Category Archives: Entertainment

Future Publishing Acquires Stake In Handpicked Media

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handpickedfutureSome very exciting news from Handpicked Media, which Frost Magazine is a part of, here it is in their own words:

Future has acquired a stake in Handpicked Media – a marketing agency for independent digital publishers – creating Handpicked Future Future plc, the international media group and leading digital business, today announces a strategic partnership with Handpicked Media.

The partnership sees Future acquire a 35% stake in Handpicked Media, which represents over 500 independent websites and blogs, reaching over 3.5 million unique users a month in the UK and six million globally. The Handpicked Future partnership provides Future with access to Handpicked’s roster of influential blogs and independent sites across a range of lifestyle channels including Fashion, Beauty and Entertainment. And in return Future will drive the effective commercialisation of those sites.

As a pioneering agency working in social media, Handpicked Media has curated a growing portfolio of influential sites across a range of lifestyle channels since it was launched in 2009 by entrepreneur Krista Madden. It manages the interaction between its community and a range of consumer brands, offering clients an array of opportunities to reach a very targeted and highly engaged audience.

Mark Wood, CEO of Future plc, says: “Handpicked has created a powerful social media proposition, curating a portfolio of leading independent sites and blogs across a range of sectors including beauty, fashion, lifestyle and entertainment. Our partnership grows Future’s digital audience in attractive new sectors and is another signal of Future’s intention to deliver greater audience engagement and diversified revenue opportunities from digital platforms.”

Handpicked Future solutions include social media strategy, blogger outreach, content creation, events and integrated campaigns for a range of brand partners including Gucci, Karen Millen, Vodafone, Nivea and Intel. Future will drive the next phase of commercialisation across the collective, with an initial focus on developing the women’s lifestyle offer, under Future Women Managing Director, Jo Morrell.

Jo says: “Future is all about digital innovation and creative content, and Handpicked Media shares that sensibility. Krista and her team have created a really powerful social platform, which Future can support, expand and commercialise. Our award-winning digital excellence offers tremendous opportunities for lifestyle, fashion and beauty brands to deeply engage their audiences through Handpicked Future. I’m thrilled to seal this partnership.”

Krista adds: “We are very excited to be working with Future to expand our audiences, while supporting and developing the talent we have. The combined expertise of the new Handpicked Future team brings innovation and a unique proposition across social and digital platforms.”

Future reaches 58 million global unique users a month online and in the last year so over five million digital editions of its products for tablet and smartphone devices.

Future is the PPA and AOP Consumer Digital Publisher of the Year and the BMA Media Company of the Year.

Rolling Stones Only Contemporary Portrait Series Released in London

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Michael Donald has been selected by Ronnie Wood to do new portraits of The Rolling Stones, the only series of contemporary portraits of the whole band to ever be released, to be displayed at Castle Fine Art from 7th Feb – 2nd March.

Half of the series was shot in Stagroves, the house Mick owned in 1971 where the band started to record Exile on Main Street. Ronnie was shot in London and Keith in New York. There are some fascinating stories to be told from the shoot.

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Buy Your Very Own Ryan Gosling

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For those with a Gosling obsession, and there are many; Fancy becoming Ryan Gosling’s personal stylist? The Ryan Gosling paperboy is the perfect way to get your Gosling Fix. Complete with a range of outfits from Drive to Notebook, You’ll be sure to have plenty of fun dressing and undressing your very own Gosling.

The Ryan Gosling Paperboy costs £6.95 from www.prezzybox.com

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Two Copies Of Penthouse North To Giveaway

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penthousenorthdvdgiveawayWe have two copies of Penthouse North to giveaway.

Fresh from his leading role in Robocop 2014 Michael Keaton (Batman) stars alongside Michelle Monaghan (Source Code) in action-packed thriller Penthouse North, from Sleeping with the Enemy director Joseph Ruben (Money Train) which comes to DVD and Blu-ray on 3 February 2014.

It’s New Year’s Eve in New York City and a young woman’s (Monahan) penthouse is invaded by Hollander (Keaton) and his sadistic partner. The vicious pair will do whatever it takes  – torture, tear the place apart and even kill to find what they’re looking for. While the party rages outside, inside Penthouse North Sara must fight for her life. It’s kill or be killed in this pulse-pounding, non-stop fight to the finish thriller.

To win follow @Frostmag on Twitter and Tweet, ‘I want to win Penthouse North with @Frostmag’ or like us on Facebook.  Alternatively, sign up to our newsletter. Or subscribe to Frost Magazine TV on YouTube here: http://t.co/9etf8j0kkz.

The competition ends on January 31st 2014.

Why We Should All Calm Down About Vogue Photoshopping Lena Dunham

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Some controversy I just don’t get. Like photoshopping. When I watch a film I know it is not reality, and when I read magazines and see posters I don’t expect that to be reality either. Which is why those making a huge deal about Lena Dunham being photoshopped in Vogue (of all places, Vogue is all about fantasy) are making a fuss over nothing. And the gleefulness of some people about the ‘before’ pictures is just bitchiness on a high-school level- she doesn’t look like a supermodel, but that doesn’t mean she is not beautiful. Beauty is debatable.

Dunham has said she is ‘confused’ about the uproar. Frankly, so am I. Jezebel even paid $10,000 for the unretouched pictures and featured them. Why? Models are also retouched in Vogue. Why is Dunham singled out? If anything her differences should be applauded. Dunham did a great Tweet on it.

In fact pretty much everything in the media is photoshopped. The sky, food…the list is endless. Of course men and women are photoshopped, yet it is only when women are photoshopped that the media have a huge hissy-fit about it. The same media that encourages the practice. You may noticed I said women. I meant it. Have you ever seen a media-storm about a man having his pot-belly removed or been made to look younger? I haven’t. Men don’t care either.

Jezebel article on Lena Dunham being photoshopped. Credit: Jezebel.

Jezebel article on Lena Dunham being photoshopped. Credit: Jezebel.

In my opinion it is just another form of sexism. Women are made to feel bad about their bodies so they can be exploited out of their hard-earned money with an endless parade of celebrities whipping themselves into shape weeks after birth, or starving themselves for two days a week. Then they are made to feel bad about not feeling good about their bodies. We can’t win.

Here is my opinion on photoshopping: I love it. I really love it. In fact my idea of hell is being in the media, especially in print, and not being photoshopped. Every flaw is highlighted when photographed. I don’t even care if they photoshop out an arm, as long as they make me taller, thinner and better looking. After all, it’s not reality and it’s not supposed to be.

 

Guardian News & Media launches the Guardian Film Awards

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guardianfilmawardsExciting news for film fans. Guardian News and Media (GNM) today launches the inaugural Guardian Film Awards, a brand new celebration of contemporary cinema which rethinks the categories from the ground up and puts the movie-goer at the heart of the experience.

 

In a fresh twist, alongside the traditional big hitter categories like best film and best director, readers can vote for their favourite marketing campaign, film festival and movie scene. And instead of the usual gender divisions of best actor and best actress, in the Guardian Film Awards, both sexes battle it out in the same categories.

 

Unlike traditional awards like the Oscars or Golden Globes, the Guardian Film Awards give readers the chance to have their say in the matter every step of the way – from shaping the shortlists to having a vote at the final judging stage.

 

The way it works is simple. Readers vote for their favourites in the main nine categories from the longlists chosen by Guardian film editors and writers. The votes cast will decide the shortlist, which will then be considered by a panel of six expert judges – including Guardian and Observer critics Peter Bradshaw and Xan Brooks, editor-in-chief Alan Rusbridger, film editor Catherine Shoard, award-winning film-maker Adam Curtis, and critic and presenter Claudia Winkleman. The invisible seventh judge at the table will be the reader, whose vote will help shape and guide the panel’s final decision.

 

The shortlists will be announced on 19 February. The winners will collect their awards at a ceremony on 6 March.

 

The full category list includes:

Best film (this can be in any genre and includes documentaries and foreign-language films)

Best actor (male or female)

Best supporting actor (male or female)

Best director

Best scene

Best line of dialogue

Best film festival

Best marketing campaign

Biggest game-changer

Best cinema (wholly voted by readers)

So-bad-it’s-good film (wholly voted by readers)

Lifetime achievement (special judges’ award wholly nominated and voted by the panel)

Guardian & Observer film critic and judge Peter Bradshaw said: “The Guardian Film Awards will offer a new slant on the awards season; they will be enjoyable, unpretentious, and user-friendly and let the reader and moviegoer connect more directly with the glittering prizes themselves.”

 

Judge Claudia Winkleman said: “I’m thrilled to be one of the judges for the Guardian Film Awards. I’m particularly excited as the readers are voting too. Also, I think it’s common knowledge that I’d follow Peter Bradshaw anywhere.”

 

Readers can vote and participate on the Guardian Film Awards 2014 website: theguardian.com/guardian-film-awards. Voting closes midday February 16 2014.

 

Read more on the longlists here.

Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby Announce First Ambassador

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Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby has welcomed its first Ambassador to the sport that captivated the nation at London 2012.  Harlequins and England rugby star Mike Brown will take on a role that continues the rugby links GBWR has made recently – partnering with the RFU and with Harlequins, Saracens, Gloucester, Leicester and Woodbridge rugby clubs – involving him in the GBWR military programme, supported and funded by Help for Heroes.

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(From left to right: Alan Ash, GBWR Captain, Mike Brown, Harlequins and England and Kylie Grimes, GBWR)
Mike – who has amassed 21 caps for England and had a starring role in England’s recent Autumn Internationals picking up the coveted QBE Player of the Series Award – comments,  “I enjoy playing rugby because it is physical and I enjoy wheelchair rugby for the same reason.  The sound they make with the hits they put in is unbelievable.   It is a fast-paced, high-action game and the physicality and skill they show with the ball is brilliant.  I look forward to my new role and hope I will get a chance to join them for a game.”
David Pond, Chief Executive of GBWR, comments “I’m delighted that we have the support of Mike for this initiative.  We have been working closely with the charity Help for Heroes and Battle Back to provide opportunities for wounded and injured service men and women to try wheelchair rugby for the first time. The programme started with a series of sessions at Headley Court and I’m pleased it is to be part of the rehabilitation programme rolled out to support Help the Heroes run Recovery Centres at Colchester, Tidworth, Catterick and Plymouth.”
Mike Brown met with GBWR squad players (including Alan Ash [Captain] and Kylie Grimes) at Headley Court, the Ministry of Defence Medical Rehabilitation Unit, to announce the appointment and joined them in a demonstration match against the patients.
The programme, funded by Help for Heroes, along with Sport England, will be available to wounded, injured and service personnel and veterans at UK Recovery Centres across 2014.”