News and Notes from Media Business Forum: 23 April 2010

Exploring Possibilities With MDA

Breaking up into smaller Breakout Sessions after the main presentations, media professionals engaged in focused discussions and question-and-answer sessions with MDA senior officials.
 
During the Interactive Media and Games/Media-in-Learning session,
Mr Thomas Lim, Senior Director (Special Programs), and other MDA officials gave details on the GAME+ Programme. Comprising three schemes – INSPIRE+, INNOVATE+ and INVIGORATE+ – this programme will disburse S$20 million over the next three years.

INSPIRE+ will see MDA co-investing up to 30 percent in large-scale, bigger-budget game content projects such as the development of multi-million-dollar massively multiplayer online games.

 Mr Kenneth Tan, COO, MDA, fielding questions during the Breakout Session for film, animation and publishing professionals.
 
Under INNOVATE+, MDA has issued a joint call with the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board for financial management games for social networking sites and mobile phones. Aside from the CPF Board, MDA will continue to collaborate with other industry partners.

INVIGORATE+ aims to help companies and individuals take their ideas for a variety of emerging digital platforms from concept to commercialisation. MDA will support up to 50 percent of qualifying project costs.

In addition, a Cross-Sector (X-sector) call for proposal was made for interactive digital media (IDM) content, applications and services, for deployment in five economic sectors, namely education, learning and training; advertising; wellness and healthcare; tourism and hospitality; and sports.

High on the agenda during the question-and-answer session were queries on the various schemes and calls for proposals. Among other things, participants wanted to know which of the myriad schemes were most suitable for them.

In response, Mr Lim assured the participants that the proposals submitted would be reviewed internally and categorised under the most suitable funding scheme or initiative.

“If you have a general idea, just send it to us and internally we will figure it out for you,” Mr Lim said, also pointing out that MDA has 38 schemes available.

In the other three Breakout Sessions – for film, animation and publishing; broadcast and music; and the changing media regulatory landscape – similarly lively discussions took place.

For more information on the calls for proposals, please click here.

To read archives, please click here.