How the studio behind ‘Candy Crush Saga’ found success as the anti-Zynga

How the studio behind ‘Candy Crush Saga’ found success as the anti-Zynga | The Verge

Time hasn't been kind to Zynga. Once the largest game developer on Facebook, the company has since endured a series of mistakes and poor decisions that have forced it to shed both jobs and users, while its profits have dwindled. This past July, Zynga revealed that its daily active user base had shrunk to 39 million players across its entire lineup of games, down from 72 million in 2012. FarmVille turned the company into a household name, but subsequent releases haven’t resonated with players in quite the same way. After filing for an IPO, shares of Zynga began trading on the NASDAQ on December 16th, 2011 -- and there's been little good news to report for the company since that time.  Candy Crush Saga developer King appears to be in a similar situation: it’s known primarily for one massively successful game, which has grown by leaps and bounds in a short period of time. So it comes as little surprise that King, which will reportedly be filing for an IPO as well, has drawn plenty of comparisons to Zynga. However, while the two share many similarities, King has built its fortune by acting like an anti-Zynga; a cautious company adept at staying on top of industry trends. And this could help it avoid the same fate as the FarmVille creator.

Abu Dhabi Fest To Open With ‘Life of Crime’

Abu Dhabi Fest To Open With ‘Life of Crime’ | Variety

THE ABU DHABI FILM FESTIVAL HAS UNVEILED ITS LINEUP FEATURING A WIDE RANGE OF WORKS FROM EMERGING AND ESTABLISHED ARAB FILMMAKERS, COMPRISING NINE WORLD PREEMS FROM THE MIDDLE EAST UNSPOOLING ALONGSIDE SELECTED ENTRIES FROM THE CREAM OF THIS YEAR’S INTERNATIONAL FEST CIRCUIT CROP.  Fest will open with a gala screening of U.S. helmer Daniel Schechter’s Elmore Leonard adaptation “Life of Crime,” getting its Mid-East preem after bowing in Toronto.  Abu Dhabi’s seventh edition — the second headed headed by Ali Al Jabri — will also fete Palestinian multi hyphenate Hiam Abbas with its Black Pearl Career Achievement Award.  Abbas, who starred in Steven Spielberg’s “Munich,” Thomas McCarthy’s “The Visitor,” and Eran Riklis’ “Lemon Tree,” among other films, made her directorial debut in 2012 with Palestinian frontier zone family saga “Inheritance.” The latest pic in which she stars is Ghazi Albuliwi’s “Peace After Marriage,” which will world preem in Abu Dhabi’s Showcase section.

NBC Scraps Hillary Clinton Miniseries

NBC Scraps Hillary Clinton Miniseries

NBC has scrapped its controversial Hillary Clinton miniseries project.

OUR EDITOR RECOMMENDS

CNN Films Cancels Hillary Clinton Documentary

NBC News' Chuck Todd Calls RNC 'Smart' for Hillary Clinton Debate Boycott (Video)

NBC Orders Hillary Clinton, 'Rosemary's Baby,' Stephen King's 'Tommyknockers,' Plymouth Rock Miniseries

"After reviewing and prioritizing our slate of movie/miniseries development, we've decided that we will no longer continue developing the Hillary Clinton miniseries," the network said in a statement Monday.

ANALYSIS: Who Loses Most in NBC's Hillary Clinton Nightmare

The news comes hours after CNN Films opted tocancel its planned documentary on the former secretary of state and first lady after pressure from both Democrats and Republicans.

NBC announced in July that it was developing a four-hour miniseries based on Clinton starring Diane Lane, with plans to air the effort before Clinton was likely to announce her candidacy for president. The project was due to be written by Frozen River'sCourtney Hunt and would have recounted Clinton's life as a wife, mother, politician and cabinet member from 1998 to the present. The script would have started with Clinton living in the White House as her husband Bill Clinton is serving the second of his two terms as president and would have included her likely run for president. 

New York Film Fest: 'Captain Phillips' Writer, Producer Talk About Gripping True Story, Movie's Gotham Debut

New York Film Fest: 'Captain Phillips' Writer, Producer Talk About Gripping True Story, Movie's Gotham Debut - The Hollywood Reporter

The New York Film Festival kicked off Friday night with a standing ovation for the premiere of Sony's Captain Phillips, the audience clearly impressed by the suspenseful Tom Hanks-starrer, based on the true story of Captain Richard Phillips' struggle with Somali pirates in 2009.

OUR EDITOR RECOMMENDS

New York Film Fest: 'Captain Phillips' Kicks Off Festivities With Standing Ovation 

Inside the Intense 'Captain Phillips' Shoot: Tom Hanks' 'Mental Stress,' His Co-Star's Horrific Backstory and a 'Scary' First Day on Set

New York Film Fest: New Chief Explains 2013 Picks (Q&A)

Before the movie, screenwriter Billy Ray told The Hollywood Reporter that the gripping nature of the real events made it easy for him to turn them into a film.

"As true stories go, this one laid out like a movie," he said. "I mean, it had drama and tension and huge politics to it. It had action built into it. 

Crowdfunding Startups

Crowdfunding Startups | Scoop.it

Earlier this month, the Internet learned of a Kickstarter backer who brought a lawsuit against a Kickstarter project creator.  The story of Hanfree, Seth Quest, and Neil Singh was first reported by Eric Markowitz in Inc. magazine. This is reportedly the first time a Kickstarter backer had sued a project creator, and it eventually led to a secondary story about how crowdfunding is serious business.  Quick summary: Seth Quest launched a Kickstarter campaign in March 2011 for Hanfree, a standing iPad mount he’d devised. The crowdfunding campaign was a success, and he raised $35,000. Production was a disaster, though, and Quest ended up unable to fulfill his backers’ pre-orders. Neil Singh was one of those backers, and he filed a lawsuit against Quest.