Global industry leaders to shine light on Asia’s media market
At the Singapore Media Festival (SMF) this 4 to 14 December, global industry players looking to deepen their media business in Asia can expect a more vibrant marketplace and a bigger celebration of the best content and media talent in Asia.
SMF will bring together a seamless market for TV and film, screenings, conferences and awards with the following four established media events – Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF), ScreenSingapore (SS) and Asian Television Awards (ATA).
The inaugural event is expected to bring together the leading producers, content creators, distributors and buyers from both the broadcast and film sectors to Singapore:
ATF and SS will see the gathering of more than 5,000 international TV and film executives from over 60 countries, and 40 top-level conference sessions featuring 70 speakers.
The awards show by ATA, which attracts more than 1,000 entries across the region, is expected to reach a wide regional audience of over 30 million households.
SGIFF with its showcase of more than 100 feature and short films from over 50 countries is expected to draw more than 10,000 visitors.
Leading media industry players and veterans to share expertise
Strong line-up of speakers for broadcast industry players
ATF will showcase a strong conference line-up featuring the thought leaders in the broadcast industry, with representatives from the world’s most influential media brands such as Disney, CBS Paramount, Warner Brothers, BBC and Viacom.
Global industry heavyweights who will share their insights at ATF include Liu Xichen, President and CEO of 3C Media China, who will speak on the growing format market in Asia. Alon Shtruzman, CEO of Keshet International (Israel), who is well-known as one of the founding fathers of Israel’s multi-channel industry, will also be one of the keynote speakers for ATF.
Other notable experts who will share their insights into Asia’s entertainment business include Robert Gilby, Managing Director, The Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) (Singapore), Ricky Ow, President, Turner International Asia Pacific (Hong Kong SAR), and Jonathan Spink, CEO, HBO Asia (Singapore).
Initiatives to nurture talent for global success
In addition to a strong slate of conferences, a series of masterclasses and workshops will be held to allow participants to learn from industry veterans.
TV producers looking to gain insights into developing successful formats for a global audience will be able to hear from renowned format experts at MIP Academy. Speakers include May-yi Lee, Director of Factual Content and Production at National Geographic Channels Asia, and Tim Crescenti, President of Small World International Format Television. ATF will also hold the Animation Lab, a three-day platform for Asian animation producers to pitch to top programming directors from around the world.
At the Kids Animation Masterclass, Tom Beattie, Head of Animation and Children’s Programming for Tiger Aspect Productions (UK), who is currently working on the second animation for Mr. Bean, will provide his insights on creating a successful animated icon.
Aspiring filmmakers can look forward to new initiatives like the Southeast Asian Film Lab and the Youth Jury programme that will be launched at SGIFF.
The Southeast Asian Film Lab, to be helmed by established Singapore filmmaker Eric Khoo, will focus on stories exploring the Southeast Asian identity. Mentors for the film lab include Akanga Films’ award-winning producer Fran Borgia, and independent filmmaker and co-founder of Da Huang Pictures, Tan Chui Mui. The Youth Jury, which aims to nurture the next generation of film writers, will educate participants on film theory and writing for a wider audience, as well as the cultural significance of Southeast Asian works.
Singapore Media Festival to gather Asia’s best content and talent
ATF and SS, with their strong market following in Asia, will bring together trade participants from key regional markets such as China, Korea, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam. At the 2013 edition of ATF and SS, 52% of buyers came from Southeast Asia, 35% from North Asia and 7% from South Asia; while 66% of content featured at the market originated from Asia.
The best media talent and content from Asia will also have a greater platform to be showcased and discovered through the Asian Television Awards (ATA) and SGIFF.
As one of the most significant and celebrated events in Asia’s TV industry, ATA currently has 43 awards under its belt to recognise quality works from Asia. This year, riding on the digital trend, ATA has introduced a new awards category for webcasters.
SGIFF’s Silver Screen Awards will recognise and celebrate the best films and talent from Asia and Singapore.
SGIFF’s line-up of festival screenings will showcase a wide variety of top-notch films, including its opening film Unlucky Plaza, by Singapore filmmaker Ken Kwek. The film is Kwek’s first feature film, and it made its debut at the Discovery Section of the Toronto Film Festival where it was sold out. The film will also be featured under the International Competition section at the Warsaw Film Festival. Other titles from Asia include Red Amnesia by acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Wang Xiaoshuai and From What Is Before by Philippines filmmaker Lav Diaz.
With the combined strengths of the Asia TV Forum and ScreenSingapore, Singapore International Film Festival and Asian Television Awards, the Singapore Media Festival is set to be the next must-attend international media event for industry players to discover Asia’s best content and talent.
