactly two years ago to the day. Sony/MGM chiefs will have derived much pleasure from the fact that Quantum Of Solace beat the best ever Jason Bourne launch of $69.3m set by The Bourne Ultimatum in August 2007.

According to exit polls the film exits drew a 54% male and 46% female crowd while 58% of the total audience was aged 25 and over.

With no other new titles in the mix, almost every remaining top ten film comedy moved down one place. DreamWorks Animation’s Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa added $36.1m for $118m and Universal’s Role Models grossed $11.7m for $38.1m. Both releases were in their second weekend.

In fourth place Buena Vista’s High School Musical 3: Senior Year drew a further $5.9m out of the tween demographic for $84.4m after four while Universal’s Changeling in fifth place continued to thrive on excellent word of mouth and added $4.2m for $27.6m after four. The period drama can expect a box office boost in January, when it is likely to figure among the Oscar nominees.

DreamWorks-Paramount’s thriller Eagle Eye ranks 12th after eight weeks and continues to inch its way towards $100m on $98.8m.

Fox Searchlight’s Slumdog Millionaire will be one to watch as it expands in the coming weeks and launched in 23rd place on an excellent $418,000 from 10 venues.

Samuel Goldwyn Film’s Christian drama Fireproof has reached $30m after eight as $1.3m from 905 screens raised the tally to $30.2m.

Meanwhile Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure became one of the fastest giant screen films to hit the $30m since opening on October 5 through National Geographic Cinema Ventures.

Next weekend’s wide releases are: Buena Vista’s 3D animated family tale Bolt voiced by John Travolta and Miley Cyrus, among others, and Summit Entertainment’s vampire romance Twilight with Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson.

Estimated Top 10 North America Nov 14-16, 2008
Film (Dist)/Int’l dist/Est wkd gross/Est total to date

1 (-) Quantum Of Solace (Sony/MGM) SPRI $70.4m –
2 (1) Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (DreamWorks-Paramount) PPI $36.1m $118m
3 (2) Role Models (Universal) UPI $11.7m $38.1m
4 (3) High School Musical 3: Senior Year (Buena Vista) WDSMPI $5.9m $84.4m
5 (4) Changeling (Universal) UPI $4.2m $27.6m
6 (5) Zack And Miri Make A Porno (TWC) TWC Int’l $3.2m $26.5m
7 (6) Soul Men (MGM/TWC) $2.43m $9.4m
8 (9) The Secret Life Of Bees (Fox Searchlight) Fox Int’l $2.40m $33.7m
9 (7) Saw V (Lionsgate) Mandate Int’l $1.8m $55.4m
10 (8) The Haunting Of Molly Hartley (Freestyle Releasing) Odd Lot
Int’l $1.6m $12.7m

Source : Screen Daily, Jeremy Kay

IMAX and Disney will finally work together after signing a five-film deal that kicks off with Robert Zemeckis’ 3D retelling of the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol starring Jim Carrey in November 2009.

According to Disney sources close to the deal the roster may include films from Tim Burton and producer Jerry Bruckheimer, which would suggest Alice In Wonderland and The Prince Of Persia: Sands Of Time, both of which are scheduled to open in the first half of 2010. Release dates for additional titles will be announced in the near future.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Group president Mark Zoradi said IMAX experience took cinema-going to “a whole new level of excitement.”

He added that A Christmas Carol would be followed by “an incredible slate of new Disney Digital 3D motion pictures from some of the industry’s most accomplished and innovative film-makers, and we know audiences are going to love being immersed in these great fantasies and adventures in IMAX’s format.”

IMAX co-chairmen and co-CEOs Richard L Gelfond and Bradley J Wechsler said the deal with Disney ensured “an outstanding slate of movies going forward”, adding: “We’re delighted to enter this new partnership with one of the greatest brands in the industry, especially at a time when we’re expanding to reach even more IMAX moviegoers.”

Source : Screen Daily, Jeremy Kay

Lightyear Entertainment announced a new long–term distribution agreement with Vivendi Entertainment (VE) for its filmed entertainment releases and library.  VE will handle all physical DVD distribution in the U.S. and Canada, plus Electronic Sell–Through, Digital Rental, and Mobile exploitation.  Through VE\’s relationships, Lightyear releases will be available for the first time on the iTunes Movie Store.

“We are delighted to have concluded this deal with Vivendi Entertainment,” said Arnie Holland, CEO of Lightyear.  “VE\’s focus on independent films and ability to devote attention to an independent studio like Lightyear, combined with its clout and presence in the physical DVD and digital worlds, makes them the perfect distribution partner for what we do.”

“Lightyear is a truly diverse entertainment company with compelling content across many genres,” commented Yolanda Macias, SVP Vivendi Entertainment. “As we continue to add to our ensemble of high–quality home entertainment partner companies, we are thrilled to distribute Lightyear\’s filmed entertainment, music videos and children\’s products.”

Lightyear plans on releasing 2–3 films a month through VE, starting in November, 2008 in a variety of genres.  Its 70 current library titles include sci–fi, horror, comedy, urban comedies, urban faith based films, dramas, action, music, and children\’s films. Previously, Lightyear had been distributed through Warner Home Video since 1995.

Lightyear\’s 4th quarter releases include Take a Leap of Faith (November 4) and Johnson Family Christmas Dinner (December 9), two urban faith–based films from hot urban filmmaker Jean Claude LaMarre.  Also coming out on November 4 is House Arrest, an urban comedy from actor/filmmaker Marcello Thedford.

Lightyear\’s January, 2009 releases include Confessions of an Action Star, a hilarious mockumentary  featuring special appearances by a wide range of well–known actors and celebrities, including one super–celebrity actress whose name can\’t be mentioned ;  Opie Gets Laid, a relationship comedy in the style of Judd Apatow\’s films, and Pastor Jones: Sisters in Spirit 2, the newest sequel in the successful Pastor Jones series from actor/producer/director Jean Claude LaMarre.

Apple and NBC Universal  announced on Sept 10 the return of NBC programming to the iTunes Store (www.itunes.com) including NBC networks’ top 10 series available immediately for purchase and download in both standard definition and stunning high definition. iTunes customers can choose programming from NBC, USA Network, SCI FI Channel, Bravo, Sleuth and NBC News including favorites such as the award-winning and critically acclaimed “Heroes,” and the Emmy award-winning programs “The Office,” “Battlestar Galactica” and “30 Rock.” NBCU standard definition television shows on the iTunes Store are $1.99 per episode and HD programs are available for just one dollar more at $2.99 per episode and select library content is available for $.99. Additional NBCU programming from Oxygen, Telemundo, Mun2 and NBC Sports will be available on iTunes soon.“The return of our shows to iTunes is terrific news for everyone who loves television and the ease and convenience of Apple’s iTunes,” said Jeff Zucker, President and CEO, NBC Universal. “And now, by offering consumers a variety of new options, our fans have even more ways to enjoy our content.”

“We are thrilled that NBC is back on iTunes in time for the Fall TV season,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “NBC has some of TV’s most popular shows and now customers can purchase and download them from iTunes in SD or stunning HD.”

iTunes customers can also purchase a Season Pass which allows viewers to buy an entire season of programming at a discounted price. In addition, NBC Universal is offering one free episode from each of their top series, available in either SD or HD, on the iTunes Store for the next two weeks. The premiere episodes of upcoming NBC shows, such as “Knight Rider,” “My Own Worst Enemy” and “Kath & Kim” will be available on iTunes a week before their broadcast premieres later in September and October, with subsequent episodes available the day after broadcast. NBC is also making full episodes of several vintage television shows available on iTunes for $.99, including “The A-Team,” “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour,” “Miami Vice,” “Kojak” and the original “Battlestar Galactica.”

The iTunes Store is the world’s most popular online music, TV and movie store with a catalog of over 8.5 million songs, over 30,000 TV episodes and over 2,500 films including 600 in stunning high definition video. With Apple’s legendary ease of use, pioneering features such as iTunes Movie Rentals, integrated podcasting support, iMix playlist sharing, the ability to turn previously purchased tracks into complete albums at a reduced price, and seamless integration with iPod and iPhone, the iTunes Store is the best way for Mac and PC users to legally discover, purchase and download music and video online.

Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) announced on Sept 17th  that its joint venture with China Film Group called Huaso Film/Television Digital Production Company Limited (Huaso) has launched a 24-episode one hour drama series called The Game on China’s state broadcaster CCTV8 on September 22, 2008 at 7:30pm. It’s the first television drama series produced by Huaso following the television movies it has produced for CCTV.

Based on the best-selling novel The Lunatic by Liu Ping, The Game is a suspense-filled series written by Ren Yun in a rare collaboration with script consultants from Hollywood and China. With guidance from Award-winning Chinese writer Li Xiao Ming (A Native of Beijing in New York, Half-way Couple) and Hollywood veteran Gerald Sanoff (Matlock, Diagnosis Murder), Ren Yun crafted a series about love, intrigue, betrayal and the remarkable resiliency of the human spirit. In addition to the unique writing collaboration, the production team was made up of seasoned executives from CCTV and SPTI.

“It has been a remarkable experience working with the team at Huaso and our partner at China Film Group to bring this project to the small screen. By combining top-notch talent from the East and West, I believe we’ve managed to create a very original series with new elements of story-telling for the Chinese audience. We hope the unique story along with the fantastic cast will lead to an auspicious debut on CCTV8,” said Mary Chan, SPTI’s vice president, production, Asia.

The Game is directed by Hong Kong’s Yuen Ying Ming, who has directed numerous highly-acclaimed drama series in Greater China over the past 20 years. Yuen’s celebrated works include The Greed of Man, Looking Back in Anger on TVB; The Legend of Da Qi Hero and The Best Tea House in China.

China International Television Corporation (CITVC), the global distribution agent of programs owned by CCTV, will be distributing The Game within China while SPTI will be distributing the series outside of China both in its original form and as a scripted format.

Synopsis of The Game

The Game is a story about the remarkable resiliency of the human spirit. Zuo Zhao Fung and Zhai Ren Wei are good friends and business colleagues who appear to be as close as brothers. Although they have known each other for years, Zuo Zhao Feng is unaware that Zhai Ren Wei has been carefully planning the systematic demise of Zuo Zhao Feng, Zuo’s father and the company they built. Zhai, however, underestimates Zuo’s determination and perseverance in the face of adversity. With the love and support of Lu Xiao Jie, a former colleague at his father’s company, Zuo is able to start a new company and put his life in order again. The Game’s strong cast includes Yu Xiao Wei (Handsome Men, Pretty Women, So Want to Love), Huang Jue (Everlasting Regret, Love Heaven, I Love You and So Long Farewell), Luo Hai Qiong (So Want to Love, Like Rain and Wind) and Fu Xin Yin (Rain Season In Bangkok, Jade Buddha, Begins With Love).

About Sony Pictures Television International

Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) is the division of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) responsible for all television business outside of the United States. SPTI operates three complementary lines of business: 1) distribution of SPE’s feature films and television programming to television, mobile and digital content delivery outlets around the world, 2) local television production in key international markets, and 3) international television networks. In addition to being a leader in the distribution of current and classic U.S. and international films and television product worldwide, SPTI produces high profile, locally produced television in local languages. With dedicated offices in France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Miami (Latin America), the People’s Republic of China, Russia, Spain and the United Kingdom, SPTI currently oversees production in nine regions of the world and is the leader in international television production among all major Hollywood studios. SPTI’s worldwide television networks portfolio is a key strategy in the SPE’s long-range commitment to the global marketplace, with over 50 networks in more than 130 countries reaching almost 400 million households worldwide. SPTI is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.

About Huaso Film and Television Digital Production Company Limited (Huaso)

Huaso is a joint-venture company formed by Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) and Hua Long Film Digital Production Co. Ltd., of China Film Group (CFG). This production joint-venture has been approved by the People’s Republic of China’s regulatory bodies - the State Administration of Radio, Film & Television (SARFT) and the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM). Huaso is an acronym combining “Hua Long” with “Sony,” with CFG holding a majority interest. Currently Huaso has a number of Chinese-language projects in development, including light entertainment and sitcom properties, drama series and TV movies, for distribution within and outside the PRC.

Deutsche Columbia Pictures Film Produktion, the local German production arm of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), is commencing pre-production on the comedy Friendship. Deborah Schindler, President of Sony Pictures International Motion Picture Production Group announced that the studio is producing the feature with leading German producers Quirin Berg and Max Wiedemann, producers of the Academy Award® winning feature, The Lives Of Others and Barefoot films’ Til Schweiger and Tom Zickler, producers of the box office hit Rabbit Without Ears. Friendship will be directed by the prolific commercial director, Markus Goller (Under The Mask). The screenplay is by Oliver Ziegenbalg (U 900, 1 1/2 Ritter). Matthais Schweighöfer, considered one of the most promising young talents in European film, will play the lead role of Kai.

Deborah Schindler stated: “By supporting a tremendously talented emerging new director and an exciting young cast and teaming them with accomplished, award-winning producers, Friendship represents the kind of movie we want to support as part of our local language portfolio. This is a compelling story about a unique time in German history with a global theme of re-uniting a family and we couldn’t be more excited about how this project has come together.”

Quirin Berg and Max Wiedemann added: “We are thrilled to continue our relationship with Sony by partnering with Deborah Schindler and the talented creative team on Friendship. With the addition of Sony’s global marketing and distribution expertise, our goal of continuing to bring exciting and unique new stories and showcasing emerging German talent to a wider audience can be fulfilled.”

Friendship is a buddy comedy set in East Germany in 1989 on the eve of the fall of the Berlin Wall. When the Wall comes down, Kai (22) is determined to find his father, who escaped from the GDR twelve years before. Since the only communication with him has been an annual birthday card from San Francisco, Kai and his best friend, Alex fly to the U.S. on a quest to locate Kai’s dad. Barely speaking English and with only $55 dollars in their pocket, this road trip takes a very interesting turn. Friendship is a culture-clash comedy underscored by an emotional story about friendship.

Production for Sony Pictures International Motion Picture Group will be overseen locally by Deutsche Columbia Pictures Film Produktion’s Vice President of Production Maike Haas, who was hired by the company earlier this year and reports directly to Schindler and General Manager, Martin Bachman of Sony Pictures Releasing GmbH, who will oversee the initial release in Germany.

Deutsche Columbia Pictures Film Produktion is the European headquarters of SPE’s local production group. In addition to Germany, Sony Pictures International Motion Picture Production Group is currently in active production on local features for SPE in East-Asia, India, Russia, the U.K., and Mexico. The company led the way on international local productions in East-Asia including Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Stephen Chow’s Kung Fu Hustle, as well as European productions including Snatch (UK) and Di Que Si (SPAIN). Most recently SPRI released Stephen Chow’s CJ7 and Sony’s first local Indian production Saawariya (Beloved), in addition to the Mexican local hit feature Niñas Mal.

Deutsche Columbia Pictures Film Produktion, Sony Pictures International Motion Picture Production Group, Sony Pictures Releasing International (SPRI) and Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group (CTMPG), are Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) companies. SPE is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution, television production and distribution, worldwide channel investments, home video acquisition and distribution, operation of studio facilities, development of new entertainment products, services and technologies, and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries.

The Nielsen Company reported on June 23rd that there is strong consumer appetite for 3-D films, based on a detailed analysis that showed a 65% sales increase in theatres using 3-D technology to exhibit their movies.The analysis, which was unveiled today by Nielsen PreView at the Cine Expo conference in The Netherlands, compared the film’s performance in comparable theatres with a proven track record in the action/adventure genre. This like-to-like comparison provides a more sophisticated understanding on the impact of 3-D than other studies that simply looked at the performance of the movie in 3-D and 2-D theatres regardless of their historical ability to attract action/adventure movies.

“With all the upcoming hype around 3-D, we wanted to take a hard look and see if there is truly a consumer appetite for 3-D.” says Ann Marie Dumais, SVP, Nielsen PreView. “Our new research approach contrasted theatres in such a way to demonstrate consumers, when given a choice, will choose 3-D.”

Nielsen PreView’s 3-D study analyzed over 4,000 theatres in the United States. The research found theatres with at least one screen exhibiting in 3-D had a 65% increase in box office sales compared to their 2-D counterparts. Further, those theatres that chose to exhibit in 3-D on more than one screen saw their sales climb yet even higher to 100% versus what was expected, indicating that one 3-D screen per theatre may not be enough to satisfy consumer demand.

See downloadable pdf for chart.

While consumers have an appetite for 3-D films, they often lack awareness and education around what 3-D is and where to find it. In a recent Nielsen survey, 48% were unaware that their movie choices were even available in 3-D. The numbers cited in this study are likely to go even higher for the industry with increased marketing support and consumer education.

About Nielsen PreView™

Nielsen PreView provides shared industry research on a collective and cost effective basis to all interested members. www.NielsenPreView.com members guide research topics by rating, commenting and voting on current and future studies. Based on member feedback, Nielsen PreView links, models and analyzes various Nielsen informational assets to provide members a shared resource of insight and direction. Being a part of The Nielsen Company enables Nielsen PreView to have access to some of the world’s leading experts and largest global data sources - measuring consumer’s movie, music, TV, Internet and book preferences, as well as product and lifestyle behavior.

About The Nielsen Company

The Nielsen Company is a global information and media company with leading market positions and recognized brands in marketing information (ACNielsen), media information (Nielsen Media Research), online intelligence (Nielsen Online), mobile media (Nielsen Mobile), trade shows and business publications (Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Adweek). The privately held company is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in Haarlem, the Netherlands, and New York, USA.

Warner Bros. Pictures India enters into the animation genre with an untitled film directed by Jyotin Goel and produced by Geol Screencraft.”This is a story of love and adventure, full of color, music, drama and comedy,” says Jyotin Goel. “The film is not based on the human kingdom but portrays the melodious world of birds and attempts to explore their lives from an unusual standpoint. It is a journey into the lives of birds as they soar over dense jungles and teeming cities, giving them a point of view of the world that is hilariously different from ours.”

Speaking on this occasion Blaise Fernandes, Country Manager, Warner Bros. Pictures India says, “We are delighted to associate with Jyotin on this film. It marks our entry into the animation genre in India.”

This film will be produced by Geol Screencraft; post production will be handled by Interactive Realities International Private Limited (IRIPL).

About the Director: Jyotin Goel:
Jyothin Goel is associated with two filmmaking firms – as the proprietor of Goel Screen craft and as a partner in Goel Cine Corporation. A highly regarded filmmaker, Jyotin Goel has personally produced five Hindi feature films and directed three, including hits like Zahreelay and Inaam Dus Hazar. He has also written and directed a science-fiction-based Television show, Antariksh (2007), which won the Sansui and Indian Television Academy awards for visual effects. Mr. Goel has been regularly elected to the Executive Committees of the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association (the largest film producers’ organization in India) and the Film Makers Combine, the apex body of two film producers’ associations. He has been a member of the Indian Film Industry’s panel for the selection of its official feature film entry for the Oscars.

About Warner Bros. Pictures:
Warner Bros. Pictures is one of the most successful motion picture studios in the world and has been entertaining global audiences for over 85 years with high-quality, innovative, acclaimed motion pictures. With some 30 offices around the world, Warner Bros. Pictures is also the leader in the distribution and marketing of feature films to the worldwide theatrical marketplace, releasing films to more than 120 territories. Warner Bros. Pictures is home to such recent world-renowned hit films as the Harry Potter films, 300 and I Am Legend.

About Geol Screencraft:
Geol Screecraft was established by Jyotin Goel in 1985 as an independent offshoot of its parent company, Goel Cine Corporation, one of the oldest feature film production companies in India. Together, the two companies have produced 24 feature films, including classics like Ek Phool Do Mali(1969), Dus Lakh (1966) and Aadmi Sadak Ka(1977). The Goel film library is one of the most prized collections in India with films that regularly feature on television movie channels all over the world.

About Interactive Realities International Private Limited
IRIPL was established in 1994, and is one of the leading players in Multimedia Production, Internet Applications, e Learning and Web Solutions in India, with a client list of global corporations that includes Yahoo, Adobe and Kodak.