Connect with us

Technology

Crafty Apes LLC Receives Strategic Investment

Published

on

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Crafty Apes, a full-service visual effects powerhouse with eight global studios in New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Canada and London, among others, received a strategic investment from a consortium of institutional investors led by investment funds managed by Morgan Stanley Investment Management and Camberline Capital Management.

Crafty Apes LLC Receives Strategic Investment

The investment focuses on Crafty Apes’ strategic growth in the areas of global facility expansion, increasing headcount in key markets, and production infrastructure. The strategy and capital investment were developed in close partnership with the Crafty Apes board and executive leadership team, including the original founders and the company’s officers. The capital is designed to strengthen operations, ensure long-term growth, and enhance service offerings in response to the evolving needs of the entertainment industry.

CEO Alana Newell commented on the investment: “Our investors are global leaders in strategic investment, and we are thrilled that this partnership will enable Crafty Apes to be where our clients need us most while strengthening our existing teams and infrastructure across North America and Europe. As the industry begins to recover from recent challenges, content creation is beginning to crescendo again, and we will continue to serve the creative needs of our clients as the industry picks up globally. This investment is a testament to Crafty Apes’ resilient business model and our commitment to navigating industry challenges with strength and agility.”

Jonathan Spivak, Managing Director at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, said: “We believe Crafty Apes has a reputation for delivering top-tier digital work on many of the most well-known IP’s. As we have watched and worked with management for several years, our confidence in the team has only strengthened with their navigation of the business during the industry’s recent strikes.” Jens Ernberg, Managing Partner at Camberline Capital Management added: “We look forward to continuing to support the management team as they capitalize on the entertainment sector’s recovery and participating in Crafty Apes’ long-term success.”

About Crafty Apes
Crafty Apes is a full-service visual effects company with studios in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Vancouver, Montreal, London, Albuquerque, New York, and Louisiana. Founded by Chris LeDoux, Jason Sanford and Tim LeDoux, Crafty Apes has a talented roster of creative and production supervisors that offer a full suite of VFX services, including set supervision, VFX consultation, 2D and 3D compositing, digital cosmetics, machine learning solutions and CG imagery. Crafty Apes’ work can be seen on such titles as La La Land, Spider-Man: No Way Home; Hidden Figures, Justice League: Snyder Cut; The Holdovers and The Boys. For more information, visit www.craftyapes.com.

About Morgan Stanley Investment Management
Morgan Stanley Investment Management, together with its investment advisory affiliates, has more than 1,300 investment professionals around the world and $1.5 trillion in assets under management or supervision as of June 30, 2024. Morgan Stanley Investment Management strives to provide outstanding long-term investment performance, service and a comprehensive suite of investment management solutions to a diverse client base, which includes governments, institutions, corporations and individuals worldwide.

For further information about Morgan Stanley Investment Management, please visit www.morganstanley.com/im.

About Camberline Capital Management
Camberline Capital Management is an independent asset management firm that partners with management teams and company owners to deliver private capital solutions that support the successful execution on their strategic ambitions. The Camberline team draws upon over 80 years of collective investing experience to structure capital solutions that are tailored to the specific needs of companies operating in underserved segments of the middle market.

For further information about Camberline Capital Management, please visit www.camberlinecapital.com.

Crafty Apes Media Contact:
Storyline Public Relations
Marilyn Lintel
Marilyn@storylinepublicrelations.com

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/crafty-apes-llc-receives-strategic-investment-302235114.html

SOURCE Crafty Apes

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Technology

Earth’s pulse monitored: a review highlights remote sensing time series progress

Published

on

By

As urbanization accelerates and environmental dynamics shift, the need for accurate and timely terrestrial monitoring has never been more urgent. A review has introduced a novel approach to remote sensing time series analysis, integrating multi-source data to enable near real-time monitoring. This innovative methodology promises to transform environmental conservation and urban planning by providing unprecedented insights into terrestrial changes and offering a more precise understanding of environmental dynamics.

GUANGZHOU, China, Dec. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — An international team of researchers from South China Normal University, the University of Connecticut, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences has made a significant breakthrough in remote sensing. Their review, published (DOI: 10.34133/remotesensing.0285) in the Journal of Remote Sensing on December 11, 2024, addresses key challenges in remote sensing, such as incomplete data and noise interference. The team’s new time series analysis technique leverages advanced data reconstruction and fusion methods, significantly enhancing the precision and efficiency of remote sensing for monitoring environmental changes.

The research team has developed an advanced time series analysis technique that combines deep learning algorithms with traditional remote sensing methods to integrate data from various remote sensing sources. This innovative approach allows for the extraction of subtle patterns from large, complex datasets, which is crucial for monitoring critical environmental parameters such as land use and vegetation health. Unlike conventional techniques that struggle with incomplete or noisy data, this new methodology offers enhanced accuracy and more reliable insights into terrestrial dynamics, paving the way for more effective environmental monitoring.

Central to the study’s success is the integration of Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks and Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) to address the challenges posed by missing or noisy data. The LSTM networks capture temporal trends over time, while the GANs generate synthetic data that mimics real-world observations to fill gaps and correct for atmospheric distortions. This dual approach has resulted in a cleaner, more accurate time series dataset, which was validated against independent ground truth measurements. The researchers demonstrated significant improvements in key vegetation indices, such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), setting a new benchmark in the field of remote sensing.

Experts in the field have lauded the study’s potential to revolutionize remote sensing applications. They see the method as a transformative tool for enhancing high-resolution monitoring and extending its coverage, particularly in agricultural surveillance, urban planning, and environmental management. “This method represents a crucial advancement in our ability to monitor environmental changes,” says Professor Fu. “As it evolves, it could play a key role in addressing climate change and other global challenges.”

The methodology’s future applications are vast, especially in global environmental monitoring and supporting sustainable development goals. By integrating multi-temporal data from Landsat and Sentinel-2 satellites, the team has created a framework for accurate and continuous terrestrial analysis. As computational power advances and algorithms improve, this technology is expected to become a vital tool for natural resource management, disaster response, and climate change mitigation. In the years to come, it could provide critical data to help policymakers address pressing environmental issues on a global scale.

References

DOI

10.34133/remotesensing.0285

Oiginal Source URL

https://doi.org/10.34133/remotesensing.0285

Funding information

This work was supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (grant numbers 42425001 and 42071399).

About Journal of Remote Sensing

The Journal of Remote Sensing, an online-only Open Access journal published in association with AIR-CAS, promotes the theory, science, and technology of remote sensing, as well as interdisciplinary research within earth and information science.

Media Contact

George Hua, Chuanlink Innovations, 1 8656606278, TranSpread1@gmail.com, http://chuanlink-innovations.com/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/earths-pulse-monitored-a-review-highlights-remote-sensing-time-series-progress-302337250.html

SOURCE Journal of Remote Sensing

Continue Reading

Technology

ZINZINO AB (PUBL.): ENTERS INTO AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE DIP FINANCING TO ZURVITA INITIATING CHAPTER 11 PROCESS

Published

on

By

GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Dec. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Zinzino has in a press release dated 20240617 announced that a letter of intent to acquire 100% of the shares in the North American direct selling company Zurvita Inc. “Zurvita or the Company” was signed. Since then, Zinzino has negotiated with the owners of Zurvita Inc. and instead concluded that the purchase of Zurvita’s assets in a Chapter 11 proceeding for the Company is in Zinzino’s best interest.

Zinzino is providing a debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing to Zurvita, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings on the 20th December 2024. By entering as a financier in Zurvita’s Chapter 11 with loans totaling USD 4.5 million, Zinzino simultaneously makes an offer to acquire the company’s assets via a so-called stalking horse bid. If the bid is accepted, the DIP loan will be converted into part of a debt-settled purchase price, which will be determined after Zurvita has completed the sale process that is subject to higher and better offers in accordance with the applicable terms of Chapter 11. Other bidders have the right to submit bids for Zurvita during the process and if another bid is accepted, Zinzino’s loan will be repaid and certain of its costs associated with the process will be reimbursed. 

Zurvita is a direct selling health company with operations in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The brand portfolio offers a range of innovative health and wellness products. The business has total annual sales of approximately USD 30 million with good gross margins. A potential transaction with Zinzino is expected to add growth through the synergies arising from the joint networks, combined with Zinzino’s test-based product concept. The profitability of the Company will thus be able to develop well by utilizing Zinzino’s existing technical platform and organization.

A visionary mindset, tech first perspective, test-based nutrition at the cellular level and a strong position to capitalize on current trends will form the basis of the new partnership. Following the acquisitions of VMA Life in 2020, Enhanzz in 2022, the strategic partnership with ACN and the recently completed asset acquisition of Xelliss, Zinzino has been looking for further strong investments to maintain its sustainable, profitable growth, strengthen its distribution power, expand into new markets and leverage the product portfolio in new consumer areas.

– “Individualized advice and tailored solutions are the future, and not just in health and wellness,” says Dag Bergheim Pettersen, CEO of Zinzino. “Together, we have years of combined industry experience and everything it takes to drive the modern, personalized shopping experience through direct sales”. Jay Shafer, CEO and co-founder of Zurvita, states “After considering multiple options for the company and under the guidance of our attorneys and third-party advisors, we feel this presents the best opportunity to continue Zurvita’s mission, deliver the highest quality products, and provide continuity for our staff and consultants. We are excited to see what the future holds for Zurvita.” 

For more information:
Dag Bergheim Pettersen CEO Zinzino +47 (0) 932 25 700, www.zinzino.com

Pictures for publication free of charge:
marketing@zinzino.com

Certified Adviser:
Carnegie Investment Bank AB (publ.)

Zinzino AB (publ.) is obliged to publish this information in compliance with current EU regulations governing market abuse. The information was provided by the above contact person for publication at 20.00 on the 21st of December 2024.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/zinzino/r/zinzino-ab–publ–enters-into-agreement-to-provide-dip-financing-to-zurvita-initiating-chapter-11-pr,c4086040

The following files are available for download:

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/zinzino-ab-publ-enters-into-agreement-to-provide-dip-financing-to-zurvita-initiating-chapter-11-process-302337945.html

Continue Reading

Technology

Meet With Culture: Exquisite Craftsmanship of Traditional Chinese Architecture

Published

on

By

BEIJING, Dec. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Temple of Agriculture in Beijing played a significant role during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. Over nearly 600 years, 25 emperors personally visited or sent ministers to perform spring farming ceremonies and offer sacrifices to Shennong, the god of agriculture.

 

Built in 1420 during the Yongle reign, the temple’s predecessor was the Temple of Mountains and Rivers in Nanjing. When Emperor Zhu Di moved the Ming capital to Beijing, he constructed a larger temple inspired by the Nanjing temple, which gradually evolved into the Temple of Agriculture.

The Taisui Hall, the largest building complex in the temple, now serves as a major exhibition hall of the Beijing Ancient Architecture Museum, showcasing models of classical Chinese buildings and demonstrating the solemnity of royal architecture.

Ancient Chinese architecture is predominantly wooden-structured, chosen for its availability, versatility, and earthquake resistance. Artisans developed sophisticated techniques in material selection and construction. The wooden framework consists of columns, beams, girders, and purlins, with innovative structural forms like lifting-beam and piercing-bracket structures.

A unique architectural element is the dougong (bracket sets), which supports weight and connects beam frames with column walls. Mortise-tenon joints were invented to create elastic frameworks by connecting different components.

While discussing the Temple of Agriculture, it’s worth noting another remarkable example of architectural hierarchy which could be found in the Temple of Heaven. The hierarchy of architectural designs reflected social stratification, with eave structures like the triple-layered eaves of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest representing the highest-level architectural design.

Over centuries, the Temple of Agriculture has transformed from an imperial garden to a public park and a museum for historical architecture, now standing as a significant cultural landmark that symbolizes China’s agricultural civilization and architectural heritage along Beijing’s Central Axis.

Quickly join Alexandre to study and explore the traditional Chinese architecture.
https://youtu.be/YpA03WiZ9Wc

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/meet-with-culture-exquisite-craftsmanship-of-traditional-chinese-architecture-302337935.html

SOURCE China International Communications Group

Continue Reading

Trending