Prime Video to Release the Music Special Hip Hop World Hosted by Lenny Santiago on April 16

Apr 11, 2024 | Business

Special features DJ Khaled and Lola Brooke

Brooke to debut “Touch Down in Paris” an original track exclusively available on Amazon Music

CULVER CITY, California – WEBWIRE –

REVIEWS AND SENTIMENT EMBARGOED UNTIL MONDAY, APRIL 15

Watch The Official Trailer HERE

All Assets Available HERE

Screener Now Available on Screeners.com

Today, Prime Video announced the release of Hip Hop World, a music special hosted by music industry titan Lenny Santiago, on April 16. The special follows Grammy Award-winning artist DJ Khaled and Billboard-charting recording artist Lola Brooke as they look for inspiration in the cities they explore. In the special, Khaled takes us on another inspiring trip to Jamaica for a behind the scenes look at the making of his music video for These Streets Know My Name. Following the special, Brooke will debut Touch Down in Paris, an original track exclusively on Amazon Music. Hip Hop World will be available on Prime Video in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Germany, Austria, France, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Polynesia, Guatemala, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, UK, U.S., Uruguay, and Venezuela. It will also be available on Amazon Freevee in the U.S., UK, Germany, and Austria.

Hip-hop, originating from a small block in the Bronx, has evolved into a global phenomenon, marked by the worlds recognition and celebration of its 50-year legacy in 2023. This brand new special, hosted by Lenny S., acknowledges the future of the genre and takes us on an international journey with todays biggest hip hop artists as they find musical inspiration in cities around the world.

DJ Khaled, a major force in the music industry, mogul, executive, mega producer and recording artist, known as the Anthem King and commonly referred to as the Quincy Jones of Hip Hop & R&B, has made dozens of chart topping hit records featuring Jay-Z, Kanye West, Rihanna, Drake, Chris Brown, Ludacris, T.I., French Montana, Future, Big Sean, Rick Ross, John Legend, Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne, among others. Khaled has always found inspiration in the dancehall music of Jamaica. In 2021, he made history uniting reggae legends Buju Banton, Capleton, Barrington Levy and Bounty Killer for his track Where I Come From.

Amazon Music Breakthrough Artist, Lola Brooke, who is also releasing her project Dennis Daughter (Deluxe Version) on April 19, does an intimate exploration of Paris with Lenny S. The Brooklyn born rapper, who took the world by storm in 2022 with her viral hit single Dont Play With It, has always dreamed of visiting Paris and understanding the origins of rap in France. Lenny takes Lola on a tour of some of his favorite places as she finds inspiration for her Amazon Music Original track Touch Down in Paris. The special also introduces noted guests along the journey who help the artists find inspiration for their music including Buju Banton, Usain Bolt, Mokobe, Mr. Leggo, Jean Biggie Sebastian and more.

Lenny Santiago, also known as Lenny S., is a veteran music business executive with over two decades of experience in the music industry. Santiago has played a pivotal role in shaping modern hip-hop culture as we know it, most notably known for working closely with the iconic rapper Shawn Jay-Z Carter. Lenny contributed to the A&R process for several of Jays multi-platinum albums, collectively amassing over 55 million records sold worldwide.

Hip Hop World is executive produced by Jason Offor and Lenny Santiago. Additionally, Steven Cantor, Jamie Schutz, and Jessica Cozzetta will serve as executive producers, along with co-executive producer John Faratzis, for Stick Figure Productions. Michael Rapino, Vaughn Trudeau, and Ryan Kroft will also be executive producers for Live Nation Productions. The special is produced by Stick Figure Productions.

About Prime Video

Prime Video is a one-stop entertainment destination offering customers a vast collection of premium programming in one application available across thousands of devices. On Prime Video, customers can find their favorite movies, series, documentaries, and live sports including Amazon MGM Studios-produced series and movies Saltburn, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Reacher, The Boys, and AIR; licensed fan favorites Dawsons Creek and M3GAN; Prime member exclusive Thursday Night Football; and programming from partners such as Max, Crunchyroll and MGM+ via Prime Video Channels add-on subscriptions, as well as more than 450 free ad-supported (FAST) Channels. Prime members in the U.S. can share a variety of benefits, including Prime Video, by using Amazon Household. Prime Video is one benefit among many that provides savings, convenience, and entertainment as part of the Prime membership. All customers, regardless of whether they have a Prime membership or not, can rent or buy titles, including blockbusters such as Barbie and Oppenheimer, via the Prime Video Store, and can enjoy content such as Jury Duty and Bosch: Legacy free with ads on Freevee. Customers can also go behind the scenes of their favorite movies and series with exclusive X-Ray access. For more info visit www.amazon.com/primevideo.

About Amazon Music

Amazon Music is an immersive audio entertainment service that connects fans, artists, and creators through music, podcasts, and culture. Amazon Music brings fans closer to what they love, with curated and personalized playlists, artist livestreams, artist merch, and Amazon Exclusive podcasts. Prime members get access to over 100 million songs in shuffle mode, All-Access playlists, plus the largest catalog of top ad-free podcasts, included with their membership. Customers can upgrade to Amazon Music Unlimited for full, on-demand access to 100 million songs in HD and a growing catalog of Ultra HD and Spatial audio. Anyone can listen to Amazon Music by downloading the free Amazon Music app, or wherever they listen to music including Alexa-enabled devices. Learn more at www.amazon.com/music.

UGC Video Collaboration Gets a Makeover: Veel Launches Streamlining the Process for Brands & Creators

Apr 9, 2024 | Business

 A Vision Born from Experience and Passion

Dileep Dhakal has 14 years plus of experience in product, design, and engineering, working with everything from small startups to big companies like Walmart and Apple. Since moving to San Francisco in 2013, his passion for technology and creative problem solving inspired him to focus on storytelling and creating content that highlights brand values. Dhakal has envisioned creating a platform that not only connects brands with creators but also encapsulates the essence of authentic storytelling. Veel is the embodiment of that vision, offering a bridge between brands and niche creators across the United States, with plans to expand its reach globally in the coming months.

“Hardworking, passionate problem solver and tech enthusiast.”

This statement defines the core of Dileep Dhakal’s approach to innovation and leadership. His journey from the serene landscapes of Nepal to the dynamic tech scene of San Francisco embodies his relentless pursuit of creating meaningful connections through technology.

A Word from the Founder
“Growing up in Nepal and moving to the tech hub of Silicon Valley has given me a unique perspective on the power of technology, storytelling and diversity,” says Dileep Dhakal, Founder of Veel. “Veel is more than just a platform; it’s a gateway for brands to engage with content creators and their audiences on a profound level. We’re thrilled to launch Veel in the U.S. and look forward to expanding globally, bringing our vision of authentic, impactful UGC to the world.”

Data & Insights

The US UGC video market is expected to reach $21.5 billion by 2028 (Source: Grand View Research, Market size specific to the US)

72% of US marketers plan to increase their influencer marketing budgets in 2024 (Source: Influencer Marketing Hub, Data specific to US Market).

About Veel
Veel is the leading platform for seamless UGC video collaboration, revolutionizing the way brands connect with niche- specific UGC creators and passionate customers to create powerful UGC video content. Veel is a collaboration hub where brands and UGC creators connect. Veel empowers creators to focus on their passion and monetize their talent, while helping brands leverage the authenticity and influence of user-generated videos. Veel offers a one-stop shop for effortless, secure, legal, and transparent collaboration, unlocking the full potential of UGC videos.

Benefits for Brands

Find Your Perfect Match: Discover a pool of talented UGC creators and dedicated customers who love your brand, all within your niche.

Streamline Collaboration: Engage with creators directly via integrated Email, SMS (for creators who aren’t already Veel users), and Chat (for creators who are already Veel users) features. Negotiate terms, manage contracts, and pay creators securely within the platform.

AI-Powered Video Filtration: Receive high-quality, brand-safe content thanks to Veel’s advanced filtration process, ensuring videos align with your brand guidelines.

Effortless Video Management: Streamline the entire video collection, storage, and branding process for easy video embedding across your marketing channels.

Boost Brand Advocacy: Build stronger relationships with passionate customers who become brand advocates through UGC video creation.

Benefits for Creators:

Get Discovered by Brands Seeking You: Showcase your unique style and creative talent on our professional platform. Land exciting project opportunities with brands in your niche who value your individuality.

Focus on Your Creativity: Manage projects, contracts, and receive secure payments (cash & non-cash) all within Veel, allowing you to focus on creating amazing content.

Gain Powerful Visibility: Stand out from the crowd on our professional platform, connect with a supportive creator community, and build a stronger online presence.

Monetize Your Passion: Turn your passion into profit with secure and transparent payments for your creative work.

Simple and User-Friendly Platform: Veel’s intuitive interface makes collaboration and project management effortless, allowing you to spend more time creating.

Veel is committed to fostering a thriving community where creators and brands can connect, collaborate, and unlock the immense potential of authentic UGC videos.

Veel Inc
Dileep Dhakal
510-610-2660
https://veelapp.com/

ContactContact

Founder, CEO

Veel App

Veel App

The Veel App can be downloaded by content creators from the App Store and Google Play Store.

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Video Industry Sees Optimism Amidst Rationalisation, the Continued Importance of Asian Content and AI Everywhere

Apr 2, 2024 | Business

The Asia Video Summit, the marquee conference for the video industry, kicked off in Hong Kong this year from 13 – 14 March, as part of the HK Entertainment Expo.

The Summit opened with an overview on the state of video in Asia, and how scale had redefined the industry. Vivek Couto, Executive Director, Media Partners Asia, shared that the ecosystem had changed, and a new pecking order was in place, with the global digital giants dominating video action in APAC, with a total video and screen revenues of US$24.4B coming out of Asia in 2023.

Global demand for premium Asian content continued to grow substantially, with 1.4B active unique users worldwide consuming almost 14B hours of Asian content in 2023, equivalent to a global average of 9.9 hours per user. Asian content also drove significant viewership and acquisition in APAC, with Korean, Anime and Chinese content coming up tops. Couto also shared that Chinese short form drama may be the next big thing, with the domestic market having grown to half a billion in 2023.

For Karen Fu Binxing, CEO of Huace Group, one of China’s largest content producers, the increasing interest in Chinese content overseas filled her with optimism on the rise of Chinese content, with a view to focus more on international cooperations. Fu also added that AI was unstoppable and would bring changes to all aspects of production and broadcasting trends in the content industry.

Wang Yangbin, CEO, Vobile, similarly added that generative AI was a new frontier but believed that the core value of the ecosystem were the rights and the intellectual property, both of which needed to be protected effectively for the industry to grow. However, for Michael Kwan, Senior IP Enforcement Advisor, TVB, AI was very much seen as a double-edged sword, with both pirates and companies using AI to achieve their goals, and infringers using AI to automate piracy and bypass site blocking mechanisms.

AI as a topic came up organically throughout the summit. Kelvin Yau, President, APAC and Overseas Marketing, International Business Department, iQiyi, talked about the use of technology across the company to help the business.  By listening to social trends, AI enabled social media posts to be done quickly, to help promote their shows and satisfy what people were curious about. “It was a sprint race before, now it’s a marathon. How do you win the marathon in keeping the pace, changes the whole game,” said Yau.

James Gibbons, President, Asia Pacific, Warner Bros. Discovery, stressed the importance of focusing on both growth and profitability for streaming in APAC. Gibbons also added that the reason the pay TV model worked so well was due to its dual revenue streams, and this needed to be recreated for streaming. The fact that advertising in a premium video environment lagged so far behind social and UGC video platforms was a huge issue for the industry, and hence it was incredibly important that people who had an investment in premium video came together to solve this issue.

Phil Hardman, SVP & General Manager, Asia, BBC Studios, highlighted the need for curation and aggregation of content, and felt the term pay TV was becoming redundant. Avi Himatsinghani, Founder & CEO, Rewind Networks, also said that it was all converging together, with linear services aggregated alongside streaming services. “We have to reinvent and work harder to make the narrative come alive,” added Himatsinghani.

For sports platform, beIN Media Group, now was a period of rationalisation. “It’s about carving out your niche and finding a sustainable model which can be profitable, and building scale through partnerships,” said Mike Kerr, MD, Asia. “The players that are left standing understand the value of sports and how to manage it from a consumer perspective.” However, with piracy taking US$30B out of the ecosystem it was not sustainable, and the industry needed to come together to combat it, added Kerr.

Closing off the Summit, Alexandre Muller, MD, APAC, TV5MONDE, said that the region needed to listen to local audiences and deliver what they want, and not listen to all the noise coming out of the US. “Asia is Asia, we need to follow our own path and find the right equilibrium among ourselves,” said Muller. “The world is just waking up to the great content that is coming out of Asia,” added Phil Hardman.

The Asia Video Summit 2024 is proudly sponsored by Lead Sponsor Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Gold Sponsors AsiaSat, Bango, InvestHK, Publica, TV5Monde, Vobile, Warner Bros. Discovery; Silver Sponsors France24, Paramount and Bronze Sponsor A+E Networks

Visit the event website and gallery for more information and photos from the Summit.

About the Asia Video Industry Association

The Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) is the trade association for the video industry and ecosystem in Asia Pacific. It serves to make the video industry stronger and healthier through promoting the common interests of its members. AVIA is the interlocutor for the industry with governments across the region, leads the fight against video piracy through its Coalition Against Piracy (CAP) and provides insight into the video industry through reports and conferences aimed to support a vibrant video industry.

For media enquiries and additional background please contact:
Charmaine Kwan
Head of Marketing and Communications
Email: charmaine@avia.org
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/asiavideoia | Twitter: @AsiaVideoIA


Topic: Press release summary

Prime Video Releases the Official Trailer for Horror Anthology Series THEM: THE SCARE Starring Deborah Ayorinde, Luke James, Pam Grier, and more!

Apr 1, 2024 | Business

From series creator, Little Marvin, all eight episodes of the new installment will premiere on Thursday, April 25

CULVER CITY, CA – WEBWIRE –

Watch The Official Trailer HERE

Today, Prime Video has released the official trailer of the horror anthology series Them: The Scare from series creator Little Marvin. This second installment will consist of eight episodes and premieres on Thursday, April 25, 2024, in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. All episodes will be available upon release.

THEM will once again be set in Los Angeles (the first installment, subtitled Covenant, took place in Compton circa 1952 but will move the time frame forward to 1991). The story centers on LAPD Homicide Detective Dawn Reeve, who is assigned to a new case: the gruesome murder of a foster home mother that has left even the most hardened detectives shaken. Navigating a tumultuous time in Los Angeles, with a city on the razors edge of chaos, Dawn is determined to stop the killer. But as she draws closer to the truth, something ominous and malevolent grips her and her family

The series cast includes Deborah Ayorinde (Riches, Harriet) as Detective Dawn Reeve, Pam Grier (Foxy Brown, Bones, Ghost of Mars, Jackie Brown) as Athena, Grammy-nominated musician and actor Luke James (The Chi, Insecure) as Edmund Gaines. Rounding out the cast are Joshua J. Williams (Cloak & Dagger, Mudbound), Jeremy Bobb (The Continental, Gods Country), Wayne Knight (Seinfeld, Narcos), Carlito Olivero (This Is Me… Now, Escape Room: Tournament of Champions), Charles Brice (Homeland, The Blacklist, Watchmen), and Iman Shumpert (The Chi).

Them: The Scare is a co-production of Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios. Series creator Little Marvin serves as showrunner and executive producer with Miri Yoon and Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment and Steve Prinz.

Follow Them: The Scare
Official Hashtag: #Them #ThemTheScare
Instagram: @PrimeVideo / @ThemOnPrime
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Facebook: @PrimeVideo / @ThemOnPrime

Prime Video Reveals New Launch Date for Upcoming Original British Romantic Comedy Movie How To Date Billy Walsh

Feb 20, 2024 | Business

Sebastian Croft, Charithra Chandran and Tanner Buchanan star in the upcoming rom-com, coming exclusively to Prime Video on 5th April 2024

WEBWIRE –

YouTube Link HERE

Prime Video has revealed the new launch date for new Original British high school romantic comedy movie,How To Date Billy Walsh, premiering on Prime Video on 5th April 2024.

The movie starsSebastian Croft(Heartstopper) as Archie,Charithra Chandran(Bridgerton) as Amelia andTanner Buchanan(Cobra Kai) as Billy. Additional cast includes Kunal Nayyar (The Big Bang Theory),Nick Frost(Paul),Guz Khan(Army of Thieves),Lucy Punch (Motherland) and newcomer Daisy Jelley (London Kills).

Teenagers Amelia (Charithra Chandran) and Archie (Sebastian Croft) have been best friends since childhood. Archie has always been there to fight Amelias battles and laugh at her jokes all whilst keeping his lifelong love for her a secret. Just when he builds up the courage to declare his feelings, Amelia falls head over heels for Billy Walsh (Tanner Buchanan), the new American transfer student. Heartbroken Archie goes to great lengths to try and keep Amelia and Billy away from each other but ends up pushing them closer together and risks losing his best friend in the process.

Sebastian Croft who plays Archie said, Im thrilled that audiences will get to see How To Date Billy Walsh. The process of bringing this uniquely British rom-com to life has been an incredible journey, and Im eager to see it bring the same level of joy into peoples homes that we experienced whilst making the movie.

Charithra Chandran who plays Amelia said,Playing Amelia has been an incredibly rewarding experience for me, and I couldnt be happier for others to get to see how much fun we had making this funny, heart-warming film for Prime Video.

The movie is directed by Alex Sanjiv Pillai (Bridgerton) from a script by Alexander J. Farrell and Greer Ellison (Making A Killing). The movie is produced by Matt Williams (Save The Cinema)withco-producer Neil Jones (The Colour Room)both of Future Artists Entertainment.Executive producers include Piers Tempest (Military Wives),Merlin Merton and Sebastian Street(Tomorrow).Further creative credits include director of photography Hamish Doyne-Ditmas (Save The Cinema), production designer Julian Nagel (Been So Long),costume designer Eleanor Baker (The Princess Switch 3), make up designer Chloe Edwards (Breeders) and editor Matt Platts-Mills (Sanditon).

About Prime Video
Prime Video offers customers a vast collection of TV shows, movies, sport and moreall available to watch on practically any device:

  • Included with Prime:Watch thousands of popular movies and TV shows, award-winning Originals and other exclusives, sports, and more. Think UK-produced Originals such asClarksons Farm, The Rig, The Devils Hour, Wilderness,BAFTA-winningJungle, Good Omens, The Grand Tour,All or Nothing: Arsenal and Bond- inspired adventure series 007: Road to a Million,global hits likeThe Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power, The Boys, Gen V, Reacher,andTom Clancys Jack Ryan; as well as exclusive TV shows likeNine Perfect Strangers, and The Continental: From The World of John Wick;movies like BAFTA-nominatedSaltburn,Shotgun Wedding and My Policeman, as well as live sport including live coverage of Premier League football matches. All available at no additional cost as part of Prime Video, which is available in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide (offers and titles vary based on location).
  • Watch More with Prime Video Channels: Prime members can add 65+ channels like discovery+ anddiscovery+ Premium (incl. TNT Sports),Paramount+, hayu, STARZPLAY and more no extra apps to download; no long term contract required. Only pay for the ones you want, and cancel anytime. View the full list of channels available atAmazon.co.uk/channels.
  • Rent or Buy: Enjoy new-release movies to rent or buy, entire seasons of current TV shows available to buy, with special deals just for Prime members.
  • Instant Access: Watch at home or on the go with your choice of hundreds of compatible devices. Stream from the web or using the Prime Video app on your smartphone, tablet, set-top box including Sky, Virgin, TalkTalk and BT, game console, or select smart TVs. For a list of all compatible devices, visitAmazon.co.uk/watchanywhere.
  • Enhanced Experiences:Make the most of every viewing with4K Ultra HD andHigh Dynamic Range(HDR) compatible content.Go behind the scenes of your favourite movies and TV shows with exclusive X-Ray access, powered by IMDb. Save it for later with select mobile downloads for offline viewing.

Prime Video is just one of many shopping, savings and entertainment benefits included with a Prime membership, along with unlimited fast delivery options on millions of items as well as exclusive deals and discounts atAmazon.co.uk, exclusive content with Prime Gaming, access to ad-free music, Kindle ebooks, and unlimited photo storage. To sign-up or start a free trial of Prime visit:Amazon.co.uk/prime

About Amazon
Amazonis guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking.Amazonstrives to be EarthsMost Customer-Centric Company, Earths Best Employer, and EarthsSafest Placeto Work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment byAmazon, AWS,Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV,AmazonEcho, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology,Amazon Studios, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered byAmazon. For more information, visitAmazon.co.uk/aboutand follow@AmazonNewsUK