ASIA WELCOMES THE WORLD

AS THE WORLD’S LARGEST CONTINENT, HOME TO 4.5 BILLION PEOPLE AND AROUND 50 COUNTRIES, THERE’S NO QUESTION ASIA HAS IT ALL FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF FILM AND TV PRODUCTION. ANDY FRY REPORTS

SPEND some time exploring this part of the world and you’ll unearth an astonishing breadth of locations; a mesmerising array of ancient and modern architecture; experienced and efficient crews; and state-of-the-art studios and equipment. As Asia's strength as a filming hub continues to attract international projects, there is also an increasing array of competitive tax credits from which producers can benefit.

If there’s a challenge with Asia, it’s knowing where to start — which is where the Asian Film Commissions Network (AFCNet) comes in. Founded in 2004, it’s primary role is “to advance film industries in the Asian region by sharing location information about each member country and promoting their locations at global film markets,” AFCNet president Phil Choy says.

Choy, who is also head of the Busan Film Commission (BFC) in Korea, says that the AFCNet secretariat office has been run out of Busan since the organisation launched almost two decades ago: “During that time, we have fielded numerous enquiries from overseas producers about specific locations across Asia,” he says. “I'm always really happy to introduce our members’ wonderful locations to them — in the hope that this will provide a boost to Asia’s local economies.”

In total, AFCNet has 54 members, 40 of which are film commissions and governments. “This group covers a very wide group of options,” Choy says. “In addition to our Asia-Pacific members, for example, we have Middle Eastern members such as the Jordan Royal Film Commission. We also have 14 associate members, which are companies and organisations with an interest in the region.”

Choy adds that Asia’s appeal is about “new locations, new stories and new markets. The success of the streamers has shown there is an appetite for diverse stories and Asia is perfectly placed to support that. It’s not just about our locations, many of which have not been tapped into. The AFCNet is made up of young and enthusiastic film commissions and governments that are willing to put in every effort to support international productions.”

Proof that Asian talent is up to the job is the boom in local production by the global streaming platforms, Choy says. “Platforms like Netflix, Apple TV+, Disney+, Amazon, as well as local streamers, are already investing huge sums in local production. This year we have seen Netflix announce plans to spend an additional $500m on Korean content. And there are similar developments taking place across North Asia and Southeast Asia. All of this demonstrates that Asia has the talent and infrastructure to handle high-end production.”