MAM
Abby awards countdown begins; 16 March is D-Day
MUMBAI: The day of reckoning is at hand! The ad industry’s night out! The Abby awards, the Oscars of Indian ad awards, will honour creative excellence in advertising for the previous year. The Abby awards 2003 will be held at Hotel Tulip Star in Juhu on 16 March 2003.
Well, the scheduling has been done in such a way that there is no clash with the cricket World Cup. However, there is a cricket-related association – Sony Entertainment Television (SET) is sponsoring the event for the fourth time in a row!
The Abby awards will be telecast on MAX, which is SET’s premier movie and event channel.
SET executive vice president Sunil Lulla says: “Sony is proud and privileged to be associated with the Abby’s for four consecutive years. The Abby awards are indeed the most premium awards, which are presented to achievers in the advertising and marketing fraternity. Sony has a long trusted relationship with the Abby where 713 brands were featured on Sony Entertainment Television in the year 2002. We are partners of the advertising and marketing community and have a strong brand extension with them.”
Undoubtedly, the biggest and the most prestigious ad award show in the country will be attended by more than 3,000 professionals from the marketing, advertising, media, research and PR fraternity. The ambience, the passion and the excitement will be so high that even Bollywood stars and glamorous models make sure their presence is felt at the event.
The Advertising Club Bombay’s organising committee member Ramesh Narayan says: “We are neck deep in organizational work related to the Abby awards as this year’s Abbys will be bigger and better than ever before. The judging process is over and this year’s jury comprises some of the finest minds in the business. After all, any award is as good as the jury! I must admit that the judges have been liberal in some categories and very strict in certain others.”
And as a first, the INS (Indian Newspaper Society) Thinkprint awards will also be presented during the Abbys for the first time. Noted actor-director Aparna Sen will present the awards. The first prize is an all-expenses paid trip to Cannes for a couple. The judges include eminent personalities such as Simone Tata, Elsie Nanjee and Preeti Vyas-Gianneti.
Narayan adds: “In most of the categories, we have infused the “advertisers” element. After all, the advertisers and the clients are the ones who approve creativity and they should be brought into the mainstream judging process.”
In addition to the regular Abby awards, three new awards have been constituted this year for the first time – best director, actor and actress in a TV commercial. These awards will be judged by film personalities such as Mahesh Bhatt and Govind Nihalini amongst others. Clearly, it looks as if Sony has had a major role to play in this effort.
SET’s Lulla however clarifies: “Sony does not influence any category of awards instituted but we believe that this is a step in the right direction. The Abby committee, which oversees the award categories, has made the right move. This is certainly an attempt to appreciate the role and impact which programming and content has on the viewer/audience.”
Narayan also adds: “We will also present four “most distinguished” recognition awards to personalities chosen from amongst ad professionals, media, models and ad film makers.”
The fact that SET has been associated with this mega event for the so many years is indicative of the positive impact and mega mileage. Needless to say, SET has derived tremendous value from the association. “Through it’s awareness and reach, brand recall of MAX has increased multifold with ICC Cricket World Cup 2003. This has also given a huge upswing in franchise, we believe partners in Abby in taking it to more homes and people, by making them aware of businesses and people behind great commercials,” Lulla adds.
Brian Tellis owned Fountainhead Promotions will be the event managers for the event. The show will be kicked off by the musician trio of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. They will set the pace and tone.
In no other event will you find CEOs rubbing shoulders with rookie account executives or media trainees or creative artists. All of them will be present to view the most endearing spectacle where excellence is acknowledged and recognised.
Brands
Netflix acquires Ben Affleck’s AI film-tech firm InterPositive
Streaming giant picks up production startup to streamline digital filmmaking
LOS ANGELES: Netflix has officially acquired InterPositive, an AI film-technology startup founded by actor and director Ben Affleck. The move marks a significant investment by the streaming service into assistive AI tools designed to support the technical side of movie production. While many AI companies focus on generating new images or scripts, InterPositive focuses on the logistical challenges of filmmaking. The firm’s technology is designed to handle technical tasks that often delay post-production, such as correcting lighting inconsistencies and ensuring visual continuity across different takes.
The acquisition is not about replacing human actors or writers. Instead, Netflix intends to use the technology as a digital assistant for directors. The software understands cinematic logic, meaning it can automatically adjust background elements or environmental effects to ensure a film looks polished and consistent without months of manual editing.
In a Netflix post on Thursday, Affleck emphasised that the project was born out of a desire to support the craft rather than automate it. “I knew I had a responsibility to my peers and our industry, to protect the power of human creativity and the people behind it. In creating InterPositive, I sought to do just that,” Affleck wrote. “From the invention of the moving image to the transition to digital, from motion capture to virtual production, technology has evolved alongside the artists who use it. Our shared commitment to continuing this legacy makes joining together a natural next step.”
Netflix chief product and technology officer Elizabeth Stone said, “Our approach to AI has always been focused on meaningfully serving the needs of the creative community. InterPositive’s technology is purpose-built for filmmakers and showrunners to naturally support their visions. We’re excited to welcome the team to Netflix and continue building a future where technology enhances storytelling, while people remain at the core.”
Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria added, “New tools should expand creative freedom, not constrain it. Ben and his team are part of a long tradition of artists leading innovation in storytelling. Their work gives filmmakers more choices, control, and protection for their vision.”
The deal coincides with a broader partnership between Netflix and Artists Equity, the production company led by Affleck and Matt Damon. Following the success of their recent projects on the platform, this acquisition cements Affleck’s role as both a creative and technical advisor to the streamer. Affleck noted that the partnership was a logical fit due to “Netflix’s decades of experience applying and scaling technology responsibly.” He will serve as a senioradvisor for the integration of the technology, ensuring the tools remain focused on helping filmmakers.
For the film industry, this acquisition signals a shift in strategy. Rather than just buying finished movies, Netflix is now owning the specialized technology used to build them. By bringing these tools in-house, the company aims to reduce the rising costs and lengthy timelines associated with high-budget original films while giving their productions a technical edge in speed and visual quality.
