Inaugural Singapore Media Festival to Bring Together Global Industry Players in a Celebration of Asian TV and Film Industry

SINGAPORE, Nov. 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Singapore Media Festival (SMF) brings together four complementary film and TV events comprising markets, conferences, awards and festival screenings. Ahead of the inaugural event, the Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA), event partners and chairman of the SMF Advisory Board, shared their vision and goals for the festival taking place from 4 to 14 December 2014.

SMF shines spotlight on Southeast Asia's growing media industry

The combined strengths of the four marquee events under the umbrella of SMF is set to attract the best and brightest film and TV talent from Southeast Asia and beyond to forge partnerships, exchange ideas, trade content and celebrate creativity and talent. More than 5,000 industry professionals including filmmakers, producers and celebrities from over 60 countries are expected to attend the Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF), ScreenSingapore and the Asia TV Awards, while an audience of more than 10,000 are expected to participate in the Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF).

"The Southeast Asian media industry has experienced rapid growth and development over the past few years[1], becoming a source and strong contender of creative and innovative content. Many media industry professionals now recognise the huge potential of Southeast Asia[2], and are looking to tap into this burgeoning market," said Mr Robert Gilby, chairman of the SMF advisory board and Managing Director of The Walt Disney Company (SEA).

"SMF aims to ride on this potential to strengthen Singapore's position as the gateway to the region, and fill the need for a regional media event that will bring together Singapore and Southeast Asian content and talent to be enjoyed by viewers from all over the world," he added.

As a prominent platform to showcase Southeast Asian films, SGIFF has launched the careers of many reputable Southeast Asian filmmakers such as Singapore's Eric Khoo, Kelvin Tong and Indonesia's Riri Riza. ATF and ScreenSingapore also have a strong draw in the region, with 52% of buyers coming from Southeast Asia, while The Asian Television Awards receives more than 1,300 submissions from Asia, of which Southeast Asian entries make up 64%.

SMF to facilitate international interest in Asia as a valued partner in content creation

Singapore is home to over 6,000 media businesses, including international film production and service companies such as Double Negative Visual Effects and Lucasfilm which have set up studios locally. Leading media brands such as HBO Asia have also worked with Singapore partners to co-produce TV series Serangoon Road and Grace, while Hollywood blockbusters, Agent 47 and Equals, were shot and produced in part in Singapore this year, in collaboration with companies and talent based here.

"International players are increasingly looking to Asia for innovative stories and original content, and SMF aims to create more opportunities for international and Asian media players to meet and explore opportunities for collaboration. Singapore is a focal point for business and talent in Southeast Asia. This makes it a great home for both international and home-grown media companies. SMF leverages on the city's connectivity and thriving media sector to serve as a platform for media professionals from Asia and beyond to meet and build meaningful partnerships," said Ms Angeline Poh, Assistant Chief Executive (Industry) of the Media Development Authority.

SMF to harness cross-over synergies between TV and Film

The growing synergies between TV and Film, as evident by the frequent cross-over of talent and content between the silver screen and small screen, serves as another compelling reason for the need of an event like SMF.

Last year, when ATF and ScreenSingapore were co-located for the second year running, it out-performed the previous two editions of ScreenSingapore with more than 4,300 film and TV trade participants from 60 countries, and achieved business deals worth US$220.33 million. This was a 10% increase in attendance from 2012 with a corresponding increase of 8.2% in content sales. The growth also further bolsters the event's role as one of Asia's key platforms for international and regional media companies to come together to network and trade.

With the media industry operating in an increasingly converged environment, SMF provides a seamless platform that allows more opportunities for cross-over collaborations by bringing together players from the film and TV industries.

More information on SMF can be found at: http://www.sgmediafestival.com/

For more information on SMF's constituent events, please refer to the links below:

• Singapore International Film Festival, 4 - 14 December 2014 (http://sgiff.com/)
• Asia TV Forum & Market, 9 - 12 December 2014 (http://www.asiatvforum.com/)
• ScreenSingapore, 9 - 12 December 2014 (http://www.screensingapore.com.sg/)
• Asian Television Awards, 11 December 2014 (http://ata.onscreenasia.com/)

For more quotes from the partners of SMF, please refer to Annex A.

Notes:

[1] PWC's Global Entertainment and Media Outlook Report for 2013 to 2017 - According to industry forecasts, SEA countries like Thailand and India will become the fastest-growing film entertainment market in the world, following on the back of China

[2] PwC Global entertainment and media outlook 2014 to 2018 - The total spend on Entertainment and Media in the Asia-Pacific* is expected to grow from approximately USD 447 billion in 2013 to over 632 billion in 2018 at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.8%, according to statistics from PwC (*Asia-Pacific includes Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam).

About Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA)

The Media Development Authority of Singapore (www.mda.gov.sg) promotes the growth of globally competitive film, television, radio, publishing, games, animation and interactive digital media industries. It also regulates the media sector to safeguard the interests of consumers, and promotes a connected society. MDA is a statutory board under the Ministry of Communications and Information (www.mci.gov.sg).

About the Singapore Media Festival

The Singapore Media Festival is set to become one of Asia's leading international media events, where the industry meets to discover the latest trends, talent and content in Asia for Film and TV. It brings together four complementary events- Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) and ScreenSingapore (SS), Asian Television Awards (ATA) and Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), which will take place from 4-14 December 2014. The Singapore Media Festival is hosted by the Media Development Authority of Singapore, and organised by Reed Exhibitions, Contineo Media and SGIFF Ltd.

Annex A

Quotes from SMF partners

Michelle Lim, Managing Director of Reed Exhibitions Singapore said, "We are excited to be part of the inaugural Singapore Media Festival and envision that it will strengthen the events' abilities to further attract market leaders and prominent brands from around the world to Singapore. The co-location of TV and film events also presents more opportunities for collaboration and growth to meet the changing demands and habits of consumers, fuelled by the rapid development of technology. The line between film and TV will continue to become more porous as the emphasis shifts to quality content that can be packaged for the big screen, small screen and even smaller screens, that is, computers and mobile devices. Having a combined film and television event leverages this exciting trend, and feedback from the industry has been tremendously positive. As a testament to our combined film and TV markets platform, last year's ATF and ScreenSingapore saw over 4,000 attendees from 52 countries, and we anticipate an even stronger turn out this year."

Mike Wiluan, Chairman of Singapore International Film Festival said, "The Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) celebrates its 25th anniversary this year and our focus has always been on discovering and promoting films and filmmaking talent from Southeast Asia. There are a lot of synergies for a film festival like ours to be part of a broader film and TV event -- talents get discovered, exchanges and discussions take place and at a more macro level, the industry gets to experience growth through cross-market regional collaboration."

Raymond Wong, CEO of Contineo Media Pte Ltd and Chairman of the Asian Television Awards (ATA), is pleased that the ATA will be part of the Singapore Media Festival, "Every December, Singapore becomes a hotbed for the distribution of content and the exchange of ideas; and with both ScreenSingapore and SGIFF exhibiting quality films; it leaves ATA the distinct honour of celebrating the best of television in Asia. The ATA is a celebrated industry event that recognises excellence in programming, production and performance, and received close to 1400 entries from across 14 countries this year. The Awards ceremony this December will be broadcasted to more than 30 million homes across Asia Pacific through FOX Star World, MediaCorp Channel 5 and Bangkok Broadcasting Channel 7."

Ms. Neeta Lachmandas, Assistant Chief Executive, Business Development Group, Singapore Tourism Board said, "The Singapore Media Festival is set to become a leading business platform for the international film and television industry. With a programme that promotes greater business opportunities and mindshare, and an integration of business and consumer-facing events, attendees will find the festival a comprehensive and compelling experience. We are confident that the first run of the Singapore Media Festival will be a hit and that it will help establish Singapore as a premier media hub in the region."

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/inaugural-singapore-media-festival-to-bring-together-global-industry-players-in-a-celebration-of-asian-tv-and-film-industry-300002015.html

SOURCE Media Development Authority of Singapore

Related Links

http://ata.onscreenasia.com/