Lurker Films Announces the H.P. Lovecraft Collection Volume 3: Out of Mind on DVD

Portland, OR (PRWEB) April 21, 2005 -- Lurker Films, Inc. the world's leading producer and distributor of Lovecraft related film products announced the immediate availability of "The H.P. Lovecraft Collection™ Volume 3: Out of Mind" on DVD, available from merchants throughout the United States.

"Out of Mind" casts an entertaining eye on the work of American writer H.P. Lovecraft (1890-1937), one of the early 20th century's masters of gothic-horror literature. The film offers an encounter with Lovecraft and enters into his world. Engaging in a kind of game around the writer, the film playfully winks at many of the themes characteristic of his work: the occult, cursed books, monstrous creatures, and the world of dreams. Out of Mind draws its inspiration from Lovecraft's actual personal correspondence and many of his stories, carrying the viewer through a labyrinth "beyond the wall of sleep."

The H.P. Lovecraft Collection Volume 3: Out of Mind DVD includes:
• “Out of Mind: The Stories of H. P. Lovecraft” television feature film
• Two audio commentary tracks by writer/director Raymond Saint-Jean, actor Christopher Heyerdahl, and cinematographer Serge Ladouceur.
• John Strysik's award winning student short film “The Music of Erich Zann” with both Dolby 2.0 and 5.1 audio options.
• Aaron Vanek’s student short films “The Outsider” and “My Necronomicon”.
• Interviews with the crew of “The Music of Erich Zann”
• The third part of the continuing interview with the foremost Lovecraft scholar in the world, S. T. Joshi.
• Bonus trailers of upcoming films including “Call of Cthulhu”

The H.P. Lovecraft Collection Volume 3: Out of Mind DVD will be available through retail at a suggested price of US$21.95. The DVD is not rated but a rating of PG-13 is suggested. Total running time of the DVD is over 120 minutes."It is fitting that this DVD was mastered on March 15th, the anniversary of Lovecraft's death," said producer Andrew Migliore, "and occurs in the wake of the Library of America’s newly released volume of Lovecraft short stories proving that Lovecraft’s writings have literary merit and is worth preserving."

Tiscali announces Best UK Debut Short Award for the Raindance Film Festival

Tiscali UK is set to continue its support of The Raindance Film Festival in September by launching the Best UK ‘Short’ by a First Time Film Maker Award - to be announced today at the opening of the Raindance East Film Festival.

The entry criteria: contestants must be first time filmmakers and have submitted a short film of under ten minutes. Raindance will select a shortlist of the five best short films, which will then be shown online and voted for by Tiscali users as well as a Raindance panel of judges. The winner will be awarded a prize of £1,000 and free Tiscali broadband for a year.

This is not the first time Tiscali has shown a commitment to the film industry. In 2004, Tiscali was announced as one of the major sponsors of the Rotterdam Film Festival, where it experimented in distributing art house films over the Internet and has also supported The Venice Film Festival. The company also backed a full feature film, 05/06 directed by Theo Van Gogh about the assassination of the flamboyant right-wing politician Pym Fortuyn which made its debut online. Within hours of its Internet release thousands of broadband users were downloading the film.

Richard Ayers, Portal Director of www.tiscali.co.uk says: "This is the next step for the film industry. The question is not "what is broadband?" but "what can you do with it?" The music industry has finally embraced online distribution and for film makers it offers very cost effective distribution to millions.”

"We are absolutely committed to putting more entertainment online. We have been showcasing free short films for over two years and this is a great way to debut new talent."

Elliot Grove, founder and Managing Director of Raindance says: "We believe Tiscali is particularly innovative in this area. We welcome any company that champions creativity, and brings independent film to a wider audience consuming in a new medium."

The Raindance Film Festival was established in 1992 to celebrate and support British film making and innovation and has gone on to become the largest independent film festival in Europe. Patrons include directors such as Mike Figgis, Ken Loach and Michael Winterbottom, and artists including Ewan McGregor, Samantha Morton and Bill Nighy.

For more information on the Tiscali Best Short by a First Time Film Maker Award, go to www.raindance.co.uk to download the submission form along with the rules and regulations.

ALIENWARE CREATES FIRST-EVER STAR WARS PC

New Alienware Aurora: Star Wars Edition Systems Feature Dark Side and Light Side Case Designs, Exclusive Star Wars Content, and AMD Athlon™ 64 FX-55 Processors

Alienware®, the leading manufacturer of high-performance desktop, notebook, media center and professional computing systems, announces the creation of the new Alienware Aurora™: Star Wars Edition, the first-ever
officially licensed Star Wars PC. Aurora: Star Wars Edition systems are based on AMD Athlon™ 64 FX-55 processors and packed with exclusive Star Wars content such as movie soundtracks, wallpapers, and desktop skins. The systems are available in two extraordinary versions, Dark Side and Light Side, which feature breathtaking Star Wars artwork on the cases.

http://www.alienware.co.uk/Starwars_Pages/teaser.aspx

The Dark Side version features a case design that captures the imposing presence of Darth Vader and the rest of the evil Imperial forces in lifelike detail. The Light Side system beautifully displays the vivid images of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda and the other heroic Star Wars figures. The Light Side system further enhances the Star Wars experience by including a highly unique Jedi wallpaper and desktop skin, while the Dark Side system counters with an exclusive Imperial wallpaper and desktop skin.

“Star Wars indisputably ranks as one of the most popular movie franchises of all time, yet had never been featured on a PC, so Alienware worked with Star Wars to fill that void,” said Robert Lusk, vice president of sales and marketing for Alienware. “The result of this collaboration, the Aurora: Star Wars Edition offers an irresistible
mix of both visual appeal and power that is sure to make an unforgettable impression.”

MR.T RETURNS IN MAY 2005!

APC RELEASES ALL-NEW ONGOING MONTHLY “MR.T” COMIC BOOK

American cult hero and iconic all-round entertainer Mr.T returns to pulp fiction - and to pulp bad guys - this May in an all-new comic book series published by APComics.

Announcing one of the biggest licensing deals in the history of UK comics, APComics today said that MR.T #1 will be launched in the USA on Mr.T’s birthday, May 21 2005. UK fans will be able to get an exclusive sneak peek
at the UK Comic Expo, Bristol, UK, May 13-15.

Mr.T, known worldwide for his roles in the smash-hit television series THE A-TEAM and hit feature films such as ROCKY III, as well as solo television shows, is overseeing the series as Creative Supervisor.

Mr.T said: “Quit your jibber-jabbering and buy my comic!”

“I pity the fool who don’t read it! It’s gonna be pure gold!” quipped the star, making reference to his trademark gold jewelry.

The comic book will be scripted by up and coming British writer Christopher Bunting. He said: “This truly is a dream job for me. Mr.T’s winning combination of toughness and tenderness have earned him an army of fans all
over the world and they are going to love this book!”

Bunting is joined by the art team of Neil Edwards and Randy Emberlin.

APComics - based in St. Albans near London in the UK – has been producing comic books since 2001 with popular titles such as MONSTER CLUB, DARKHAM VALE and THE CHASE to its name. The publisher recently secured a deal to produce comic book versions of best-selling children’s novels.

APComics' publisher and editor-in-chief, Richard Emms, said: "For a British publisher like us to get this deal is beyond belief! We're all huge Mr.T fans and can’t describe how excited we are about having such a legendary
character in our midst!

"I want to thank the people who have rallied around to get this terrific and unique project off the ground, including Chris Bunting who has put this comic together from literally nothing and turned it into a certain success.”

The comic book’s US distribution will be exclusively by Diamond Comics. Its UK and Europe distribution will be by both Diamond Comics and APComics. It has a suggested retail price of $3.50/£2.50.

Two MR.T trade paperbacks are due for release in December 2005 and July 2006.

OFT REFERS ANTICIPATED ACQUISITION BY FUTURE PLC
OF HIGHBURY HOUSE PLC

The OFT today referred the anticipated acquisition by Future plc of Highbury House plc to the Competition Commission (CC).


The OFT has decided that the test for reference is met in relation to the supply of certain special interest consumer magazines in the UK. The reference is made on the basis of concerns that the combination of the largest supplier of computer games magazines in the UK with its largest competitor may be expected to lead to a substantial lessening of competition in the UK.

The CC is expected to report by 28 September 2005.

Ma Mère

DVD release date 25th April 2005

Isabelle Huppert (‘I Heart Huckabees’, ‘The Piano Teacher’), Louis Garrel (‘The Dreamers’) and Emma de Caunes (daughter of Eurotrash presenter Antoine) star in Ma Mère, director Christophe Honoré’s superb adaptation of Georges Bataille’s violent, magnificent and scandalous 1966 novel. Following a successful theatrical release, the title will now be released on DVD by Revolver Entertainment on 25th April.

One of the most controversial films ever to be shown in British cinemas, Ma Mère has garnered rave reviews at screenings and festivals around the world, including France (Cannes Film Market), Belgium, Russia (Moscow Film Festival), Italy, Canada (Toronto Film Festival and Vancouver International Film Festival) and the London Film Festival 2004, where extra screenings had to be held following two sold out showings.

SYLVIA SYMS HOSTS A CHARITY SCREENING OF

‘ICE COLD IN ALEX’

The first Help the Aged classic film series kicks off with the screening of the classic wartime adventure ‘Ice Cold in Alex’, and is to take place on Thursday 2 June 2005 in aid of the Charity’s Elder Abuse Campaign. Hosted by one of the stars of the film, Sylvia Syms, this exclusive screening is organised by the Arts for Age Committee, a sub committee of Stage for Age – the celebrity arm of Help the Aged.

Movie Legend Sylvia Syms, who plays the role of Sister Diana Murdoch in the film, will introduce the film and reveal many of the secrets behind the making of this classic movie.

She will also take questions from the audience after the screening.

The film, set in a war zone in 1942 Libya, sees a British ambulance officer escape the siege in Tobruk and try to get his passengers to safety in Alexandra – where he dreams he will have an ‘ice cold’ glass of beer. His passengers include a stranded nurse, a Sergeant Major and a stray South African Officer –although not all is what it seems with all the passengers.

All money raised from this event will go towards the Help the Aged Elder Abuse Campaign. Half a million older people are at risk of abuse right now – either psychological, financial, physical and sexual. The problem affects men and women, both rich and poor. Shockingly, much of this abuse takes place in people’s own homes.

This special screening of the wartime classic adventure ‘Ice Cold in Alex’ will take place at the Cine Lumiere, Institut Francais, 17 Queensberry Place, South Kensington SW7 2DT, from 6.30pm-10.30pm. Tickets are limited and are priced at £50 per person, which includes a champagne and canapé reception.

To purchase a ticket, or for more information, please contact Sara Goodburn at Help the Aged on 0207 239 1926 or email sara.goodburn@helptheaged.org.uk. Alternatively write to Sara Goodburn, Help the Aged, 207-221 Pentonville Road, London N1 9UZ.

Go West and Mark Owen Headline at First Thunder Sunday Event

Live Music and American Oval Racing Kick Start the 2005 Season at Rockingham

The adrenalin pumping, white knuckle, ‘Thunder Sunday’ series of events featuring the spectacular SCSA American style Stock Car racing and live music series, is back and ready to launch into the 4th season of what can only be described as the ultimate family day out. On Sunday May 1st, Rockingham, near Corby, will welcome the first live performers of the new season - Go West and Mark Owen.

To celebrate 20 Years in music, ‘80’s legends Go West will be appearing on the Rockingham Stage in the only outdoor gig of their 20th Anniversary Tour which kicked off in Manchester on April 3rd.

Go West’s legends Peter Cox and Richard Drummie will be performing their hits including classics; ‘We Close Our Eyes’, ‘Faithful’ and the smash hit from the Hollywood blockbuster Pretty Woman ‘The King of Wishful Thinking’ - A selection of songs which will definitely set the Rockingham stage alight.

Mark Owen was the first member of Take That to launch a solo career and his first album ‘Green Man’ sold over a million copies and resulted in two top 3 singles ‘Child’ and ‘Clementine’. He went onto find a wider public appeal in 2002 when viewers of the hit Channel 4 programme Celebrity Big Brother voted Mark the winner. On Monday 18th April Mark Owen’s third album ‘How The Mighty Fall’ goes on sale and the fans at Rockingham will be some the first people to see Mark and his band perform some of the new tracks live, along with the smash hit ‘Four Minute Warning’.

The final act to hit the Rockingham stage is Kontrol Freek, one of the UK’s most up and coming bands.

“We’re delighted with the range of music artists we have lined up this year. We are providing live music and entertainment to suit all tastes. This year we are especially keen to complement our existing pop music portfolio with a range of alternative music genres and with Go West at our first event we are confident we are providing an excellent mix of entertainment. Watch this space for further acts we will be announcing over this year’s Thunder Sunday event calendar,” said Mark Claussner, SCSA Race Series Director.

Rockingham in Northamptonshire is the only venue in the UK to offer the adrenalin pumping American-style stock car racing, alongside a live music featuring the UK’s leading music artists. Previous artists to have performed on the Rockingham stage, include, Busted, Girls Aloud, The Darkness, Lemar and Rachel Stevens, with more leading artists planned for 2005.

The SCSA Racing package consists of two races featuring the
awesome 450bhp American style Stock Cars, along with the adrenalin pumping Pickup Trucks and other supporting track events. The races see the cars battle two or three-wide at speeds of up to 170mph around the banked 1.5-mile oval track. The 5.7-litre V8 American Stock Cars certainly offer an amazing spectacle, unique in the UK. As well as the racing and live music, there is yet more family entertainment at Rockingham. A Spitfire air display, the HKS Drift Car stunt display, a fun fair, trampolines, the ‘Adrenalin Alley’ skateboard park and quad bikes are also features of each Thunder Sunday event.

Tickets cost £18 (adv), £25 (gate) for adults, £7 (adv), £10 (Gate) for children 5 to 16. Under 5’s are free. There is also a special advance only family ticket at £44 for two adults and two children. To purchase advance tickets and find more information on Thunder Sunday events visit www.rockingham.co.uk or ring the box office on 08700 134 044.

For more about NASCAR racing see our review of the new IMAX 3D movie by Andrew Lyndon on the main www.talkingpix.co.uk website.

WORLD PREMIERE FOR MOVING FILM FESTIVAL

Channel 4 is calling for film makers from across the globe to showcase their work in the world’s first moving film festival, launched by online creative resource, IDEASFACTORY.

Throughout June 2005, 78 Central Trains carriages in the West Midlands are being transformed into moving cinemas, thanks to the IDEASFACTORY Rolling Stock Short Film Festival. Over 100 short films will be screened during the four week event, to an audience of over 55,000 passengers.

Dan Jones, Editor of IDEASFACTORY West Midlands said:

“As the world’s first industry event of its kind, the Rolling Stock Short Film Festival is a unique opportunity for both new and experienced film makers to show their work to a diverse audience and play a part in film history.”

Film makers of all ages and experience can enter their shorts, which need to be less than five minutes long and suitable for a family audience.

Passengers will be able to text vote for their favourite film throughout the festival, with the most popular short taking home a cash prize of £500. For more information, or to download an entry form visit www.channel4.com/ideasfactory

Prospective Subscribers Embrace Phantom Game Service

New Research Study Shows the Phantom Game Service as an Attractive, Convenient On-Demand Solution For Consumers

Sarasota, Fla. - March 31, 2005 - According to a recent study conducted by media research firm SmithGeiger LLC and commissioned by Infinium Labs, Inc. (OTC BB: IFLB), three in four respondents (76%) said they would like to have the Phantom Game Service.

The majority of respondents said they see the Phantom service as an attractive alternative to current game rental and purchase options, with convenience, simplicity, timeliness, and ease of access to a wide range of current titles and old favourites as key drivers.

The study, which was conducted by SmithGeiger in February 2005, surveyed over 600 current or former console or PC gamers with residential broadband internet access.

“The initial interest in the Phantom Game Service is substantial and validates the promise of this new platform. There is a tangible demand for a new alternative in gaming that better serves lifestyle and interests by delivering a more convenient way for consumers to experience PC quality games through the TV in their own living room” explained SmithGeiger principal Seth Geiger.

The report's major findings include:

Features and Benefits of the Phantom Game Service Have Strong Appeal

When potential subscribers were asked about the features and benefits of the Phantom Game Service, the majority of gamers clearly grasped the value proposition:

- Two-thirds of the respondents said the service was more appealing than current rental options
- More than half said the service was more appealing than their current purchase options
- Nearly seven-in-ten percent saw benefits in the time it takes to receive a game or have it in hand
- Two-thirds cited the ease and simplicity of making a game purchase as a key benefit of the service
- Phantom’s ability to deliver a broad array of titles holds significant appeal to consumers, with 64 percent of respondents citing game availability, in stock and “titles you want” as key attributes of the service.
- Nearly half said they would like a way to play PC games on their living room TVs

In addition, the survey noted that the release of the next round of consoles would have no dramatic impact on the likelihood of purchasing the Phantom service among respondents.

Survey respondents were screened for broadband access and gaming interest, and represent 58% of all 18 to 54 year olds online today, or roughly 63.4 million prospective subscribers to the Phantom Game Service.

The Phantom Game Service will be the first end-to-end solution of its kind combining broadband receiver hardware and integrated game service that, in addition to offering the greatest breadth of PC game titles, will allow consumers to demo games before purchasing and will stream games for virtually instantaneous start of play, all via broadband from the convenience of the living or family room.

Infinium Labs plans to launch its Phantom Game Service in 2005.

24: THE GAME

Fans of hit Sky One series 24 will now be able to put Jack Bauer through his paces in a new version of 24, this time as a computer game being developedfor Sony's PlayStation 2.

Jack is currently in the midst of preventing nuclear meltdown in Day Four on Sky One. The new PlayStation game will let players take control and live aday in the hectic life of Jack Bauer and the Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit. The game will also answer some burning questions left open in the realtime thriller series.

Featuring many of the stars from the first threeseasons, Sony said it would offer the most extensive cast of Hollywood actors ever seen in a game, which is set for release this autumn. 24 scriptwriter Duppy Demetrius is also on board.

24: The Game is the latest spin-off of the Sky One series, which has already this year made the transition to mobile phones via a deal with Vodafone inthe UK. Developed by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe in collaborationwith Fox and the TV show's producers, directors, scriptwriters and stars, 24: The Game is set between seasons two and three and promises to give theshow's fans answers to some burning questions not addressed in the series.

24, Sky One, Sundays, 9pm

ProHD from JVC

London, March 2005 - As the worldwide consumer electronics industry begins to gear up for the anticipated growth in HDTV capable home entertainment products, JVC introduces ProHD, which offers corporate and
broadcast programme makers alike the low cost option to shoot in either standard or high definition.

At NAB 2005, JVC introduces a range of cost-effective production tools that open the doors of HD to broadcasters, production companies, educational and religious organizations as well as independent film and video producers.

The centerpiece of JVC's affordable HD approach is called ProHD, an HDV-compatible video system with full professional specifications which can fulfill the high quality standards of both standard and high definition
capture. By including professional capabilities such as time code, true 24p HD, and dual media direct recording to hard disk, ProHD becomes a tool that can be easily used to produce film-like quality HD programming in a
variety of applications.

To achieve its affordable HD solution, JVC utilises widely available, non-proprietary technologies such as MPEG-2 compression, DV recording media and conventional hard disk drives.

Realising that many users will want to phase in HD production, JVC has designed ProHD to provide spectacular standard definition performance as well as true high definition. Recording in either Professional DV or HD is
currently available on all ProHD cameras, recorders and disk drives. JVC's ProHD products use their superior resolution and processing power to deliver top performance in either native 16:9 or 4:3 modes, producing standard definition recordings superior to competing SD-only products. And, ProHD decks are even capable of playing back DVCAM™ tapes.

JVC's first ProHD models, being shown at NAB 2005, include GY-HD100 the revolutionary compact-sized 3-CCD camcorder and the BR-HD50E ProHD recorder player.

A PUBLIC SCREENING FOR YOUR VERY OWN FILM

To celebrate the release of Tarnation, LOVEFiLM.com is launching a novel competition to give all those passionate about filmmaking the chance to let their talent shine in front of a public audience.

Made for only £218 on an Apple iMac, Jonathan Caouette’s Tarnation was the talk of the town at the Cannes Film Festival 2004. It is a spellbinding and heartbreaking documentary self-portrait that re-imagines the whole idea of what a documentary can be.

The film chronicles Caouette’s chaotic upbringing in a dysfunctional Texas family and the unexpected relationship that developed with his mentally ill mother Renee. Tarnation was awarded the 2004 Sutherland Trophy at The Times BFI London Film Festival for “the most original and imaginative first feature”.

LOVEFiLM.com is offering all budding filmmakers, regardless of experience, a chance to have their film screened alongside Tarnation at an exclusive preview event on 19 April 2005 at The Clapham Picturehouse, London. The entries will be judged by Jonathan Caouette himself and the winner will also be awarded a place on a three-day advanced filmmaking course at London’s Metropolitan Film School.

To enter your film or to find out further information, simply log onto www.LOVEFiLM.com

TV HIT PARADE

Sunday, April 17, 2005, 3pm

Queensborough Performing Arts Center

With Loretta Swit (MASH), Barry Williams (Brady Bunch)

Adrian Zmed (T. J. Hooker and Dance Fever) and Mackenzie Phillips (One Day at a Time).

In this new and exciting concert production your favorite TV celebrities sing the themes, medleys and the greatest hits from the tube that have become a part of our daily lives.

For tickets call (718) 631-6311. Tickets: $42, $39, $35

222-05 56th Avenue, Bayside, NY, USA, 11364

TV HIT PARADE

Sunday, April 17, 2005, 3pm

Queensborough Performing Arts Center

With Loretta Swit (MASH), Barry Williams (Brady Bunch)

Adrian Zmed (T. J. Hooker and Dance Fever) and Mackenzie Phillips (One Day at a Time).

In this new and exciting concert production your favorite TV celebrities sing the themes, medleys and the greatest hits from the tube that have become a part of our daily lives.

For tickets call (718) 631-6311. Tickets: $42, $39, $35

222-05 56th Avenue, Bayside, NY, USA, 11364

Men from Mars" explore the boundaries of visual effects using the JVC DLA-HD2K

The HD2K has been purchased for use in digital intermediate and colour grading work

(London - UK) - Due to the increasing demand for colour grading and digital intermediate work, the team at Men from Mars have purchased a JVC DLA-HD2K projector and image processor. The projector is being used directly with a Baselight film colour grading system and a Truelight colour management system from Filmlight. The unit was installed in March 2005.

The HD2K was sold through Kaurus Limited who specialise in projection, viewing and grading suites. Paul Sutton, a Director of Kaurus comments, "The HD2K fully meets and satisfies the requirements of post production companies such as the Men from Mars."

Men from Mars are a small but dynamic bespoke visual effects company based in Ealing, West London which employs about 20 people. Rhodri James, Chief Engineer at Men from Mars explains why he invested in the HD2K, "We needed a projector which would give a near to true representation of what our film projects would look like on film and on the cinema screen. We had already
seen the HD2K at the London premises of Filmlight and knew that the projector was good enough for use in grading. The HD2K is certainly the best tool for the job. "

The HD2K produces natural but deeply rich colours with a high definition resolution of 1920 x 1080i at 60Hz. It has an impressive contrast ratio of 2000:1 which allows for real cinema-quality blacks with smooth gradations and low noise.

Current productions that are using the HD2K include American Haunting, Derailed and The Wild and Wycked World of Brian Jones.

At the Men from Mars' Studio, DOPs and Directors will view the rushes and digital dailies footage, ensuring that the look and colour are correct, confident in the knowledge that what they see is what they get - a true representation of what the final project will look like on film.

James says of the projector, "it was very easy to install. For HD signals, a Doremi HD/SDI convertor is used". He goes on to enthuse, "the HD2K is a dream to operate."

Revenues from Mobile Games Set to Mushroom by 78% in 2005

Hampshire UK, 9th March 2005: The onset of mass multiplayer gaming, a widening gaming demographic, greater playability, and increased adoption of mobile services in emerging markets point to a fast expanding market for mobile games, according to a new report from Juniper Research.

“With console games, customers are obliged to make the commitment to purchase a fairly expensive piece of hardware. The beauty of mobile is that it provides a potential global audience of several hundred million 2.5G users who already have that hardware in the form of their handset,” said report author, Dr Windsor Holden.

Dr Holden added that developers and publishers were now recognising the need to expand the demographic beyond the core gamer.

“Many of the mobile games released thus far have been first person shooter (FPS) and sports simulations. These staple genres of console and PC have attracted a similar calibre of gamer to the mobile, namely young adult males. Consequently, the rest of the mobile audience was largely ignored. Increasingly, we’ll see a wider range of lifestyle games aimed at audiences beyond the core gamer.”

“Furthermore, in a number of emerging markets – most notably India – games console, PC and indeed fixed broadband penetration is negligible. Any games market which develops in these countries will see a substantial proportion – possibility even the majority – of their revenues derived from mobile services.”
Other findings from the report include:

Total value of global mobile games market to rise by 78% during 2005 to nearly US$5.6 billion.
The value of the North American market expected to increase tenfold over the next five years to US$4.1 billion.
For mass mobile multiplayer gaming to become a reality, data download costs must fall, while the average purchase price of games will rise to reflect this.
More than one-third of games revenues to be derived from rentals and subscriptions by 2009 rather than download.

Tiscali announces backing for Raindance 2005

First major sponsor for 2005 festival and online partner to show ‘best of’ Raindance short films

Tiscali UK and Raindance today announce a partnership which will see the leading internet company become a major sponsor of the 2005 Raindance Film Festival.

Every month, viewers will get exclusive access to five Raindance short films that can’t be viewed anywhere else on the web. From today, film fans will be able to see the best independent short films from around the world by logging onto www.tiscali.co.uk/raindance.
With their five million plus online audience, Tiscali will be the medium to watch the best from up and coming directors.

The first five films available to view this month are:

No Deposit, No Return

House

Old Tricks

Something Real

Stretched Too Thin

This is not the only involvement that Tiscali has had with up and coming, and established film makers. In 2004, Tiscali was announced as a major sponsor of the International Rotterdam Film Festival (26 January - 6 February 2005), where they launched an experiment to distribute arthouse films over the Internet.

And, Tiscali aren’t strangers to controversy with the backing of Theo van Gogh’s much talked about, thought-provoking film 06/05 - about the assassination of Dutch right-wing, anti-immigration politician, Pim Fortuyn. Following the making of the film Van Gogh – who was related to the famous Dutch painter – was stabbed and shot dead himself in Amsterdam.

The film was the first European feature film to be legally broadcast on the Internet before its theatrical release. Tiscali, who financed the €2m feature, allowed the film to be downloaded over a period of four days for a fee of €5. In the first couple of hours, hundreds of Dutch web surfers had bought the film.

Richard Ayers, portal director and editor of www.tiscali.co.uk says: “Tiscali provides some of the finest quality entertainment content online and we aim to showcase the best in emerging talent, both in film and in music. Partnering with Raindance means we will continue to offer excellence in entertainment by showing compelling short films throughout the year AND by backing an established but still cult film festival.”

The Raindance Film Festival was established in 1992 to celebrate and support British film making and innovation and has gone on to become the largest independent film festival in Europe. Patrons include directors such as Mike Figgis, Ken Loach and Michael Winterbottom, and artists including Ewan McGregor, Samantha Morton and Bill Nighy.

Elliot Grove, founder and managing director of Raindance says: “Raindance was founded in order to innovate and inspire. Working with Tiscali, we can expose exceptional film work in a new and innovative way to an even wider audience.”

To gain access to the site, viewers can log onto:

http://www.tiscali.co.uk/raindance

The first five films are outlined below:

No Deposit, No Return
(UK, 11mins, Dallas Campbell)
A desperate woman breaks into a sperm bank only to find love with a kindly security guard.
Courtesy of Rocliffe Productions and Dazzle Short Film Label.

House
(UK, 3mins, David Theobald)
A camera roves around the suburban home. In each room we find the same man caught frozen in mid-air. Is he meditating, or are we the witnesses to something more sinister?

Old Tricks
(USA, 8mins, Christopher Glass)
The disenfranchised cruise the city streets at night.

Something Real
(UK, 8mins, Jon Rennie)
Reydon realises he is tired of his utopian life.

Stretched Too Thin
(USA, 1min, Varda Hardy)
In a monumental effort to get into shape, a man gets out of shape.

Star Wars PEZ is out of this world!

Blasting onto a cinema screen near you on the 19th May is the final Star Wars epic - Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith. And to mark this momentous occasion, in a galaxy not so far away PEZ* is launching its latest intergalactic range of Star Wars inspired sweet dispensers.

This newest collection of sweet-and-toy-in-one PEZ* heads includes seven of the most popular characters from the deadly dark lord duo The Emperor and Darth Vader, to Chewbacca the temperamental Wookiee and revered Jedi Master, Yoda.

Other characters include the fussy and worry-prone protocol droid, C-3P0; proficient marksman and unarmed combatant, Jango Fett and the resourceful, spunky and adventurous astromech droid, R2-D2.

Retailing at 99p for the limited edition dispenser and 59p for a six-pack refill, Star Wars PEZ, 'the Coolest Collectibles on the Planet' take their place in selected Asda, Tesco, Woolworths and Poundstretcher stores this spring.

Desperately seeking a disc? - Never again with Imation Disc Stakka

Bracknell UK (3 March 2005) - Imation (UK) is today launching its new product Disc Stakka, an automated carousel that stores, protects and retrieves optical media such as CDs, DVDs, music and computer games discs.

The first of its kind, the Imation Disc Stakka holds up to one hundred 12cm discs and is linked to a PC or Mac computer via a single USB connection supplying both power and data. The carousel can be stacked up to five high to create a tower holding up to 500 discs in any format, without needing additional cabling or desk space.

Films, music or computer games' discs are often found lying in drawers or on shelves but the various discs needed for different home entertainment means it is difficult to manage, protect, and retrieve the content that is stored on all of these discs.

The Disc Stakka comes complete with OpdiTracker(tm) disc management software, which includes a database and powerful search engine that can find and eject any disc within seconds so there is no need to remember where the disc was stored. The user can browse the discs and files stored in the OpdiTracker database, or use OpdiTracker's search engine to locate any disc or file within seconds. Once located, the disc containing the required content will be ejected and then used in the CD or DVD player, games console or computer, for instance.

The Imation Disc Stakka enables users to solve this problem by:
* Saving time by keeping retrieval operations to a minimum
* Reducing the risk of damage to your discs
* OpdiTracker(tm) software to help you manage the contents of each disc
* Removes the hassle of storing disc covers, plastic or cardboard cases that are often lying around

OpdiTracker's database searches stored discs by title, keyword, and directory or file name to find and eject any disc within seconds. The intuitive OpdiTracker software is simple to use and allows users to quickly store, manage and protect discs.

The Imation Disc Stakka is available from February 2005 at selected retailers across the UK including PC World Stores, Amazon.co.uk, dabs.co.uk, microanvika.com, Maplin and ebuyer.com.