Alibaba Pictures, the film production arm of Alibaba Group, is working to tokenize distribution rights for some of its new film projects, including ‘Striding Into The Wind’. The company has signed an agreement with decentralized entertainment company Breaker to distribute the film overseas via its blockchain platform, Ethereum.
Alibaba has had mixed results producing films, and in an effort to maximize profits, Alibaba Pictures is distributing ‘Striding Into The Wind’’’ beyond China’s borders. To facilitate this, Alibaba Pictures is utilizing blockchain to tokenize the distribution rights of the film. How Will Blockchain Change the Global Film Industry? The film industry is just one of many, which stands to be turned on its head through the infusion of blockchain technology. Primarily, the effects will be in the way films are financed. Typically, a relatively low number of conglomerates can finance the big blockbuster films, as it is an expensive endeavour that typically costs in the millions. With special effects and movie star’s salaries, it not unreasonable for a film to cost over a hundred million dollars just to produce. This results in a restrictive environment for smaller projects. Understandably, film financers are looking for a return on their investment in an industry that may seem like gambling to many.
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Although it’s an astonishing accomplishment, we really shouldn’t be surprised that Disney+, the new streaming service hit 10 million subscribers only a day after the streaming service launched, sending shares soaring in spite of technical glitches at roll-out.
By comparison, Netflix has 60 million U.S. subscribers and 158 million globally. So does that mean Netflix is looking over its shoulder? They are probably nervous since Disney is home to Marvel, Star Wars and classic animated films like Cinderella, Lion King, and Toy Story. But Disney is not going to rest on its laurels. They have dozens of new series out of the gate. In April the company said it plans to reach 60 million to 90 million Disney+ subscribers globally by 2024. Despite reports of technical glitches, many customers signed up with no problem, and viewers were buzzing about 'The Mandalorian,' making it a top trending topic on Twitter as Viewers were trying to decipher the meaning of a surprise twist at the end of the first episode. ‘The Mandalorian’ is set in the Star Wars universe and is about a bounty hunter’s adventures in the outer galaxies, far from the New Republic’s authority. Disney is continuing its mining of old properties for live-action films as the studio has begun development on a new adaptation of the popular 1980s cartoon Inspector Gadget.
The film is being produced by Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, the team behind this year’s box office smash Aladdin and is being scripted by Saturday Night Live writers Mikey Day and Streeter Seidell. The cartoon followed the adventures of its wacky protagonist, a bionic detective who has access to an array of gadgets in his body, only to struggle to command control of them as he bumbles his way through every case. His frequent nemesis was the mysterious Dr. Claw and the evil organization M.A.D. while being assisted by his niece Penny and the family dog Brain. The cartoon was clearly a spoof of both Inspector Clouseau and James Bond. Georgia’s Governor Brian Kemp has recently been in the news for all the wrong reasons. He just signed a new restrictive law, effectively prohibiting abortions after a heartbeat can be detected, which is usually in the first six weeks of pregnancy. In contrast, in other States the limit can be upward of twenty-four weeks, although that too can vary.
This law has angered many people in Hollywood. With its generous tax incentives, Georgia has become a filmmaking hub, hosting blockbuster films such as Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” and shows such as Netflix’s “Stranger Things.” Executives from both Netflix and Disney have gone on record that they would reconsider filming in Georgia if the government passed their abortion bill. Adding to the chorus are NBCUniversal, CBS/Showtime, and WarnerMedia, the AT&T-owned parent of Warner Bros., HBO and Atlanta-based CNN. To be clear, each company has put out statements with carefully-worded language – the type that was put together by a bunch of lawyers. None of the corporations has actually committed to boycotting Georgia, but only to reconsider putting money into the State. In effect, they’ve only said they will potentially take action if the law survives what are expected to be significant court challenges. Warner Bros’s statement suggests it will rethink only “new” productions in Georgia, saying nothing of projects that are currently filming in the State or are already committed to doing so. It’s a far cry from the full-on boycott some Hollywood activists have demanded. Yet, the various statements represent a notable shift, or at least a breaking of the silence. If you have seen the trailer for the new Joker film starring Joaquin Phoenix, you know it's not your average comic book film with the good guy swooping in to save the world. It is an in-depth character study about a depressed, lonely man who has trouble relating to people, especially to the women in his life who he dearly wants to impress.
The Joker has always been one of DC Comics most favourite villains, having been played multiple times by some of Hollywood's most legendary actors. Jack Nicholson played him in the 90s. Mark Hamill voiced him in the illustrated version. Health Ledger took him to a whole new level in the Christopher Nolan Batman series. How will Joaquin Phoenix's version stack up against all these past performances? Well, the film is all the buzz at this years' Toronto International Film Festival and there is talk that Phoenix will earn an Oscar nomination. In the past, the Joker had no origin story. According to some versions, Joker is a failed clown who just had a bad run of things but he really has no history. Director Todd Phillips origin movie attempts to correct this but this has led to quite a diverse opinion and even controversy on social media. With the Toronto Film Festival wrapping up, the film industry is looking at ramping up their Oscar campaigns in the industry's biggest night of the year. As hardcore film buff knows, it takes a lot of hard work to win an Oscar. However, what you may not know is that it also takes an incredible amount of money -- and I mean a LOT of money -- to run one of these campaigns. In fact, sometimes, the price of winning is more than a film's budget. How Much Does It Cost To Win A Oscar? Securing an Academy Award isn't cheap. The best picture, best director, best actor and actress, and best support actor and actress are the five most prestigious categories and can add a significant boost to their box office draw. Studios usually spend anywhere between $3 million and $10 million to try to secure votes for Best Picture – and that’s just one category. That’s a lot of money for a statue. Why Does It Cost So Much? In the perfect world, an Oscar-nominated movie would win an Academy Award based solely on its artistic merit. But of course, human psychology comes into play and film studios aren't afraid to go out to promote their films and feed large egos. Some estimates for the total amount Hollywood studios spends on Oscar campaigns range between $100 million right up to $500 million in a single year. That's a lot of money, you might say, so how is it spent? By now, I'm sure that you've seen the latest Star Wars trailer, Rise of Skywalker. It starts off by recapping the saga that started all the way back in 1977 (as if you needed a recap but it was cool and nostalgic anyways.) While the JJ Abrams Star War films have satisfied an itch that needed scratching, it has not lived up to the insane hype. It's not an easy task but most fans were expecting a little more from the films. A more original plot, better character development and more action. However, having said all that, with the final installment insight, it's hard not to be excited after seeing the trailer. There is so much to discuss, so much that is unknown but the only real question fans should be asking is does the final film live up to expectations? Will it compensate for all that is missing in the first two fims? The Star Wars 9 trailer is teasing the return of an old villain. How exactly Emperor Palpatine is back, considering he was presumably killed in Return of the Jedi, and whether he will face off against Rey, remains to be seen. A rumour is circling the internet that Palpatine transfers his soul to Darth Vader's helmet. While many fans might dismiss this rumour, there is some Star Wars lore that back ups the theory. Alongside that, the fans are wondering how the franchise will send off Princess Leia. Plus, there's the small matter of new characters appearing alongside popular characters like Luke and C-3PO. Thanks to Lucasfilm wrapping the movie in a cloud of mystery, there's plenty to speculate about, too. The most recent trailer adds more backstory to the previous teaser and more reveal about the actual storyline, which is to be expected. C3PO with sinister red eyes, epic space battles, yes, and double-edged lightsabers add to the excitement and intrigue. We also see Kylo Ren and Rey fighting the fight of light and dark on what appears to be a sinking Imperial battleship. That will be cool. For the rest, we'll have to wait until closer to that December 20th launch date. While this won't be the last Star Wars film, it will probably be the last that has a majority of our favourite characters playing major roles. And because that is the case, it is an important milestone in the Star Wars films.By now, I'm sure that you've seen the latest Star Wars trailer, Rise of Skywalker. It starts off by recapping the saga that started all the way back in 1977 (as if you needed a recap but it was cool and nostalgic anyways.) While the JJ Abrams Star War films have satisfied an itch that needed scratching, it has definitely not lived up to the insane hype. It's not an easy task but most fans were expecting a little more from the films. A more original plot, better character development and more action. However, having said all that, with the final installment insight, it's hard not to be excited after seeing the trailer. There is so much to discuss, so much that is unknown but the only real question fans should be asking is does the final film live up to expectations? Will it compensate for all that is missing in the first two films? The Star Wars 9 trailer is teasing the return of an old villain. How exactly Emperor Palpatine is back, considering he was presumably killed in Return of the Jedi, and whether he will face off against Rey, remains to be seen. Alongside that, the fans are wondering how the franchise will send off Princess Leia. Plus, there's the small matter of new characters appearing alongside popular characters like Luke and C-3PO. Thanks to Lucasfilm wrapping the movie in a cloud of mystery, there's plenty to speculate about, too. The most recent trailer adds more backstory to the previous teaser and more reveal about the actual storyline, which is to be expected. C3PO with sinister red eyes, epic space battles, yes, and double-edged lightsabers add to the excitement and intrigue. We also see Kylo Ren and Rey fighting the fight of light and dark on what appears to be a sinking Imperial battleship. That will be cool. For the rest, we'll have to wait until closer to that December 20th launch date. While this won't be the last Star Wars film, it will probably be the last that has a majority of our favourite characters playing major roles. And because that is the case, it is an important milestone in the Star Wars films. Keanu Reeves star keeps rising. For someone who doesn’t seem much like your typical action star, he is fresh off the hit franchise John Wick which has green lit the fourth Matrix film. The third John Wicks movie made more than $320m worldwide.
Lana Wachowski, who created the franchise with her sister Lilly, will also return as director, along with Carrie-Ann Moss. The new script is co-written by Wachowski with sci-fi novelists Aleksandar Hemon and David Mitchell who wrote Cloud Atlas which was also made into a Wachowski film. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the first Matrix film, which told the story of computer hacker Neo and his discovery the world was in fact a computer generated reality. It was a surprise hit, making more than $460 million worldwide and launching two sequels, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. The franchise which set a new bar in special effects made more than $1.6 billion. Rumours of a new film have been circulating since 2017, with Michael B Jordan tapped as the lead. Plot details are currently unknown, as is how the role of Morpheus will be handled, originally played by Laurence Fishburne. Some sources say the role may be recast for a younger actor. Since the original trilogy, the Wachowskis have had a number of commercial disappointments, including Speed Racer, Cloud Atlas and Jupiter Ascending. Their Netflix show Sense8 was cancelled after just two seasons So how will Matrix 4 fair with the hardcore fans? If we look at other popular franchises such as Diehard, Toy Story, Rambo, and Indian Jones, some of them did well at the box office, but most of the fans felt they were lackluster attempts at best. By the fourth film the magic is gone. While Matrx Reloaded and Matrix Revolution did alright at the box office, for the fans they were generally disappointed. Matrix entered into popular culture and still 20 years later it's still referenced both on television and in casual conversation -- a rarity for any film. Why mess with a good thing? These days, you can’t just sit back and wait for the network to do all the marketing and sales for you. The landscape is just too competitive with too many shows out there jostling for attention. You need to take matters into your own hands as producer Anders Tangen did with his satire ‘Norsemen’.
Knowing it would get lost in the hours upon hours of programming, Tangen launched his own marketing campaign. When Tangen sold Norsemen to Netflix a couple years ago, he knew he had a winning show. It is a period comedy about Vikings but with modern day issues – first world problems, if you will. One chieftain apologizes for his "fear-based leadership style," another hires a slave as his "creative director" Although the show was well received by audiences, there was a problem. With so many shows on Netflix, its U.S. service alone has 1,700-plus TV series, how would a Norwegian Viking comedy get noticed, especially when Netflix doesn't traditionally provide a marketing push for acquisitions? The key to landing on Netflix's radar, Tangen knew, would be to hack the recommendation algorithm so it would appear as a suggested viewing for people searching for new shows to watch. The idea was to get enough people interested in the show early and then get Netflix's advanced recommended engine to leverage that early momentum. Netflix had given Tangen a date for the premiere of Norsemen in its English-language territories. Three weeks before launch, he set up a Facebook advertising campaign, paying for targeted posts and Facebook promotions. The post were fairly straightforward — most included one of six 20- to 25-second clips of the show and a link, either to the show's webpage or to media coverage. They used A/B testing — showing two versions of a campaign to different audiences and selecting the most successful — to fine-tune. The U.S. campaign cost around $18,500, which Tangen and his production partners put up themselves. Tangen focused the initial campaign in and around major U.S. cities including L.A., New York, Miami, Chicago with additional pushes in three states with large ethnic Norwegian populations. He broke potential Norsemen fans down into seven separate target groups, with each getting its own tailored Facebook campaign. In just a month, the Norsemen campaign reached 5.5 million Facebook users, generating 2 million video views and some 6,000 followers for the show. Netflix noticed and its algorithm started to kick in. Fans who had become aware of the show through Tangen's campaign began recommending it to their friends. Norsemen started appearing on Netflix's recommendation list. Tangen invested a further $15,000 to promote the show on Facebook worldwide, using what he had learned during the initial U.S. campaign. When Norsemen came up for a season two renewal, Netflix upped its commitment, making the show a "Netflix Original," meaning more in-house marketing. Season 3 is currently in production and will go out on Netflix worldwide next year. While it might take awhile for Tangen and his producers to recoup their $33,000 back, but it has certainly helped Norsemen and Tangen’s career. India is known for their fantastical Bollywood movies where there is drama, romance, singing and dancing– a LOT of singing and dancing. But Indian cinema has matured over the years with more realistic storytelling and branching to other genres like thrillers, mysteries – and now science fiction. In 2014, India sent the Mars Orbiter Mission into space, and became the first country to send a satellite to orbit the Red Plant. The patriotic feeling that followed the Mars mission has fuelled the latest example of Indian space cinema: Mission Mangal, a fictionalized account of the Orbiter Mission, starring and produced by Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar. Contrary to most Indian films, Kumar, one of the highest-paid actors in the world, says he had long wanted to work with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to bring realism and science to the big screen. Sci-fi isn’t a new genre in Indian cinema — Kaadu was made in 1952, which was a Tamil-American co-production, and is often considered the kickoff to Indian Science Fiction filmmaking, it has nothing like the profile it has in the United States. It only established itself after the country opened up its economy, allowing the entry of satellite channels and foreign movies, as well as studios such as Disney and Warner into Bollywood production. Before then, what little there was consisted mostly of low-budget fare involving superheroes. While Hollywood has a long tradition of making more naturalistic films about space travel – from 2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner and, of course, Star Wars– it’s only now, with the enormous strides in India’s own space exploration, that such films are beginning to resonate with moviegoers. Another key factor over the last decade has been the boom in India’s visual effects industry – to which Hollywood outsources much of its own special effects – that has enabled higher quality film-making. While the popular Koi … Mil Gaya looked like a bad 80s TV show, it received the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues, and was screened at the Jerusalem Film Festival and the NatFilm Festival in Denmark. The film garnered the Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor. It also started a superhero franchise. The fourth instalment is released next year, and each film has exhibited a giant step forward in Bollywood’s use of CGI. While India might still have a long way to go to catch up to Hollywood, with some high profile space missions, sci-fi is set to become a milestone in Indian cinema. |
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