Subtitling revolution arrives at your local cinema
A further seventy-eight cinemas in England will now be able to show subtitled screenings of the latest blockbuster and specialist films - marking a revolution for thousands of would-be cinema goers across the country.
RNID, the largest charity representing the nine million deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK, welcomes today’s announcement by the UK Film Council, via its Cinema Access Programme, that seventy-eight cinemas have been successful in their application for funding towards the installation of captioning and audio description equipment.
The equipment will be available in one in seven of the country’s cinemas, and will enable people with sensory impairments to enjoy the latest mainstream and specialised films. Prior to this announcement, there were only twenty-two cinemas out of almost 700 cinemas in the UK that had subtitling equipment.
Dr John Low, Chief Executive of RNID, said “Deaf and hard of hearing people have been excluded from the enjoyment of cinema since the advent of the talkies back in the 1920’s. At a time when service providers are preparing for part III of the Disability Discrimination Act which comes into affect in October 2004, the installation of this equipment greatly expands access and choice for large numbers of deaf and visually impaired people.”
Peter Buckingham, Head of the UK Film Council's Distribution and Exhibition Fund said: "We want to help all sectors of the community to enjoy film which is such an important part of our culture. In the past, too many people with impaired sight and hearing have been cut off from the world of cinema. This pioneering new scheme will mean that they will able to enjoy films at the cinema, as well as the discussions afterwards, along with their friends and family."
Monday, February 16, 2004
International Celebration of Video Art
Winners of the Grand Prizes
for the 26th Tokyo Video Festival “TVF 2004”
Selected Video Grand Prize: Mr. Yoshihisa Ishizu, 41, of Ehime Prefecture for “Why Can’t I Do Sakaagari?”
JVC Grand Prize: Mr. Bertrand de Souza Lira, 45, of Brazil for
“Bom Dia, Maria de Nazaré!” (Good Morning, Maria de Nazaré!)
The 26th Tokyo Video Festival “TVF 2004,” sponsored by Victor Company of Japan, Ltd. (JVC), attracted record entries of 2,881 works from 36 countries and regions from around the world (938 works from Japan and 1,943 works from overseas; an increase of 21 percent from last year). From among the entries, 30 works won Excellence Award and 70 Selected Works were mentioned. After the final review, the Video Grand Prize and the JVC Grand Prize (one work for each prize) were selected from among the works that won Excellence Award, and the newly established High-definition Digital Video Camera Award (one work) was chosen from among the works that won Excellence Award or Selected
Work. In addition, three works were chosen for the People Awards from among the works that won Excellence Award by a popular vote on the Internet.
For the Video Grand Prize, Mr. Yoshihisa Ishizu (41)’s “Why Can’t I Do Sakaagari?” was selected.
Mr. Ishizu is a teacher of an elementary school in Ehime Prefecture in Japan. It is a record of a teacher (Mr. Ishizu), who was shocked to find that his pupils were unable to do the forward upward circling on the horizontal bar, undertaking to instruct them until all of his class could accomplish the circling. The heartwarming video vividly shows the pupils practicing while they encourage each other and devise various methods in their practice. Although the pupils were made to practice at first, they gradually began to practice voluntarily. The work was highly praised for looking at education from a new angle.
For the JVC Grand Prize, Mr. Bertrand de Souza Lira (45)’s “Bom Dia, Maria de Nazaré!” (Good Morning, Maria de Nazaré!) was chosen. Mr. de Souza Lira is a teacher from Brazil. The video
depicts how an FM radio station, set up in a poor community, draws the people in the community and spreads new and diverse modes of communication. Using the video media, the work captures the activities of a regional radio station that deals with the audio media. It was commended highly for showing how “the work of rebuilding a community and making a video production intertwined to bear rich fruits” (Mr. Susumu Hani).
The newly established High-definition Digital Video Camera Award went to Mr. Fumikazu Hatano (55) for his work “Land Close To The Sky-Traveling in Tibet in Summer”. Mr. Hatano is an office worker
from Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan. The work takes full advantage of the high-definition and wide images (width-to-height ratio of 16:9) of the hi-definition image technology.
The People Awards, which were selected by popular vote on the Internet, went to Mr. Yoshihisa Ishizu (41) for “Why Can’t I Do Sakaagari?”, which also won the Video Grand Prize, Mr. Ryoichi Sato (50, self-employed from Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan) for “That Dam, Who Needs It!”, and Sebastián Talavera Serrano (Spain) for “Dueños De Nada” (Owners of Nothing).
Winners of the Grand Prizes
for the 26th Tokyo Video Festival “TVF 2004”
Selected Video Grand Prize: Mr. Yoshihisa Ishizu, 41, of Ehime Prefecture for “Why Can’t I Do Sakaagari?”
JVC Grand Prize: Mr. Bertrand de Souza Lira, 45, of Brazil for
“Bom Dia, Maria de Nazaré!” (Good Morning, Maria de Nazaré!)
The 26th Tokyo Video Festival “TVF 2004,” sponsored by Victor Company of Japan, Ltd. (JVC), attracted record entries of 2,881 works from 36 countries and regions from around the world (938 works from Japan and 1,943 works from overseas; an increase of 21 percent from last year). From among the entries, 30 works won Excellence Award and 70 Selected Works were mentioned. After the final review, the Video Grand Prize and the JVC Grand Prize (one work for each prize) were selected from among the works that won Excellence Award, and the newly established High-definition Digital Video Camera Award (one work) was chosen from among the works that won Excellence Award or Selected
Work. In addition, three works were chosen for the People Awards from among the works that won Excellence Award by a popular vote on the Internet.
For the Video Grand Prize, Mr. Yoshihisa Ishizu (41)’s “Why Can’t I Do Sakaagari?” was selected.
Mr. Ishizu is a teacher of an elementary school in Ehime Prefecture in Japan. It is a record of a teacher (Mr. Ishizu), who was shocked to find that his pupils were unable to do the forward upward circling on the horizontal bar, undertaking to instruct them until all of his class could accomplish the circling. The heartwarming video vividly shows the pupils practicing while they encourage each other and devise various methods in their practice. Although the pupils were made to practice at first, they gradually began to practice voluntarily. The work was highly praised for looking at education from a new angle.
For the JVC Grand Prize, Mr. Bertrand de Souza Lira (45)’s “Bom Dia, Maria de Nazaré!” (Good Morning, Maria de Nazaré!) was chosen. Mr. de Souza Lira is a teacher from Brazil. The video
depicts how an FM radio station, set up in a poor community, draws the people in the community and spreads new and diverse modes of communication. Using the video media, the work captures the activities of a regional radio station that deals with the audio media. It was commended highly for showing how “the work of rebuilding a community and making a video production intertwined to bear rich fruits” (Mr. Susumu Hani).
The newly established High-definition Digital Video Camera Award went to Mr. Fumikazu Hatano (55) for his work “Land Close To The Sky-Traveling in Tibet in Summer”. Mr. Hatano is an office worker
from Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan. The work takes full advantage of the high-definition and wide images (width-to-height ratio of 16:9) of the hi-definition image technology.
The People Awards, which were selected by popular vote on the Internet, went to Mr. Yoshihisa Ishizu (41) for “Why Can’t I Do Sakaagari?”, which also won the Video Grand Prize, Mr. Ryoichi Sato (50, self-employed from Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan) for “That Dam, Who Needs It!”, and Sebastián Talavera Serrano (Spain) for “Dueños De Nada” (Owners of Nothing).
STAR WARS MAGAZINE
Issue #49
This month, Star Wars Magazine brings fans across the Star Wars universe interviews with The Phantom Menace star Ray Park (Darth Maul) and Star Wars make-up creator Stuart Freeborn. We study the new aliens introduced in Attack of the Clones, look into the world of invisible effects from The Phantom Menace and take you behind-the-scenes of the Star Wars animated micro series Clone Wars.
As always, SWM is packed with all the latest scoops – including an Episode III post-production update and exclusive new photos from the set, plus much, much more!
Don’t miss your free Darth Maul poster with this issue!
THE PHANTOM MENACE
Stuntman-turned-actor Ray Park, best known to Star Wars fans as Darth Maul, the demonic apprentice to Darth Sidious, chats to SWM about life before, during and after The Phantom Menace, plus he reveals the latest on his role as Danny Rand in the upcoming Marvel comic adaptation, Iron Fist.
ALIEN FACES
SWM talks to Star Wars make-up creator Stuart Freeborn to discover how he created the looks for some of the most famous faces in Star Wars: Episode IV, V & VI, including Chewbacca, Yoda and Jabba the Hutt.
THE ALIENS FROM ATTACK OF THE CLONES
Star Wars aliens have played on our affections, our fears and our imaginations for over a quarter of a century. SWM studies the new aliens introduced to the Star Wars universe in Attack of the Clones, including the giraffe-necked Kaminoans and the bug-like Geonosians.
INVISIBLE EFFECTS FROM THE PHANTOM MENACE
There’s a good argument that the most impressive effects are the ones not even the most keen-eyed viewers can detect. SWM looks into the world of invisible effects from The Phantom Menace.
MAKING THE CLONE WARS!
SWM visits the Cartoon Network headquarters to take you behind-the-scenes of the Star Wars animated micro series Clone Wars.
ALSO INCLUDED IN ISSUE #49
Rob Coleman: Behind the Magic
Set Piece: The Outlander Club
Comlink
Star Wars Q&A
Win Star Wars LEGO sets!
Plus, LOADS more!
GET IT DIRECT TO YOUR DOOR!
Subscribe to SWM by calling 0153 6764 646 or email: starwarssubs@titanemail.com, quoting reference P103.
ISSUE #49 ON SALE NOW!
ã Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Issue #49
This month, Star Wars Magazine brings fans across the Star Wars universe interviews with The Phantom Menace star Ray Park (Darth Maul) and Star Wars make-up creator Stuart Freeborn. We study the new aliens introduced in Attack of the Clones, look into the world of invisible effects from The Phantom Menace and take you behind-the-scenes of the Star Wars animated micro series Clone Wars.
As always, SWM is packed with all the latest scoops – including an Episode III post-production update and exclusive new photos from the set, plus much, much more!
Don’t miss your free Darth Maul poster with this issue!
THE PHANTOM MENACE
Stuntman-turned-actor Ray Park, best known to Star Wars fans as Darth Maul, the demonic apprentice to Darth Sidious, chats to SWM about life before, during and after The Phantom Menace, plus he reveals the latest on his role as Danny Rand in the upcoming Marvel comic adaptation, Iron Fist.
ALIEN FACES
SWM talks to Star Wars make-up creator Stuart Freeborn to discover how he created the looks for some of the most famous faces in Star Wars: Episode IV, V & VI, including Chewbacca, Yoda and Jabba the Hutt.
THE ALIENS FROM ATTACK OF THE CLONES
Star Wars aliens have played on our affections, our fears and our imaginations for over a quarter of a century. SWM studies the new aliens introduced to the Star Wars universe in Attack of the Clones, including the giraffe-necked Kaminoans and the bug-like Geonosians.
INVISIBLE EFFECTS FROM THE PHANTOM MENACE
There’s a good argument that the most impressive effects are the ones not even the most keen-eyed viewers can detect. SWM looks into the world of invisible effects from The Phantom Menace.
MAKING THE CLONE WARS!
SWM visits the Cartoon Network headquarters to take you behind-the-scenes of the Star Wars animated micro series Clone Wars.
ALSO INCLUDED IN ISSUE #49
Rob Coleman: Behind the Magic
Set Piece: The Outlander Club
Comlink
Star Wars Q&A
Win Star Wars LEGO sets!
Plus, LOADS more!
GET IT DIRECT TO YOUR DOOR!
Subscribe to SWM by calling 0153 6764 646 or email: starwarssubs@titanemail.com, quoting reference P103.
ISSUE #49 ON SALE NOW!
ã Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
DARING DIGITAL
The future stars of the UK’s billion pound games industry could emerge from a unique competition aimed at university students, Dare to be Digital 2004, which launches in Dundee this week.
Predicted as having "a major impact on the global games industry in the near future" by Richard Leinfellner, Vice President of Executive in charge of Production for leading games publisher Electronic Arts (EA), the annual Dare to be Digital competition is a joint venture between the University of Abertay Dundee, Scottish Enterprise Tayside and Dundee City Council.
Open to students from across all Scottish Universities and Colleges of Art, teams made up of five students will be asked to submit a concept for a new and original computer game or educational entertainment product. Judging the competition will be a panel of leading industry experts, who will be looking for the most creative ideas and those that fulfil the greatest market potential. Teams who make it through will have only 10 weeks to present a finished digital prototype and business sales document which can be pitched to investors.
The six teams, who will work from Dundee and have access to the cutting edge facilities at the University of Abertay, will be paid on a weekly basis and supported by experienced industry specialists, who will offer technical, creative and business advice – mentors who are inaccessible to any student outside the Dare project.
Dundee is one of the UK’s most important games centres and is widely regarded as the home of the Scottish games industry, housing over half of the country’s companies in the area. The number of people employed in computer games development companies in Scotland is around 500 people with a collective turnover of £20m. Dundee employs over a quarter of the related Scottish workforce.
In an industry that complains of the lack of ‘real-world’ application where academic courses are concerned, the Dare to be Digital competition is seen as actively addressing this problem by successfully bridging the gap, with five new companies set up by Dare teams.
As testament to the strength of work produced by past entrants, team members from last year’s two winning teams - who produced the PC based role-playing game Demon Lore and multiple solution puzzle winning game Zoo Crew – were asked to present to EA staff at their headquarters in Chertsey and were hired on the spot. Other Dare ‘graduates’ are working with games companies in Dundee and throughout the UK.
Due to the high level of excellence generated by the competition over the last three years, two new sponsors have come on board for 2004, Microsoft and the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, NESTA, which join BBC Scotland Interactive and NCR.
For the 2004 competition, Scottish students will be joined by entries from Ireland. The Irish entry is being co-ordinated by The Digital Hub. Previously Dare has had teams from Japan and Malaysia and organisers hope that this international feeder to the competition will encourage further interest from global partner universities in 2005.
The winners will be announced at an award ceremony in Dundee in September, where teams will compete for a prize fund of £5000 as well as follow up-support to develop their prototype to commercial reality. An Endeavour Prize of £1000 will also be awarded to the team who has shown the most effort and progression.
Shona Cormack, the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise Tayside, said:
"Dare to be Digital plays a leading role in supporting future talent for the digital and interactive industries and SET is delighted to have supported the competition through funding since its inception. The digital economy is a key component of Scotland's future. Ensuring there is a skill-base to allow this industry to thrive is a fundamental requirement and one we actively support in Tayside. The inclusion of international teams and the presence of judges from companies such as Electronic Arts and the BBC are welcome developments that confirms the value of this innovative competition."
As part of the launch, Dare to be Digital will be visiting Dundee, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen throughout February and March, where students will be able to find out more, meet with some of last year's teams, hear from BBC Scotland and have the chance to win an Xbox, and other prizes donated by Microsoft. Students wishing to attend one of these events should visit www.daretobedigital.com
ELSPA, the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association, announced last month of the continued buoyant growth in the UK computer and video games market. UK sales of leisure software products reached an all time high in 2003, with values reaching £1.26 billion, an increase of 7.1 per cent over the previous year.
Entries close on 19th April. Dare to be Digital will be visiting the following cities–
Monday 16th February, Glasgow, The Lighthouse 4 - 5.30pm
Tuesday 25th February, Edinburgh, Royal Museum of Scotland 4 - 5.30pm
Wednesday 3rd March, Aberdeen, Hog’s Head 12 - 1.30pm
The future stars of the UK’s billion pound games industry could emerge from a unique competition aimed at university students, Dare to be Digital 2004, which launches in Dundee this week.
Predicted as having "a major impact on the global games industry in the near future" by Richard Leinfellner, Vice President of Executive in charge of Production for leading games publisher Electronic Arts (EA), the annual Dare to be Digital competition is a joint venture between the University of Abertay Dundee, Scottish Enterprise Tayside and Dundee City Council.
Open to students from across all Scottish Universities and Colleges of Art, teams made up of five students will be asked to submit a concept for a new and original computer game or educational entertainment product. Judging the competition will be a panel of leading industry experts, who will be looking for the most creative ideas and those that fulfil the greatest market potential. Teams who make it through will have only 10 weeks to present a finished digital prototype and business sales document which can be pitched to investors.
The six teams, who will work from Dundee and have access to the cutting edge facilities at the University of Abertay, will be paid on a weekly basis and supported by experienced industry specialists, who will offer technical, creative and business advice – mentors who are inaccessible to any student outside the Dare project.
Dundee is one of the UK’s most important games centres and is widely regarded as the home of the Scottish games industry, housing over half of the country’s companies in the area. The number of people employed in computer games development companies in Scotland is around 500 people with a collective turnover of £20m. Dundee employs over a quarter of the related Scottish workforce.
In an industry that complains of the lack of ‘real-world’ application where academic courses are concerned, the Dare to be Digital competition is seen as actively addressing this problem by successfully bridging the gap, with five new companies set up by Dare teams.
As testament to the strength of work produced by past entrants, team members from last year’s two winning teams - who produced the PC based role-playing game Demon Lore and multiple solution puzzle winning game Zoo Crew – were asked to present to EA staff at their headquarters in Chertsey and were hired on the spot. Other Dare ‘graduates’ are working with games companies in Dundee and throughout the UK.
Due to the high level of excellence generated by the competition over the last three years, two new sponsors have come on board for 2004, Microsoft and the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts, NESTA, which join BBC Scotland Interactive and NCR.
For the 2004 competition, Scottish students will be joined by entries from Ireland. The Irish entry is being co-ordinated by The Digital Hub. Previously Dare has had teams from Japan and Malaysia and organisers hope that this international feeder to the competition will encourage further interest from global partner universities in 2005.
The winners will be announced at an award ceremony in Dundee in September, where teams will compete for a prize fund of £5000 as well as follow up-support to develop their prototype to commercial reality. An Endeavour Prize of £1000 will also be awarded to the team who has shown the most effort and progression.
Shona Cormack, the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise Tayside, said:
"Dare to be Digital plays a leading role in supporting future talent for the digital and interactive industries and SET is delighted to have supported the competition through funding since its inception. The digital economy is a key component of Scotland's future. Ensuring there is a skill-base to allow this industry to thrive is a fundamental requirement and one we actively support in Tayside. The inclusion of international teams and the presence of judges from companies such as Electronic Arts and the BBC are welcome developments that confirms the value of this innovative competition."
As part of the launch, Dare to be Digital will be visiting Dundee, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen throughout February and March, where students will be able to find out more, meet with some of last year's teams, hear from BBC Scotland and have the chance to win an Xbox, and other prizes donated by Microsoft. Students wishing to attend one of these events should visit www.daretobedigital.com
ELSPA, the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association, announced last month of the continued buoyant growth in the UK computer and video games market. UK sales of leisure software products reached an all time high in 2003, with values reaching £1.26 billion, an increase of 7.1 per cent over the previous year.
Entries close on 19th April. Dare to be Digital will be visiting the following cities–
Monday 16th February, Glasgow, The Lighthouse 4 - 5.30pm
Tuesday 25th February, Edinburgh, Royal Museum of Scotland 4 - 5.30pm
Wednesday 3rd March, Aberdeen, Hog’s Head 12 - 1.30pm
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