Hollywood
Eight city-based artists shortlisted for the Chicago Digital Media Production Fund
NEW DELHI: Eight projects have been selected by the Chicago Digital Media Production Fund with a total of $100,000 in grants to eight digital media artists’ projects from the city in amounts ranging from $3,500 to $19,000.
Grants from the Chicago Digital Media Production Fund support independent film and video projects intended to raise awareness about current social issues. These projects are scheduled to be available for free online viewing by 15 May 2016. Now in their fourth year, the funding is done by Voqal Fund and Chicago Filmmakers.
“The Production Fund allows us to support artists who are creating work with the intention of sparking meaningful conversations around social change,” said Brenda Webb, Chicago Filmmakers’ executive director.
“The projects of the eight media artists receiving grants exhibit a range of compelling ideas. They include a narrative web series that tells unapologetically authentic stories through characters who are as diverse as they are genuine; a documentary web series that examines the historical to present day occurrences of police violence in Chicago; a four-part docu-series that explores the consequences of industrialization and urbanization on the environment and community of Wolf Lake, Illinois; an experimental documentary portrait piece highlighting real working women in Chicago and their ability to “make things move”; a video-based online instructional tool that helps sighted students gain a more nuanced understanding of people with visual impairments; a docu-series that asks key questions revolving around civil liberties in the United States; the second season of a previously funded cartoon web series that cleverly tackles issues like racism, gender, religion, feminism, and LGBTQ equality via humanoid food characters; and a narrative short that uses a non-linear style to tell the story of a young teen who will do anything to get his hands on the latest must-have pair of basketball shoes, despite dangerous, or even fatal, consequences.”
The Chicago Digital Media Production Fund is a project of Voqal Fund and is administered by Chicago Filmmakers. The Production Fund is intended to support digital media works that encourage social change and requires that all works funded are available for free online viewing upon completion in order to reach the widest possible audience. The fund supports artists with varying levels of experience, both to recognize accomplished individuals, as well as to provide opportunities for young and emerging artists.
Hollywood
David Zaslav could net up to $887m as Warner Bros Discovery sells up
Media mogul strikes gold as Paramount Skydance deal triggers massive windfall
NEW YORK: While the average office worker might hope for a nice clock and a round of applause upon leaving, David Zaslav is looking at a slightly more substantial parting gift. The chief executive officer of Warner Bros Discovery is positioned to receive a windfall of up to $887 million following the company’s blockbuster $110 billion sale to Paramount Skydance.
In a twist of corporate fate that feels scripted for the big screen, the deal marks the finale of a high-stakes bidding war. It comes after Netflix, once the frontrunner, decided to exit stage left and abandon its pursuit of the HBO Max parent company.
While most people receive a standard final paycheck, the filing released on Monday suggests Zaslav’s exit package is built a little differently. If the deal closes as expected in the third quarter of 2026, the numbers break down like this:
The cash out: A severance package of $34.2 million, covering his salary and bonuses.
The equity: $115.8 million in vested shares he already owns.
The future fortune: A massive $517.2 million in unvested share awards, essentially “future stock” that turns into real money the moment the ink dries on the merger.
Perhaps the most eye-catching figure is the $335 million earmarked for tax reimbursements. However, this particular pot of gold has an expiration date.
The company noted that these reimbursements are tied to specific tax-code rules that significantly decline as time passes. If the deal hits a snag and drags into 2027, that tax payout drops to zero. With hundreds of millions on the line, the chief executive officer likely has every incentive to ensure the closing process moves at double-speed.
