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entertainment to fit in with their taste and lifestyle.
So if these new technologies mean a world of instant access to great entertain- ment 24/7, will the increased choice and consumer control signal an end for the more traditional ways of getting enter- tainment? In 2003 will we all be catching up on the latest entertainment as we get cash from an ATM, rather than going to the cinema?
The simple answer is probably not. Successful entertainment in this new space will not replicate the Hollywood model for the online generation. We are already seeing the kind of entertain- ment, which works. Angr y Kid, a series of 25, one-minute animations produced by Aardman that can be accessed from the AtomShockwave web site has already racked up well over 4 million viewers. Shockwave’s animated content was regularly bringing in 6 million visi- tors every month.
This is not the kind of entertainment you can see anywhere else but it works for this entertainment space. It doesn’t, however, replace the ‘event’ experience of going to the cinema or the ‘communal’ feel of sitting down with friends or family in front of the TV.
Predicting the future has always been an inaccurate science. However, with the speed with which this latest rev- olution is moving, everyone from film- makers, distributors and even con- sumers, have to adjust to the infinite pos- sibilities that new technologies offer the world of film and entertainment.
What is certain is that they’ll all con- tinue to produce, distribute and consume entertainment, most in the exact same way while waiting for the dust to settle. Then, will continue to do so afterwards. This vanguard of a new era in entertain- ment will only benefit all of us and the industry won’t be any the worse for it. ■ www.atomfilms.com & www.shockwave.com
T
News Digest
YTIME
ALL SET FOR TV CRAFT AWARDS
YTIME
he Film Awards red carpet had hardly been rolled up in Leicester Square when BAFTA’s Awards Officer in charge of Craft and Children’s, Lisa Prime, moved into the hot seat to prepare for the
Academy’s second
awards ceremony of the year - The Television Craft Awards to be held on April 22.
Last year, the first self-
standing Craft Awards since
the separation from the
Television Performance, was
held at 195 Piccadilly with
television coverage on the
Granada network. The suc-
cess of the occasion per-
suaded the Television
Committee to ask Lisa, Hilary
Bevan Jones and Kenith Trodd to seek a new venue and double the guest list from 200 to 400.
“We were extremely lucky to find that the newly refur- bished Sadler’s Wells was available and they were really keen to have us”, said Hilary. The evening starts at 6.15pm on April 22 with a champagne reception, followed by the ceremony, dinner and topped off with a disco.
Three new categories have been introduced to encompass a wider range of talent: New Director Factual; New Director Fiction, New Writer.
To underpin the ceremony, five generous sponsors have already signed up to lend their support and expertise to the occasion.
Granada Media will be sponsoring the New Writer Award. John Willis told ACADEMY: “Granada is committed to investing in new writers to give them the opportunity to follow the many famous names who have graduated from Coronation Street. We want to encourage more and more talented
people to enter the profession and these pres-
tigious Craft Awards will help us send out an
encouraging signal.”
Future Film Group is sponsoring the
Sound Fiction/Entertainment category. FFG
offers integrated packages of production
finance including structuring international co-
productions, acquisition of UK distribution rights and state-of- the-art post-production facilities. FFG’s Iva Schroeder told ACADEMY: “FFG is dedicated to supporting and encouraging the creative and financial acumen of UK filmmakers and this Award gives us the opportunity to acknowledge the efforts of some of the most talented professionals in the industry.”
Kodak, one of BAFTA’s faithful partners over many years, returns to sponsor the Photography Fiction category.
John Parsons-Smith said: “We get great pleasure out of being able to honour the nominees for Cinematography and Editing and, in line with tradition, we shall be presenting each nominee with a sculptured Whooper Swan - the highest flying bird - to acknowledge their achievement.”
Angie Stephenson. Talent Executive, BBC Talent, said: “BBC Talent is pleased to support the BAFTA New Director Fiction Award. Great directors are an immensely important asset to our industry and we wish all the nominees for this BAFTA Award every success. BBC Talent underlines the BBC’s long term commitment to finding and developing the UK talent base.
Photos opposite page from top left: Michael Comish; scenes from BAFTA Nominated Periwig Maker; Angry Kid; Football
Another welcome newcomer to BAFTA sponsorship is the media insurance broker Sebastian McLean International Ltd. SMI specialises in worldwide customised insurance cover for the film and television industries. “Although you may not have heard the name before” said SMI’s Mark Owen, “we are the people behind the scenes who make sure that whatever the problems, the cam- eras can keep rolling.” ■ John Morrell
TEN OF THE BEST
The ten 42” Thomson plasma screens at the Academy have now been fully programmed and a new daily schedule was launched at the beginning of March. Academy information, details of screenings and events, live news bulletins, financial information, personality profiles, past awards winners, emerging talent, and advertising slots are the basic starter ingredients. “The flexibility of the network we have put in place makes this an ideal ‘captive’ location for advertisers” said Dr Selly Saini, managing director of Silicon
Media, BAFTA’s partners in this exercise to keep members up to date and provide an attrac- tive advertising platform for the industry.
Advertisers can show video clips hourly from 9am to 11pm. Ads can be up to 40 sec- onds in length and can be scheduled to coincide with major industry events and product launches. Advertising periods from one week to three months are available.
An estimated 100,000 people a year visit the Academy headquarters at 195 Piccadilly.
“To reach, the large
number of corporate guests who enjoy BAFTA’s excellent restaurant and location, the plasma facility is the perfect shop-window for cor- porate videos, film and tv promotions, PR, trailers, interactive media WAP services and news about future events”, added Dr Saini.
Original material is digitally encoded to full screen, DVD quality, MPEG 2 format representing outstanding picture quality.
Details of advertising rates and suggestions for additional content can be directed to: Selly Saini at Silicon Media Ltd on 01525 404 265 or e-mail direct to
info@siliconmedia.tv or Ruth Grenville at the
Academy will also be pleased to help with queries. ■
Photos from top left: Lisa Prime; the 42” Thomson plasma screens at the Academy; Dr Selly Saini, MD of Silicon Media; Craft Awards’ sponsors logos