HOOQ Filmmakers Guild Premieres 5 Original Asian Pilots

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HOOQ – the largest Video on Demand service in South-East Asia – recently premiered 5 original selected screenplays as pilot episodes to on the platform. This is part of the inaugural HOOQ Filmmakers Guild wherein the best of these 5 pilots will be commissioned into a full series on the platform.

The 5 pilots are: Bhak (India), Haunt Me (Singapore), How To Be A Good Girl (Singapore), Aliansi (Indonesia) and Heaven and Hell (Indonesia). The 5 were selected from over 500 submissions received by HOOQ, over a 2-month period, from all over South East Asia. They comprise a mix of genres, from sci-fi comedy to action-thriller and even supernatural-horror.

Peter Bithos, CEO of HOOQ, said, 

“We at HOOQ are so proud of the pilots, which the HOOQ Filmmakers Guild has produced. These pilots are proof of the quality of filmmakers and unique stories across Southeast Asia.It will be a very difficult decision to commission just one series! The success of the HOOQ Filmmakers Guild is just the beginning of many great things for the Guild’s filmmakers. HOOQ is committed to support the talented filmmakers across Asia in 2018 and beyond as we continue to push boundaries to develop unique stories from an Asian perspective to keep our subscribers HOOQ’d month after month!”

Launched in June 2017, the HOOQ Filmmakers Guild is an annual initiative designed to seek out film talents in Asia that have great ideas but lack the opportunity to bring them to lifeon screen.Each of the above 6 screenplays received USD 30,000 to produce the pilot episode.

The pilots will now undergo judging from 5 esteemed filmmakers from Asia, namely Indonesia’s Mouly Surya and Nicholas Saputra, Philippines’ Erik Matti, as well as Thailand’s Wasin Pokpong, and Puttipong Promasakha Na Sakolnakorn. In addition to professional judging, viewership numbers will also be taken into consideration and will also be factored in before the winner is selected.

Award-winning Filipino filmmaker and competition judge, Erik Matti, commented, “Coming in, I had high expectations for this initiative knowing that there is a vast landscape of untapped talent across Asia. True enough, my expectations were met by the sheer amount of fresh and unique talent that stepped up to the plate. And now, I can’t wait for these chosen filmmakers to finally be able showcase their work. Regardless of who wins, I have no doubt that these pilots will not disappoint”.

HOOQ’s Chief Content Officer, Jennifer Batty, said, “This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for since we embarked on this journey in 2017. As a champion of Asian original content, we knew that there was a wealth of untapped potential in our Asian markets. We are incredibly proud of this talented batch of filmmakers who have worked tirelessly to bring their singular vision to life. May the best pilot win!”

HOW TO GET HOOQ

It’s easy to get HOOQ’d. Customers can simply download the HOOQ app from Apple Store or Google Play, sign up or log in, to access HOOQ’s extensive library of Hollywood and Asian hits. Globe customers can get to try HOOQ for up to 60 days on selected mobile and broadband plans. 

Find out more and sign up today for a complimentary trial at www.hooq.tv.

Starbucks® Philippines Launches Mobile App

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Starbucks Philippines recently announced the expansion of the company’s industry-leading digital ecosystem with the launch of the Starbucks PH® App, a mobile app providing a fast and convenient payment method for customers at more than 300 stores across the market.

The first coffee retailer to offer this innovation in the Philippines, the Starbucks® PH App integrates the popular Starbucks Card payment method and My Starbucks Rewards® on customers’ mobile devices.

“We are pleased to introduce the Starbucks® PH App to our My Starbucks Rewards® customers as they earn stars and engage with Starbucks online,” said Keith Cole, head of marketing, Starbucks Philippines. “This is the latest Starbucks innovation which aims to provide an enhanced experience and meet customers’ needs in the digital space, while continuing to provide an exceptional experience in our stores.”

Extending the Third Place

A feature called “Shake to Pay” allows customers to shake their phones to bring up a barcode within the app that can be scanned to pay and redeem. The app is linked to their My Starbucks Rewards® account so balances are automatically updated whenever the app is used.

The Starbucks® PH App keeps customers in the loop, making sure they are the first to know the newest product offerings and promos. Customers are notified whenever new messages are received on the app. Starbucks® PH App users are also in for a treat as they receive special offers and event invitations straight into their app inboxes. As an added bonus, users can also share these offers with friends through email and social media accounts.

Register to a My Starbucks Rewards® account and easily track your Stars and rewards on your phone with the Starbucks® PH App. Pool your Starbucks Cards into one account and deactivate a lost Starbucks Card within the app. Users can even view past transactions and track their balance real time. A feature called “Shake to Pay” allows customers to shake their phones to bring up a barcode within the app that can be scanned to pay and redeem. The app is linked to their My Starbucks Rewards® account so balances are automatically updated whenever the app is used.

The Starbucks ® PH App also helps Starbucks lovers enjoy their favorite beverages anytime, anywhere with its store locator feature. Here, they can be directed to the nearest store along with a list of other recommendations in the vicinity as they search by store name, Starbucks Reserve® store, drive-thru store, or stores open at the moment.

The app also includes a menu of beverages, food options, packaged whole bean coffee, as well as seasonal offers and a newsfeed with the latest merchandise that Starbucks customers can easily explore.

Download the Starbucks® PH App on App Store or Google Play Store for access to a wider range of experiences and connect to an exciting network of flavors, rewards, and conveniences right at your fingertips.

Innovating our Digital Flywheel

Starbucks consistently innovates to elevate the coffee experience for its customers. When it opened its first store in the Philippines in 1997, the Starbucks Experience was born. Coffee was redefined for many Filipinos from an ordinary drink that was prepared as part of a morning routine to a perfectly handcrafted beverage, made just the way you like it.

In 2013, after years of serving delicious cups of coffee to Filipinos, the global brand changed the game once more by turning the simple act of enjoying your favorite Starbucks beverages into an even more rewarding experience with the My Starbucks Rewards® loyalty program.

With My Starbucks Rewards®, customers are able to collect Stars, redeem rewards, receive the latest updates on new products, limited-edition merchandise and exclusive events and experience convenient cashless payment with their Starbucks Cards.

NO LIES ABOUT LYING : Deception may be a human trait we all try to hide

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In the time of widespread “fake news,” it’s easy to think of lying as bad and damaging. After all, parents and schools teach children honesty as part of moral upbringing. Acts of fraud, misdirection, and manipulation by politicians and corporations are also called out on the news under the banner of justice. One example is financier Bernard Madoff who ran a Ponzi scheme for years in the United States that stole almost $65 billion from thousands of investors.

History nevertheless offers examples of deception used for reasons beyond evil. One is the fictitious illness “Syndrome K,” invented by the Fatebenefratelli Hospital in Rome to shelter Jews during Nazi persecution.

Of course there are less serious examples of harmless deceit. Just think of stand-up comedians coming up with a bogus story for the sake of humor. Screenwriter David Misch recalls a talk where a critic quotes Louis C.K. to make a point on the authenticity of comedy: “I went to a bar the other night. Where isn’t important, because I’m lying.”

If deception isn’t necessarily malicious, what is it?

The Ubiquity of Lying

Dr. Timothy R. Levine, Professor and Chair of Communication Studies at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, says in a National Geographic article by author Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, “We all lie, but not all lies are the same. People lie and tell the truth to achieve a goal: ‘We lie if honesty won’t work’.”

Like the three instances above, people lie with different intentions. Bhattacharjee’s article summarizes these based on findings by researchers: self-promotion to take advantage, improve image, or make others laugh; self-protection to cover up a mistake or escape responsibility; impact to help others, uphold social rules, or cause harm; and no apparent reason, as in the case of pathological liars and people with unknown motives, even to oneself.

More surprising is the frequency of lying. According to a survey conducted in the United Kingdom by Richard Wiseman, Professor of the Public Understanding of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, most adults tell two important lies every day and that one-third of their conversations have some form of dishonesty. People also fail to detect four in five of these lies. The results further show that more than 80 percent have lied to gain employment, while over 60 percent have cheated on their partner at least once. Only eight percent claim never to have lied.

Ingrained in Humanity

Whether it’s a harmless fib or a full-blown fraud, deception takes a certain level of complex thinking. Naomi Stewart in an essay for online magazine I, Science suggests that lying comes naturally to organisms with higher brain functions, such as human beings, since it takes advanced neural processing to weave a false story and remember its details.

Psychologist Kang Lee from the University of Toronto observes this kind of cognitive complexity in children. In an experiment that asks children not to peek at a hidden toy while the experimenter is away, 30 percent of the two-year-old participants have lied, while the number increases to 50 percent among the three-year-olds and 80 percent among the eight-year-olds. Even how the kids have given themselves away shows the increasing sophistication of lying as age goes up. For instance, participants aged three and four simply say what the hidden toy is, while those who are six make an effort to invent an elaborate reason to explain why they know the answer.

The study gives insight to how lying is linked to cognitive development. This link has also led some researchers to believe that dishonesty is a product of evolution with the emergence of more sophisticated thinking and language. Unlike primitive primates that rely on strength to survive, human beings are empowered by bigger brains and language to seek other ways to get what they need, such as through trickery.

“Lying is so easy compared to other ways of gaining power,” says Sissela Bok, an ethicist at the Harvard University. “It’s much easier to lie in order to get somebody’s money or wealth than to hit them over the head or rob a bank.”

Catching a Liar

Still, some forms of deception are worth calling out, as in the case of Bernard Madoff. However, not many of us are adept at distinguishing lies from the truth, which may be the reason why fake news has gotten a strong foothold on social media.

A basic understanding of lying can help expose deceivers. In the television legal drama Bull, for instance, psychologist and trial science expert Dr. Jason Bull reveals the telltale signs of dishonesty, such as by how liars move their eyes or fiddle with their fingers when trying to cover up a secret. This way, his clients can become better prepared before they face jury trial.

Want to learn more about the signs of lying? Catch the last few episodes of the top-rated American drama Bull every Tuesday at 9:45PM, same day as the U.S., first and exclusive on Blue Ant Entertainment. Blue Ant Entertainment is available on SKYcable channels 53 (SD) and 196 (HD), SKYdirect channel 35, Destiny Cable channel 53, and Cablelink channels 37 (SD) and 313 (HD).

For more updates, follow Blue Ant Entertainment at www.facebook.com/BlueAntEntertainment/, @BlueAntEnt on Twitter, and @BlueAntEntertainment on Instagram.

Blue Ant Entertainment

The general entertainment channel with the best mix of reality, drama, comedy, and daily programmes. It features shows aired same day from the U.S. or U.K. including competitions Britain’s Got Talent and The X Factor UK; dailiesEntertainment Tonight, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and The Late Late Show with James Corden. It is also home to some of the biggest award shows in the world. Aired ‘LIVE’, these include The Golden Globe Awards,Screen Actors Guild Awards, American Music Awards, and Billboard Music Awards.

Anne Curtis is Shopee Philippines’ first official brand ambassador

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Shopee announces Anne Curtis, well known celebrity, actress, model, television host, VJ, recording and concert artist in the Philippines is now the first brand ambassador of Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan.

The Shopee's announcement this Wednesday, April 11 held at the Grand Hyatt Manila was in line with the launch of 5.5 Shopee Super Sale. The campaign is set to be the biggest mid-year online sale in the Philippines and runs from 13 April to 5 May. 

Shopee has a wide selection of product categories ranging from consumer electronics to home & living, health & beauty, baby & toys, fashion and fitness equipment.

The 5.5 Shopee Super Sale features discounts of up to 90% off on thousands of products, with deals as low as 55 peso and daily flash sales. 

The Filipina-Australian superstar will also be making her debut as Shopee’s brand ambassador in Shopee’s first ever television commercial in the Philippines.

“We are thrilled to announce Anne as Shopee Philippines’ first official brand ambassador and to have her join us in kick-starting the biggest mid-year online sale in the Philippines. Her friendly, fun and sociable personality best represents Shopee’s brand positioning as the leading online shopping platform, especially among millennials. In addition to being the face of Shopee, and the upcoming 5.5 Shopee Super Sale, Anne will also be starring in our first ever television commercial,” said Terence Pang, Chief Operating Officer of Shopee.

“I am always on the move because of my busy schedule. Shopee makes it so convenient for me to do all my online shopping on my phone. Shopee has grown tremendously over the past few years, and I am excited to be part of the Shopee family. As brand ambassador for Shopee Philippines, I look forward to more exciting campaigns and events to come,” said Anne Curtis.

In line with the engagement of Anne Curtis as Shopee Philippines’ first brand ambassador is the launch of 5.5 Shopee Super Sale. Users can look forward to non-stop exciting deals lined up from 13 April onwards, leading up to the mega 24-hour shopping fiesta on 5 May. The campaign will feature massive promotions including 55 peso deals, daily in-app vouchers and surprises, as well as discounts up to 90% off across a wide range of categories. Fans of Anne Curtis can also look forward to the “Anne’s Top Picks” collection and giveaways featuring Shopee merchandise autographed by the celebrity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrQkQUSf5aw

Users can also shop exclusive deals from leading brands under the recently launched Shopee Mall; such as Samsung, Coca-Cola, Unilever, Nescafe Dolce Gusto, NIDO® ADVANCED PROTECTUS® 3+, NANKID® OPTIPRO® FOUR, Colgate-Palmolive, AVEENO® Active Naturals®, Belo Essentials, Equal Sweetener, Silverworks, Banana Peel, i2i New York, Unisilver, Faber-Castell, Deuter, Head Racket, Coleman and more.

Additionally, Anne will be launching her own cosmetics line on Shopee. From 11 April, makeup lovers will be able to purchase BLK cosmetics via the BLK Cosmetics Official Shop on Shopee Mall, which features a 100% Authenticity Guarantee, 7 Days Return, Cash on Delivery and Free Shipping nationwide. To celebrate the launch of the BLK Cosmetics Official Shop, Anne will be giving away a limited edition autographed mirror to the first 100 customers, with a minimum spend of 1,000 pesos.

Check out the 5.5 Shopee Super Sale at https://shopee.ph/m/55shopeesupersale
Shop BLK cosmetics at shopee.ph/blkcosmetics

For more information, visit www.shopee.ph

Download the Shopee app for free on Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

Rufa Mae Quinto and Bryan Termulo Heat Up Casino Filipino

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While summer is synonymous with sun-tanned bodies, happy sunshine, sandy beaches, and rolling waves, there are cool activities to escape the scorching and glaring heat of the sun. Forget your sunscreen, shades, and swimwear and head to Casino Filipino where a summer-full activities are in store for you. 

Chill out at the Casino Filipino with an exciting line up of performances. Listen to a fun-filled, back to back series of shows featuring Rufa Mae Quinto and BRYAN TERMULO on April 21 (Casino Filipino Malabon), May 11(Casino Filipino Madison), May 19 (Casino Filipino Ronquillo), and June 23 (Casino Filipino Manila Bay).

The two will keep the temperature cool with their exciting repertoire. Expect Pchi (Rufa Mae’s nickname) to liven the mood with her risqué performances and comic antics. “Todo na ‘to! Let’s have fun. Enjoy lang ang life. Actually, plan ko ngang kantahin ang Ocean Deep for my summer shows in Pagcor. I promise to give my all sa aking numbers para mag-enjoy ang audience and help them forget the strains of summer.” 

Meanwhile, Bryan is making waves with his hit song Agwat. The handsome balladeer is packed with hotness. “I want to invite all my kabaBRYAN to watch my Pagcor shows. Let’s celebrate summer together. How can I beat the heat? Well, with my intense passion to give my best shot in all of my performances. That is how I return the love and support that I receive from my fans.” 

For inquiries about Asian Artists Agency, please call (02) 855-4765 or (02) 405-4423, email info@asianartistsagency.com, and visit fb.com/asianartistsagency