master class masterpiece
Writer and showrunner Russell T. Davies and producer Nicola Schindler will headline a talent masterclass at the Series Mania Forum in Lille, France, on March 25th to release a first look clip of Channel 4 drama Tip To.
The co-creators, whose credits include It’s a Sin, Years & Years and Queer as Folk, discuss the five-part series starring Alan Cumming and David Morrissey. The show explores the modern-day threats facing the LGBTQ+ community through the story of two neighbors in Manchester. Their lives become engulfed in increasing tension.
Series Mania founder Lawrence Herzberg praised the duo’s “remarkable and long-term creative partnership,” noting their ability to create “emotionally resonant television” that connects with audiences around the world. Schindler previously received the Woman in Series Award at the 2023 Forum.
Filmed in Manchester, Tip Toe is produced by Quay Street Productions, part of ITV Studios. The masterclass will be held during the Series Mania Forum (March 24-26), an industry component of the broader festival that will be held from March 20-27.
AI ambition
Gengis AI was launched as one of Singapore’s first production-ready AI-enabled studios, integrating artificial intelligence across film, commercial and short-form content development, virtual production and post-production workflows.
Founded by veteran Refinery Media producers Karen Seah and Tan Sian Ju, and virtual production specialist Joel Lim, the studio embeds AI-assisted tools into existing production pipelines rather than offering standalone technology. Key features include AI-driven VFX generation and intelligent virtual set expansion optimized for LED walls.
The studio operates out of its LED virtual production facility X3D Studio and is collaborating with Refinery Media on digital-first microdramas, including a vertical reimagining of the “SupermodelMe” IP.
“AI promises to transform media, but most teams struggle to deploy it safely and effectively,” co-founder and CEO Lim said, emphasizing the studio’s focus on “keeping human creators front and center.”
Expansion to Europe
Piece of Magic Entertainment will release YouTube star Markiplier’s debut feature film, Iron Lung, in 16 European territories on January 30th, the same day as its U.S. release. The horror/sci-fi thriller written, directed, produced and starring Markiplier has expanded to Germany, Austria, Poland, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, joining previously announced releases in the UK, Australia and Canada.
Based on the indie horror game by David Szymanski, the film follows prisoners sealed inside a decaying submarine as they explore the desolate bloody waters of the moon after an apocalyptic event called “The Quiet Rapture.”
The independently distributed U.S. version has already earned $5 million in advance sales and will be shown in more than 2,500 screens. Markiplier has 38 million YouTube subscribers and 23 billion total views. Co-starring Caroline Rose Kaplan, Troy Baker, and Elsie Lovelock.
audio opener
Prakash Films has acquired the pan-India theatrical rights to Abhishek Swain’s Odia mass entertainer ‘Bindusagar’, which is scheduled for worldwide release on April 10, coinciding with Maha Vishva Sankranti, the Odia New Year. The film marks independent studio Platoon One Films’ entry into regional films. Prakash Films, a leading East India distribution company known for releasing ‘Dhurandhar’, ‘Jolly LLB 3’, ‘Stree’ and ‘Munjya’, will handle pan-India distribution.
Indian National Film Award winner Prakruti Mishra leads the ensemble cast along with Dipanwit Dashmohapatra, Satya Ranjan, Sonali Sharmistha, Robin Das, Kishore Swain, Jagannath Seth, Pranab Rath and Sukant Rath.
Blending mass appeal with grounded storytelling, Bindusagar is positioned as one of the biggest Odia theatrical releases of 2026, backed by Prakash Films’ extensive distribution network across eastern India and the rest of the world.
