Digital Domain Establish in Middle East

Digital Domain Media Group and twofour54, the Abu Dhabi government-backed media and entertainment hub, announced a collaboration to drive development of the local film, TV and media production industry in the Middle East.

DDMG will begin production of visual effects and animation in studios in twofour54 at the beginning of 2013, with plans to recruit and hire staff immediately from local and international talent pools. Over time the studio will employ upwards of 500 people. DDMG will develop a purpose-built 150,000 square foot (14,000 square-meter) state-of-the-art entertainment production complex, which is expected to be operational by the end of 2015.

The new Digital Domain studio will create animated feature films, produce visual and 3D effects, engage in the production of original Middle Eastern-branded entertainment for global audiences and contribute to international productions. The studio will become part of Digital Domain’s global feature film VFX and animation pipeline, connected to its studios in Los Angeles, Vancouver, San Francisco, London, Florida and Mumbai.

This marks the first time a major, global studio has established a presence in the region, highlighting the impact that twofour54 has had on the media industry in the Arab world. By bringing leading edge technologies and creative techniques to Abu Dhabi, DDMG will support the wider film and TV production industry and provide massive opportunities for talent and creative development in the region.

The Digital Domain Institute/Abu Dhabi, modeled after the Digital Domain Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida, will train students in the essential skills of digital media production for entertainment, simulation and related applications. Classes at the Digital Domain Institute/Abu Dhabi are scheduled to begin early in 2014.

Digital Domain Institute Begins Inaugural Class

WEST PALM BEACH, FL -- The Digital Domain Institute (DDI) and the Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts (FSU), opened its doors to its inaugural class of students in West Palm Beach.

The Institute, a pioneering public-private collaboration, takes a “best of both worlds” approach to digital arts education by blending creative and professionally-geared technical training, and bringing inspiring filmmakers fresh from blockbuster movies into the classroom to share techniques and experiences.

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Best Animated Feature
Rango – Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Production

Annie Award for Best Animated Special Production
Kung Fu Panda – Secrets of the Masters – DreamWorks Animation

Best Animated Short Subject
Adam and Dog – Minkyu Lee

Best Animated Television Commercial
Twinings “Sea” – Psyop

Best General Audience Animated TV Production
The Simpsons – Gracie Films

Best Animated Television Production - Preschool
Disney Jake and the Never Land Pirates – Disney Television Animation

Best Animated Video Game
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet – Shadow Planet Productions, Gagne/Fuelcell

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT CATEGORIES

Animated Effects in an Animated Production
Kevin Romond “Tintin” – Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films and Kennedy/Marshall

Animated Effects in a Live Action Production
Florent Andorra “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” – Industrial Light & Magic

Character Animation in a Television Production
Tony Smeed “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Character Animation in a Feature Production
Jeff Gabor “Rio” – Blue Sky Studios

Character Animation in a Live Action Production
Eric Reynolds “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” – 20th Century Fox

Character Design in a Television Production
Bill Schwab “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Character Design in a Feature Production
Mark “Crash” McCreery “Rango” – Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Production

Directing in a Television Production
Matthew Nastuk “The Simpsons” – Gracie Films

Directing in a Feature Production
Jennifer Yuh Nelson “Kung Fu Panda 2” – DreamWorks Animation

Music in a Television Production
Grace Potter, Michael Giacchino “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Music in a Feature Production
John Williams “Tintin” – Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films and Kennedy/Marshall

Production Design in a Television Production
Mark Bodnar, Chris Tsirgiotis, Sue Mondt and Daniel Elson “Secret Mountain Fort Awesome” – Cartoon Network Studios

Production Design in a Feature Production
Raymond Zibach “Kung Fu Panda 2” – DreamWorks Animation

Storyboarding in a Television Production
Brian Kesinger “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Storyboarding in a Feature Production
Jeremy Spears “Winnie The Pooh” – Walt Disney Animation Studios

Voice Acting in a Television Production
Jeff Bennett as Kowalski “Penguins of Madagascar” – Nickelodeon and DreamWorks Animation

Voice Acting in a Feature Production
Bill Nighy as Grandsanta “Arthur Christmas” – Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations

Writing in a Television Production
Carolyn Omine “The Simpsons -Treehouse of Horror XXII” – Gracie Films

Writing in a Feature Production
John Logan, Gore Verbinski and James Byrkit “Rango” – Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Productions

Editing in Television Production
Ted Machold, Jeff Adams, Doug Tiano, Bob Tomlin “Penguins of Madagascar” – Nickelodeon and DreamWorks Animation

Editing in a Feature Production
Craig Wood, A.C.E. “Rango” – Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present
A Blind Wink/GK Films Production

JURIED AWARDS

Winsor McCay Award —Walt Peregoy, Borge Ring, Ronald Searle
June Foray — Art Leonardi
Special Achievement — Depth Analysis

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100 global brands from Interbrand’s Best Global Brands 2011

Rankings are based on five criteria and excludes those brands which are privately held.

================================================================================
-----Rank----- ---Value ($ Bln.)----
2011 2010 Chng. Company Industry 2011 2010 YoY%
================================================================================
1 1 0 Coca-Cola Beverages $71.861 $70.452 2%
2 2 0 IBM Business Services $69.905 $64.727 8%
3 3 0 Microsoft Computer Software $59.087 $60.895 -3%
4 4 0 Google Internet Services $55.317 $43.557 27%
5 5 0 GE Diversified $42.808 $42.808 0%
6 6 0 McDonald’s Restaurants $35.593 $33.578 6%
7 7 0 Intel Electronics $35.217 $32.015 10%
8 17 9 Apple Electronics $33.492 $21.143 58%
9 9 0 Disney Media $29.018 $28.731 1%
10 10 0 HP Electronics $28.479 $26.867 6%
================================================================================
-----Rank----- ---Value ($ Bln.)----
2011 2010 Chng. Company Industry 2011 2010 YoY%
================================================================================
11 11 0 Toyota Automotive $27.764 $26.192 6%
12 12 0 Mercedes-Benz Automotive $27.445 $25.179 9%
13 14 1 Cisco Business Services $25.309 $23.219 9%
14 8 -6 Nokia Electronics $25.071 $29.495 -15%
15 15 0 BMW Automotive $24.554 $22.322 10%
16 13 -3 Gillette FMCG $23.997 $23.298 3%
17 19 2 Samsung Electronics $23.430 $19.491 20%
18 16 -2 Louis Vuitton Luxury $23.172 $21.860 6%
19 20 1 Honda Automotive $19.431 $18.506 5%
20 22 2 Oracle Business Services $17.262 $14.881 16%
21 21 0 H&M Apparel $16.459 $16.136 2%
22 23 1 Pepsi Beverages $14.590 $14.061 4%
23 24 1 American Express Finanicial Services $14.572 $13.944 5%
24 26 2 SAP Business Services $14.542 $12.756 14%
25 25 0 Nike Sporting Goods $14.528 $13.706 6%
26 36 10 Amazon.com Internet Services $12.758 $9.665 32%
27 31 4 UPS Transportation $12.536 $11.826 6%
================================================================================
-----Rank----- ---Value ($ Bln.)----
2011 2010 Chng. Company Industry 2011 2010 YoY%
================================================================================
28 29 1 JP Morgan Financial Services $12.437 $12.314 1%
29 30 1 Budweiser Alchohol $12.252 $12.252 0%
30 27 -3 Nescafe Beverages $12.115 $12.753 -5%
31 28 -3 IKEA Home Furnishings $11.863 $12.487 -5%
32 32 0 HSBC Financial Services $11.792 $11.561 2%
33 33 0 Canon Electronics $11.715 $11.485 2%
34 35 1 Kellogg’s FMCG $11.372 $11.041 3%
35 34 -1 SONY Electronics $9.880 $11.356 -13%
36 43 7 EBAY Internet Services $9.805 $8.453 16%
37 39 2 Thomson Reuters Media $9.515 $8.976 6%
38 37 -1 Goldman Sachs Financial Services $9.091 $9.372 -3%
39 44 5 Gucci Luxury $8.763 $8.346 5%
40 45 5 L’Oreal FMCG $8.699 $7.981 9%
41 42 1 Philips Electronics $8.658 $8.696 0%
42 40 -2 Citi Financial Services $8.620 $8.887 -3%
43 41 -2 Dell Electronics $8.347 $8.880 -6%
44 48 4 Zara Apparel $8.065 $7.468 8%
================================================================================
-----Rank----- ---Value ($ Bln.)----
2011 2010 Chng. Company Industry 2011 2010 YoY%
================================================================================
45 47 2 Accenture Business Services $8.005 $7.481 7%
46 49 3 Siemens Diversified $7.900 $7.315 8%
47 53 6 Volkswagen Automotive $7.857 $6.892 14%
48 38 -10 Nintendo Electronics $7.731 $8.990 -14%
49 46 -3 Heinz FMCG $7.609 $7.534 1%
50 50 0 Ford Automotive $7.483 $7.195 4%
51 51 0 Colgate FMCG $7.127 $6.919 3%
52 58 6 Danone FMCG $6.936 $6.363 9%
53 56 3 AXA Financial Services $6.694 $6.694 0%
54 52 -2 Morgan Stanley Financial Services $6.634 $6.911 -4%
55 57 2 Nestle FMCG $6.613 $6.548 1%
56 54 -2 Blackberry Electronics $6.424 $6.762 -5%
57 59 2 Xerox Electronics $6.414 $6.109 5%
58 55 -3 MTV Media $6.383 $6.719 -5%
59 63 4 Audi Automotive $6.171 $5.461 13%
60 62 2 Adidas Sporting Goods $6.154 $5.495 12%
61 65 4 Hyundai Automotive $6.005 $5.033 19%
================================================================================
-----Rank----- ---Value ($ Bln.)----
2011 2010 Chng. Company Industry 2011 2010 YoY%
================================================================================
62 60 -2 KFC Restaurants $5.902 $5.844 1%
63 61 -2 Sprite Beverages $5.604 $5.777 -3%
64 70 6 Caterpillar Diversified $5.598 $4.704 19%
65 64 -1 Avon FMCG $5.376 $5.072 6%
66 69 3 Hermes Luxury $5.356 $4.782 12%
67 67 0 Allianz Financial Services $5.345 $4.904 9%
68 68 0 Santander Financial Services $5.088 $4.846 5%
69 73 4 Panasonic Electronics $5.047 $4.351 16%
70 77 7 Cartier Luxury $4.781 $4.052 18%
71 71 0 Kleenex FMCG $4.672 $4.536 3%
72 72 0 Porsche Automotive $4.580 $4.404 4%
73 76 3 Tiffany & Co. Luxury $4.498 $4.127 9%
74 81 7 Shell Energy $4.483 $4.003 12%
75 82 7 Visa Financial Services $4.478 $3.998 12%
76 66 -10 Yahoo! Internet Services $4.413 $4.958 -11%
77 79 2 Moet & Chandon Alchohol $4.383 $4.021 9%
78 78 0 Jack Daniel’s Alchohol $4.319 $4.036 7%
================================================================================
-----Rank----- ---Value ($ Bln.)----
2011 2010 Chng. Company Industry 2011 2010 YoY%
================================================================================
79 74 -5 Barclays Financial Services $4.259 $4.218 1%
80 88 8 Adobe Computer Software $4.170 $3.626 15%
81 83 2 Pizza Hut Restaurants $4.092 $3.973 3%
82 80 -2 Credit Suisse Financial Services $4.090 $4.010 2%
83 75 -8 Johnson & Johnson FMCG $4.072 $4.155 -2%
84 84 0 GAP Apparel $4.040 $3.961 2%
85 90 5 3M Diversified $3.945 $3.586 10%
86 85 -1 Corona Alchohol $3.924 $3.847 2%
87 87 0 Nivea FMCG $3.883 $3.734 4%
88 92 4 Johnnie Walker Alcohol $3.842 $3.557 8%
89 89 0 Smirnoff Alcohol $3.841 $3.624 6%
90 New n/a Nissan Automotive $3.819 n/a n/a
91 93 2 Heineken Alcohol $3.809 $3.516 8%
92 86 -6 UBS Financial Services $3.799 $3.812 0%
93 95 2 Armani Luxury $3.794 $3.443 10%
94 94 0 Zurich Financial Services $3.769 $3.496 8%
95 100 5 Burberry Luxury $3.732 $3.110 20%
================================================================================
-----Rank----- ---Value ($ Bln.)----
2011 2010 Chng. Company Industry 2011 2010 YoY%
================================================================================
96 97 1 Starbucks Restaurants $3.663 $3.339 10%
97 New n/a John Deere Diversified $3.651 n/a n/a
98 New n/a HTC Electronics $3.605 n/a n/a
99 91 -8 Ferrari Automotive $3.591 $3.562 1%
100 98 -2 Harley-Davidson Automotive $3.512 $3.281 7%
================================================================================
Source: Interbrand
To contact the reporter on this story: Manish Modi in New Delhi at mmodi6@bloomberg.net

Rhythm & Hues Expands to Taiwan

Exclusive: VFX studio in Taiwan pact
Rhythm & Hues to launch film investment fund, production facilities
By DAVID S. COHEN
Visual effects company Rhythm & Hues Studios has pacted for three new ventures in Taiwan: a film investment fund, a new visual effects facility and a cloud computing center for the vfx and animation industries.
The deals, to be formalized in signing ceremonies on Dec. 30 in Taipei and Dec. 31 in Kaohsiung, will set up three standalone enterprises.

The film investment fund, East Grand Films, is being set up with the help of Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs. It aims to co-finance and co-produce "major Hollywood motion pictures," according to R&H. East Grand will leverage R&H's Hollywood relationships to find investment opportunities.

Source

TOP 10 HOLLYWOOD BOX OFFICE HITS - 2011