International Collaborations Off to a Flying Start

Participants at the Asia Media Festival (AMF) hit the ground running, with no fewer than four partnerships sealed on the first day.

Among these international media partnerships was a funding initiative between the Media Development Authority of Singapore and South West Screen, the film, TV and digital media development agency for South West England, aimed at fostering collaborations between Singapore and British producers on multi-platform projects.

Also signed was a pact between Singapore’s digital TV provider StarHub and media content and platform management group Xinya Media. Xinya will use its expertise to select, aggregate and package China content, while StarHub will bring it to the local market.

China’s emergence as a content provider got another boost when Singapore’s MyChinaChannel and Shanghai Media Group’s distribution unit, Wings Media, agreed on the co-production and distribution of two infotainment TV series.

Incubation companies Technology Seed Incubation (TSI) of Japan and Singapore-based Thymos Capital formed a strategic partnership to help their incubates enter each other’s market.

MDA, Oak3 Films, Medialab, Blink Films and China Intercontinental Communication Center unveiled their Singapore-UK-China co-production deal for a high definition documentary series, Monumental Challenge, to be aired on History Channel.

MDA and Australia’s ScreenWest also announced three winners of funding from its second call for proposals. They are (1) Potted Histories by Australia’s Great Western Entertainment and Singapore’s Infinite frameworks; (2) Are you Smarter than Nature by Australia’s Sea Dog Films and Singapore’s Very! Productions; and (3) Global Sound Hunters by Australia’s Circling Shark Productions and Singapore’s Xtreme Production.

Said Dr. Christopher Chia, MDA’s Chief Executive Officer: “Our growing international linkages and media collaborations are a vote of confidence in the capabilities of Singapore media enterprises and indeed, the Singapore media industry at large. The winning combination of Singapore’s economic stability, pro-enterprise culture and progressive intellectual property framework puts us at the heart of a new dynamic Asia.”

“We look forward to many more collaborative efforts with our international counterparts. On our part, MDA will continue to encourage and facilitate collaborations between Singapore and international media partners to develop nextgeneration content and promote the growth of the region’s media industry,” said Dr. Chia.

Rounding off the good news was the announcement that Creative Technology’s subsidiary Zii Private Limited has been issued a niche IPTV service licence by MDA.

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