News Hub | News Direct

Entertainment

Animation Dance E-Sports Entertainment/Celebrity Film Music Radio Restaurants Sports Television Theater Video Virtual Reality
Article thumbnail News Release

MY.GAMES Becomes a Partner of the Breach Studios, Investing €3.5 Million in the Barcelona-based Game Developer

MY.GAMES

Gaming company MY.GAMES announced today that it will invest €3.5 million in the PC and console games development studio The Breach Studios based in Barcelona, via its investment fund MY.GAMES Venture Capital (MGVC). This is a part of the international expansion strategy of MY.GAMES to consolidate the company’s position in the global gaming market by inviting new studios to join the MY.GAMES ecosystem and supporting each studio with publishing, marketing and game developing expertise. The Breach Studios was founded in Barcelona in 2018 by industry veterans who shared a strong desire to push the boundaries of established genres with new and innovative ideas. They bring years of experience gained working at Ubisoft, Gameloft, Take-Two Interactive on titles such as Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag, Ghost Recon Wildlands, The Crew 2, Gris, Bionic Commando, Asphalt 8: Airborne. The studio already has a track record of working across numerous titles and platforms since it was founded, and is now working on a new unannounced project - PvE/PvP cooperative shooter for PC and consoles. This is the latest investment made by MGVC - the investment arm of MY.GAMES - which is now one of the top 10 investors in the gaming industry*, the company invested in 12 game studios last year and signed 6 investment deals in the first half of 2021. In total, MGVC’s partnership network currently includes over 40 developer studios. By investing in new studios, MY.GAMES continues to expand its strategy for portfolio diversification along with providing partner studios with a solid boost for business growth and product scaling. With the investments in The Breach Studios, MY.GAMES plans to expand the portfolio of products on PCs and consoles, as well as enrich its expertise in co-op and PvP shooter genres. MY.GAMES' portfolio includes an impressive number of franchises in these genres, such as Warface, Left to Survive, Tacticool, War Robots and many others. Elena Grigoryan, CMO at MY.GAMES commented: “The investment in The Breach Studios strengthens our games production capabilities helping MY.GAMES with its ambition to become a major player in the industry in the upcoming years. This is an important step forward in executing our expansion strategy and more are in the plans. We look forward to welcoming the team into our ecosystem and working with them on some exciting future projects.” Jordi Guerrero, CTO and Co-Founder of The Breach Studios adds: “It was highly important for us to find an investor who has in-depth understanding of the game specifics, the product, and the genre we work with. We were pleasantly surprised to find it within the MY.GAMES team which has really amazing experience in the industry, charged with long-term cooperation, well versed in the market, trends, and also well understand the needs of the studio. Among all other potential investors, the MGVC team was the first who asked us about our product and our ideas before going into financial details. We believe that together we will be able to bring a lot of new things to the co-op shooter genre, in which both we and MY.GAMES have a rich expertise.” As a result of the deal with The Breach Studios, MY.GAMES has acquired a minority stake with a path to control. *- according to GamesOne research Contacts for press: Dmitrii Lazarev PR International Corporate PR Manager, MY.GAMES Dmitrii.Lazarev@corp.my.com Follow us on: Facebook LinkedIn Twitter About MY.GAMES: MY.GAMES is an international gaming brand (part of Mail.ru Group) and a leading online entertainment company. MY.GAMES comprises 12 regional offices in Russia, Europe and the US, over 1,800 staff, and 13 development studios. MY.GAMES creates titles for the PC, consoles, and mobile devices. The company operates over 80 projects, with more than 150 titles in its portfolio including War Robots, Hustle Castle, Left to Survive, Skyforge, and Allods Online. MY.GAMES portfolio includes renowned titles like Warface, ArcheAge, Perfect World, Revelation Online, Conqueror's Blade, Lost Ark, and more. About The Breach Studios: The Breach Studios is a video game development company located in Barcelona, Spain, and composed of industry veterans coming from companies like Ubisoft, Take 2 and 4AGames. The studio’s main objective is to push the boundaries of already established genres with new and innovative ideas that provide genuine and exciting experiences. Contact Details Stefano Petrullo – Renaissance PR +44 7828 692315 stefano@renaissancepr.biz Emily Britt – Renaissance PR +44 7530 081191 emily@renaissancepr.biz Sophie Carter - Renaissance PR +44 7810 848320 sophie@renaissancepr.biz Company Website https://my.games/en

September 02, 2021 09:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image
Article thumbnail News Release

Spotlight Sports Group Acquires Alarm Sports Network, Leading US Fantasy Sports Operator

Spotlight Sports Group

Spotlight Sports Group announced today the acquisition of FA Media LLC (Alarm Sports Network), a leading fantasy sports technology and media company, in an all-cash transaction. Spotlight Sports Group is a world-leading technology, content and media company specializing in sports betting and fantasy sports. Alarm Sports Network provides white-label proprietary technology solutions and free-to-play contests for blue-chip media and sports content providers. It also develops engaging content for its popular consumer sports platforms: Fantasy Alarm, DFS Alarm and Wager Alarm. The addition of these services to Spotlight Sports Group creates an all-encompassing sports betting and fantasy sports offering. Spotlight Sports Group is recognized for its sports betting expertise on direct-to-consumer platforms like Pickswise, one of the fastest-growing sports betting content providers in North America, and Racing Post in the UK and Ireland. Spotlight Sports Group also supplies sports betting technology, tooling and actionable content to drive user engagement for the world’s leading sportsbooks and media owners. “This acquisition immediately accelerates our growth across North America with the addition of proprietary technology and authoritative, scalable content. We are delighted to be joining forces with a vastly experienced management team steeped in fantasy sports and sports betting expertise. ASN will also broaden our business-to-business footprint through partnerships with Yahoo, FTN Network, SiriusXM and others,” said Alan Byrne, CEO of Spotlight Sports Group. “This is a transformative deal for Spotlight Sports Group. It allows us to combine the skills and expertise which have fueled our digital growth in the UK and Ireland with the talent and flair of the team at ASN in order to have a significant impact on the all-important US market.” Key highlights from the deal include: Spotlight Sports Group will retain the expertise of the Alarm Sports Network team: co-founders Dan and Al Williams, former NBC executive and Fantasy Sports & Gaming Association Hall-Of-Famer Rick Wolf and former FOX Sports & EA Sports executive Ed Bunnell. Alarm Sports Network, who developed the technology to help drive user engagement and revenue at sports media companies like FTN Network, Yahoo, Bally Sports and The Nation Network, will fold into Spotlight Sports Group’s brand. ASN brands Fantasy Alarm, Wager Alarm, DFS Alarm and Fantasy Rundown join Pickwise in a new look direct-to-consumer brand roster for sports bettors and fantasy players across North America. Spotlight Sports Group will integrate the ASN team, growing the Group’s staff to more than 500 people. “This deal creates a powerhouse sports betting and fantasy sports business, proven to drive revenue with engagement-led solutions. Using our unique mix of product technology, expert content and authoritative brands, we will continue to deepen our relationships with our partners to help them grow and monetize their audiences,” said Rick Wolf, President Alarm Sports Network. “We are tremendously excited to become part of Spotlight Sports Group, working together to help solve challenges and drive innovation for our partners in the fast-evolving sports media and affiliate landscape,” added Dan Williams, Co-Founder. For more information on Spotlight Sports Group please visit: https://www.spotlightsportsgroup.com/en_us/ ABOUT SPOTLIGHT SPORTS GROUP Spotlight Sports Group (owned by Exponent Private Equity) is a leading technology, content and media business specializing in sports betting. Evolved from the Racing Post Group, Spotlight Sports Group engages millions of people directly through Racing Post, Pickswise, Free Super Tips and myracing. The company also has decades of experience in powering growth and conversion for the world’s biggest sportsbooks and media companies, delivering best-in-class technology and expert scalable content experiences in more than 70 languages. ABOUT THE ALARM SPORTS NETWORK Alarm Sports Network’s (ASN) mission is to create products, services and content that entertain and inform so that sports fans can learn, play and win whether it is fantasy sports or sports betting. This has been achieved through three digital platforms: Fantasy Alarm, Wager Alarm and DFS Alarm. ASN platforms cover all 10 major US sports (including Esports) offering a mix of free and premium content. The business-to-business division supplies media companies with a range of tools from data modelled projections for player performance to full turnkey white-label platforms and free-to-play contests. Contact Details Michael Adorno +1 212-931-6143 madorno@hotpaperlantern.com Company Website https://www.spotlightsportsgroup.com/en_us/

September 01, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Article thumbnail News Release

Experience World’s First-Ever Virtual Walk-Through of UNESCO World Heritage Site, Machu Picchu

Cityneon

Cityneon’s First Foray into Artefacts IP Exhibition – Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru Brings the Ancient Andean Civilization Back to Life SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - 30 August 2021 - This October, visitors to the world’s premiere of the Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru exhibition in Boca Raton, South Florida are set to be wowed, as they immerse themselves in the awe of the historic sanctuary of Machu Picchu and embark on a fascinating journey with the ancient civilizations of Peru through a full-motion 360-degree all-round interactive Virtual Reality (VR) experience like never before. The early access online ticket portal is now open to the public at BocaMuseum.org/Golden. With the exclusive approval granted by the Peruvian Government to fly drones through the magnificent site of Machu Picchu, Cityneon leveraged on the team’s state-of-the-art Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology to capture the best-in-class cinematic and visual assets of the invaluable UNESCO World Heritage Site, to create an immersive experience consisting of outstanding virtual reality, sophisticated augmented reality system and in-person interaction elements. To preserve this invaluable historical site, less than 1 million travellers are allowed entry into Machu Picchu every year. With the recent global pandemic situation, the need for social distancing and other measures, this number has further dipped to 250,000. Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru aims to bring this rare UNESCO World Heritage site to people from all over the world virtually. This one-of-its-kind exhibition will showcase the first-ever virtual walk-through of Machu Picchu through the utilization of globally-acclaimed patented VR motion chairs fully equipped with premium multi-sensory stimulation features such as high-resolution six degrees of freedom (6-DOF) VR headsets, haptic feedback on the backseats, scent dispensers and unlimited 360-degree rotation, allowing visitors to travel back time to see, hear, feel and even smell the mysterious city in the sky. Visitors will journey through the vast expanse of Andean history alongside the mythical hero Ai Apaec, to discover the mysteries of Andean cosmology. Besides the unique VR experience, the exhibition also features the largest Andean gold collection ever to travel the world. This new museum experience highlights a selection of 192 artefacts from royal tombs, including objects that belonged to noble Andean lords, many never seen out of Peru before. One of the exhibition’s highlights is a fully intact gold attire of a Chimú Emperor that dates to 1300 AD. With their longevity and engineering only rivalled by the Ancient Egypt and the Roman Empire, the Andean societies dominated a substantial segment of South America for over 3,000 years straight through the reign of the Incan Empire. Cityneon’s Executive Chairman & Group CEO Mr. Ron Tan said, “It’s enthralling for Cityneon to have the opportunity to present to new audiences these remarkable pieces of rare Andean artefacts. Cityneon’s strong track record of staging immersive experiences globally with record-breaking visitor numbers reflects our strength in delivering high-quality experiences to visitors from around the world. Through this once-in-a-lifetime exhibition, visitors will have the opportunity to come face-to-face with history in a way that has never been done before. With this exhibition, visitors can personally feel the magnificence of Machu Picchu like they are physically there, while exploring the ancient cultures who lived in this city 7,000 feet above sea level in the Andes Mountains.” “Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru is an impressive and extensive exhibition that showcases the limitless potential of VR technology,” said Mr. Anthony Tann, President of World Heritage Exhibitions. “There are hundreds of ancient artefacts to admire, and I am excited to welcome visitors to experience this monumental period of human history through the lens of virtual reality. This exhibition was put together by many talented individuals and excellent technology, and I am certain it will be a memorable and enchanting experience for many to enjoy.” In alignment to Cityneon’s corporate philosophy of “Big Ideas, Bigger Experiences”, the global experience entertainment company has put together an award-winning team behind this multi-million-dollar exhibition with one goal - to push limits and break boundaries to create the most immersive, breath-taking and realistic experience for audiences worldwide. Cityneon currently partners with foreign governments, world-renowned museums, heritage organizations and major movie studios to hold exclusive IP exhibitions, creating iconic experiences for their visitors from all over the world. To date, the Group has toured their IP experiences in excess of 50 cities worldwide. Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru is Cityneon’s first artefact IP exhibition, and is made possible with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the Peruvian Government, and through a close collaboration with its valued partners, the Museo Larco and Inkaterra Asociación, the World Heritage Exhibitions and the Boca Rotan Museum of Art. MACHU PICCHU AND THE GOLDEN EMPIRES OF PERU EXHIBITION WORLD TOUR World Premier Venue: Boca Raton Museum of Art, Florida Date: 16 October 2021 Online Ticket Portal: https://bocamuseum.org/golden Cityneon Holdings With its global reach and international partnerships, Cityneon has the capability to serve its clients anywhere in the world. Cityneon was listed on the Mainboard of the Singapore Stock Exchange since 2005, and was privatized on February 2019 by West Knighton Limited, a company wholly owned by Cityneon’s Executive Chairman and Group CEO, Ron Tan, together with Hong Kong veteran entrepreneur and investor, Johnson Ko Chun Shun. Johnson is a capital markets veteran and has held controlling interests and directorships in many listed companies. In May 2019, Cityneon welcomed CITIC Capital as a new shareholder, who holds approximately 9% shares in Cityneon. CITIC Capital is part of CITIC Group, one of China’s largest conglomerates, and has over US$29B of assets under its management across 100 funds and investment products globally. Other institutional shareholders of the Group include EDBI - a Singapore government-linked global investor, and Pavilion Capital - a Singapore-based investment institution which focuses on private equity investments, that made strategic investments to the Group in August and October 2019 respectively. In April 2021, Cityneon welcomed new investors Seatown Holdings International, Qatar’s Doha Venture Capital, which will now own approximately 4% of the Group, and other financial institutions and family offices, joining the already strong stable of shareholders to support the Group's further expansion globally. For more information, please visit www.cityneongroup.com. About World Heritage Exhibitions World Heritage Exhibitions (WHE) is a worldwide leader in producing, promoting, and designing blockbuster exhibitions. WHE is renowned for producing the finest quality museum content that captivates, educates, and inspires visitors across the globe. With a combined 50-years of exhibition experience, the executive team is responsible for touring many of the world's most valuable treasures, including objects from King Tutankhamun's tomb, relics from Cleopatra's Royal Palace, artifacts from the Titanic, items from the discovery of Pompeii, and more. Their exhibitions have now been enjoyed by over 30 million people, spanning six continents, and their collective expertise has come together in one of the most influential touring exhibition companies on the planet. #Cityneon #World Heritage Exhibitions #WHE Contact Details Wong Yi Lin +65 6571 6338 ir@cityneongroup.com

August 30, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image
Article thumbnail News Release

BEE Elevates Its Freemium with the Addition of Landing Page Design Capabilities

BEE

BEE, a business unit of Growens and leading digital content design platform, announced today that users will now have access to designing landing pages with its freemium product BEE Free. Since its inception in 2014, people have been able to click on ‘Start Designing’ in beefree.io to immediately start creating emails from scratch or select ready-to-use professional templates. With over 30,000 unique users per month for BEE’s freemium design tool, it’s clear BEE is making progress to achieve its vision of democratizing content design for everyone. BEE”s free editor for email was intended to be easy-to-use as it does not require any HTML coding skills. Now, this same frictionless, no-code experience will be replicated for people that need to create landing pages. The move to unlock landing page design capabilities for BEE Free includes over 100 ready-to-use landing page templates as well as a start from scratch option. The use of these tools on beefree.io is completely free. Users who want to experience more advanced design features can sign up for a 15-day trial of BEE Pro, the company's full feature, no-code design suite for email and landing pages. This comes as another meaningful achievement for the team at BEE as they recently announced 10K paid subscribers for its BEE Pro design suite. The addition of landing page design on beefree.io means that now everyone can produce mobile-ready, high-converting, end-to-end campaigns — a sweet move to further support the company's vision to democratize content design. “Introducing landing pages to BEE Free changes the way users create their multi-content campaigns. Having combined communications composed of related emails and landing pages can be extremely effective and powerful for our customers’ strategy,” said Elena Loatelli, Product Marketing Specialist at BEE. “We are especially proud of this release because it aligns with our goal to democratize content design, and now all users can rely on the solid, fast and easy design tools with this new content in BEE Free.” About BEE BEE provides no-code design tools that empower everyone to quickly create content that resonates. BEE’s visual builders are used to design emails, landing pages, one-page sites, and more. They deliver fantastic design flexibility and a great user experience, combining granular control on design elements with handy features like editing content directly in mobile view. BEE is building on its vision to help democratize content design, with millions of monthly users in over 20 languages and from over 150 countries. BEE’s design tools are available online at beefree.io and embedded in 600+ SaaS applications. Contact Details Jules Costa communications@beefree.io Company Website https://beefree.io/

August 30, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Article thumbnail News Release

Cloud Conventions Introduces SafetyNet to Create a Virtual Backup Plan for Live Events

Convey Services

Cloud Conventions today introduced SafetyNet ™, a new program to provide a virtual event backup options for associations, tradeshows, event managers or trade groups that have a live event scheduled now or in the near future. SafetyNet provides a standby virtual event platform that can be activated if needed when attendance for a live event declines or if there is a requirement to pivot to an all-virtual program. A SafetyNet platform can be brought online in a matter of days without technical support or programming. Cloud Conventions is a sophisticated event management platform that redefines the attendee and exhibitor experience with a strong focus on delivering virtual and hybrid events, regardless of size or budget. “It seems like a repeat of 2020 as event managers, associations and other trade groups are struggling to decide if they should cancel their live event, shift to virtual or hybrid, or take other precautions to make attendees and exhibitors feel safe,” said Carolyn Bradfield, CEO of Cloud Conventions. “Any group hosting live events today needs a virtual backup plan that can be activated to ensure attendees and sponsors can participate in industry sessions, continuing education and still make connections that they would miss when they can’t attend in person.” SafetyNet maintains a low-cost Cloud Conventions virtual platform on standby behind a private login until required. It is hosted on a custom URL, is fully branded, customized and organized to host live or on-demand sessions, exhibitor and sponsor booths or provide a resource center for all event-related content. Attendees can be imported from a live event registration system and have their record transferred to SafetyNet including demographics and event access permissions. Sponsors are assigned a virtual booth template and configured to go live without technical assistance, in a matter of hours. “Now that live events have partially returned, many groups ask themselves if virtual events are worth it, so they only focus on their in-person event, often to their detriment,” added Bradfield. “A 2020 study of 1,000 respondents, ‘ Association Trends: From Disruption to Opportunity’ produced by Community Brands, details that having a virtual option for membership participation has changed from a nice-to-have to a must have. Some live events scheduled for the fall of 2021 are being abruptly cancelled due to on-going COVID risks. This is clearly an indicator that the pandemic is far from over. A SafetyNet option is the best insurance that the show will go on, no matter what.” SafetyNet is offered for a low, setup fee to create a fully branded and configured virtual environment. If the organizer chooses to go live with a hybrid or all-virtual event, the setup fee applies to the event package. Show managers can choose as much or as little assistance from Cloud Conventions to bring their event online quickly with all the features needed to educate and engage attendees. Having a virtual option guarantees a rewarding experience for attendees, better ROI for sponsors and ensures smoother event operation for organizers. Explore SafetyNet at: https://cloudconventions.com/page/139455/safetynet. About Cloud Conventions Cloud Conventions from Convey Services is Cloud Conventions is an enterprise virtual/hybrid event management platform that redefines the exhibitor and attendee experience to allow companies to provide easy access to in-depth product information, showcase their brands with graphics and videos, create calls to action and generate immediate sales leads. Used around the world for large managed events and smaller self-directed meetings, conferences and corporate kickoffs, Cloud Conventions automates exhibitors and virtual booths, continuing education, speaker sessions and reminders, invitations and email communication, while at the same time producing detailed analytics on attendee, session and exhibitor activity. Cloud Conventions supports multiple languages and currencies, internal, external and single-sign on registration, and supports all conferencing carriers and platforms. Trade Associations and event managers can explore all of the Cloud Conventions solutions by visiting https://cloudconventions.com or contacting info@cloudconventions.com or call 888-975-1382. Cloud Conventions™, Community™, SafetyNet™, Cloud Kickoffs™, Conduct™, One-Touch Email Share™, Hub & Spoke™, 360° Virtual Exhibit Hall & Lobby Experience™ and ListLock™ are trademarks of Convey Services LLC Contact Details Bruce Ahern +1 770-580-0810 bahern@conveyservices.com Company Website https://cloudconventions.com

August 19, 2021 10:29 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Article thumbnail News Release

Premier Rugby Sevens Unveils Team Names and Logos

Premier Rugby Sevens

Premier Rugby Sevens (PR7s), the new sports league that will debut with the top U.S. men and women Olympic players, today unveiled the league’s six team brands. Along with logos, regions, and color schemes, PR7s confirmed the following team names: Experts Headliners Locals Loggerheads Loonies The Team As a North American-based league, each brand represents a specific region of North America. The Loonies will hail from the North. The Team will represent Texas and the plains. The Loggerheads will associate with Cascadia. The Locals will ride with the New Yorkers. The Experts will emerge from the Mountain West. And the Headliners will identify themselves with the Midsouth. The Headliners’ brand is a nod to the region where the league will make its debut when The PR7s Inaugural Championship comes to Memphis on Oct. 9. The Headliners, Loonies, Loggerheads, and Experts will launch with a men’s squad and a women’s squad for each brand in 2021. The Team and the Locals will debut with men’s teams – for a total of 10 teams in the league. “This type of branding exercise has never been done in professional sports,” said Owen Scannell, Founder and CEO of Premier Rugby Sevens. “We now have singular brands that represent both a male team and a female team. And as a league built on the foundation of attracting the best North American athletes, we also want the brands to represent many of the regions where our players were born and raised.” PR7s’ initial player signings feature several stars from both the Men’s and Women’s U.S. Olympic Rugby Sevens Teams, including Perry Baker, Danny Barrett, Abby Gustaitis, Carlin Isles, Alev Kelter, Ilona Maher, Folau Niua, Naya Tapper, Stephen Tomasin, and Kevon Williams. The league’s first events, dubbed The PR7s Inaugural Championship, will take place in Memphis at AutoZone Park on Saturday, Oct. 9 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CDT. Tickets to see the league’s debut live in Memphis are on sale now at PRSevens.com/tickets. For fans unable to make it to Memphis to witness the event in person, the inaugural men’s and women’s tournaments will be available through FOX Sports. The PR7s Inaugural Championship will be live across FS2, the FOX Sports App, and FOXSports.com, with the championship re-airing on FS1. About Premier Rugby Sevens Premier Rugby Sevens (PR7s) is a groundbreaking professional sports league in North America. Scheduled to debut in the Fall of 2021, PR7s is the first league of its kind with both women’s teams and men’s teams under one umbrella with equal pay. With a focus on accessibility and entertaining content for fans, the league will showcase the electrifying sport of rugby sevens through a single-day touring format in cities across the United States and Canada. The PR7s Inaugural Championship will take place in Memphis on Oct. 9 and will be available via FOX Sports. To learn more about Premier Rugby Sevens, go to PRSevens.com and follow the league on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Contact Details Eric Nemeth eric.nemeth@prsevens.com Company Website https://prsevens.com/

August 18, 2021 11:59 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Article thumbnail News Release

VERTICAL ENTERTAINMENT ACQUIRES BOOMERANG PRODUCTIONS MEDIA’S "COLLUSIONS" STARRING TOM EVERETT SCOTT

Boomerang Productions Media

Boomerang Productions Media announced today that Vertical Entertainment acquired domestic rights to their crime mystery COLLUSIONS, and will be giving it a day-and-date release, in theaters and on VOD August 20, 2021. The film stars Tom Everett Scott (THAT THING YOU DO), Steven Culp ( Desperate Housewives), Jamison Jones (THE WRETCHED), Tembi Locke (DUMB AND DUMBER TO), Brynn Thayer (BLUE JASMINE) and Kelli Joan Bennett (HOMECOMING). Bennett, COO of Boomerang Productions Media, also served as producer on the film along with Jennifer Simpson (PENELOPE), with Boomerang’s CEO Tim Warren serving as Executive Producer. Winner of “Best Actor” (Tom Everett Scott) and the “Best Picture” Jury award at its world premiere at the Independent Filmmakers Showcase (IFS) Film Festival, it was directed by Anthony Vietro (THE PERFECT LEAVE), and written by Monica Zepeda ( “Area 51”). “We’re thrilled to finally get this film in front of audiences all over the country and are especially excited to partner with a distributor as knowledgeable and successful in the independent film space as Vertical Entertainment,” said Boomerang’s Tim Warren. COLLUSIONS is a cerebral, character driven crime mystery that follows five people intertwined in the legal and law enforcement world of Los Angeles as the story of a beaten woman, her missing tooth and their motives are revealed. About Boomerang Productions Media: Boomerang Productions Media is a Directors Guild of America award-nominated, film festival award-winning production company in La Crescenta, California. Launched by award-winning producer Tim Warren in 1996, BPM incubates, develops and produces a wide range of television, film, documentary, and alternative media programming for all US and international audiences. The company’s name derives from its founding principle of creating projects with both positive intentions and positive actions in order to achieve positive results. About Vertical Entertainment: Founded in 2012, Vertical Entertainment has become a leading global independent distributor releasing films across all mediums. Vertical's unique combination of full-service marketing and highly effective sales services provides collaborative solutions for filmmakers, as the company leverages creative and platform relationships to maximize revenue streams from all content providers. Current and upcoming Vertical Entertainment releases include John Pollono’s directorial debut “Small Engine Repair” starring Jon Bernthal, Shea Whigham, Jordana Spiro and Ciara Bravo, Sabrina Doyle’s debut feature “Lorelei,” starring Jena Malone and Pablo Schrieber. Sundance premiere “Wild Indian” written and directed by Lyle Mitchell Corbine Jr. and starring Michael Greyeyes, Kate Bosworth and Jesse Eisenberg. Vertical’s past successes include Channing Godfrey Peoples’ “Miss Juneteenth,” starring Nicole Beharie in her Best Actress Gotham Independent Film Award-winning performance and four Independent Spirit Award nominations including Best Female Lead and Best First Feature, and NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Independent Motion Picture; Best Picture Golden Globe Award nominee “Music,” directed by Sia and starring Best Actress Golden Globe Award nominee Kate Hudson; Eytan Rockaway’s “Lansky” starring Harvey Keitel and Sam Worthington; the Toronto Film Festival Midnight Madness breakout “Shadow in the Cloud,” directed by Roseanne Liang and starring Chloe Grace Moretz; “The Informer,” with Andrea Di Stefano directing the star-studded cast of Joel Kinnaman, Rosamund Pike, Common, Clive Owen, and Ana de Armas; “Robin’s Wish,” the revelatory account of iconic comedian Robin Williams' final days, directed by Tylor Norwood; Tate Taylor's “Ava” with John Malkovich, Geena Davis, Joan Chen, Colin Farrell and Jessica Chastain and “Yes, God, Yes,” directed by Karen Maine and starring Natalia Dyer and Timothy Simons. Chris Kelly’s “Other People,” with Molly Shannon in her Independent Spirit Award-winning performance; and Babak Anvari’s BAFTA and British Independent Film Award-winning thriller “Under the Shadow.” Boomerang Productions Media is a Directors Guild of America award-nominated, film festival award-winning production company in La Crescenta, California. Launched by award-winning producer Tim Warren in 1996, BPM incubates, develops and produces a wide range of television, film, documentary, and alternative media programming for all US and international audiences. The company’s name derives from its founding principle of creating projects with both positive intentions and positive actions in order to achieve positive results. Contact Details Jive PR + Digital Richard Stafford +1 310-896-3494 richard@jiveprdigital.com Company Website http://www.boomerangproductionsmedia.com/

August 17, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Article thumbnail News Release

David Lane, Co-Founder & President of LevLane Advertising, Sells His Ownership Stake in Agency to Co-Founder, Bruce Lev

LevLane

LevLane, the full-service, award-winning advertising agency, has announced that Co-Founder, Bruce Lev, has purchased the shares of his partner, David Lane, to become the sole owner, CEO and Chief Creative Officer. Lane will continue to be on staff with the agency as a consultant and will continue to maintain his relationships with the clients he now helps serve, as well as look for new opportunities for the agency. “This certainly is an emotional moment for the both of us,” said Lev. “David’s leadership, hard work and friendship have been central to what has helped us endure for 38 years. And though titles and ownership may change, what will never change is our commitment to each other, our commitment to our clients, and our commitment to great work. It was our philosophy when we started, and it will remain that way moving forward.” LevLane was founded by Lev and Lane almost 40 years ago and has grown into the nationally recognized agency it is today. LevLane, which has more than 75 full-time employees, has experienced steady expansion through the decades. “38 years ago, Bruce and I were determined to build an agency that produced the best work for our clients, and attracted the strongest talent around,” said Lane. “Seeing where we are today – with clients who inspire us and a staff that consistently outperforms expectations – it makes me so proud, and I’m excited to continue to be part of that in my new role as Agency Consultant.” Lev sees the transfer in ownership as a great opportunity to continue to take the agency to the next level. “The agency leadership has been shifting for the last five years,” said Lev. “It’s a natural progression that will ensure that our current client base, talent and growth will stay energized. It has been and will continue to be, a very exciting time in the evolution of the agency.” About LevLane LevLane is an award-winning, full-service, independent advertising agency in Philadelphia, PA that has been building brands that people love for nearly 40 years. Contact Details LevLane Liz Weir +1 610-401-4825 lweir@levlane.com Company Website https://www.levlane.com

August 17, 2021 07:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image
Article thumbnail News Release

2021 PORTLAND FILM FESTIVAL, PRESENTED BY COMCAST, GOES VIRTUAL WITH 250+ INDEPENDENT FILMS FROM AROUND THE WORLD OCTOBER 6 – NOVEMBER 8

Comcast Oregon / SW Washington

Named “one of the coolest film festivals in the world,” by MovieMaker Magazine, the 2021 Portland Film Festival presented by Comcast for the fifth year, is going virtual again this year and packing its program with hundreds of independent film screenings, director’s chats, networking events as well as educational workshops and panels. As one of Oregon’slargest film festivals, The Portland Film Festival will be available around the world online this fall from Wed., Oct. 6 through Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. Comcast’s Xfinity customers with Xfinity X1 or Xfinity Flex will have easy and free access to a collection of films and livestream events. “Independent voices are vital to our culture and in more need of support than ever. It’s our festival’s mission to bring a broad diversity of independent voices together in one place and we’re proud to be able to do that again this year,” said Josh Leake, Portland Film Festival’s Founder and Executive Director. “It was a tough decision to go solely virtual, but we feel that it’s the best decision for everyone’s health and well-being. And, thanks to our partnership with Comcast, we are able to present more independent voices to a larger audience through Xfinity X1 and Flex than we’ve ever reached before.” The 2021 Portland Film Festival will feature stories by and about women, the Asian community, the Black community, the Indigenous community, the Latinx community, the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, veterans, among many other important and compelling stories. Programming will be announced in the coming weeks. “It’s important that we represent diversity and independent voices on screen and behind the camera at our festival,” said Joe Stevens, Portland Film Festival’s Director of Programming. “As an Afro-Indigenous programmer, my goal is to share a collection of diverse voices through our festival and bring more awareness to the importance of diversity in the film industry. The people who tell and shape the story behind the camera are just as important as those who portray the characters on screen.” Tickets and passes for the 2021 Portland Film Festival go on sale today here. Currently, all films and events will be accessible virtually and prices range from $10 for one film to $100 for an all-access pass. Xfinity X1 and Flex customers across the nation will have free access to a collection of films and livestream events by simply saying “Portland Film Festival” into the Xfinity Voice Remote for the duration of the festival. “This year, Comcast’s Xfinity X1 and Flex customers will be able to access free, curated films created by a diverse array of talented, independent filmmakers from home via our award-winning Xfinity Voice Remote,” said David Tashjian, Regional Senior Vice President of Comcast Oregon/SW Washington. “We support and applaud the Portland Film Festival for their commitment to amplifying independent voices.” ABOUT COMCAST CORPORATION: Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with over 56 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. AVOUT THE PORTLAND FILM FESTIVAL: The Portland Film Festival is one of Oregon’s largest film festivals, and was named “one of the coolest film festivals in the world,” by MovieMaker Magazine. It is a non-profit, year round organization dedicated to nurturing filmmakers and audiences, and to celebrating the power of a good story. The Festival focuses on the people, ideas, technology, skills and artistry behind filmmaking, and provides both entertaining and educational opportunities for the public. Supporting sponsors in addition to the Festival’s presenting sponsor, Comcast, include Koerner Camera Systems, Gearhead Production Rentals, Oregon Governor’s Office of Film & Television, City of Portland Film Office, Boys & Girls Club of Portland, Ryan Artists, SAG- AFTRA, Portland Mortgage and Pepsi, among many others. Contact Details Comcast Amy Keiter +1 503-310-3879 amy_keiter@comcast.com Portland Film Festival Heather Villanueva +1 503-753-9193 heather@portlandfilm.org Company Website https://corporate.comcast.com/

August 12, 2021 01:05 PM Pacific Daylight Time

1 ... 145146147148149 ... 169