Latest news with #Hascoet
Glasgow Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Plans to save BBC Scotland's Dumbarton Studios unveiled
Dumbarton Studios has been described as a 'vital hub' for Scottish television, helping to nurture local talent, and is the home to shows including Shetland, Still Game, Two Doors Down, and River City. However, in March, BBC Scotland said it planned to close Dumbarton Studios when its lease for the facility ends in September 2026, following the news that it was axing its long-running drama River City. READ NEXT: Evacuation after woman threatened to blow up house while playing Sophie Ellis Bextor READ NEXT: Police force entry into Glasgow home to discover £7k of cannabis With uncertainty surrounding the future of the studios, production firm Firewalker Pictures has unveiled its plans to safeguard Dumbarton Studios' legacy by taking over the facility and offering a new 'vibrant home' for Scottish and international productions. Maureen Hascoet, director of Firewalker Pictures, told our sister title The National that Dumbarton Studios has long been a cornerstone of Scotland's creative industry and that 'it deserves more than to fade into history'. 'Our vision is to preserve its heritage while opening the doors to fresh voices, emerging filmmakers, and groundbreaking content,' she said. Hascoet (left) added: 'Who we choose to be right now as an industry and how we show up in this deal will determine our destiny.' (Image: Tatjana Tischler) 'It's about more than preserving Scotland's film and TV infrastructure. 'It's about investing in ourselves as storytellers and finding our place as leaders in the global economy." Hascoet said that Firewalker Pictures plans to invest in upgrading the facilities, in a bid to ensure the studios remain a competitive and attractive location for both domestic and international productions. She added that her firm is committed to working with the local community, industry partners, and government bodies to ensure that Dumbarton Studios continues to play a key role in Scotland's cultural and economic future. Hascoet stressed that the proposed acquisition is still in its early stages; however, Firewalker Pictures is engaging in ongoing discussions with the current owners of the site, Westerwood Properties. The owner of the Edinburgh-based property firm Westerwood Properties previously told The National they would look at possibilities of developing a new building for the studio if BBC Scotland wanted to stay.
The National
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Plans to save BBC Scotland's Dumbarton Studios unveiled
Dumbarton Studios has been described as a 'vital hub' for Scottish television, helping to nurture local talent, and is the home to shows including Shetland, Still Game, Two Doors Down, and River City. However, in March, BBC Scotland said it planned to close Dumbarton Studios when its lease for the facility ends in September 2026, following the news that it was axing its long-running drama River City. With uncertainty surrounding the future of the studios, production firm Firewalker Pictures has unveiled its plans to safeguard Dumbarton Studios' legacy by taking over the facility and offering a new 'vibrant home' for Scottish and international productions. READ MORE: Scottish crew 'excluded from Spider Man 4 filming in Glasgow' Maureen Hascoet, director of Firewalker Pictures, told The National that Dumbarton Studios has long been a cornerstone of Scotland's creative industry and that 'it deserves more than to fade into history'. 'Our vision is to preserve its heritage while opening the doors to fresh voices, emerging filmmakers, and groundbreaking content,' she said. Hascoet (left) added: 'Who we choose to be right now as an industry and how we show up in this deal will determine our destiny.' (Image: Tatjana Tischler) 'It's about more than preserving Scotland's film and tv infrastructure.' 'It's about investing in ourselves as storytellers and finding our place as leaders in the global economy. Hascoet said that Firewalker Pictures plans to invest in upgrading the facilities, in a bid to ensure the studios remain a competitive and attractive location for both domestic and international productions. She added that her firm is committed to working with the local community, industry partners, and government bodies to ensure that Dumbarton Studios continues to play a key role in Scotland's cultural and economic future. Hascoet stressed that the proposed acquisition is still in its early stages; however, Firewalker Pictures is engaging in ongoing discussions with the current owners of the site, Westerwood Properties. The owner of the Edinburgh-based property firm Westerwood Properties previously told The National they would look at possibilities of developing a new building for the studio if BBC Scotland wanted to stay.
Int'l Business Times
02-07-2025
- Int'l Business Times
French Court Convicts Ex-Ubisoft Bosses For Workplace Harassment
A French court sentenced three former Ubisoft executives on Wednesday to suspended prison terms for enabling a culture of sexual and psychological harassment at the gaming giant. Thomas Francois, a former editorial vice president who was also convicted on a charge of attempted sexual assault, received the heaviest sentence of a suspended three-year term. Among the three defendants, he faced the most damning allegations, including forcing an employee to do a headstand while in a skirt. During the trial, the court heard that Francois would greet employees using gendered insults, attempt to touch peoples' genitals as part of a so-called "game", and try to kiss male employees by surprise. Francois testified during the trial that he "lacked perspective" during the incidents from 2012 to 2020, when he was aged between 38 and 46, saying he believed at the time that he was "treating people with respect". For his part, former chief creative officer Serge Hascoet, 60, was given an 18-month suspended sentence for psychological harassment and complicity in sexual harassment. Hascoet told the court he was unaware of the harassment happening outside of his glass office. But he also instructed his female assistants to perform personal tasks for him not linked to their qualifications, such as picking up his daughter from school or crossing Paris to buy him peanuts. "It's what we see in films," said Hascoet during the trial to justify the behaviour. "Films are not reality," the presiding judge replied. A third executive, former games director Guillaume Patrux, received a 12-month suspended sentence for bullying that was on a "smaller scale" but "particularly intense for his team". The court ordered Francois to pay a 30,000 euro ($35,340) fine, while Hascoet was fined 45,000 euros and Patrux 10,000 euros. During the trial, the defence lawyers insisted that their clients had never received any disciplinary warnings from human resources. Ubisoft launched an internal investigation in 2020 after anonymous testimonies emerged on social media accusing the company of a toxic work culture. The gaming industry has been scrutinised for years over its treatment of women and minorities in the workplace -- and the way they are depicted in games. Hascoet resigned from his post as chief creative officer after the allegations surfaced in the media. Francois and Patrux were dismissed for serious misconduct following an internal inquiry in 2020. A lawyer for the civil parties hailed the decision on Wednesday as a broader victory against workplace harassment. "This is a very good decision today, and for the future, said Maude Beckers. "For all companies, it means that when there is toxic management, managers must be held accountable and employers can no longer let it slide," she added. Serge Hascoet instructed female assistants to perform personal tasks for him not linked to their qualifications AFP Maude Beckers, a lawyer for the civil parties, hailed the decision as a victory against workplace harassment AFP
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Ex-Ubisoft execs on trial in France for workplace harassment, including bizarre claims of farting at staff
Who are the accused? Live Events FAQs (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Three ex-bosses from Ubisoft are on trial in France for bullying and sexual harassment. The French court heard shocking stories from former staff, mostly women, about the bad behavior of these top bosses. Some of the disturbing things they faced, being tied to chairs, forced to do handstands, sex jokes, drawings of private parts stuck on computers, porn videos played in the office, and a boss who farted in their faces, according to the report by The woman said a manager even drew a penis on her arm during a video call with top leaders. The prosecutor Antoine Haushalter said this trial is a big moment for the video game world, and the #MeToo movement helped people finally speak up. He said there was a lot of strong proof that the bosses were mean and treated workers video game major Ubisoft, the force behind addictive games like Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Just Dance, was allegedly witnessing these incidents during the decade of 2010s at their HQs in Paris, with ex- employees labelling it a 'boys club'.Tommy Francois, 52, Former VP of Editorial & Creative Services is accused of sexual harassment, bullying, and attempted sexual assault. He once pushed a female employee into a lift after tying her to a chair before pushing the buttons of the lift to send her to a random floor. He made a woman in a skirt do handstands. She said she was scared and just wanted him to leave, as per the report by The a 2015 office party, he tried to kiss a woman while two others held her back. She shouted and escaped. Another woman leveled allegations of hair grabbing before a forced kiss at a gaming event in the US against Francois. HR told her not to make a big deal. She also said he showed her nude pics of himself, and once drew on her arm during a video call. Francois denied all the charges, as per Hascoet, 59, Former Chief Creative Officer was accused of bullying and sexual harassment. On a work trip, he said a woman needed sex and joked about doing it in front of everyone. A report by The Guardian claimed that while giving a used tissue to a young woman, he claimed that 'It's worth gold at Ubisoft'.He made weird sex sounds, joked about sex, and made assistants run personal errands like waiting for parcels at his house. Hascoet also denied all the charges and said he never meant to harass Patrux, 41, Former Game Director was accused of sexual harassment and bullying. He punched walls, pretended to hit people, cracked a whip near faces, joked about an office shooting, and even burned someone's beard with a lighter. He also denied all the charges, as per the report by The judges have now finished listening to everyone and will give their final decision later. This is the first major trial in the gaming industry after #MeToo. The prosecutor said sexism and abuse were hidden in this world, but now people are brave enough to speak up, as per are accused of bullying, sexual harassment, and bad behavior at is the first big #MeToo case in the gaming industry and shows people are speaking up now.
Time of India
05-06-2025
- Time of India
Ex-Ubisoft executive on trial denies seeing office harassment
BOBIGNY: A former executive at French video game giant Ubisoft, on trial with two others for alleged sexual and psychological harassment of employees, denied on Tuesday witnessing any abuse in the office. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Serge Hascoet, the company's former chief creative officer, said that he had been unaware of incidents that prompted several employees to complain of regular public humiliation and hazing. He said he never heard any sexist or homophobic remarks or insults, but after hours of questioning admitted making some "misplaced" comments with sexual connotations to women employees. Overall, the atmosphere in Ubisoft's open-plan offices in the eastern Paris suburb of Montreuil was "studious and focused on work", Hascoet insisted, although he said that "water fights" did break out "when it got hot". Hascoet, in his 60s, is on trial with the company's former vice-president of editorial and creative services, Thomas Francois, and former game director Guillaume Patrux. Hascoet resigned from his post as chief creative officer after the allegations surfaced in the media. Francois and Patrux were dismissed for serious misconduct following an internal inquiry in 2020, and all three deny the claims made against them. Francois is the focus of the most damning claims of systematic psychological and sexual harassment over years, including watching pornographic films in the office and commented on women employees' appearance. He allegedly forced one skirt-wearing employee to do a headstand and drew on her face with a felt-tip pen before forcing her to attend a meeting. Francois is additionally being prosecuted for an attempted sexual assault. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Hascoet is accused of lewd behaviour and posing intrusive questions of a sexual nature, as well as racist comments and behaviour. Asked about the felt-pen allegation involving Francois, Hascoet said: "I don't remember that episode at all." When the court's judge asked about another incident, in which Hascoet's male assistant -- known for selling drugs -- brandished a knife to a woman employee, the ex-chief creative officer said "I don't know" how the victim took the armed threat against her. In Monday's hearing, several women who worked under Hascoet testified that he made them run personal errands for him, including picking up his daughter from school. Hascoet said he was forced to give such orders because of lengthy meetings, and because his wife was suffering from incurable cancer.
