Solutions
Media and Entertainment | September 14, 2023
Entertainment technology industry leader IMAX Corporation® (NYSE: IMAX) and PFT, the creator of AI-powered technology solutions for the Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry, today announced plans to expand their strategic relationship beyond theatrical and into the streaming ecosystem.
Under the arrangement, IMAX will expand access to its Stream Smart™ technology to PFT customers across Europe, Asia, and Australia. The expanded partnership will dramatically increase the global availability of Stream Smart™, which helps streaming platforms deliver maximum picture quality while significantly reducing distribution and storage costs.
"We are thrilled to deepen our partnership with IMAX, an industry trailblazer with a remarkable legacy of revolutionizing the global entertainment industry," said Ramki Sankaranarayanan, Global CEO of PFT. "For over a decade, CLEAR®, our flagship product, has spearheaded digital packaging and delivery services for prominent streaming platforms worldwide. CLEAR® & Stream Smart will help optimize our customers' encoding pipeline, so they deliver better streaming quality while optimizing CDN & storage costs."
"Many of Hollywood's biggest streaming platforms use Stream Smart™ to ensure quality and reduce costs, and we're excited to work with our partners at PFT to extend the reach of our technologies throughout key markets in Europe, Asia, and Australia," said Vikram Arumilli, General Manager of Streaming and Consumer Technology at IMAX. "Our suite of streaming technology products, including Stream Smart™, provides a best-in-class service for direct-to-consumer broadcast and streaming companies, and PFT's' ability to leverage this for their customers is a win-win for both organizations."
PFT and its parent company, DNEG, are industry leaders providing a full suite of technology and creative solutions, including IMAX post-production and 3D mastering.
IMAX and DNEG joined forces in 2022 for post-production, which included Indian films like Jawan, Pathaan, and RRR. This extended partnership will build upon the established theatrical relationship between IMAX and DNEG to develop a comprehensive video optimization solution. Stream Smart™ is an enterprise software product designed to deliver the best image quality and optimize delivery to unlock cost savings. This product was built from cutting-edge scientific advancements, state-of-the-art engineering, trusted studio relationships, and rooted in a real-world at-scale Emmy®-winning collaboration with Disney Streaming Services and SSIMWAVE.
Stream Smart™ will be the centerpiece of the IMAX showcase at IBC 2023. Sign up to meet with PFT and IMAX Streaming & Consumer Technology group at IBC:
About IMAX Corporation
IMAX, an innovator in entertainment technology, combines proprietary software, architecture, and equipment to create experiences that take you beyond the edge of your seat to a world you've never imagined. Top filmmakers and studios are utilizing IMAX systems to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, making IMAX's network among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the globe.
IMAX is headquartered in New York, Toronto, and Los Angeles, with additional offices in London, Dublin, Tokyo, and Shanghai. As of June 30, 2023, there were 1,718 IMAX systems (1,638 commercial multiplexes, 12 commercial destinations, 68 institutional) operating in 87 countries and territories. Shares of IMAX China Holding, Inc., a subsidiary of IMAX Corporation, trade on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the stock code "1970."
About Prime Focus Technologies
Prime Focus Technologies (PFT) is the creator of CLEAR® and CLEAR® AI. It offers streaming platforms, studios, and broadcasters transformational AI-led technology and media services powered by the cloud that help them lower their Total Cost of Operations (TCOP) by automating their content supply chain. PFT works with major companies like Walt Disney-owned Star TV, Channel 4, ITV, Sinclair Broadcast Group, A&E Networks, Warner Media, PBS, CBS Television Studios, 20th Century Fox Television Studios, Lionsgate, Showtime, HBO, NBCU, TERN International, Disney+ Hotstar, BCCI, Indian Premier League and more.
About DNEG
DNEG (www.dneg.com) is a world-leading visual entertainment services company for the creation of feature film, television, and multiplatform content, with worldwide offices and studios across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
DNEG's critically acclaimed work has earned the company seven Academy Awards® for Best Visual Effects and numerous BAFTA and Primetime EMMY® Awards for its high-quality VFX work. Current and upcoming DNEG projects on behalf of its Hollywood and global studio and production company partners include Spy Kids Armageddon (September 2023), No One Will Save You (September 2023), The Gilded Age S2 (October 2023), Nyad (November 2023), Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (December 2023), Lift (January 2024), Dune: Part Two (March 2024), Mickey 17 (March 2024), Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (April 2024), Garfield (May 2024), Borderlands (August 2024), Furiosa (2024), That Christmas, Coyote vs. Acme, The Gorge, and Animal Friends.
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Technologies
prnewswire | July 03, 2023
SuperDuper, the studio behind the highly popular non-fungible token (NFT) collection Cold Blooded Creepz, is partnering with Immutable, the leading web3 gaming platform, to collaborate on an upcoming blockchain-based real-time strategy (RTS) game Overlord, leveraging the Cold Blooded Creepz IP.
Initially launched in January 2022, the CreepZ collection has become an NFT hit, generating more than $220 million in total trading volume to date cementing itself as the second most profitable brand in web3 gaming in 2022 behind Axie Infinity.
"We firmly believe that SuperDuper's extensive and multifaceted approach to brand building will play a major role in the mass adoption of web3, ultimately allowing us to onboard millions of new users to the world of blockchain gaming," said Andrew Sorokovsky, VP of Global Business Development at Immutable. "Immutable is excited to offer the full suite of our tools, frameworks, and services to help make SuperDuper's experiences as fast, accessible, and seamless as possible."
The overarching Overlord is a multimedia web3 gaming and entertainment brand created as part of SuperDuper's multi-pronged approach that will be instrumental in onboarding the next 100 million users onto web3.
Today, SuperDuper's Overlord is already an expansive IP that aims to erase borders between numerous forms of entertainment. Notably, Overlord is managed by ThreeSixZero, an international management and entertainment company at the forefront of music, film, TV, and sports which also owns Westbrook Entertainment, the talent management company representing Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jaden Smith, Willow Smith, Kenna, and Crespo.
Overlord is also represented by the World's largest entertainment agent WME, leveraging the brands into high-value IP deals and unlocking distribution across mainstream entertainment. As part of these collaborations, Seth Green's Emmy award-winning production house Stoopid Buddy Stoodios is already developing an animation using Creepz IP for major streamers such as Netflix.
Additionally, West Brand Lab, a fashion enterprise led by ex-Nike, Lululemon, and Levis executives, will soon launch a clothing line in collaboration with Overlord.
SuperDuper is currently co-developing multiple blockchain games with veteran game studios and a strategic game development advisory board. The first major partnership has been signed with Revolving Games which is building a AA blockchain game for the mass market using the Overlord IP.
By leveraging Immutable, SuperDuper will allow players across its entire web3 portfolio to benefit from lightning-fast, gas-free trading of digital assets. As the Overlord IP and SuperDuper brand ecosystem continues to grow and evolve, all corresponding assets will be featured across all Immutable-integrated marketplaces, including Rarible, Token Trove, and GameStop marketplace.
"We are thrilled to announce Overlord's strategic partnership with Immutable X. This collaboration supercharges our web3 gaming experiences by providing true digital ownership through NFTs, in line with Immutable's mission," said Dom Smith, co-founder of SuperDuper. "Prepare for amplified transmedia engagement across gaming, TV/Animation, Fashion, and Merchandising. We're on a mission to reshape the digital landscape, making you, the player, the real owner. Get ready for an unprecedented web3 gaming experience!"
About Immutable
Immutableis a global leader in gaming on a mission to bring digital ownership to every player by making it safe and easy to build great web3 games.
The Immutable gaming platform makes it easy for game studios and independent developers to safely and confidently build and launch successful games on Ethereum. The product suite includes pre-built solutions, optimised for usability, that help developers get to market faster without sacrificing security or player experience. Builders get personalised web3 guidance, live support for their communities, and access to the largest ecosystem in gaming.
Immutable was the first gaming platform to deliver a zero-knowledge (zk) scaling solution to the Ethereum community and provides developers with multiple zk-based scaling options, including Immutable X, a rollup based on StarkWare technology, and Immutable zkEVM, powered by Polygon.
Immutable's in-house gaming capabilities means they know how to build great games first-hand through Immutable Games, a global leader in web3 game development and publishing. Backed by a world-class team who have proven track records of bringing games to millions of players, Immutable Games has pioneered the world's first blockbuster NFT trading-card game Gods Unchained and is currently building the highly anticipated mobile RPG Guild of Guardians.
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Technologies
globenewswire | July 13, 2023
Adeia Inc., the company whose innovations shape the way the world explores and experiences entertainment, today announced that it has renewed its agreement with Enseo, LLC, a leading technology services provider for the hospitality industry, to license Adeia's media intellectual property (IP) portfolio.
Enseo provides technology solutions that improve the in-room digital entertainment experience of hotel and resort guests. The company offers property managers, owners and guests next-generation software, middleware and hardware solutions to meet the evolving consumer desires for entertainment and digital services when they are away from home. The confluence of pay-TV and streaming services is quickly reshaping the digital entertainment landscape and transforming how video, entertainment and connectivity services are delivered to guests.
"Enseo is addressing the evolving needs of hotels and resorts to deliver best in class in-room digital entertainment experiences to guests," said Dr. Mark Kokes, Adeia's chief licensing officer and general manager, media. "The video consumption needs of today’s travelers have evolved significantly. This agreement further validates Adeia's market-leading technology as an enabler of digital entertainment experiences, which offers competitive differentiation in the hospitality industry. We look forward to continuing to deepen and extend our relationship with Enseo."
Consumers today expect the same high-quality content and entertainment experiences that they have at home when they travel. Hospitality industry analysts suggest that approximately 75% of guests want access to robust linear and streaming services, and are willing to pay a premium to stay in properties that offer these capabilities. As a result, industry executives are under increasing pressure to provide intuitive and seamless video services.
“Hotel and resort operators are paying greater attention to the personalization of guest services, which includes providing entertainment and digital experiences. Adeia’s media IP portfolio underpins the technologies that support Enseo in creating a tailored in-room entertainment experience for guests,” said Dr. Kokes.
Adeia has spent decades investing in research and development to create market-leading technologies for the media and entertainment industry. Adeia's innovative solutions touch practically every aspect of consumers' day-to-day interaction with their entertainment, enabling Adeia's customers to build customized, next-generation digital entertainment solutions for users around the globe.
About Adeia
Adeia is a leading R&D and intellectual property (IP) licensing company that accelerates the adoption of innovative technologies in the media and semiconductor industries. Adeia’s fundamental innovations underpin technology solutions that are shaping and elevating the future of digital entertainment and electronics. Adeia’s IP portfolios power the connected devices that touch the lives of millions of people around the world every day as they live, work and play.
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Solutions
prnewswire | July 28, 2023
Orson, a story-as-a-service startup integrating directly with B2B and consumer services, has officially launched StoryShop.ai. Orson is using AI to incorporate decades of experience producing unscripted TV into an automated director that conducts interviews, crafts stories, and automatically edits them together with music, imagery, and graphics to create compelling episodes that help individuals tell their stories, and helps platforms and businesses engage with their target audience.
With decades of experience producing unscripted TV, Orson has developed an automated director that handles every aspect of unscripted video production, from conducting interviews to crafting engaging narratives, while its innovative StoryStrip™ technology automates the editing and scoring process. StoryShop revolutionizes how people tell their stories and helps build meaningful connections in today's digital age.
Until the launch of StoryShop, crafting authentic, unscripted stories into captivating videos has typically required the expertise of producers, directors, and editors. This is where Orson's technology comes into play, gathering market insights and training data directly with end users of the markets they are developing for their partners. Unscripted TV producers capture the hearts of viewers by making them fall in love with complete strangers within minutes. The team at Orson refers to that skill as the science of storytelling, and the ability to integrate that story science into a simple-to-use, automated service makes Orson revolutionary. Now anyone can share their stories and create the profound human connection craved by all.
"With the launch of StoryShop, Orson is poised to revolutionize user generated content, helping people capture and share their stories in compelling ways, while simultaneously helping brands be part of their customers' stories, instead of just interrupting them," said Orson Founder and CEO John Ehrhard. "Throughout history, humans have shared their stories to connect, relate, inspire, and build a strong sense of community. Despite all the technology we have to connect us, most people struggle to build meaningful connections because our ability to tell our stories and be our best authentic selves has atrophied. Orson's fully automated unscripted storytelling technology fixes that."
Orson's StoryShop offers StoryStrips™ that create videos tailored to various users and purposes. For example, Life Story is designed to help families discover and preserve their loved ones' memories, stories, and legacy, creating an heirloom that can be passed down to future generations. Other StoryStrips™ enable individuals and teams to create episodes that allow people to introduce themselves, learn about others, and deepen connections and relationships.
"Orson democratizes video storytelling. It gives each person the power of an experienced director, editor, and producer to help tell their story and connect with their friends, family, and social groups," explained Eli Weinstock-Herman, Orson's CTO and technical co-founder. "There are a lot of great tools to lower the bar for video editing, but Orson lowers the bar for unscripted video storytelling."
To cater to diverse needs, additional StoryStrips™ will be regularly released on StoryShop, including Love Story, which is coming soon. Love Story provides recently engaged couples a platform to share their joyous news with the world and take friends and family on the journey that led to their engagement.
ABOUT ORSON
Orson is the first platform created to enhance human connection by sharing one's authentic self through automated video storytelling. Founded in 2020, Orson was developed by unscripted TV experts with more than two decades of experience documenting over 50,000 hours of real people's stories. Using virtual directors and its StoryStrip™ technology, Orson's video storytelling process is fully automated and scalable, allowing for powerful narratives and story-driven video to be created through interviews with people. Orson's Story-as-a-Service was designed to integrate with partner platforms and communities to create product extensions and new revenue streams that increase user engagement and create deeper human connections.
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