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Netflix has scooped up Scanline, the visual effects company that has worked on films and television series including Game of Thrones, Zack Snyder’s Justice League and Stranger Things.

This is the US streaming service’s first deal to take control of a major player in the in-demand special effects industry.

Scanline VFX, which operates seven offices globally from its headquarters in Canada and employs more than 1,100 people, will become a “fully owned, semi-autonomous” Netflix subsidiary.

The move comes weeks after Weta Digital, which has built characters and scenes for productions spanning Lord of the Rings to Avatar, sold its visual special effects technology arm to the US-based video game company Unity for $1.63bn (£1.22bn).

The Netflix deal will allow the streaming company to focus Scanline’s attention on its ever-growing TV and film production slate. Scanline has already worked on original productions, including the big-budget Ryan Reynolds film 6 Underground and … Read more

The owner of John Lewis and Waitrose will be launching a £1m fund that will channel money into projects with the potential to end the high street’s “throwaway” culture.

The John Lewis Partnership is inviting and encouraging academics, charities and start-ups that have ideas with the potential to reduce the environmental impact of the food, clothing and gadgets we buy, to pitch for a share of the money. 

John Lewis said that this fund is aimed at identifying “innovators” that are challenging the industry’s outdated “make, use, throw away” model. Encouraging sustainability and discouraging throw away products is the future.  

Marija Rompani, the group’s director of ethics and sustainability, expressed that tackling the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, waste and pollution required a “different kind of thinking”.

“We live in a world of finite materials and we need to start protecting them before it’s too late,” she said. “This is why … Read more

Apple plans to launch their new “self-service repair” scheme by early 2022 in the US. The programme will cover replacing batteries, screens and cameras of recent iPhones.

Their new repair store will sell more than 200 parts and tools. It comes after months of increasing pressure on the company from the grassroots right-to-repair movement, which wants individuals and independent repair shops to be able to fix electronics.

“Self Service Repair is intended for individual technicians with the knowledge and experience to repair electronic devices,” Apple said. But “for the vast majority of customers” visiting a certified professional repair shop would be a better option.

“Creating greater access to Apple genuine parts gives our customers even more choice if a repair is needed,” Apple chief operating officer Jeff Williams said.

“By designing products for durability, longevity, and increased repairability, customers enjoy a long-lasting product that holds its value for years,” the … Read more

Everyone’s favourite blue animated amphibian Crazy Frog, will be riding his imaginary motorcycle back onto our screens via YouTube on December 10^th 

It has been 16 years since he first revved his way to the top of the charts in the UK for four weeks. The original single did not stop there, taking the world by storm and topping charts globally.

Fast forward to 2009 when Crazy Frogs rendition of Axel f – the theme to Beverly Hills Cop famously beat Coldplay to the UK number one spot. The video now has over 3.1 billion views and is the 19^th most popular video in YouTube history.

The long awaited comeback track will feature snippets of hits made famous by TikTok trends. Wolfgang Boss, president of A&R for Sony Music has made the decision to release new music following an increase in interest on … Read more

US technology giant, Google to make it’s largest investment in Australia to date. Google says the money will be used to build a research hub, increase its cloud computing capacity and fund partnerships with local organisations.

The move, named the Digital Future Initiative, is expected to directly create 6,000 jobs and support 28,000 overall.

“Australia can help lead the world’s next wave of innovation, harnessing technology to improve lives, create jobs, and make progress,” Google boss Sundar Pichai said at the initiative’s launch in Sydney.

Also attending the event, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison welcomed the plan. “The decision by Google has major benefits for Australian businesses as we engage with the economic recovery before us,” Mr Morrison expressed.

The investment will see the company partnering with local organisations, including Australia’s science agency the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

Cyber investment company DivisionX Global called Google’s announcement a … Read more