MDA: Singapore to release 13 new films next year

The Singapore-base market, which will be attended by 4,000 film and TV companies from 60 countries, converges for the first time the film and television market with ATF & ScreenSingapore, which will be attended by local, regional and global industry players, including studios, broadcasters, production houses, distributors and financiers in attendance. 

Government agency MDA has confirmed 13 new films in 2013: The Wedding Diary II (premieres on ATF); Ah Boys to Men II; That Girl in Pinafore; Ghost Child; Mister John; Menstrual Man; Taxi Taxi; Wa is for Wayang; 3 Peas in a Pod; Afterimages; 3.50; Red Numbers and Pickles. Seven of these new films will be featured at Sneak Peeks, an event organised by MDA to market Singapore films to international distributors.

The Wedding Diary II has been selected as the closing premiere of ScreenSingapore, with presence of the cast and director at Golden Village Cineplex, Vivo City, at 8.30pm on 6 December. It is produced and distributed by Clover Films (Singapore), Golden Screen Cinemas, Asia Tropical Films, Satellite Television Asia Region and Mega Cineplex (Malaysia) and Star Chinese Movies (Hong Kong). Mr. Lim Teck, managing director, Clover Films and ScreenSingapore Board Member, said: ‘The global spotlight will certainly help boost the film’s profile, as well as add buzz and vibrancy to Singapore’s film scene’.

Television
The Singapore entertainment and media market is projected to have a 5.8 per cent compounded annual growth rate, while Singapore’s digital spending is projected to grow at 10 per cent per annum from 2012 to 2016 according to PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2012-2016.

During ATF, Singaporean companies will showcase converged content, such as the musical drama The Kitchen Musical by The Group Entertainment, nominated for Best Drama Series in the International Emmy Awards 2012 and expanding into Vietnam and Philippines, as well as US and UK, as theatre musical, book and TV adaptations. 

MediaCorp, nationwide Singaporean broadcaster, will showcase its latest transmedia drama, 96°C Café. The mini drama will be telecast online in xinMSN and continue its run as a 20-episode serial on FTA and stars. The theme song is also supported under MDA’s development assistance grant, which provides funding support for original Singapore compositions. 

TV shows made in the country are seen by audiences in over 70 countries around the world. With Singapore’s continued efforts to tap opportunities for Singapore companies in the China market, MDA is supporting the China-Singapore Dialogue where Singapore TV producers can network directly with representatives of China’s top broadcast stations for collaboration in dramas and documentaries. It will be attended by 50 producers, including representatives from CCTV, Shanghai Media Group, MediaCorp and MyChinaChannel.

MDA continues to place emphasis on cross-content collaboration. To further catalyse such projects, MDA is organising a business matching session on Dec 5 bringing together local film, television and music talent with international players for such collaboration opportunities.

Mr. Yeo Chun Cheng, Assistant Chief Executive Officer (Industry), MDA, explains: ‘This market provides tremendous opportunities for global media players to capitalise on business opportunities created by Asia’s expanding media sector, and to do so from Singapore, a great place to inspire talent and create compelling international content’. (A complete interview with Chung Cheng is being published at Prensario ATF issue).

ScreenSingapore
Today, the production volume of Made In Singapore films has doubled: rising from just six Singapore films in 2002 to 13 new Singapore films for next year. Box office takings jumped 1.5 times in 2011, with earnings of SGD$9.2m (USD 7.5m), compared to SGD$6m (USD 4.9m) in 2002.  Singapore also continues to have one of the largest film exhibition sectors in this part of the world. 

With ScreenSingapore’s spotlight on Asia, local filmmakers will share their personal perspectives gained from years of working in the China market, and on financing and co-production matters with international filmmakers.

Film director Jack Neo will speak at the film co-production & financing panel on South East Asia: New Filmmaker, New Money (Dec. 6); Mike Wiluan, Chief Executive, Infinite Studios will be moderating that panel; his company is currently shooting Serangoon Road, one of South East Asia’s largest television co-productions, with Australian Broadcasting Corporation and HBO Asia. 

Kenneth Tan, Assistant Chief Executive Officer (Assessment), MDA, will be the moderator for the Film Keynote panel featuring Bona Film Group’s Yu Dong (Dec. 5) and Theatre Innovation: A Conversation with Dolby panel, both on Dec. 5. Joachim Ng, director (Industry Operations), MDA, will moderate the animation co-production and financing panel on Dec. 6.