Nestor Nieves, Executive Vice President for International Sales of New Line Cinema, who was here during the special preview of the trailer of "Golden Compass," said that special effects for the movie already cost them $ 80 million!
Nieves is travelling to various Asian cities to promote "Golden Compass" which will be released in Manila in December.
Of the movie, he said: "This is New Line Cinema’s biggest and highest-budgeted film for this year... so we have to tell the world how important the movie is. We spent an even more staggering amount for the production of this film, much more than the budget of ‘Lord of the Rings’ which came in three annual successions, while ‘Golden Compass’ is just one film."
The movie, directed by Chris Weltz, stars Daniel Craig as Lord Asriel, Nicole Kidman as Marisa Coulter, Dakota Blue Richards as Lyra Belacqua, Eva Green as Serafina Pekkala, Sam Elliott as Lee Scoresby, among others. Chriz Weltz also wrote the screenplay.
Nieves also said that Lyra Belacqua, the 12-year old female lead character, is played by Dakota Blue Richards. It is her first feature film. She was chosen in June 2006 from 10,000 girls who auditioned for the role. The story tells of Lyra’s adventure to the far north in search of her friend. But Lyra’s greatest adventure would begin closer to home, the day she heard hushed talk of an extraordinary particle. Microscopic in size, the magical dust — found only in the vast Artic expanse of the North — was rumored to possess profound properties that could unite whole universes. But there were those who feared the particle and would stop at nothing to destroy it. Catapulted into the heart of a terrible struggle, Lyra was forced to seek aid from clans, gyptians, and formidable armored bears. And as she journeyed into unbelievable danger, she had not the faintest clue that she alone was destined to win, or to lose, this more-than-mortal battle.
The movie is based from "Northern Lights," the novel of Philip Pulman, who also co-wrote the screenplay.
The development of the movie project began on Feb. 11, 2002. Tom Stoppard was commissioned to write the screenplay in July 2003, and Weltz was hired to direct, but he rejected Stoppard’s screenplay and he would rather write it. Some questions not resolved — due to some "religiousity" — made Weltz resigned. A British director, Anand Tucker, was hired. But he also resigned and Weltz returned to direct the movie, and filming began on Sept. 4,2006 at Shepperton Studios.
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South Border inks deal with California’s Rasiah Records
Pop/R&B sensation South Border recently inked a recording deal with top independent label Rasiah Records in Los Angeles, California, and Jay Oliver Durias, the band’s keyboardist and musical director, said: "We couldn’t have dreamt of a better partner. We are blessed and truly inspired to work with Rasiah Records. We believe in this collaboration."
Rasiah Records was founded by Sathiya Raj, a global communications magnate with a great passion for music, in California in 2000. Since then, he has become so interested in finding new talents to introduce to the world. We’re sure Rasiah Records execs share the same enthusiasm as Jay, considering South Borders’ accomplishments through the years: Multi-platinum albums, sold-out concerts and many industry awards that testify to their artistry.
Rasiah Records, which aims to promote talents who are pure and true to their craft, is currently setting up and owning its own distribution system in both Asia and Europe. Meanwhile, South Border is currently recording new songs for an album set for release later this year.
Poised for international stardom, the band is also set to perform at this year’s much-anticipated "Ghana @ 50" event on Sept. 22, 2007. Other artists during the event include Jermaine Jackson, The Temptations, Tido Jackson, Wyclef Jean (The Fugees), as well as fellow Rasiah Records artist Zuri and many more.
Today, Aug. 25, Rasiah Records will present a concert that will launch South Border in the mainstream market. The concert will be held at the Warner Grand Center. Radio Station KJLH, which is co-owned by music legend Stevie Wonder, is co-sponsoring the much-awaited concert.
The band is composed of Paul Benitez (drums), Ric Junasa (saxophone), Butch Victoriano (lead guitar), Tata Balane (bass) and Jay Durias. Duncan Ramos and Vince Alaras have left the group.
The band performed at the Maritime Academy Theater in Vallejo, California (Aug. 11) and another one at the Civic Auditorium Main Hall in Stockton, California (Aug. 12).
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Filipino production house brings honor to the country
A Filipino production house called Mad.Comm Co. Ltd. (Making a Difference through Communication), a media productions and creative services company based in Quezon City, recently bagged two Bronze Tellies (2nd place) at the 28th Annual Telly Awards in New York, USA.
Their winning pieces are entitled "A Portrait of Success," a corporate documentary about the visions and strategies of Pioneer HiBreed Philippines, Inc., and how it makes a difference in the lives of corn farmers in the Philippines, and "ISAAA (International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications)," an institutional documentary about a not-for-profit organization and how it delivers the benefits of new agricultural biotechnologies to the poor in developing countries.
Founded in l979, the Telly Awards is one of the premier international awards honoring outstanding cable and TV commercials and programs, the finest ground-breaking film and video productions, as well as web.commercials. Winners represent the best work of the most respected advertising agencies, production companies, TV stations and cable operators worldwide.
This year, it drew 14,362 entries from all over the world.
Aside from its Telly Awards victories, Mad Comm Co. Ltd also represented the Philippines at the Vedere la Scienza Festival (1st International Scientific TV, Film and AV Media Festival) in Milan, Italy where the documentaries "PhilRice: Our Best for Our Rice Farmers" (produced for the Philippine Rice Research Institute) and "Fruits of Partnerships" (also produced for ISAAA) were selected to screen in competition. The two video docus were selected from a thousand science video entries from all over the world.
These docus were also adjudged Honorable Mention winners at the 13th Annual Communicator Awards and Finalist Award winners at the New York Festivals 2007 International Film & Video Awards.
According to Bong L. Belaos and John CQ Nepomuceno, the partners behind Mad Comm Co. Ltd, "the victories we had in these competitions are testaments not only of our hard work and unswerving partnership with our clients... but more so, of the talent and creativity of the Filipino..."
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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, Aug. 25, go to former senator Eddie Elarde, Raymundo Miranda, Liza Gokongwei, Joseph Zeiden, Encar Benedicto, director Willie Milan, Elizabeth Mancao, Lady Salterio, Leah A. Gordoncillo, Peter Burgos, Robbie Velasco, Mikko Regala Katigbak, Rudy B. Lomugdang, and John Angelo... Belated birthday greeting to Mommy Nett Santiago and Mervin Valdez
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