Hollywood
HBO’s ‘Selfie in Space’ contest sends winning picture into space
MUMBAI: To celebrate the HBO blockbuster movie of the year, Gravity, premiering on 21 December 2014, HBO is organising the first ever ‘HBO Selfie in Space’ contest which gives viewers a once in a lifetime opportunity to send their selfie to space.
The winner’s selfie will travel to space and a video of the same will be taken and uploaded to capture the voyage.
The participants can upload their photograph along with a caption and the hashtag #SelfieInSpace on HBO India’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/HBOIndia) or HBO South Asia’s website (http://www.hbosouthasia.com/selfieinspace/).
The contest allows the participants to upload more than one photo and it is on till the midnight of 21 December 2014. In addition, participants can also stand to win an Xbox 360 with Kinect.
One of the world’s all-time biggest blockbusters, Gravity featuring George Clooney, Sandra Bullock, Ed Harris, Amy Warren, won seven Oscars including best visual effects, best sound editing, best sound mixing, best cinematography, best film editing, best original score and best director.
Bullock plays Dr. Ryan Stone, a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (Clooney). On a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes when the shuttle gets destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left. But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space!
Gravity will air this Sunday at 1 pm and 9 pm on HBO.
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.
