Glasgow Film Festival’s groundbreaking partnership with Distrify enables GFF to sell films directly within Facebook

Glasgow, UK, Wednesday 15 February 2012

In a continued partnership with the sharable video-on-demand player inventors Distrify (www.distrify.com), the Festival is featuring a selection of short films from this year's Glasgow Short Film Festival Scottish Competition programme in an online collection. Utilising Distrify's sharable VOD player, a selected film is also featured daily, and available to buy, on both Glasgow Film Festival and Glasgow Short Film Festival's Facebook pages. 

In a pioneering approach to engaging worldwide audiences, the selection includes the Scottish Audience Award-winning Philippa and Nancy plus several titles straight after their World or Scottish Premieres during the festival. The films are all available for 99p or less and some are available worldwide. Others have had to limit their availability to preserve premiere status in other territories. 

Matt Lloyd, Director of Glasgow Short Film Festival said, “GSFF is thrilled to be joining forces with Distrify to make Scottish films available to a wider audience. As a cutting-edge digital distribution resource for independent filmmakers, based right here in Glasgow, Distrify is a natural ally of GSFF. This initiative marks the start of an exciting partnership dedicated to supporting new Scottish and international filmmakers.”

Peter Gerard, CEO and founder of Distrify added, “Many people have doubted whether short films can make money, especially online. Thanks to Distrify’s unique tools, which empower new filmmakers to engage audiences through social media, we’ve seen great short films earning thousands of pounds a week. Glasgow Short Film Festival has a reputation for curatorial excellence, so we look forward to how audiences respond to the GSFF’s exclusive collection of shorts.”

The VOD collection will be available until 26 February at www.glasgowfilm.org/festival/channel. The majority of the price the films are sold for goes to the filmmakers. 

The featured films can be bought within Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/glasgowfilmfestival?sk=app_203403406338325
https://www.facebook.com/glasgowshortfilmfestival?sk=app_203403406338325  

UK’S TOP 20 AMATEUR FILMMAKERS FACE PUBLIC VOTE FOR PLACE AT JAMESON EMPIRE AWARDS

Jameson Empire ‘Done in 60 Seconds’ competition launches vote to find the best amateur filmmaker

February 2012 – Empire Magazine and Jameson Irish Whiskey are urging the British public to get behind their favourite amateur filmmaker and vote for the best one minute remake in the annual Jameson Empire ‘Done in 60 seconds’ (DISS) competition. Voting on the UK’s top 20 entries is open now until 29^th February on www.empireonline.com/awards2012/diss with the top five selected to attend the DISS Global Final on 23^rd March. There, the top 5 finalists from around the world will be selected and invited to attend the 2012 Jameson Empire Awards on Sunday 25^th March.

DISS ambassador and BAFTA Rising Star nominee Chris O’Dowd, spoke of his support for the competition and the opportunity it gives young aspiring film-makers: “Done in 60 Seconds is a great way for amateur filmmakers to show-case their talent in the film world.  This is a truly brilliant opportunity for film enthusiasts to show off their creativity and editing skills.  I would love to have had something like this when I was starting out; Jameson and Empire have created something truly unique and exciting for promising filmmakers.”

For the last four years Empire Magazine, in association with Jameson, has annually held the ‘Done in 60 Seconds’ competition. The competition gives amateur film fans around the world the chance to remake any film of their choice in no more than 60 seconds.

The shortlist of 20 film enthusiasts, selected from more than 90 initial entries in the UK by Empire magazine, will battle it out to secure one of five UK places at the Jameson Empire ‘Done in 60 Seconds’ Global Final. A panel of judges, headed up by Chris O’Dowd, will select the best five entries at the Final and these five finalists will all attend the star-studded Jameson Empire Awards on Sunday 25^th March, where the DISS 2012 winner will be announced and rub shoulders with the stars of big screen as they receive their award on stage.

Jameson UK Brand Manager, Evgenia Matthews added:

“Jameson has built a strong connection with the world of film over the last few years, starting with the creation of the Jameson Short Film Award, the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival, the Independent Spirit awards, Jameson Cult Film Club and finally the Jameson Empire Awards.  We are extremely passionate about the world of film and therefore supporting an award such as ‘Done in 60 Seconds’ really gives budding amateur filmmakers a platform to showcase their talent to the world, which is truly unique.”

Any other budding film-makers out there can log-on to the Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds Film Academy to learn top movie-making tips from the stars: www.jamesonwhiskey.com/DISS.

Star Wars™ The Phantom Menace™:

The Expanded Visual Dictionary


Published 19th January Price: £14.99


Since the release of the first film in 1977, Star Wars has captivated audiences worldwide. The Star Wars experience gains new dimension this year as Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace 3D arrives in cinemas. Star Wars The Phantom Menace: The Expanded Visual Dictionary is the definitive guide to the first chapter of the galactic story of Darth Vader.


Using photography from Lucasfilm’s extensive archives, the book is broken down into astonishing detail, listing the Jedi, Sith, creatures, weapons, costumes and equipment of Episode I. Every character, from Anakin Skywalker and Darth Maul to the humble pit droid is thoroughly analysed, providing unparalleled detail, touching on everything from comlinks and lightsabers to Watto’s junkyard.


This updated version provides 40 extra pages of content and enhanced design to excite Star Wars fans of any age and serves as the perfect accompaniment to the film’s eye-popping images and classic thrills.






Also from DK:




LEGO® STAR WARS™ MINIFIGURES ULTIMATE STICKER COLLECTION
Publishing on 1st March
Priced £7.99


Packed with 1000 re-usable full-colour stickers, this collection features the most popular minifigures from the magical world of LEGO Star Wars. Learn all about brave Jedi, sneaky Sith, determined Rebels, terrifying bounty hunters and many more exciting characters.


Read the fun, bite-size captions about different heroes and villains from Star Wars and search for the matching stickers, which you can use again and again. With activity spreads and a bright and exciting design, this new sticker book brings the characters to life and is sure to captivate LEGO Star Wars fans.


The sticker collection also includes stickers of new minifigures to be released in 2012.

THE PROMOTION

‘Terrifically smart and funny’ – Sixty Second Preview 

Seann William Scott and John C Reilly star in the quirky off-beat comedy ‘The Promotion’ which will be released by High Fliers on retail DVD on April 23^rd.

Both actors will have a high profile in UK cinemas around the DVD’s release date. Seann William Scott, currently starring in ‘Goon’, will be seen again in the Spring when he reprises his role for the final film in the hugely successful ‘American Pie’ franchise while John C Reilly will be starring with Sacha Baron Cohen, Anna Faris and Ben Kingsley in ‘The Dictator’ which opens in May. 

‘The Promotion’ was written and directed by Steven Conrad who was also the screenwriter for ‘The Pursuit Of Happiness’ and ‘The Weather Man’.

Living the American Dream, happily married Doug Stauber’s professional ambitions are about to be realised when his boss at the Chicago supermarket chain where he works assures him he's a shoo-in to manage a new neighbourhood store.

However, enter rival Richard Wehlner. He wants the job too, has a better CV than Doug, has a wife and a daughter and is regarded by seemingly everybody as an all-round terrific guy.

How should Doug react to this challenge? Should he regard Richard as a friend, a colleague, a competitor or an enemy?

Richard, it seems, has demons and a past but with the help of motivational tapes he’s determined to succeed.

Soon their professional rivalry explodes as the two men fight it out in corporate and psychological tests to determine who gets the dream promotion to supermarket store manager! A clear case of two guys, one job and no rules!

‘The Promotion’ has a run time of 86 minutes, a ‘15’ certificate and an rrp of £12.99. 

Recoil Goes Blu-Ray

RECOIL
 

Artwork subject to change
 

Released on Blu-ray and DVD 16 April 2012

After the murder of his family, a former cop turns vigilante in order to find the criminals that have slipped through the system and exercise his own brand of ruthless justicein the hard-hitting and gripping action release, RECOIL, out on Blu-ray and DVD from Entertainment One on 16^th April 2012.

Former Pro Wrestling World Champion turned actor, Steve ‘Stone Cold’ Austin (The Expendables, The Longest Yard, Damage) and Danny “Machete” Trejo (Planet Terror, Grindhouse) star in this action-packed, must-see for adrenaline junkies and wrestling fans.

When honorable police officer Ryan Varrett’s (Austin) entire family is viciously murdered, the one-time good guy cop is forced to go rogue – breaking the laws he once swore to uphold – in his quest for justice. The primary targets for Varrett’s revenge are a murderous biker gang, a corrupt local police, and a cold-hearted crime lord named Drayke (Trejo).

Directed by Terry Miles (A Night For Dying Tigers) and co-starring sexy Serinda Swan(TRON: Legacy, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief), RECOIL is a thrilling, bone-crunching, revenge actioner.

Recoil Blu-ray and DVD Details

Certificate:                              tbc                 
Audio (DVD):                          Dolby Digital 5.1/2.0
Audio (Blu-ray):                      DTS-HD Master Audio
Aspect ratio:                           16:9 (1.85:1)
Running time:                         TBC
Price (DVD):                           £12.99
Price (Blu-ray)                        £14.99
Special features:                    Trailer

Sony Ericsson Xperia Smartphones Receive Four iF Design Awards

• Xperia active, Xperia ray, Xperia mini pro and Mix Walkman recognized for innovative design and high-end functionality  
  
  
• The Xperia active smartphone receives highest level gold award 

14 February 2012, London, UK - Sony Ericsson today announced it has received four 2012 iF product design awards in the telecommunications category.  Xperia^TM active received the highest level of recognition, the gold award. The iF jury's comprehensive judging criteria included quality of design and finish, choice of materials, environmental impact and functionality.  The ceremony took place in Munich, Germany on February 9.  

"The Xperia active smartphone reflects our commitment to offer handsets for active consumers with stunning design inside and out," said Jeanna Kimbré, Director of Creative Product Design for Sony Ericsson. "Design has always been a cornerstone of how we approach innovation and we will continue to build on this success with the new iconic design language introduced as part of our 2012 portfolio."  

Special gold recognition for Xperia active


The iF product design gold award recognizes the very best designs in the telecommunications industry. Xperia active boasts a scratch resistant touch display that can be used even when fingers are wet and boasts technology that enables the display to be seen in bright sunshine.

"We warmly congratulate Sony Ericsson for its first iF gold award.  Xperia active is a very functional smartphone with a highly elegant design. Especially for sport users,  it is the number one choice  and the water and dust-resistance make it a very special product - a symbiosis of functionality and elegance," said  Ralph Wiegmann, Managing Director of iF International Forum Design GmbH in Hannover.

Sony Ericsson carefully chose the materials for Xperia active to ensure the best aesthetics were used and that the smartphone is durable, sustainable and functional. A sturdy aluminum frame surrounds and protects the display and embodies the essence of Xperia active - utilitarian elegance.  

Xperia range - award winning designs


The iF awards recognized the wider Xperia range and awarded Xperia ray, Mix Walkman and Xperia mini pro with product design awards. The breadth of awards demonstrates Sony Ericsson's commitment to create beautifully designed smartphones across the portfolio without sacrificing functionality.

• Xperia ray offers a slim, yet dynamic shape which can perfectly fit into the palm of a consumer's hand. The aluminum sides give the product a premium expression and a positive tactile experience.   
  
  
• The interchangeable band on Mix Walkman allows consumers to express themselves and their personality via their handset. The precision of the clean front surface together with the soft curvature on the back creates a product with a distinct feeling.  
  
  
• Xperia mini pro boasts a QWERTY keyboard to enable fast typing and the fusion of exquisite lacquers, reflective metal and colorful accents create a stylish, fresh and energetic look.  

The iF product design awards are an internationally recognized label for award-winning design and a symbol for outstanding achievements in design.

Another record-breaking New Year at BFI Southbank as it celebrates its BEST MONTH EVER

Once again BFI Southbank has broken box-office records and is celebrating its most 
successful month ever with its highest number of cinema viewers in January 2012. 


The winter chill couldn’t keep audiences away from its unique programme of 
packed screenings, exclusive events and to watch films that can’t be seen in any 
other cinemas: from Dickens on Screen and Woody Allen seasons to an extended 
run of Jean Vigo’s L’Atalante, the first London Comedy Film Festival and the UK 
premiere of Phyllida Law’s The Iron Lady. January paid admissions reached a record 
35,000 – an increase of 25% from January 2011 - while more than 180,000 visitors in 
total came to BFI Southbank, many of them stopping on their way for a drink or a 
bite to eat at benugo bar & kitchen, the new Drawing Room and The Riverfront, or to 
shop at the Filmstore. With these record results, BFI Southbank confirms its 
reputation as one of the best cultural hotspots in London.  


Clare Stewart, Head of Exhibition BFI, said:  “We are thrilled that 2012 has kicked-off 
with such brilliant results, indicating that audiences for great film are expanding and that 
film fans are, more than ever, seeking the big screen experience and diverse programming 
they can find at BFI Southbank." 


Looking ahead, Spring at BFI Southbank  is packed with even more exciting 
screenings and events, from the complete  David Lynch retrospective and the 
continuing  Dickens on Screen, presently screening, to the idiosyncratic genius of 
Peter Cook in March and the glorious Technicolor from  Vincente Minnelli
throughout April and May.  June will bring a Meltdown programme to complement 
the annual music festival, and the eagerly anticipated celebrations for The Genius of
Alfred Hitchcock will launch this Summer, when his entire body of work will screen 
over three months, accompanied by spectacular one-off screenings of his British 
silent films being held throughout London as part of the London 2012 Festival 
celebrations.

BEACTIVE LAUNCHES BEACTIVE CLASSICS

Competition to discover fresh comedy filmmaking talent-

Multi award-winning transmedia production company, beActive has today announced the launch of beActive Classics, an online competition offering aspiring comedy filmmakers in the UK and Ireland the chance to submit original short films for a chance to win a monthly cash prize.

Every month, beActive will select a topical subject and digital comedy filmmakers will have just eight days to create and submit a short film based on this theme. The winning video will be chosen by beActive based on its quality, creativity and entertainment value, and will then be posted to beActive’s YouTube page. The winner will also receive €2000. beActive is planning for the competition to run for six months, resulting in six winning entries that will also be shown through the beActive YouTube channel. 

The launch of beActive Classics follows The Digital Comedy Lab, another talent investment project from beActive. The Digital Comedy Lab offers UK and Irish comedy filmmakers the opportunity to enter feature-length mockumentary films, with the two winning projects receiving up to €50,000 each in development funding. The entry period closed on 31 January and received almost 200 applications. The 12 finalists will be announced by the end of February.

beActive’s co-founder and CEO Nuno Bernardo said: “beActive Classics provides an amazing opportunity for future comedy production stars to have their films viewed by a wide online audience and receive a valuable cash prize to invest in their careers. Together with The Digital Comedy Lab, it illustrates beActive’s interest in finding and supporting the next generation of creative talent.”   

For more information, please visit: www.digitalcomedylab.com

New film epitomises Ashridge’s approach to Action Research

New film epitomises Ashridge’s approach to Action Research

The Centre for Action Research at Ashridge Business School is helping to promote a UK wide tour of the film, ‘An Ecology of Mind’ which is a documentary about the life and work of Gregory Bateson. Bateson’s way of thinking is a major influence on Ashridge consultants and faculty who use action research principles in their practice. And this benefits many organisations both in the UK and other parts of the world.


The film, directed and presented by his daughter, Nora Bateson, explores  Gregory’s ideas about  relationships, connections and patterns - continues to influence and provoke new thinking about human and animal behaviour,  about ecology,  art, design and health.


The film is on a worldwide tour and includes several venues in the UK including London, Manchester, Glasgow and Bristol.


Kevin Power, a member of faculty at Ashridge, is among the group that has arranged the screenings and seminars in this country.


“Gregory Bateson’s thinking strikes a chord right at the heart of our practice as organisational consultants and action researchers – a field where Ashridge is a worldwide leader.”


“It is very much a daughter’s story and it introduces Bateson’s ideas to new audiences, using the metaphor of a relationship between father and daughter, and footage of Bateson’s talks.”


Each screening, too, hosts a discussion between Nora and a wide range of people working in depth with Gregory Bateson’s ideas: artists, architects, organisational practitioners, action researchers, ecological activists, mental health practitioners, scientists, urban designers, cyberneticians.


These screenings and discussions show a way of thinking that crosses fields of knowledge and experience, one that can lead out of the ecological crisis and towards a more sound way of living.


Gregory Bateson, British-American anthropologist, biologist, systems thinker (1904 – 1980),  invited people to look at a thing – an earthworm, a number sequence, a tree, a definition of addiction, anything at all – by seeing the interdependencies that connect them and the processes beneath the structures. He believed, “The major problems in the world are the result of the difference between the way nature works and the way people think.”


UK schedule and event information: ecologyofmind.uk@phonecoop.coop
‘An Ecology of Mind’ website:  www.anecologyofmind.com
Film's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/AnEcologyOfMind



London event: Monday 27 February 2012, 6:30 pm
The Old Cinema, 309 Regent Street, London W1


Other public events: 
13 Feb – Milton Keynes
14 Feb - Hull

15 & 16 Feb – Manchester
17 Feb – Glasgow
20 Feb – Bradford
21 Feb – Bristol
22 Feb – Dartington, Devon
23 & 24 Feb – Edinburgh

UK Press:
“For me, watching Nora Bateson’s film was overwhelming. Her biggest achievement is in explaining abstract concepts in a clear way. Until now, Bateson’s’ work has been largely inaccessible outside the academic community. With this film, this is bound to change”
Jan van Boeckel, Resurgence, Jan-Feb 2012


Global Press:
“The double bind that we now face is this: on the one hand, we want to preserve our natural environment; on the other, everything we do to grow our economy and preserve our standard of living disrupts the natural environment and our relationships with it. Nora, like her father, suggests that we must raise our consciousness and learn to think in new ways to escape our pathology of wrong thinking…Nora Bateson presents viewers not only with an intellectually challenging and inspiring work of art, but also with a glimpse of evanescent hope.”
Marilyn Wedge, Huffington Post, 13 October 2011

“Gregory Bateson taught us how to stop having the most fundamental old ideas: the static, separating, reductionist fictions that dis-integrate an integrated world. Nora Bateson's beautiful portrait of her father's key insights is a stunningly effective antidote for a new generation that now needs his wisdom more than ever.”
Amory B. Lovins, Chairman and Chief Scientist, Rocky Mountain Institute

"An Ecology of Mind is a spell-binding, lyrical, and very important film..."
Rex Weyler - Co-Founder, Greenpeace International

Awards for the film:
Gold for Best Documentary, Spokane International Film Festival, 2011
Audience Award Winner, Best Documentary, Santa Cruz Film Festival, 2011
Winner, Media Ecology Association, John Culkin Award for Outstanding Praxis, 2011

Jessie starts this Friday

Disney Channel’s brand new comedy series Jessie starts this Friday. Disney UK is also launching Superbia, www.disneychannel.co.uk/superbia, an online game which allows kids to explore digital areas inspired by Disney Channel’s hit shows like Hanna Montana and Jessie. Details below. I’ve also attached imagery and an interview feature with Jessie’s star Debby Ryan. Please let me know if you can run it.  

Disney Channel’s brand new comedy series Jessie, is set to take the UK by storm, following its huge ratings success in the U.S. with 4.6 million viewers tuning in to make it the most-watched Friday series premiere in three years.* The series stars 18-year-old teen starlet Debby Ryan of The Suite Life on Deck and 16 Wishes fame, and will premiere on the channel at 5:35pm this Friday 17^th February 2012.

The story follows the journey of an idealistic teen, played by Ryan, from rural Texas who moves to New York City and becomes a nanny for a high-profile couple Morgan and Christina and their four children, Emma, Ravi, Luke and Zuri. Starring alongside her is a talented cast including Tony Award-nominated Kevin Chamberlin (Broadway's The Addams Family) as Bertram; Peyton List (27 Dresses, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules) as Emma; Karan Brar (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules) as Ravi; Cameron Boyce (Grown Ups) as Luke; and Skai Jackson (Royal Pains) as Zuri.

Fans of Disney Channel shows will be pleased to learn that Disney UK has launched Superbia, www.disneychannel.co.uk/superbia, a fun and entertaining online game where kids can safely play in digital areas inspired by Disney Channel’s hit shows and popular characters.

The vibrant city of Superbia features a variety of Disney Channel inspired places for kids to explore such as the Hannah Montana concert hall, Shake It Up dance studio and other sites dedicated to hit shows like Good Luck Charlie, A.N.T. Farm and The Suite Life on Deck. The latest location to be added to the city of Superbia is Jessie’s New York Penthouse apartment where players can buy Jessie themed items to decorate their house in the latest Manhattan style and dress up like their favourite Jessie characters. There will also be a quest where they can win a very special house guest (Mr Kipling – the family’s pet lizard) for their in-game Superbia house.

As a citizen of Superbia, users can choose their own personalised avatars, select special outfits, decorate their own virtual rooms or visit the virtual homes of their favourite Disney Channel characters.  Players also face the challenge of creating new desserts for the ice cream parlour and undertake a series of quests to unlock cool new rooms in the community.

Superbia is based on Disney Channel Italy’s hugely popular social game, Fun and Friends, which boasts over 60,000 registered users, numerous dedicated fan forums and Facebook pages. Superbia is the newest addition to Disney’s successful collection of digital environments, which includes the Children’s BAFTA-nominated website Club Penguin, the world’s most successful virtual world for kids.

A unique platform for self-expression and personalisation, Superbia contains exciting and engaging content to create a truly unique online experience for kids.  Superbia is a safe online game, giving parents the confidence that their children can enjoy the internet securely.

*(Source: NTI, U.S. ratings, Live + Same Day Early Ratings, 9/30/11. 4.6 million Total Viewers

PIONEERS IN ONLINE SCREENING – STUDIO BEYOND

INTRODUCING ONLINE SCREENING ROOM FOR FILM FESTIVALS AND FILM MAKERS!   

The most innovative online movie studio for the entertainment industry, Studio Beyond (www.studiobeyond.net) has today announced the launch of their online screening service. This service is making its mark on the film festivals and film makers around the world.

The long Film Maker’s road of burning the DVD, posting the DVD, hoping it arrives and waiting for a reply is changing!  The Festival Organizer’s lengthy processes from callouts, receiving hoards of DVDs through to the final award decisions is also changing!  Through Studio Beyond (www.studiobeyond.net) filmmakers and sales agents are now submitting online screeners to film festivals. Festival Organizers and judges are receiving screenings in their own private, built-in screening room equipped with the multi-media player and are making decisions instantly. Facilitating instant communications between filmmakers, festivals organizers and judges is being welcomed.  Festival directors are gaining direct access to press members by organizing online press attendance at the online screenings of their selected movies.  It is all here and now, and is happening as we speak. 

However, if that isn’t enough for all the avid industry patriots, it may be of particular interest to our film festival organizers, who have not yet had a tour of the Online Studios, that not only are you provided a private online studio office, you also have a set of management tools for sending screening invitations to non SB members, opening’ Calls for Entries’, receiving press kits, stills, trailers, photos, read bios, synopses, and the like.

Studio Beyond’s founder and CEO Jasmin Prosser said, “We are introducing a new cutting-edge online broadcasting platform, which enhances the co-ordination of submissions to festivals.  This platform is a simple, yet effective way for film festivals to more easily receive and manage online screeners, for film makers to submit their screenings, for judges to assimilate and decide, and for all other industry contributors to become involved throughout these processes. All taking place within private online studio offices.

The Studio Beyond screening service has politely edged its way into the one of the industry’s most multifaceted processes and the movie industry is taking note. We asked Jasmin Prosser for a hint as to the available tools ‘waiting in the wings’ for members of this platform,  she said,  “we have a diverse range of integrated features which enables film festivals to receive and manage online screenings and the judging process before, during, and after the screening as well as instant communication tools. There is a discussion forum in each studio office for Film makers and Film Festivals to exchange their views. The screening room evenincludes a survey function that movie buyers can use to assess the likely value of a film’s theatrical release in foreign territories.

The online screening service comes on the heels of Studio Beyond’s release of its unique online studio office system that affords movie makers a fully-integrated business platform to utilise.

Studio Beyond is on the move and it is a space to not just watch, but a studio space to occupy and experience!

From Japan to Hull: manga, anime and cosplay to feature at Platform Expos

Japanese culture and the fantastical world of cosplay are coming to Platform 2012, East Yorkshire’s huge gaming and entertainment expo.

The event at the University of Hull on March 17 and 18, has secured some ‘star’ experts in the art of Japanese culture and will also host the biggest gathering of cosplayers ever seen in the region, led by the award winning, Natasha Lee Tyler (AKA Missy Tetra), who lives in the city.

The Platform 2012 Japanese culture and cosplay programme will culminate in a masquerade on the cosplay stage, attracting participants on the convention circuit from all over the UK.

Sonia Leong will lead two workshops. Leong is a professional comic artist and illustrator who specialises in manga. She has a worldwide fan base and is an avid gamer. She will be leading two manga workshops at Platform 2012.

Co presenting the cosplay parade is, Lawrence ‘MasakoX’ Simpson, a member of TeamFourStar, the international group behind the anime, Dragonball Z Abridged. MasakoX, also a successful voice actor, will impart his secrets at workshops and a Q & A session, including the art of abridging, taking the initial steps to online voice acting, to microphone and other techniques. He will also host a debate covering the most hotly discussed topics in the world of anime.

Akemi Solloway Tanaka, the daughter of an old samurai family will bring a slice of real Japanese life to the city. Tanaka will showcase the culture of traditional and modern day Japan, including the mysterious world of the samurai, the iconic Japanese kimono and how to wear it, the art of the tea ceremony and a short course on the Japanese language. She is attending Platform on behalf of www.aidforjapan.org.uk

Akemi is responsible for organising the Japanese Art Festival and Bunkasai events in London, and is founder of AJAMCA, the Anglo-Japanese Anime and Manga Cultural Association. She has described her own use of western clothing in her free time as a form of reverse Cosplay, as she spends most of her life dressed in kimonos.

Natasha Lee Tyler, said that she hoped Platform 2012 would attract both new and established manga and anime fans and cosplayers. “Whether you are simply curious about the subculture and want to witness the spectacle, or if you need advice and inspiration and want to take part in the masquerade, we will give a great warm welcome.”

Missy Tetra will take seminars covering:
Cosplay for beginners: covering the history and developments of the cosplay convention subculture
Cosplay Construction Camp: to train new cosplay recruits, including fabrication of costumes, from cotton to plastic, foam to framework
Cosplay Q & A: an open forum to discuss cosplay
Masterclass: for all cosplay masquerade entrants

Platform 2012 is aiming to attract up to 10,000 visitors with its unique combination of education, business and fun. Confirmed exhibitors and supporters include international games company, Ubisoft, high street retailers Game and Game Station, and Microsoft.

For exhibitor, sponsor and ticket information: www.platformexpos.com

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/platformexpos
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/#!/PlatformExpos

Warwick leader in High Dynamic Range video to demo at world’s biggest media tradeshow

WMG at the University of Warwick and spin out company, goHDR, will be exhibiting their cutting-edge video imaging technology at the world’s largest electronic media show in April. goHDR’s High Dynamic Range (HDR) video technology enables the image detail that is typically lost in the glare of bright light and in deep shadow on standard High Definition (HD) video to be revealed with the same clarity as seen by the human eye.
 
WMG and goHDR have been invited to showcase their HDR research at the NAB Show®, in Las Vegas, from 14-19 April. goHDR has already released a free beta version of its HDR viewer and will be demonstrating the latest advances, including 3D-HDR, from its research laboratories.  
 
HDR video can capture ‘real world’ lighting without losing any detail in widely contrasting lighting conditions, so you can clearly see the football when it is kicked from sunshine into the shadow of the stadium.  That requires five times as much data capture as ordinary video, equivalent to a CD of data a second.  goHDR’s software technology solves the problem of how to compress, manage and display the huge data stream produced by HDR video cameras, making it possible to see high image detail and quality that exceeds standard HD technology.
 
Alan Chalmers, Professor of Visualisation and Innovation Director at goHDR, says: “We are going to be demonstrating a number of research prototypes at the NAB Show that we believe will enable a step change in TV viewing that has been waiting to happen for a number of years. Kicking off this revolution is our media viewer which you can download for free from our website www.goHDR.com. Our encoding software will shortly be available for license by camera manufacturers and broadcasters.”
 
He adds: “We are very excited to be demonstrating what HDR technology is capable of. This exhibition was the springboard for the first High Definition TV broadcast back in 1996. Our HDR technology, including our very latest 3D-HDR system, is as significant as that development and we are delighted to be presenting it at the same show.”
 
The NAB Show, run by the US National Association of Broadcasters boasts more than 1,500 exhibitors and an expected 90,000 attendees from 150 countries. 
 
goHDR was set up in 2009 with assistance from Warwick Ventures, the University of Warwick’s technology commercialisation arm and is founded on research carried out by WMG. The company has produced a number of short films demonstrating HDR imaging, which can be viewed on the website. 
 
Professor Chalmers explains: “You need to be able to see this technology in action to appreciate the difference it will make to people’s viewing experience. goHDR has access to the world’s first HDR camera capable of capturing 20 f-stops at 30 frames a second, and we have produced some short film clips that demonstrate what the future of cinematography can be with such technology. 


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Coventry University hosts international film festival

An international film festival celebrating East Asian cinema will see Coventry University’s Ellen Terry Building revert to a picture palace for the first time since the Coventry Odeon closed its doors over 12 years ago.

The second annual East Winds Film Festival (2-4 March 2012) promises to be even bigger and better than last year’s opening event, staged by the Coventry University East Asian Film Society (CUEAFS) in conjunction with Third Window Films. The three-day festival will include European premieres of major popular cinema and see celebrity guests from the world of East Asian film flying in to talk to fans. The event has also attracted a major sponsor this year, in the form of Infiniti, the luxury automotive brand from Japan which has recently launched its range of performance cars in the UK.

CUEAFS founder and Lecturer in Film and Visual Culture, Spencer Murphy said:

“The films produced in East Asia over the past decade have galvanised international cinema with their originality and vitality, gaining plaudits from academics and film fans alike. This festival aims to raise awareness of East Asian cinema within Coventry and the wider area, while encouraging the younger generation to embrace different kinds of film, by offering the students the opportunity to get involved in running an international film festival.

“This year we have a fantastic line-up including a retrospective from Japanese director Miki Satoshi, who will be coming over with actress Eri Fuse to do a Q&A session to accompany the screenings of In the Pool, Adrift in TokyoandTurtles Are Surprisingly Fast Swimmers. Legendary Hong Kong director Herman Yau will be answering questions and showing two of his most recent works, Woman Knight of Mirror Lake and True Women for Sale; while Taiwanese director Tom Yin will be treating festival goers to his latest offering, Starry Starry Night. With ticket prices at only £6 for the general public and £4 for students we hope a lot of film fans will take the opportunity to experience some really exciting cinema.”

The East Winds Film Festival 2012 is open to everyone. For more information, including the full festival programme visit www.eastwindsfilm.com