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DISCOVERY NETWORKS ASIA AND NOKIA CELEBRATE MOBILE FILMMAKING AND UNVEIL ASIA'S BEST MOBILE FILMMAKER IN 2006 AWARDS
Hardiyan Digwiyono from Indonesia clinches grand prize of US$10,000 and three-month stint with Discovery Networks Asia
 

Bangkok, November 23, 2006 - Discovery Networks Asia, a division of leading global real-world media company Discovery Communications, and Nokia, the world leader in mobile communications, today named Hardiyan Digwiyono as the grand prize winner of the Mobile FilmMakers 2006 Awards. An independent consultant and director of a company dealing in beauty products, Hardiyan's passion for mobile phones and filmmaking paid off as he walked away with the grand prize of US$10,000 and a three-month stint with Discovery Networks Asia for his entry titled Children in the Hot Mud Volcanoes.

Marking the conclusion of this year's region-wide collaboration between two of Asia-Pacific's most famous and loved brand names, the 14 finalists from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam came together in Bangkok, Thailand, to honour the winner of the second Mobile Filmmakers Awards initiative. Hardiyan received the highest overall score in areas of understanding the brief given to the contestants, including originality and quality of idea, visualization and technical excellence, creativity and innovation.

The Mobile FilmMakers Awards initiative is a celebration of mobile filmmaking talent in the Asia-Pacific region. The contest presents aspiring filmmakers with an opportunity to showcase their creativity in an exciting new genre that is changing how people traditionally view filmmaking – by enabling directorial talent with a mobile device. The Mobile FilmMakers initiative also adds a new dimension to the film industry and contributes to the evolution and growth of filmmaking.

Vikram Channa, vice president of production and development, Discovery Networks Asia, said, "The higher number of entries received and the quality of the submissions shows that the momentum and excitement of the first Mobile FilmMakers initiative has carried over to this year, and the concept of mobile filmmaking has appealed to a wide range of users – from the general public to seasoned professionals alike. Discovery is committed to helping develop talent in the region and we are certain that through initiatives such as the Mobile FilmMakers Awards, we will be able to uncover more budding filmmakers and help take filmmaking to even greater heights."

"Technology as an enabler is clearly showcased in this initiative, and the finalists have shown what one can do with a powerful multimedia computer like the Nokia N93, which comes with optics from Carl Zeiss, and features that are similar to, if not better than, traditional digital cameras and camcorders. Already today, camera phones outsell traditional digital cameras and camcorders by 400%. Also, convergence is not only about features but importantly lifestyle changing experiences. For example, the ability to connect and instantly upload images and videos to the internet via a Nokia Nseries device enables consumers to share experiences that words cannot describe," said Jawahar Kanjilal, director, multimedia experiences, Nokia Multimedia Asia Pacific.

In the first round of the competition, 70 semi-finalists were selected from more than 2,000 entries received. This number was further whittled down to 14, following workshops that were conducted throughout the region over the past four months. Comprising the strongest participants from each workshop and representing their countries at a regional level, the 14 finalists were: Azrin Razman bin Suleiman (Malaysia), Bob Calabritto (Indonesia), Gunasegaran Suppiah (Singapore), Hardiyan Digwiyono (Indonesia), Joel Anthony T. Cardenas (Philippines), Kshitij Shankhdar (India), Nilapa Buchasuk (Thailand), Reynaldo De Guzman (Philippines), Shane Bunnag (Thailand), To Minh Ly (Vietnam), Tushar Joshi (India), Vuong Ngoc Linh (Vietnam), Willie Koh (Singapore), and Yasunari Rajendra (Malaysia).

In preparation for the final showdown, the finalists were flown to Singapore to attend an intensive workshop during which they were able to learn more about the finer points of filmmaking from filmmakers such as Singaporean Royston Tan, whose film 15 has won widespread acclaim including the Netpac Fipresci World critic award at the 16th Singapore international film festival, and creative director Saumya Sen, who is a seasoned professional in the advertising industry and has won numerous advertising awards in India. The contestants also had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and familiarize themselves with the wide range of mobile film functions of the Nokia N93, which they used to capture, edit and submit their final entries.

Other awards given out at the event were for "Best Editing" and "Best Visualisation", which went to Shane Bunnag from Thailand and Bob Calabritto from Indonesia, respectively. Shane and Bob each won a cash prize of USD$3,000 for winning in these categories. The "Best Editing" award is in recognition of the best use of editing techniques in the creation of the mobile film including the use of basic cuts and effects, visual composition, placement of audio and how these contribute to the overall look and structure of the mobile film, while the "Best Visualisation" award recognises the best use of visuals in the creation of the mobile film, including style of filming, lighting, framing, dynamic movement, the choice of shots and the way the visuals contribute to the overall look and story structure that is finally achieved.

A new element introduced in this year's contest was the People's Choice award, for which Tushar Joshi took home the honours and a cash prize of USD$3,000 with the most number of votes. The winner of this award was decided by the public, who could vote for their favourite mobifilmmaker either online or via the Mobile FilmMakers Gallery on compatible Nokia phones. Voters themselves stood a chance to win a Nokia Nseries multimedia computer and exclusive Discovery Channel premiums after successfully registering their vote.

For more information on the Mobile FilmMakers 2006 Awards, please refer to the attached Fact Sheet or log on to www.mobifilms.net.

For more information on the Mobile FilmMakers 2006 Awards, please refer to the attached Fact Sheet or log on to www.mobifilms.net.

 
MOBILE FILMMAKERS 2006 AWARDS FACT SHEET
 

About Discovery Communications, Inc.
Discovery Communications is the leading global real-world media company. Discovery has grown from its core property, the Discovery Channel, first launched in the United States in 1985, to current global operations in 170 countries and territories with 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers. Discovery Networks International offers 19 television brands, reaching 746 million cumulative subscribers. In Asia Pacific, seven Discovery brands reach 339.5 million cumulative subscribers in 24 countries with programming available in eight languages. Discovery Communications is owned by four shareholders: Discovery Holding Company (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB), Cox Communications, Inc., Advance/Newhouse Communications and John S. Hendricks, the Company's Founder and Chairman.

About Nokia
Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations. www.nokia.com

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