Hong Kong / Kuala Lumpur – Malaysian authorities including Malaysian Federation Against Copyright Theft (MFACT) which represents the Motion Picture Association (MPA) in Malaysia, took down a second pirate factory in Johor on Nov. 23. It is the 10th such operation to be stopped this year and occurred just 14km away from the Nov. 20 raid in another palm oil estate. Based on a tip-off, the raid on the unlicensed factory saw authorities seize two VCD replicating machines capable of producing … [Read more...] about Malaysian authorities take down second pirate operation in four days
Content Protection
Writers’ strike may cause collateral damage in Asia Pacific
Entering its fourth week, the US writers’ strike may cause collateral damage to the Hollywood studios’ presence and programming in Asia Pacific if the stop-work drags on like the 1988 strike, which lasted for 22 weeks. The strike’s short-term impact is disruption to broadcasters which screen US talk/variety shows and those which have been airing US series close to their US transmission dates. In the medium-to-long term, the risk is that broadcasters in the region will reduce … [Read more...] about Writers’ strike may cause collateral damage in Asia Pacific
Malaysian authorities continue crackdown on pirates
Hong Kong / Johor – Malaysian police, assisted by the Malaysian Federation Against Copyright Theft (MFACT), representative of the Motion Pictures Association (MPA) in Malaysia, have closed down the ninth pirate DVD operation, this one in a palm oil plantation in Kluang, Johor. Authorities seized 6,200 copies of pirated DVDs, 3000 kg of raw material for optical discs (polycarbonate) and two DVD replicating machines capable of producing more than 7 million pirated discs annually that were … [Read more...] about Malaysian authorities continue crackdown on pirates
SPAA hands out awards to Aussie producers
Gold Coast, Queensland - Michael Bourchier was named producer of the year at the Screen Producers Association of Australia annual conference on Nov. 15. Bourchier’s credits as executive producer or producer include the feature films Lucky Miles and Napoleon, and TV series The Upside Down Show, Out There, Head Start and Heartbreak High. Among other recipients were Nick Murray as drama producer of the year for the Blackjack telemovies; Trevor Blainey, feature film producer (for Noise); Laura … [Read more...] about SPAA hands out awards to Aussie producers
DIC Entertainment named worldwide licensor of The Beginners’ Bible
Burbank, CA - Mission City Press has named DIC Entertainment as worldwide licensing agent for all merchandise and interactive content, excluding publishing, of The Beginner's Bible. DIC will develop branded products including toys, apparel, accessories, and an online web community to extend The Beginner’s Bible into a broad-based consumer products program. The program will focus on children aged 2 – 5, with a secondary market of parents and grandparents. … [Read more...] about DIC Entertainment named worldwide licensor of The Beginners’ Bible
Quixotic embarks on multiple Asian adventures
Los Angeles - Producer/writer/financier Mark Byers is immersed in a slew of film, TV and animation projects in Asia. Via his banner Quixotic, Byers has formed Upside Down Entertainment (UDE), a joint venture with Chan Gin Kai’s Singapore-based production company Upside Down Concepts. UDE is assembling an international coalition to finance two TV series, Asian Crisis Centre and Red Light, Black Light; both originated in Asia with predominantly Asian casts, shot in English for the … [Read more...] about Quixotic embarks on multiple Asian adventures
