Hollywood
AK Madhavan’s Assemblage readies maiden animation film ‘Blinky Bill’
MUMBAI: Former Crest Animation top boss AK Madhavan’s entrepreneurial animation studio, Assemblage Entertainment, has completed its first full-length animated feature co-production titled Blinky Bill The Movie, with the CGI being co-produced out of its studio in Mumbai.
Blinky Bill The Movie is an Australian feature film produced by Flying Bark Productions (Australia) in co-production with Assemblage and Telegael Teoranta (Ireland). The movie is slated to release on 17 September, 2015 in Australia with the international release to follow.
Established in 2014, Assemblage is an eclectic young animation studio that has grown from strength to strength and currently employs over 250 people.
Flying Bark Productions managing director Barbara Stephen said, “Blinky Bill is one of Australia’s most iconic characters and his stories have engaged and entertained audiences around the world for many years. We eagerly sought a studio, which would treat one of our national treasures with due respect and the team at Assemblage have done just that. Their team has a long history of quality work and is highly regarded internationally – we trusted their ability and commitment to deliver quality CGI services and we are delighted with the result.”
Assemblage CEO AK Madhavan added, “We’re very excited to announce the completion of the first feature film out of Assemblage. It is a moment of great pride to be able to deliver the entire 90 minutes of the CGI feature out of our facility here in Mumbai, just over a year after our inception. Establishing ourselves as a feature film ready production house and being associated with a timeless classic such as Blinky at the same time is truly rewarding. We continue our efforts to work on some high quality projects with leading studios globally and aspire to build a strong production portfolio.”
First introduced to audiences in the 1930s through a series of children’s books, Blinky Bill is considered an iconic Australian children’s classic. A small koala with a big imagination, Blinky is an adventurer at heart who dreams of leaving the little town of Green Patch and following his explorer father’s footsteps. Blinky embarks on a journey that takes him beyond the boundary of Greenpatch in the wild and dangerous Australian landscape in his quest to find his missing father. Although he previously appeared in several successful TV series and movies, Blinky has been created in CGI for the first time in the upcoming feature film release this September.
Hollywood
Disney chair confident CEO Josh D’Amaro will ‘rise to the occasion’ in Trump–Kimmel row
Board backs new chief as ABC controversy tests leadership early on
NEW YORK: The Walt Disney Company has placed the responsibility of handling the escalating dispute between Donald Trump and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel squarely on its new chief executive, Josh D’Amaro.
Speaking at a business conference in Oslo, Disney chair James Gorman said it would be up to the CEO and his team to determine the company’s response to the controversy surrounding Jimmy Kimmel Live!. He noted that such challenges are not uncommon for large corporations and require careful handling at the leadership level.
The row intensified after both Donald Trump and Melania Trump publicly called for Kimmel’s dismissal following remarks made on his show. The comments, which referenced the First Lady, sparked backlash in the days leading up to a security incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
Kimmel addressed the issue on-air, clarifying that his joke was intended as a reference to the couple’s age difference and not an incitement to violence. He also expressed sympathy for those affected by the incident and reiterated his stance against violent rhetoric.
Despite mounting pressure, Gorman refrained from offering specific guidance on the future of the show or the host. Instead, he voiced confidence in D’Amaro’s leadership, describing him as “world class” and capable of navigating the situation effectively.
The episode presents an early and high-profile test for D’Amaro, who stepped into the top role just last month. How Disney balances editorial independence, public sentiment and political pressure will likely shape not just the outcome of this controversy, but also the tone of its leadership in the months ahead.
