Posts Tagged ‘film’

Head of WITNESS on Filming the Truth

Monday, August 2nd, 2010

yvette-alberdingkthijm.jpg Yvette Alberdingk Thijm is the Executive Director of WITNESS, an awesome TILE Human Rights charity. Yvette has ultimate responsibility for envisioning, conceptualizing and implementing WITNESS’ overall direction. She leads efforts to carry out the programmatic, organizational and funding strategies necessary to ensure her organization’s mission and health. She’s also responsible for overseeing the organization’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. What a job.

TILE: How do issues relating to human rights affect young people?
Yvette:
All over our globe, we want the same things: access to education, clean water, non-discrimination. We want to be treated fairly and with respect; we’re global citizens and the future is ours – we need to protect it and the earth.

TILE: What’s the most important thing we can do to affect human rights around the world?
Yvette:
WITNESS says: see it, film it, change it! You’ve got the power. Tell your story. Get involved your community, neighborhood, school, and use your iPod or cellphone to document what’s going on around you and change it!

TILE: What’s the biggest challenge you face in your work?
Yvette:
All the injustice in the world can feel overwhelming. But anyone can make a difference and when we work together we can change a lot.

TILE: What’s the best advice you would give to your teenage self?
Yvette:
Get involved and stand up for what you believe in. Your voice is important. Make sure it’s heard and help others’ stories get out there.

TILE: How do you think young people can play a role in the changing landscape of philanthropy?
Yvette:
Young people understand what it’s like to be connected digitally, and can make a big difference easily through Twitter, Facebook and social networks – it’s a lifestyle: if you decide to care, people will listen and join you.

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“Avatar” Brings NewsCorp Into The Film Business In A Big Way

Friday, November 13th, 2009

Avatar is one of the most expensive movies ever made, but will it earn for its investors?

  • Avatar is a new film about a foreign planet and the humans who naturally want to invade it. Director James Cameron (Titanic and Terminator) has worked on the movie for 15 years.
  • Although the film is being released through 20th Century Fox, the film company is carrying a small percentage, as little as 40%, of the production budget. Private equity groups pick up at least 60% of the budget.
  • Because the marketing campaign and technology used in the film are so wide-scaled and elaborate, companies such as Panasonic and Weta Digital have contributed to production and promotion in exchange for advice and cross-marketing opportunities.

Facts & Figures

  • Avatar has an estimated $500 million budget attached to it, including a $150 million marketing campaign.
  • Highly complicated and advanced technology was used in the creation of Avatar, and the creators of that technology will turn their involvement in the film into an advertisement for their emerging business and technology.
  • Because the film is showing in 3-D, ticket prices will be about 30% higher than in conventional theaters.

Best Quote

“We’re turning it into a business, as opposed to a path where everybody’s supposed to service ‘Avatar.’” – Vince Page, Co-Developer of Digital Technology for “Avatar’s” production.