1 December 2014
Regional broadcaster Channel NewsAsia launches its first feature film, Little People Big Dreams. Shot in High Definition, the documentary is the first original production under the banner of ‘Channel NewsAsia Feature Films’. It goes behind the curtains of a controversial theme park, Dwarves Empire, in China’s Yunnan province. The multi-million dollar theme park simulates a fantasy land where dozens of little people are hired to perform for paying tourists. The controversy surrounding the theme park is an obvious one – does it provide the little people with a stable livelihood at the expense of their basic rights?
Little People Big Dreams will premiere in Asia at the Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) held at the National Museum of Singapore, Gallery Theatre, on Sunday, 7 December 2014 at 7.15pm. Following the screening, a discussion with the audience will be held with the film’s Director, Mr Mak CK, and Channel NewsAsia’s Vice President of Network Programming and Promotions, and Commissioning Editor of Little People Big Dreams, Ms Mok Choy Lin. This Asian premiere comes at the heels of an immensely successful world premiere at the CPH:DOX Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival. Little People Big Dreams was the first-ever Singapore-produced film to be featured at the Copenhagen festival. It saw two sold-out screenings on 11 and 14 November 2014. A third screening on 17 November was added following the overwhelming response.
Apart from the world premiere, Little People Big Dreams has also received numerous international accolades. In May this year, it was selected for the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program-CNEX workshop in Beijing. The documentary was also awarded ‘Best Project Pitch’ at the CNEX Chinese Doc Forum in Taipei in October. It is slated for various international festivals, including the International Festival of Audiovisual Programmes in France in January 2015.
Mr Mak says, “When I first read about the theme park online, I was immediately intrigued by the existence of such a bizarre attraction in this day and age. I have always been interested in microcosms of society and communities that are discriminated or gravely under-represented in the media. Through this film, I’ve had the privilege of learning about the lives of little people in the world’s most populous nation. The personal life stories featured in the film are both heartbreaking and inspiring. Over the course of making this film, I struggled with how I feel about the park. And I’ve come to realise that many a time, morality comes in different shades of grey.” Ms Mok comments, “This feature documentary marks a production milestone for the channel and has already attracted extraordinary interest from worldwide distributors. We are delighted to be one of the few broadcasters in Asia to support feature-length documentaries and encourage filmmakers in the region to send us their incredible stories.”
Little People Big Dreams will air on Channel NewsAsia in early 2015. (Source: Channel NewsAsia press release)
19 November 2014
The brutality of the militant group Islamic State (IS) was on horrific display over the weekend of 15/16 November with the release of a video showing the beheading of American aid worker Peter Kassig and a dozen or more Syrian pilots and military officers. As the violence continues, questions are mounting about who controls the group, whether it functions under a unified command, and whether its leading personalities are indeed the masterminds they appear to be.
The latest edition of RFE/RLive will explore just who and what Islamic State is. The discussion will feature Joanna Paraszczuk, author of RFE/RL’s Under The Black Flag blog, which provides daily news and analysis about IS in Iraq and Syria, and examines the response to the group in the Arab world, Iran, and across the former Soviet Union. Ms. Paraszczuk will be joined by RFE/RL Regional Broadcasting Director for Iran and Iraq, Mardo Soghom.
RFE/RLive: Who Is Islamic State?
Join us live at YouTubeand Google+
Wednesday, November 19, 2014 at 1600GMT
Questions can be posted in advance, and you can follow updates for live links to the Google+ Hangout on Facebook and Twitter using #RFERLive.
Joanna Paraszczuk is a British blogger and journalist who has lived and worked in Russia and the Middle East. Her research and reporting focuses on Russian-speaking militants in Syria and Iraq. Ms. Paraszczuk writes and curates Under The Black Flag, RFE/RL’s new blog tracking Islamic State, and also runs the Chechens in Syria blog.
Mardo Soghom is RFE/RL Regional Broadcasting Director for Iran and Iraq. Mr. Soghom joined RFE/RL in 1989 as a special correspondent in New York, later becoming the Director of RFE/RL’s Armenian Service. In 2002, he helped launch Radio Farda, RFE/RL’s Persian- language service. Mr. Soghom was born in Iran, completed his undergraduate studies in Lebanon, and has an M.A. and M.Phil in Political Science from Columbia University.
14 October 2014
In another disturbing move against freedom of speech and independent journalism in Egypt, one of Al Jazeera Arabic channel’s presenters, Ahmed Mansour, has been sentenced in absentia to fifteen years imprisonment by Cairo’s criminal court on the absurd charge of torturing a lawyer in Tahrir Square during the January 25 revolution in 2011.
This is yet another bizarre and unjust targeting of Al Jazeera journalists after the sentencing of other Al Jazeera journalists this past year, from seven to ten years imprisonment. Baher Mohamed, Peter Greste, and Mohamed Fahmy remain in prison, while others were tried in absentia.
An Al Jazeera spokesman stated:
“This unjust ruling along with false accusations and criminal charges is further evidence of the attempt to silence journalists, tarnish their reputations and disrupt their work. Ahmad Mansour himself has been targeted with more than 150 false accusations and complaints against him by the Egyptian authorities, this verdict being just one of them.
“This case is another illustration of how Al Jazeera Media Network is paying the price for its professionalism, after the imprisonment of its journalists from Al Jazeera English, and Abdullah Elshamy, and the shooting of Mohammad Al-Zaki during the dispersal of the Rabaa sit-in. It is a price not only paid by Al Jazeera, but also other journalists from global and Egyptian media. Scores have faced harassment, been arrested, and even lost their lives for the sake of getting the truth to viewers and readers.
“The verdict against Ahmad Mansour – who is followed by millions and has interviewed world and thought leaders – reveals how the Egyptian judicial system is politicised and continues to use its authority to intimidate journalists.
“Al Jazeera remains dedicated and committed to its editorial and professional standards and maintains full confidence in its staff. Despite this baseless ruling, Ahmad Mansour remains one of the most respected journalists in the Arab world.
“Al Jazeera Media Network calls on the Egyptian authorities to refrain from character assassinations against journalists in their attempts to unfairly tarnish reputations. The network renews its demand for all jailed journalists to be released and stands firmly by its colleagues.”
Notes:
Ahmed Mansour is currently filming his show and will be available for interviews later this week. To register your interest, please email pressoffice@aljazeera.net
10 October 2014
The Central Asian language services of RFE/RL have released a new video story documenting the growing number of recruits from Central Asia who are joining militants fighting for IS in Syria and Iraq. Research carried out by RFE/RL suggests that many are recruited while working in Russia as migrant workers.
RFE/RL has also introduced a new blog, Under the Black Flag, that provides a daily report on developments relating to IS in Iraq, Syria, Iran and the Former Soviet Union.
In addition, RFE/RL has an infographic showing which countries are countering IS and how they are achieving that.
26 September 2014
• US President remarks shows support for Al Jazeera staff to be freed
• Australian PM also urges Egyptian leader to release jailed trio
• Al Jazeera marks UNGA with viral campaign for #FreeAJstaff
Doha- 26th September, 2014
World leaders at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) have highlighted the importance of press freedom, and called on Egypt to release the three jailed Al Jazeera staff.
The wrongful imprisonment of Baher Mohamed, Peter Greste and Mohammed Fahmy was raised by US President Obama in his first meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
According to the Deputy National Security advisor Ben Rhodes, Obama reminded the Egyptian leader of his duty to human rights, including the rights to free speech and the rights of the three jailed Al Jazeera journalists:
Rhodes said: “The president expressed his view that those journalists should be released.”
President Obama’s emphasis on releasing the men follows a similar meeting between Tony Abbott the Australian Prime Minister and Sisi for twenty minutes.
After the meeting Abbott said: “I think he (Sisi) will do his best to be helpful”.
At UNGA similar calls for Egypt to release the three journalists were made by the British Foreign Secretary Phillip Hammond who told Al Jazeera: “On the question of Al Jazeera journalists, I’ve raised this question personally with President Sisi. I raise it every time I see Foreign Minister Shoukry. The current situation is that the journalists have, as I understand it, appealed their convictions and that means this remains at the present time a judicial process. And we have to respect the separation of judicial and executive power. Once that judicial process is complete, if that sentence still stands, we would look to the executive to intervene and ensure they are released.”
In a campaign to increase even further awareness of the jailing of the Al Jazeera three, an advert was placed in the New York Times and Times Square New York to remind the Egyptian leader and other officials that the three men have been arrested, detained, charged and sentenced for just doing their job of honest, free and fair reporting.
Australian Peter Greste, Egyptian-Canadian Mohamed Fahmy and Egyptian producer Baher Mohamed were convicted in June of aiding terrorism and spreading false news that portrayed Egypt as being in a state of “civil war”. Greste and Fahmy received seven-year terms, while Mohamed was sentenced to 10 years, in a case that sparked international outrage.
Since their arrest in December 2013, Al Jazeera has received international support calling for their freedom from human rights organisations, news networks and various governments.
On social media the advert placed in the New York Times alone gave 800,000 impressions on Twitter in the first five hours.
Commenting on president Obama’s call for the release of the Al Jazeera three, an Al Jazeera spokesperson said:
“For nine months since the arrest of Baher Mohamed, Mohammed Fahmy and Peter Greste, world opinion has stated that these men are innocent and have committed no crime, yet nearly 300 days later they still languish behind bars. Al Jazeera welcomes the direct involvement of President Obama and Prime Minister Abbott by reminding the Egyptian authorities that it is their moral duty in the name of free speech and human rights that they release our colleagues who are innocent and renowned Journalists.”
Calls for the release of Al Jazeera staff have previously been made from the White House, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the European Union, the Australian Government and over 150 rights groups, including Amnesty International, the Committee to Protect Journalists and the International Press Institute.
Over 200,000 people have signed petitions globally, including two petitions signed by 150,000 people presented to the Egyptian Vice Counsel in Sydney by Australia’s leading journalists.
Over 40 of the world’s top journalists have also signed a letter demanding the release of the journalists, and media outlets across the globe have staged their own protests, including BBC, CNN, ITN, Channel 4, Fairfax Australia, Toronto Star, VRT deredactie and Iran’s Shargh Daily.
High profile supporters include leading media personalities Larry King, Christiane Amanpour, Jon Snow, Piers Morgan, Stephen Fry, Ben Wedeman, Brian Stelter, Alex Thompson, as well as Naomi Klein, Reza Aslan, Mia Farrow and Bianca Jagger.
Similarly public calls of support for the release of the journalists has occurred throughout the social media campaign #FreeAJStaff, with over 137,000 people who have shared their support on Twitter, reaching 112 million people, and delivering over 2 billion impressions.
-Ends-
For more information email pressoffice@aljazeera.net
Follow on twitter & facebook
For more information on #FreeAJStaff
19 September 2014
Vizrt, together with Sky Sports and ChyronHego, win the IBC 2014 Innovation award in a ceremony held at the Amsterdam RAI during IBC 2014.
Vizrt’s Rex Jenkins accepted the award along with Mike Ruddell from Sky Sports, and Mark Bowden from ChyronHego.
Vizrt worked with Sky Sports and ChyronHego to create a unique studio production for their flagship production “Monday Night Football” (MNF). The production that aired first on August 19th 2013 is a game-changing evolution of the show which premiered in 1992 when Sky Sports first obtained English Premier League rights. The key innovation that led to the award was the creation of a virtual set that gave the illusion of having a much larger physical set in the MNF studio.
The award ceremony, held Sunday, September 14th at the Amsterdam RAI, featured several awards for innovation in broadcasting. Vizrt’s Rex Jenkins accepted the award along with Mike Ruddell from Sky Sports, and Mark Bowden from ChyronHego.
Building a new studio
A unique requirement of the Sky Sports studio is that the virtual studio graphics should sit alongside and be visually-indistinguishable from the physical-set elements. This meant that not only must the graphical rendering be ‘photo-real’ but the tracking must be accurate enough so that when cameras move, the rendered virtual graphics would exhibit a seamless blend between reality and virtual.
Sky’s creative team have been designing Vizrt 3D graphics for live coverage for over 10 years, so they are accustomed to designing in Viz Artist. However, the concept of Virtual Studio design to this degree of photo-realism was new. Given the design-complexity of the 3D studio design and required functionality built into it, care had to be taken to ensure graphics-rendering performance was optimised to run in real-time.
The result was a genuine collaborative effort, not just on implementing the design, but also with the Sky Engineers who needed to learn how to operate and support the new technology. From the time when the installation started and to the first live-broadcast show in August 2013, regular training-sessions were conducted for Sky designers and technical staff at Sky and the Vizrt UK staff.
The final on-air product is a studio which appears massive in size but also very flexible, allowing the Sky MNF presenters to have several set locations. The presenters could utilize data driven-graphics displayed in monitors or immersed into the studio as part of the virtual set. Using a tracking system by MotionAnalysis, the virtual set was able to be tracked with extreme precision, allowing the physical and virtual set to appear seamless as the camera pans from one part of the set to another.
