MENA – Page 134 – Eritrea Wire

April 19, 2022

Interest in Business Schools Survives Cost Perception and “Great Resignation”

Global survey defines pandemic-induced shifts in MBA and Business Master’s degrees

RESTON, Va., April 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), a global association of leading graduate business schools, today released its GMAC Prospective Students Survey – 2022 Summary Report, which explores how candidate preferences have shifted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report was based on survey responses from more than 6,500 individuals worldwide who expressed interest in graduate business education in 2021. While cost remains a primary concern in today’s dynamic economy with brisk job market and rising inflation, candidates from around the globe continue to perceive graduate management education as a tried-and-true pathway to advance professionally and position themselves to achieve their goals, consistent with pre-pandemic levels. Globally, 4 out of 5 candidates stated that a graduate business degree allows them to stand out at work. Similarly, the full-time MBA program continues to be the most popular program option, with 1 out of 4 of all candidates preferring the two-year full-time format and another 1 in 5 preferring the one-year full time format.

“While the pandemic has altered aspects of the graduate management education landscape, the fundamental perceptions of the value of graduate management education generally and the MBA specifically continue to stay strong,” said Sangeet Chowfla, president and CEO of GMAC. “While there continue to be evolutions in candidates’ preferred study destinations, delivery formats, career paths and perceptions of admissions testing policies, if there were ever any concerns that the pandemic and its effects would diminish business school aspirants’ perceptions of the value of a degree, the latest GMAC findings of the Prospective Students Survey should help put them to rest.”

Other Key Findings

More candidates prefer to study closer to home while the U.S. and Europe intensify their competition for international candidates

More candidates from traditionally mobile markets are opting to study closer to home than they did before the pandemic. For example, among Central and South Asian candidates, the percentage who prefer to study internationally declined from 89 to 73 percent between 2019 and 2021. Among East and Southeast Asian candidates, preference to study internationally also declined from 92 to 87 percent between 2020 and 2021, a possible indication that studying abroad was limited due to the pandemic-fueled travel restrictions.

Among international candidates—candidates whose preferred study destination differs from their country of citizenship—virtually the same proportion said in 2021 that the United States and Western Europe is their preferred destination (39%, respectively). Among international MBA candidates specifically, the U.S. is the preferred destination of half (50%), expanding its lead over second place Western Europe (28%) between 2019 and 2021. In the meantime, Western Europe remains the preferred destination of more than half of international business master’s candidates.

Belief in the value of fully online education remains low while acceptance of hybrid formats increases

Candidates see higher value in the in-person business school experience compared with online as the share of surveyed candidates who prefer fully online programs stays flat. Among global prospective students surveyed in 2021, most disagree that online degree programs offer the same value as on-campus programs (73%). Nearly 4 in 5 disagree that the networking opportunities are equivalent, and 2 in 3 disagree that the career opportunities are the same. However, these negative views softened slightly between 2020 and 2021.

At the same time, preference for hybrid models has gone up significantly across candidate types, especially those who prefer Executive, Part-time, and Flexible MBA programs (44%, from 30% in 2019), but also those who want to study full-time to earn a business master’s (20%, from 13% in 2019) or MBA (13%, from 7% in 2019). Globally, 20 percent of candidates surveyed in 2021 prefer hybrid program delivery, up from 14 percent pre-pandemic. U.S. underrepresented minority candidates (28%) also express interest in hybrid programs, up significantly from the pre-pandemic level.

Consulting continues to top prospective student interests, but tech is still on the rise

Among candidates in the United States, where “the Great Resignation” has shaken up the job market, 42 percent identify themselves as “career switchers” ─ whose goal is to either change industries or job functions by pursuing a business degree ─ significantly higher than global levels at 32 percent. As it was pre-pandemic, consulting continues to be the top industry and job function both men and women candidates aspire to. But there is growing interest in the technology industry, especially among the career switchers (50%) and non-business undergraduate majors (49%). Furthermore, between 2019 and 2021, interest in tech also increased with women (29% to 34%).

“As people perceive work differently after the pandemic, many become more open-minded to the variety of possible career paths they could pursue. It is encouraging to see that more women are pursuing a business degree as a way to build careers in the tech industry,” said Joy Jones, chief product officer and general manager of assessments at GMAC. “Graduate business education continues to be in high demand because it opens the door to a wide array of industries and job functions, including areas that are less thought about or not previously considered by traditional candidates seeking to enter business schools.”

Test optional and waiver policies led to unintended consequences

Globally, most candidates agree that admissions exams improve the fairness and transparency of business school admissions. Most also agree that exams improve schools’ reliability in evaluating applicants and demonstrate the importance they place on the quality of the students they admit. A clear trend in survey responses is that international candidates view admissions testing especially favorably. About half say a school’s use of admissions exams is an indicator of the quality of the program and is an important criterion for considering applying to that school, and twice as many international candidates agree than disagree that admissions exams are an effective way to determine which students to admit. Additionally, about 2 in 5 prospective students agree that the criteria for test waivers are complex and do not apply to a large proportion of applicants, and about 1 in 3 say waivers disproportionately benefit candidates who are less prepared for a graduate business degree program.

“The data shows that prospective applicants have mixed feelings about test waiver and optional policies because of their complexity and perceptions of reduced transparency and fairness. This trend of perception is particularly acute amongst international students,” said Maite Salazar, chief marketing officer at GMAC. “The unintended consequences of test optional and waiver policies might be that they may adversely affect the perception of the commitment to student quality of programs that offer them.”

For more than a decade, the Prospective Students Survey has provided the world’s graduate business schools with critical insights into the decision-making processes of people currently considering applying to a graduate management education program through mba.com—the GMAC website for prospective graduate business students. This year, to increase the breadth and depth of prospective student voices reflected in this report, all individuals who registered for an mba.com account in the month prior were invited to the subsequent month’s survey. Additionally, for the first time, the sample of mba.com registrants was supplemented by prospective students who attended events hosted by The MBA Tour, visited the BusinessBecause website, or registered for the NMAT by GMAC exam in India—all also GMAC properties. Visit GMAC.com to read the full report.

About GMAC

The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) is a mission-driven association of leading graduate business schools worldwide. Founded in 1953, GMAC creates solutions and experiences that enable business schools and candidates to better discover, evaluate, and connect with each other.

GMAC provides world-class research, industry conferences, recruiting tools, and assessments for the graduate management education industry, as well as tools, resources, events, and services that help guide candidates through their higher education journey. Owned and administered by GMAC, the Graduate Management Admission Test™ (GMAT™) exam is the most widely used graduate business school assessment.

More than 12 million prospective students a year trust GMAC’s websites, including mba.com, to learn about MBA and business master’s programs, connect with schools around the world, prepare and register for exams and get advice on successfully applying to MBA and business master’s programs. BusinessBecause and The MBA Tour are subsidiaries of GMAC, a global organization with offices in China, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

To learn more about our work, please visit www.gmac.com

Media Contact:

Teresa Hsu
Sr. Manager, Media Relations
202-390-4180 (mobile)
thsu@gmac.com

A PDF accompanying this announcement is available at http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/d3170b54-b044-4d0c-8850-b3334540861a

April 19, 2022

Zoom Whiteboard, the Collaboration Canvas for Hybrid Teams, Now Available

New Solution Enables Real-time and Asynchronous Dispersed Collaboration

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Zoom Video Communications, Inc. announced the general availability of Zoom Whiteboard, a modern digital canvas that provides a unified solution for collaboration and creation within the Zoom platform. Users can interact with the Zoom Whiteboard similar to an in-person experience, creating more visually engaging and efficient collaboration. With the global workforce embracing hybrid work environments across industries, there is an increased need for solutions that seamlessly foster ideation and teamwork among co-located and distributed colleagues. Zoom Whiteboard further broadens the capabilities of the Zoom platform for today’s hybrid workforce, including unified communications, Zoom Developer Platform, Zoom Events, Zoom Contact Center, and Zoom IQ for Sales.

“Collaboration tools are in high demand, and Zoom Whiteboard is sure to be a staple in the modern workforce,” said Dan Root, Senior Analyst of Visual Collaboration, Wainhouse Research. “Zoom brings over a decade’s worth of experience in exceptional video communications to this new solution, which businesses need to keep information flowing in a secure and easily-managed fashion.”

“Not only are we supporting customers as they adapt to this new phase of work, but we’re anticipating what comes next, and building platform solutions, like Zoom Whiteboard, to address it,” said Oded Gal, Chief Product Officer of Zoom. “Zoom Whiteboard is arming teams with the power of continuous communication in an easy-to-use solution that provides a virtual space to collaborate before, during, and after a meeting.”

Whiteboard Anytime, From Anywhere
Hybrid work presents challenges for working collaboratively as remote workers can’t see a physical whiteboard in the office and risk being left out. It can also be challenging to transport ideas and information across a broad audience.

Zoom Whiteboard is a visual collaboration tool designed to facilitate asynchronous and real-time collaboration, serving as a virtual space for teams to capture ideas and work together with freedom and flexibility. A web-based solution, users can effortlessly collaborate across a variety of devices – web browser, tablet, desktop, or Zoom Rooms for Touch. Tightly integrated with Zoom Meetings and Zoom Rooms for Touch devices like the DTEN D7 and Neat Board, with support for Zoom Chat coming soon, Zoom Whiteboard extends productivity well beyond the boundaries of a single meeting.

Complement your Zoom Rooms with a dedicated Companion Whiteboard, like the new DTEN ONboard, the first purpose-built interactive touch display for advanced whiteboarding coming soon.

Features Designed for Collaboration
Zoom Whiteboard comes with a host of easy-to-use features including:

Dashboard and easy sharing: Create new, manage existing, and share access to whiteboards. Zoom Whiteboard can be shared internally or externally with anyone that has a Zoom account, with the option to export and save.
Notes and comments: Use sticky notes to highlight important ideas.
Shapes and Connectors: Shapes are easily created, and connectors can be used to instantly attach those shapes.
Extendable Canvas: Create up to 12 pages with seamless navigation; users can easily add images.

To learn more about Zoom Whiteboard, please visit the Whiteboard page and read our blog.

About Zoom
Zoom is for you. Zoom is a space where you can connect to others, share ideas, make plans, and build toward a future limited only by your imagination. Our frictionless communications platform is the only one that started with video as its foundation, and we have set the standard for innovation ever since. That is why we are an intuitive, scalable, and secure choice for large enterprises, small businesses, and individuals alike. Founded in 2011, Zoom is publicly traded (NASDAQ:ZM) and headquartered in San Jose, California. Visit zoom.com and follow @zoom.

Zoom Public Relations
Farshad Hashmatulla
Product PR Manager
press@zoom.us

April 19, 2022

Casio to Release EDIFICE Collaboration Model with TOM’S, Inspired by Luxury Sports Cars

TOKYO, April 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Casio Computer Co., Ltd. announced today the release of the latest addition to the EDIFICE line based on the brand concept of “Speed and Intelligence.” TOM’S Limited Edition EQB-1100TMS is a collaboration model designed with TOM’S to evoke the luxury sports cars that are the team’s specialty.

TOM’S is a top Japanese racing team competing in the most prestigious races in Japan, with a number of SUPER GT and SUPER FORMULA championships under its belt. The company also brings the technologies it cultivates for racing to its aftermarket parts and custom cars. With the TOM’S team needing watches that would allow members to share precise timing during races, Casio has been a sponsor since 2013 through EDIFICE, its line of timepieces inspired by a motorsports worldview.

The third collaboration between TOM’S and Casio, the EQB-1100TMS is a high-performance timepiece featuring a slim case at just 8.9mm and a design inspired by TOM’S luxury sports cars. The watch features a dial made of the carbon fiber so prevalent in motorsports and is accented with the TOM’S logo, second hand, and indicator hand in gold color for a look of rich luxury. Color gradation around the perimeters of the sapphire crystal and the inset dial at the 6 o’clock position recreates the changing color of a sports car’s titanium tail pipe when the exhaust heat causes the titanium to turn bluish. Every detail was created under TOM’S supervision, including the octagonal bezel finished with black ion plating and the gray ion-plated case and band, for a chic timepiece as impressive as the company’s luxury sports cars.

The EQB-1100TMS is also equipped with Mobile Link functions that pair via Bluetooth® to a smartphone. When used with the dedicated EDIFICE Connected app, the watch automatically adjusts the time and enables the wearer to use their smartphone to easily select any of approximately 300 cities for world time and display the time in two cities. The Tough Solar charging system converts light to power the watch for practicality and convenience.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1797749/EQB_1100TMS.jpg

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1797751/EQB_1100TMS_1.jpg

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1797750/TOM_S_hand_indicator_hand_gold_color.jpg

April 15, 2022

AI Week brings together the world AI community

Four days of events will feature keynotes and talks from leaders in AI and machine learning

EDMONTON, Alberta, April 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Amii (the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute) has announced the program for AI Week, May 24-27 in Edmonton, Canada. With more than 20 events taking place across four days throughout the city, the celebration of Alberta’s AI excellence will feature an academic keynote from Richard S. Sutton, leading expert in reinforcement learning, who will discuss future research directions in the field.

The jam-packed week also includes panels on AI career paths for kids, AI for competitive advantage and the ethics of AI; a career and talent mixer connecting AI career seekers with top companies; and a full-day academic symposium bringing together the brightest minds in AI. The celebrations are rounded out by a ‘house’ party at a secret, soon-to-be-revealed location and the Amiiversary street party, marking 20 years of AI excellence in Alberta. Learn more about the program at www.ai-week.ca/program

“Over the past 20 years, Alberta has emerged as one of the world’s top destinations for AI research and application,” says Cam Linke, CEO of Amii. “With AI Week, we’re putting a global spotlight on the province and welcoming the world’s AI community to experience what many in the field have known for a long time: that Alberta is at the forefront of the AI revolution. AI Week isn’t just a celebration of 20 years of AI excellence – it’s a launching point for the next 20 years of advancement.”

AI Week has something for everyone – including sessions, networking events and socials for a range of ages and familiarity with AI. Additional keynotes will be delivered by Alona Fyshe, speaking about what brains and AI can tell us about one another, and Martha White, who will present on innovative applications of reinforcement learning. A special AI in Health keynote will highlight the work of Dornoosh Zonoobi and Jacob Jaremko of Medo.ai, which uses machine learning in concert with ultrasound technology to screen infants for hip dysplasia.

Informal networking and social events will help forge connections between members of the research, industry and innovation communities – as well as AI beginners and enthusiasts. Meanwhile, the Amiiversary street party, hosted on Rice Howard Way in Edmonton’s downtown core, will mark 20 years of AI excellence in Alberta. The party will be attended by the who’s-who of Edmonton AI, technology and innovation scenes.

AI Week will be attended by the world’s AI community, with over 500 applicants for travel bursaries from more than 35 different countries. The successful applicants, emerging researchers and industry professionals alike, will have the opportunity to learn alongside leaders in the field at the AI Week Academic Symposium, which is being organized by Amii’s Fellows from the University of Alberta, one of the world’s top academic institutions for AI research. The symposium will include talks and discussions among top experts in AI and machine learning as well as demos and lab showcases from the Amii community.

“I chose to set up in Canada in 2003 because, at the time, Alberta was one of the few places investing in building a community of AI researchers,” says Richard S. Sutton, Amii’s Chief Scientific Advisor, who is also a Professor at the University of Alberta and a Distinguished Research Scientist at DeepMind. “Nearly twenty years later, I am struck by how much we have achieved to advance the field of AI, not only locally but globally. AI Week is an opportunity to celebrate those achievements and showcase some of the brightest minds in AI.”

The event is being put on by Amii, one of Canada’s AI institutes in the Pan-Canadian AI Strategy and will feature event partners and community-led events from across Canada’s AI ecosystem. AI Week is made possible in part by our event partners and talent bursary sponsors: AltaML, Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation, ATB, Attabotics, BDC, CBRE, CIFAR, DeepMind, DrugBank, Explore Edmonton, NeuroSoph, RBC Royal Bank, Samdesk, TELUS and the University of Alberta.

About Amii

One of Canada’s three centres of AI excellence as part of the Pan-Canadian AI Strategy, Amii (the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute) is an Alberta-based non-profit institute that supports world-leading research in artificial intelligence and machine learning and translates scientific advancement into industry adoption. Amii grows AI capabilities through advancing leading-edge research, delivering exceptional educational offerings and providing business advice – all with the goal of building in-house AI capabilities. For more information, visit amii.ca.

Spencer Murray
Communications & Public Relations
t: 587.415.6100 ext. 109 | c: 780.991.7136
spencer.murray@amii.ca

April 14, 2022

Imagine Aviator Maximizes Revenue Potential and Viewing Quality Across Linear and VOD Services

Plan, make and monetize sophisticated content on all screens from a single cloud platform

Denver, April 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As media companies are challenged to meet growing demand for content on any screen and deliver profitability, Imagine Communications today announces the introduction of Imagine Aviator™, the first truly cloud-native platform that enables broadcasters, MVPDs and digital-first providers to plan, make and monetize premium-quality linear and OTT content from a single, unified platform. The ground-breaking platform ― designed to enable media companies to extract the maximum revenue potential from their assets ― will make its debut at the 2022 NAB Show (24–27 April, Las Vegas Convention Center, booth C2122).

Aviator raises the bar for monetization of content across all screens, enabling media companies to optimize ad delivery, significantly improve the revenue of otherwise under-monetized OTT content and generate greater profitability from their media assets. Architected for an ever-evolving future, Aviator offers flexible subscription and SaaS purchase options that suit new business models and an agile, cloud-based design that allows media companies to continue to deliver and monetize content no matter how consumer viewing habits change.

“We understand the challenges and complexities that premium brands have in today’s fluid media landscape,” says Rob Malcolm, chief product officer at Imagine Communications. “With Aviator, we are bringing together our experience and intellectual property in a unique, cloud-native platform that maximizes monetization of content across broadcast and OTT platforms today ― and readies media companies to adapt and thrive no matter what the future holds.”

Aviator combines the critical capabilities of scheduling, rights management, channel origination, live events, VOD, ad sales, ad placement, ad serving, campaign management, and more into a single cloud platform. It creates a converged solution that delivers linear programming and video-on-demand content with ads and triggers for local and dynamic ad insertion, making it easier for media companies to successfully monetize broadcast, OTT, FAST, pop-up and VOD content. Providing fully automated operation of thematic channels, the new platform also guarantees high audio and video quality on all outlets and supports the demands of premium services.

Running in the public cloud, Aviator requires only a web browser and internet connection to securely access and operate all aspects of the platform, placing control at the operators’ fingertips wherever they are based ― at the office, a remote location or when working from home. It can run either in a media company’s own cloud account, or in Imagine’s SaaS environment, where it is monitored, managed and maintained by Imagine, allowing customers to reap the benefits of operational efficiency, while maintaining control of all creative aspects of their content.

At launch, Aviator will include all the capabilities required to solve the complex needs of delivering premium-quality, sophisticated linear channels with unified origination — originating broadcast and OTT linear streams from a single playlist supporting ad insertion. Its ability to integrate content acquisition from live streams, file sources such as video clips, audio and captions makes Aviator the perfect tool for delivering live sports, news, and scheduled and unscheduled live events workflows.

“We will continue to add functionality on an aggressive roadmap schedule,” Malcolm adds. “Later this year, we will expand the Aviator platform’s monetization capabilities to allow media companies to sell their own ad inventory rather than limiting them to only plugging in a demand-side platform to fill available inventory. This will enable media companies to maximize their yield, which in turn allows them to afford more premium content rights.”

At the heart of Aviator is Imagine’s “audience-first” ad placement engine, which will allow media companies to sell inventory by audience, by context, or by spot ― regardless of the platform or delivery mechanism. New functionality will enable media companies to maximize revenue by targeting commercials to audiences accurately; delivering CPM/CPI-style metrics across all platforms, including broadcast; and monetizing scenarios that are difficult to plan in advance, such as extra time in sporting events and breaking news programming.

Malcolm continues, “As consumers find more ways to watch, the efficiencies of cloud play an important role, making it easier for media companies to address broadening advertising opportunities and create highly impactful and dynamic channels with genuine appeal to viewers. Some aspects of the TV landscape remain uncertain, but making content available on all screens in a way that allows our customers to achieve their full revenue potential requires convergence of content planning, origination and monetization. And that is exactly what Aviator makes possible.”

For more information about Imagine Communications’ products and solutions, please visit https://www.imaginecommunications.com

About Imagine Communications

Imagine Communications empowers the media and entertainment industry through transformative innovation. Broadcasters, networks, video service providers and enterprises around the world rely on our optimized, futureproof, multiscreen video and revenue enablement solutions every day to support their mission-critical operations. Today, nearly half of the world’s video channels traverse our products, and our software solutions drive close to a third of global ad revenue. Through continuous innovation, we are delivering the most advanced IP, cloud-enabled, software-defined network and workflow solutions in the industry. Visit https://www.imaginecommunications.com for more information, and follow us on Twitter @imagine_comms.

Attachments

Meriam Khan
PR Agency for Imagine Communications
+44 (0)7768 022162
meriam@mkm-marcomms.com

April 14, 2022

Ryan Kavanaugh’s Proxima Studios Announces Start of Production of Skill House Starring Bryce Hall, Directed and Written by Josh Stolberg – Writer of Jigsaw and Spiral – of the Saw Franchise

Ryan Kavanaugh

First-of-its-kind film to be “listed” on the entertainment stock exchange allowing fans to participate and invest in the film via ESX.io

LOS ANGELES, April 13, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Based on an original idea by EGOT Megaproducer (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony) Nominee Ryan Kavanaugh, Skill House is the first of a franchise and is slated to start principal production in June 2022 with an expected early 2023 release date. It is financed and controlled by Proxima Studios and written and directed by horror film legend Josh Stolberg, co-writer of horror films such as Spiral: From the Book of Saw (starring Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson), Jigsaw, Piranha 3D, Sorority Row, as well as the next Saw film (tentatively titled Saw X) and starring social media phenomenon Bryce Hall, who is one of the world’s most-followed Social Media Stars with over 50 Million Followers across his social media channels.

Skill House will be the first film to be “listed” on the entertainment stock exchange (“ESX“), a first-of-its-kind platform allowing users to invest in the film and trade in or out of the film and its upside.

Starring social media personality Bryce Hall, Skill House takes a stab at social media influencers and will be an unflinching take on fame and what new celebrities are willing to do to attain it. It will be shot in the Sway House, a mansion in Bel Air, made famous by many of Tik Tok’s biggest stars. It will skewer the landscape of young celebrities who will do anything for a “click.”

“I’ve worked with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, including Chris Rock and Sam Jackson, Carrie Fisher and Dwayne Johnson… but my kids are more excited about this project than any other I’ve worked on,” said Stolberg. “Working with Bryce Hall and Ryan Kavanaugh, this is sure to be a first of a new horror genre. These social media personalities are the new Hollywood, and they are reinventing what it means to be a star. When a young kid from Maryland, like Bryce, with nothing but a cell phone and a ring light, can attract tens of millions of followers on Tik Tok and Instagram, it evens the playing field for everyone. But there’s a dark side to this new entertainment landscape, and I’m excited to flip that rock over.”

Bryce Hall

“The film will be a “hard R” horror film and will have a gritty approach to what it takes to succeed in a business that relies on fans “liking you.” Stolberg added, “there’s nothing I love more than writing a watercooler kill scene… and we’re already over budget with the amount of blood we’re going to use. While this concept could play for parody, I’ll be taking a more serious approach and leaning into scares and horror over humor. I’m not pulling punches. I’ve been given the green light to go for it. And I can’t wait!”

Kavanaugh, the 24th highest-grossing producer of all time, has produced and or financed over 200 films such as Fast and Furious 3,4,5,6, Social Network, 300, Mamma Mia!, Limitless, Fighter, Zombieland, and many more. Kavanaugh also previously owned Rogue Pictures, which launched over 60 horror movies, including Strangers, The Unborn, and My Soul to Take.

“This film intends to break the boundary between the short-form social media phenomenon and long-form content,” said Kavanaugh. “Bryce is one of the most recognized and polarizing influencers with over 50 million followers and will certainly be a crossover star. The film digs deep into the human psyche and the new generation’s thirst for stardom, asking how far they would go? It will be bloody, it will be dark, and it will certainly be talked about.”

Daniel Herther, who oversees production and creative development at Proxima, will serve as executive producer. Before joining Proxima, Herther produced the Nic Cage thriller Inconceivable and held executive roles at Relativity Media and WB’s Hollywood Gang (300).

This will be the first time fans can actually invest into a feature film and participate in the upside of the film via ESX.

Bryce Hall is repped by Brad Baskin of Panther Management and Ryan Kavanaugh and Proxima are repped by Neil Sacker.

About Proxima and Ryan Kavanaugh

Founder of Proxima Media, co-founder of Triller, Ryan Kavanaugh is one of the most accomplished, prolific, and honored executives in entertainment industry history. Using an intelligent financial model of film finance, he was dubbed the creator of “Moneyball for movies.” He produced, distributed, and/or structured financing for more than 200 films, generating more than $20 billion in worldwide box office revenue and earning 60 Oscar nominations. He is the 25th highest-grossing film producer of all time. His productions include Fast and Furious 3-6, 300, Social Network, Limitless, Fighter, Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, and Mamma Mia! Kavanaugh and Proxima pioneered an innovative finance deal for post-bankruptcy Marvel, making the studio and finance structure that led to Marvel Cinematic Universe. He built the SVOD (streaming) category with Netflix, which boosted that company’s market capitalization from $2 to $10 billion. Kavanaugh is the co-founder of Triller, one of the three fastest-growing social media apps. He recently led the acquisition, merger, and re-launch of the social media and music app.

He also created the powerhouse television company, now known as Critical Content, producing hit shows like Catfish on MTV and Limitless on CBS, which he sold for $200M. The company had 40 television series across 19 networks before its sale. Kavanaugh has earned several achievements and awards, from Variety’s Producer of the Year Award to The Hollywood Reporter’s Leadership Award, from Fortune’s 40 Under 40 Most Influential People in Business to Forbes’ Fortune 400, Billion-Dollar Producer by the Daily Variety and the 100 Most Influential People in the World by Vanity Fair.

About Entertainment Stock Exchange (“ESX”)

Entertainment Stock X (ESX), a first-of-its-kind platform allowing users and fans to invest in film and entertainment projects via the Jobs Act, is an innovative platform for financing entertainment. The company fills the need for new and more efficient financing for filmmakers. ESX allows filmmakers to generate a valuable direct marketing relationship with fans and will enable fans to invest in film for the first time. More information is available on ESX.io

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/57bc3ab2-7d4e-4601-a463-9cfb7d99e918

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1b498c69-6617-4ef7-af25-e5dda90f3d34

Media Contact

Michelle Vieyra
Jive PR + Digital
202-415-7714
michelle@jiveprdigital.com

April 14, 2022

Casio to Release Octagonal G-SHOCK with Advanced Functionality

Iconic 2100 Line with Bluetooth^®Connectivity and Solar Charging System

TOKYO, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Casio Computer Co., Ltd. announced today the latest addition to the G-SHOCK brand of shock-resistant watches. The five new GA-B2100 watches are the first in the iconic octagonal 2100 line to be equipped with Smartphone Link connectivity via Bluetooth^® and solar charging capabilities.

Released in 2019, the base-model GA-2100 was a contemporary interpretation of the very first G-SHOCK, the DW-5000C. Its simple, stylish design proved popular around the world, especially among younger consumers.

With Bluetooth^® connectivity and a solar charging system, the new GA-B2100 shock-resistant watches add a whole new level of convenience. Smartphone pairing* via Bluetooth^®delivers accurate timekeeping. The Tough Solar charging system effectively converts light from fluorescent lamps and other sources to power the watch, eliminating the need to regularly replace the battery.

* Requires downloading the dedicated CASIO WATCHES app.

In addition, these watches feature a slim module with optimized component layout to retain the compact watch face for which the 2100 line is known, yet still deliver enhanced functionality. Combining this with the Carbon Core Guard structure, which protects the module with a carbon fiber-reinforced resin case, provides both shock resistance and a compact case that is still the same length and width as the GA-2100.

For these additions, Casio returns to the classic colors first used in the G-SHOCK 5600 line with reproductions of the yellow, green and blue of the DW-5600C-9BV (released in 1987, EOL), DW-5600B-3V (released in 1987, EOL), and DW-5600B-2V (released in 1987, EOL). There are also two black options — a black and gray model in the same color scheme as the DW-5600C-1V (released in 1987, EOL) from the original 5600 series, as well as an all-black model.

Model	Color
GA-B2100-1A	Black × Gray
GA-B2100-1A1	Black × Black
GA-B2100-2A	Blue
GA-B2100-3A	Green
GA-B2100C-9A	Yellow

The Bluetooth^® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Casio Computer Co., Ltd. is under license.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1781514/GA_B2100.jpg

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1781515/GA_B2100_1A_GA_B2100_1A1.jpg

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1781516/GA_B2100_2A_GA_B2100_3A_GA_B2100C_9A.jpg