Vtr Share Discussion Threads

[arty] 21/12/2007 08:34

Wake up W10, we've finally got something to talk about, all be it the figures are unlikely to cause too much excitement.

[walker10] 20/12/2007 10:16

Yes hosede I think this story may have plenty to run, we will see, out on the Indian exchanges Prime Focus India was up 8% overnight.

[hosede] 19/12/2007 10:09

This share has held up remarkably well in the last few months - most small caps are being slaughtered - Must be the Indian connection I guess. Still well underwater with my holding from way back but no inclination to sell at the moment. Thanks Walker10 for all the continuing Info on this board

[walker10] 17/12/2007 17:02

blue has completed the grade, online and sound mix for Born Survivors: Looking After Mum. The programme will be broadcast on BBC Three on Wednesday 12th December at 9.00pm.

[walker10] 13/12/2007 09:25

Looks like Blues Chris Mortimer is busy being Visual Effects Supervisor on a Feature Film called "3 and Out" which is being filmed now.

[arty] 12/12/2007 22:28

Bloody hell there are now 3 of us on this bb - welcome !!! NickB did you by any chance feature on the Calluna bb in a previous life ?

[nickb] 12/12/2007 22:10

walker Yes i do but was not sure it was public yet.
Certainly could be good for VTR

[walker10] 12/12/2007 21:46

Do you mean this Nick:

VTR North to expand into Manchester with Sumners deal

[nickb] 12/12/2007 20:27

Rumour has it VTR north (leeds) is doing a big deal with a Manchester based post house.

[walker10] 12/12/2007 20:15

"Traditional post and VFX facilities have been stranded in their evolution because they can't break out of their core geography or jurisdiction," says Mahlotra. "We want to bring added flexibility to them. For example, in London, they're known for high quality design and high aesthetics. The Frantic Film team has a huge R&D capability, and the Indian side offers breadth in being able to work on 300, 400 shots at one time. It's the best of what each destination can offer, and it gives us an edge."

Prime Focus Group has already tested out these global efficiencies with Fox's 2007 "28 Weeks Later." Mahlotra says some of the big 3D and bombing shots of the city of London were executed jointly between the U.K. and India. "Frantic Films also operates in that manner, doing modeling in Winnipeg and animation in Los Angeles and lighting in Vancouver," he says. "None of it is higher or lower value, but trying to break down the job depending on the core skillset that fits the country or division. Rotoscoping and other laborious things will flow to lower cost destinations. But we hope to play the game from the higher value proposition."

The Indian facilities have already developed an enormous capacity for work. "We did projects where we output close to 2,400 shots on two projects, between the U.K. and India," he says. "Content creative was managed in London, and the VFX work was done almost entirely in India. Some 3D work was done in London, and compositing was done in India." The total number of Prime Focus Group's artists is almost 1,500 across all the facilities.

[walker10] 12/12/2007 10:07

Indian film sector experiencing unprecedented growth

While it is universally accepted that the Indian film business is experiencing unprecedented overall growth, there are key developments within the industry that are particularly noteworthy.

"Domestic content will be a key driver for animation which will help the industry evolve from being a strong outsourcing base to developing home grown stories," says Toonz Animation CEO P Jayakumar.

Similarly, VFX and post-production companies are also getting aggressive. Recently, Mumbai-based VFX company Prime Focus Group bought out two US-based companies, Post Logic Studios and Frantic Films VFX, for $43 million.

Says Prime Focus CFO Nishant Fadia: "Manpower costs are between four to six times higher in the U.S. than in India and we hope to capitalize on this advantage by outsourcing work here via these acquisitions while gaining access to international markets."

Elsewhere, in May 2006, Prime Focus bought a 59% stake in London-based post facility VTR Group for $8.47million.

[walker10] 11/12/2007 16:00

blue has completed the HD nitris grade and 5.1 sound mix for forthcoming documentary Gangsters Wives. The programme will be broadcast on Sky One on 12th January.

[walker10] 07/12/2007 12:25

Arty yes they are a tight market at the moment, not much stock about at this time.

Following on from completing and finishing the films "Tales of the Riverbank" at the end of Aug and "Agent Crush" at the end of Oct.

Which I might add took 2200 visual effect shots using 5 different facilities in India providing some of the shots and quite a few of the resources in London so it tested their boundaries I would say.

I think they might be presently working on "The Garden of Eden" staring Jack Huston and Mena Suvari based on a Ernest Hemingway novel. We will see !!!

[arty] 07/12/2007 09:48

W10, I'm in !!! However, it took me a long time to secure my paltry 2750 shares and no discount on the offer price.

Now watch it fall )-8

[walker10] 06/12/2007 15:08

Taken from their web site "Our DI Department has been quietly beavering away on some rather top notch projects" and "David Clarke heads up our DI bookings tells him that demand is growing stronger and stronger."

[walker10] 06/12/2007 14:52

A list of Films they have been working on including "Tales of the riverbank" and "Agent Crush"



Click recent work then Films.

[walker10] 06/12/2007 13:52

PFL & Diamond Dogs Push Boundaries of Motion Control for Newton Faulkner

HSI London's directing duo, Diamond Dogs, have pushed the boundaries of motion control for Newton Faulkner's cover of Massive Attack's 'Teardrop'.

[walker10] 05/12/2007 21:39

Well someone has! MM seem to be bidding for stock, nice to have a better day.

[arty] 05/12/2007 18:26

W10,Have you been having another dabble today ?

[walker10] 05/12/2007 17:13

Mahlotra also notes that the advantage of having facilities in multiple locations around the world is that filmmakers can work in the location of their choice as well as take advantage of tax incentives and rebates in the U.K., Canada and New York. The chance to open up a complete back-end operation in India or London also creates a better "value proposition," offering competitive prices and effective solutions.

[walker10] 05/12/2007 10:33

PFL Creates 3D Environments Fit for BBC2's Heroes

Prime Focus London (www.primefocuslondon.com) has finished five new brand films for BBC2, each featuring a key actor from the cult TV series, Heroes.

[walker10] 05/12/2007 10:23

Rapid TV News understands that the company is seeking to buy two US post facilities. This comes a day after the group's UK operation Prime Focus London unveiled Jake Wynne as its latest recruit. Wynne is well known on the British post-production scene, being one half of directing team Jake and Jim, with Jim Canty, and previously a director and editor at production company HSI.

Prime Focus London was formed last year by the merger of Clear, VTR and The Hive, which were bought by the Mumbai-based parent company. The London operation's upgraded facilities and new branding were launched this summer, when managing director Simon Huhtala commented that further acquisition were part of the group's overall plan.

Prime Focus has made clear its intention to take on the US visual effects and digital intermediate market, combining the specialist talent in the UK with a cost-effective operation in Mumbai. Prime Focus London is linked to India over a high-speed network and the reasonable conclusion is that the new American members of the group will be connected in a similar way, bringing Hollywood and Bollywood closer together.

The appointment of Jake Wynne as visual effects director and editor is described as part of a "vertical integration plan", with the aim of increasing value for clients. The company hopes Wynne will be able to draw on his experience to offer in-house directing and editing skills should a project demand them.

[walker10] 04/12/2007 08:12

"We have been looking at Hollywood for a couple of years, but things got active in the last 10 months after our VTR business stabilised. Getting into Hollywood adds a fair amount of credibility. Frantic Films is working on fantastic 3D stereoscopic projects, which gives us a clear edge. In fact, both entities put us much ahead in terms of technology and creativity giving us not only a global footprint, cost advantage, infrastructure as well as quality, much ahead of others in the general space," said Prime Focus managing director Namit Malhotra, speaking to ET from Los Angeles.

The criteria for the companies that Malhotra and company were looking for was a combination of scale and technology, with R&D capability. While Malhotra equates Post Logic with VTR, Frantic he says is big. "They are used to a business structure where they are running a pipeline between Vancouver, Winnipeg and LA, so they are used to sharing work and we wanted a company that would add our locations to their existing pipeline," adds Mr Malhotra.

Both the American companies had reached a stage where things had gone slack and they were losing their competitive edge. Prime Focus added not only a cost advantage, a focus, as well as the strategic position of UK both of which combined to make a winning edge. "Post-production and VFX comprise our core business," adds Mr Malhotra. He says that they have seen great growth in their domestic business, and the weakening dollar was proving a boon for Bollywood, but there was much growth on the other side as well.

[arty] 30/11/2007 12:02

W10, The only problem with that supposition is that it doesn't allow for any premium on the existing price ie.current market cap £14.3m x 42% = £6 million

)-8