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TVASIA
WWW.TVASIA.WS DECEMBER 2017
ASIA TV FORUM EDITION
Focus on Kids / Asian Drama / Format Trends MCI’s Hong Tat Chee & IMDA’s Angeline Poh
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CONTENTS FEATURES
Reality Check It’s easy to get dazzled by numbers sometimes. It happened to Rupert Murdoch in the 1990s with his full-court press on China—1.3 billion people! Untapped potential! We all know what happened there. Ricardo Seguin Guise Publisher Anna Carugati Group Editorial Director Mansha Daswani Editor Kristin Brzoznowski Executive Editor Joanna Padovano Tong Managing Editor Sara Alessi Associate Editor Victor L. Cuevas Production & Design Director Phyllis Q. Busell Art Director Simon Weaver Online Director Dana Mattison Senior Sales & Marketing Manager Nathalia Lopez Sales & Marketing Assistant Andrea Moreno Business Affairs Manager
Ricardo Seguin Guise President Anna Carugati Executive VP Mansha Daswani Associate Publisher & VP of Strategic Development TV Asia © 2017 WSN INC. 1123 Broadway, #1207 New York, NY 10010 Phone: (212) 924-7620 Fax: (212) 924-6940 Website: www.tvasia.ws
Speaking at the APOStech conference in Hong Kong this summer, Harit Nagpal, the managing director and CEO of Indian DTH platform Tata Sky, had some frank words for media executives chasing the numbers. “From the outside you see a 1.3 billion population, you see 265 million, 270 million homes, and say, Wow, it’s a great big market,” Nagpal said. However, once you break up that 270 million into segments, based on income, you start to see the obstacles to making money in Indian pay TV. “The top 5 million customer homes are the ones who are willing to pay up to $10 a month for content—100,000 of these would buy it at any price. The next slot is about 25 million homes who would be willing to pay anywhere from $5 to $10 a month for content. The bottom 100 million don’t have a television at home.” That leaves a significant opportunity for low-priced OTT platforms, many of which are aligning with telco operators to make it easier for potential customers to sign up. And yet, while OTT services are gaining traction in the Asia Pacific, take-up is still low, Media Partners Asia (MPA) found in its latest consumer study earlier this year. “Premium-content providers with ad-supported and freemium online video services have much to do if they want to cater to mass audiences,” said Aravind Venugopal, MPA’s VP. “While reach has substantially grown for some OTT platforms through wholesale telco partnerships, usage is low, although there is positive momentum in markets like Indonesia.” Indonesia takes center stage at ATF this year as the market’s first Country of Focus. It’s a territory where free TV still dominates, but as broadband penetration improves, Indonesia’s vast network of islands is finally becoming addressable, providing opportunities for platforms that can deliver the right content mix to the right devices at the right price. Indonesia is among the markets in the region with the biggest appetite for formats, but demand is brisk across Asia. This edition of TV Asia includes a special report on trends in the local format business, as well as a piece on the demand for kids’ programming. We also explore the Asian drama sector, which is in fine form these days with sales to new markets and a healthy interest in local scripts. —Mansha Daswani
GET DAILY NEWS ON THE ASIAN REGION
30 JUST FOR KIDS Leading distributors weigh in on the major trends at play in the region’s kids’ content sector.
38 DRAMATIC SHIFTS Drama series from Korea, Japan, the Philippines and India are finding avid audiences around the region and across the globe.
38 44 SUITED TO ASIA The format trade in Asia is faring well as broadcasters bet big on new concepts across many genres.
44
INTERVIEWS
48 MCI’s
Hong Tat Chee
50 IMDA’s
Angeline Poh
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9 Story Distribution International Luo Bao Bei / 3 Amigonauts / Daniel Tiger’s Neighbourhood
Daniel Tiger ’s Neighbourhood
A co-production between China and Wales, Luo Bao Bei is a new animated series that is being presented at ATF. “We are extremely excited about our new property Luo Bao Bei, as the character has been a household name in China for many years,” says Federico Vargas, the senior director of distribution at 9 Story Distribution International. “As a Chinese/U.K. co-production, it stays true to its Chinese heritage while at the same time featuring universal themes and storylines. As a result, we feel it will have a strong appeal to the sensibilities of the region.” 9 Story is also offering up the animated series 3 Amigonauts, about “three bumbling buddies attending the solar system’s most prestigious space academy,” and Daniel Tiger’s Neighbourhood, “which teaches important socialemotional lessons to preschoolers,” according to Vargas.
“Asia is a strong market for children’s content right now across all subgenres, and animation, in particular, has good traction.”
—Federico Vargas
Bomanbridge Media
The Snack World
Gamerz / The Snack World / Donal’s Asian Baking Adventure Amateur eSports talents live together and improve upon their gaming abilities in Gamerz, a format in the Bomanbridge Media catalog. “Asia represents the majority of gaming participation and revenue, which makes this a great opportunity for channels and platforms [looking] to explore an entertainment program that allows a more accessible mainstream approach,” says Sonia Fleck, the company’s CEO. Another highlight is The Snack World, a kids’ series set in a fantasy universe featuring princesses, dragons, genies, smartphones and convenience stores. There is also Donal’s Asian Baking Adventure, a food travelogue led by chef, TV presenter and YouTube star Donal Skehan. “The show gives a great feel of the region, balancing authentic Asian food perspectives with a Western chef breaking ground in popularity in the Asia Pacific,” says Fleck.
“Bomanbridge is, as always, carefully curating [our] content offering to capture the local Asian tastes.”
—Sonia Fleck
Caracol Internacional One Way Out, Between Heaven and Hell / The Goddess / Surviving Escobar, Alias JJ Set in the Bronx, One Way Out, Between Heaven and Hell tells parallel stories of people whose lives intersect in a dangerous neighborhood. Caracol Internacional is also showcasing The Goddess, about a woman who was able to conquer a world of men with her musical talent and love. In Surviving Escobar, Alias JJ, Pablo Escobar’s right-hand man is put in the spotlight. He faces enemies in prison after turning himself in, while continuing his reign of terror as a drug trafficker. “ATF is one of the most important events we attend in the region,” says Maria Estrella, international sales executive for Asia. “Here we have the chance to meet with current and prospective clients. For us, it is vital to nurture relationships. Longterm partnerships grow from trust and good customer service; therefore, face-to-face interaction is essential.”
“The Asian region is demanding high-quality productions with universal stories.” —Maria Estrella
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The Goddess
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Leo, The Wildlife Ranger 20 TV ASIA
Cyber Group Studios The Pirates Next Door / Mini Ninjas / Leo, The Wildlife Ranger A message of tolerance is featured in The Pirates Next Door, an animated show from Cyber Group Studios’ portfolio. “Living with others who are different is simply fun, and this is a universal message that has a lot of appeal in Asia,” says Raphaelle Mathieu, the company’s VP of sales, acquisitions and new media. Cyber Group is also highlighting the second season of Mini Ninjas, an animated action/comedy based on a popular video game. “The brand is known worldwide and the series…is a good balance between Western and Asian cultures according to our Asian clients [who watched] the brand-new trailer during MIPCOM,” says Mathieu. Then there is Leo, The Wildlife Ranger, a preschool show that Mathieu describes as “a very good fit for the Asian market, which has already been very responsive.”
“ATF is always a major [opportunity] to meet our Asian buyers that do not necessarily travel to other markets.”
—Raphaelle Mathieu
FUN Union BabyRiki / PinCode / Krash and Hehe Series that are non-violent, visually appealing and educational make up FUN Union’s ATF slate. Among the highlights is BabyRiki, which was developed alongside child psychologists and early development specialists. “Each episode has ageappropriate stories in familiar surroundings to develop both social-emotional skills (communication, cooperation, creativity and critical thinking) as well as cognitive skills (early literacy and math), which are reinforced through a song for kinesthetic learning,” says Christine Brendle, the company’s CEO. FUN Union is also offering up PinCode, as well as Krash and Hehe, a collaboration with CCTV Animation and Riki Group. “We’re very proud to be a part of the first-ever co-production between China and Russia,” says Brendle. “The Krash and Hehe pilot is in production and the series will launch in 2019.”
BabyRiki
“We’re very keen to continue our expansion across the Asia Pacific, building and strengthening our three brands and striking new partnerships.” —Christine Brendle
Global Agency Open Call / In and Out / Queens The new shiny-floor format Open Call puts a fresh spin on the classic singing competition. “Each hopeful singer will first upload a 60-second homemade video selfie to the show’s website or app, where users will vote for their favorite ones,” explains Isil Turksen, sales director for Asia at Global Agency. “The most popular videos are then chosen to take part in the competition, but there is a catch: only the audience in the studio decides if they wish to see more of this performance.” Also on offer is the game show In and Out, which sees contestants try to earn money while avoiding the bankruptcy card. On the scripted side is Queens, a drama series chronicling the struggles between Elizabeth I of England and Mary Stuart of Scotland in a world of men.
Queens
“Queens is inspired directly by Winston Churchill’s texts and the extraordinary biography of Mary Stuart written by John Guy.” —Isil Turksen 54 WORLD SCREEN 12/17
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HARI International Grizzy & the Lemmings / Pipas & Douglas Two seasons of the animated show Grizzy & the Lemmings are part of HARI International’s slate at ATF. “During MIPCOM we announced a partnership with Mango TV to launch the series in China,” says Adeline Tormo, the company’s head of sales. “We are very excited about this new collaboration, and we hope that this enthusiasm for the series will spread throughout Asia.” She adds: “We look forward to having Grizzy & the Lemmings on free TV in all Asian territories. We are developing a long-term brand, and we know that Asia is key for that kind of development.” HARI is also showcasing Pipas & Douglas, a nonverbal comedy about two atypical performing artists—a spider and a larva—who will do anything to be a hit at the Music Hall.
Pipas & Douglas
“HARI has earned a reputation for developing original character-driven creations with a distinct comedy trademark for family audiences.” —Adeline Tormo
Infocomm Media Development Authority Silver Wolf International / Robot Playground Media / BananaMana Films Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) is leading a delegation of companies from Singapore, with highlights across many genres. A noteworthy locally-made program is Oddbods from One Animation. “In addition to winning the hearts of fans across markets like the U.S., Germany and Japan, this series earned an International Emmy Kids Award nomination,” says Angeline Poh, IMDA’s assistant chief executive (industry development). She adds, “With a rapidly evolving media ecosystem, Asian storytellers are constantly innovating and reinventing, utilizing technology as a springboard to propel their stories to a wider global audience. Singapore and IMDA stand at the forefront of these developments, paving the way for new content formats and technologies, such as virtual reality, to redefine the way we tell and experience stories.”
Oddbods
“It is an exciting time to be in Asia today, with some of the fastest-growing economies and richest stories in the world coming from this region.” —Angeline Poh
Keshet International
BOOM! Patrimonio mundial - Herencia de la humanidad
Masters of Dance / Domination / BOOM! Four dance masters risk their reputations in Masters of Dance, a competition format that seeks to crown a country’s best dancer. “It’s cost-effective for a shiny-floor show, with amazing energy and nonstop action,” says Gary Pudney, Keshet International’s (KI) head of Asia. KI is also highlighting Domination, which Pudney believes “delivers the ‘wow factor’ and promises prime-time, dramatic and entertaining family viewing.” BOOM!, meanwhile, “fuses the drama, thrill and intensity of an action movie with the high-octane fun of a video game, creating one literally explosive trivia challenge,” Pudney adds. “BOOM! is one of KI’s most successful formats ever, with over 1,000 episodes of the series commissioned worldwide to date. That includes Cambodia and Thailand, with two additional Asian deals to be announced in the near future.”
“In April of this year, we grounded ourselves firmly within the Asian market with the opening of a new office based in India.” —Gary Pudney 56 WORLD SCREEN 12/17
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MarVista Entertainment Eruption LA / 12 Feet Deep / Love Strikes Twice MarVista Entertainment is putting the spotlight on a range of movies, including Eruption LA, 12 Feet Deep and Love Strikes Twice, at ATF. Jennifer Kim, a worldwide distribution executive at the company, notes that “some of our most popular content across the board has been action-disasters, wellexecuted thrillers and heartwarming holiday romance movies for the entire family.” In Eruption LA, a screenwriter finds himself the star of his own disaster movie when super volcanoes begin erupting all over Los Angeles. 12 Feet Deep is inspired by true events, telling the story of two sisters trapped beneath the fiberglass cover of an Olympic-sized public pool. Love Strikes Twice is about a couple on the brink of divorce whose marriage may be saved when amnesia gives them the chance to forget their past mistakes and fall in love again.
Love Strikes Twice
“We will continue to offer buyers throughout the region great-quality storytelling, particularly with an eye on delivering strong female-driven characters and storylines.” —Jennifer Kim
Newen Distribution Filthy Rich / Dirty Laundry / Out of Control Money, power and family are at the forefront of the drama series Filthy Rich, which is among Newen Distribution’s ATF highlights. Dirty Laundry, meanwhile, is about a suburban mother who is arrested for money laundering. Both dramas are produced for TVNZ. “We have struck a few strong partnerships in the kids’ space in Asia over the last couple of years, and we are especially proud of our recent partnership with Discovery Kids in Asia on our animated edutainment series Loopdidoo,” says Sophie Eap, Newen Distribution’s international sales manager. “We are now confident that our new drama slate from New Zealand will also spark strong interest among our Asian buyers.” Another highlight is Out of Control, which “enables viewers to experience and relive certain events that shook the whole world,” Eap says.
Filthy Rich
“I have no doubt that our charming characters from Dirty Laundry and all the glamour along with the intensity of Filthy Rich’s storyline will seduce Asian buyers.”
—Sophie Eap
Next AnimationStudio
Patrimonio mundial - Herencia de la humanidad
Out of This Word / nxBEATS / Mad Box Zombies Max and Moon learn and use popular idioms such as “sleep tight” and “put a sock in it” in the series Out of This Word. It is Next Animation Studio’s “first edutainment series, which explores English idioms and phrases and their origins,” says Indra Suharjono, the company’s CEO. “We’ve received positive feedback from parents who thought it was an interesting way for their kids to learn new words.” nxBEATS, meanwhile, is a collection of modern renditions of classic children’s songs such as “BINGO.” Suharjono says that “nxBEATS offers a completely new kind of sound that appeals to not just toddlers but also older kids, thanks to its upbeat and hiphop elements.” There is also Mad Box Zombies, which Suharjono notes has “gained tremendous growth in viewership in the past year,” including from Southeast Asia.
Out of This Word
“We have seen significant growth in the Asia-Pacific region and anticipate that it will become an even more important area for our business going forward.”
—Indra Suharjono
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YES MAN Discovers the World
Nippon TV Witness the Fitness / YES MAN Discovers the World / Block Out Among the formats being presented by Nippon TV is Witness the Fitness, in which individuals who are blessed with superior body parts use them to reach the pinnacle of their professions and face off in original battles. “With Japanese physical game shows gaining popularity in both the West and East, Witness the Fitness is sure to bring fun and laughter as well as nail-biting intensity to viewers of all ages,” says Shigeko “Cindy” Chino, the company’s senior director of international business development. Nippon TV is also showcasing YES MAN Discovers the World, a game-style docu-reality show, and Block Out, which was co-developed with Red Arrow Entertainment Group. “The big attraction for this physical game show is its scale of studio setting and simplicity for viewers of any age to enjoy,” Chino says of Block Out.
“YES MAN travels having to say nothing but ‘yes,’ leading to unexpected surprises and twists.” —Shigeko “Cindy” Chino
Passion Distribution
Robot Wars
Robot Wars / Japandemonium / Emogenius In the series Robot Wars, amateur robot designers build mechanical creations that fight to the death in an arena. The entertainment series and format appeal to a broad range of audiences, “including as a family show, with a major point of difference being that it brings together budding engineers, scientists, students and technology enthusiasts in a spectacular, frenetic competition to find the greatest robots in the land,” says Nick Tanner, the head of sales at Passion Distribution. Another company highlight is Japandemonium, which showcases comedic clips from Japan’s iconic game shows. “Family viewing doesn’t get any more enjoyable than watching this mind-boggling collection of Japanese game shows,” Tanner says. There is also the comedic game show Emogenius, which taps into the popularity of emojis and text messaging.
“Robot Wars is a combination of engineering, innovation, competition and ferocious battles.” —Nick Tanner
Rainbow
Patrimonio mundial - Herencia de la humanidad
44 Cats / Regal Academy The gender-neutral preschool series 44 Cats is a lead offering for Rainbow. “44 Cats is a great physical, characterdriven comedy with strong storylines based on very powerful musical assets,” says Andrea Graciotti, the company’s head of TV sales. “It is about how cats see the world and is very easy for young kids, both boys and girls, to relate to. Key themes are friendship and altruism, and the stories promote tolerance and diversity and offer important life lessons.” There are also 26 new episodes of Regal Academy, which follows the fairy-tale adventures of Rose Cinderella and her schoolmates. The animated series, which targets kids 4 to 8, has already been on air with Nickelodeon in Southeast Asia and worldwide, along with other broadcasters in Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia.
Regal Academy
“Rainbow will showcase a raft of new series that will appeal to wider audiences than ever.” —Andrea Graciotti 60 WORLD SCREEN 12/17
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Helen’s Little School
Superights Emmy & Gooroo / Helen’s Little School / Story Time! A Chinese-Spanish co-production, Emmy & Gooroo follows the daily life of a 5-year-old girl and her furry best friend. Helen’s Little School watches as a young girl plays teacher in an imaginary classroom, where the students are actually her own toys. Story Time! is a collection of 26 tales, taking viewers on a journey across continents. “We feel these three high-quality programs stand out in the international marketplace because they cover all genres a buyer could look for to complete its preschool slots: edutainment and social development with Helen’s Little School, magic and fantasy with Emmy & Gooroo and classic tales with Story Time!” says Safaa Benazzouz, sales manager at Superights. She adds that the plans for ATF are to “find broadcasting partners for our highlights and also to sell the free-TV window for our biggest sales hit, Pat the Dog.”
“Our business has been doing great in AsiaPac, with agreements with both payand free-TV partners.”
—Safaa Benazzouz
Turner Asia Pacific
Deception on Warner TV
Warner TV / Oh!K Turner Asia Pacific operates a number of channels in AsiaPac, including Warner TV and Oh!K. New to the Warner TV slate this year is Young Sheldon, which will be joined in early 2018 by the new Superman-inspired Krypton and crime drama Deception. There are also shows such as Impractical Jokers and Search Party. “We’re able to increasingly pull from a portfolio of original content and use [the programming] on our general-entertainment channels Warner TV and truTV,” says Marianne Lee, the VP of content, general entertainment, at Turner Asia Pacific. Oh!K is Turner’s Korean entertainment channel for Southeast Asia and is currently the number one Korean prime-time channel in Singapore, according to Lee. New highlights on that service include Two Cops, which costars Hyeri from the popular K-pop group Girl’s Day.
“Warner TV has never hosted as many dayand-date series as right now.”
—Marianne Lee
ZDF Enterprises
Ku’damm 59 Patrimonio mundial - Herencia de la humanidad
Ku’damm 59 / Bron/Broen / Maltese The Ku’damm franchise continues with Ku’damm 59, which ZDF Enterprises believes will drum up interest with buyers at ATF. For the market, the company is also highlighting from its ZDFE.drama catalog the fourth season of Bron/Broen, which brings the hit series to its conclusion, and the thriller Maltese. “We’re seeing a growing demand for top-quality content [across the Asia Pacific], and ZDFE.drama is able to provide the required production value and quality storytelling to gain a lot of traction here,” says Robert Franke, VP of ZDFE.drama at ZDF Enterprises. “Our goal is to continue to promote not only high-value European drama content but also to look for interesting products from AsiaPac that we can include in our growing lineup of projects from outside Europe.”
“ZDFE.drama has recently ramped up its operations in the AsiaPac area, and we are going full steam now to sell our products across all territories.”
—Robert Franke
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9 Story’s Luo Bao Bei.
Leading distributors weigh in on the trends in Asia’s fast-moving kids’ content sector. By Mansha Daswani t was standing-room-only for the keynote presentation by Netflix’s Andy Yeatman at MIPJunior last month. Producers from every genre are undoubtedly eager to be in business with the streaming giant, and the kids’ TV segment is no different. Significantly for Asian content creators, the two new global kids’ originals unveiled by Yeatman at the market both hail from the region: YooHoo & Friends was created by Korea’s Aurora World, based on the company’s hit toy brand, and Mighty Little Bheem comes from India’s Green Gold Animation. The other big piece of news out of Asia this MIPJunior came from China, where Zoland Animation revealed it is launching Zokast Kids.TV, a subscription VOD platform for children in partnership with France’s M.E.I. Group. Both developments illustrate the transformations in the fast-changing kids’ programming industry in Asia, with new platforms creating a wealth of opportunities for both homegrown outfits and international players. “Everyone has understood that Asia is going to be the next big thing,” observes Rajiv Chilaka, founder and CEO of Green Gold, which is a partner in the inaugural ATF Animation Pitch. “We want to find talent—students, artists, studios. We’ll help [the winning entry] produce a pilot and if it works, make it happen.”
I
Green Gold is not the only producer-distributor keen to help take Asian concepts globally. That has been a fruitful initiative for France’s Cyber Group Studios, which has taken on titles from production houses in South Korea, China, Hong Kong, India and, most recently, Singapore, where it worked with Omens Studios on Leo, The Wildlife Ranger. At ATF this year, 9 Story Distribution International will be showcasing Luo Bao Bei, co-produced by Magic Mall Entertainment in Beijing and Cloth Cat Animation in the U.K. “It is a unique property based on a famous and well-established Chinese character,” says Federico Vargas, senior director of distribution at the company.
ASIAN INSPIRATION A number of companies are also looking to up their coproduction initiatives across Asia. FUN Union, for example, is working with CCTV Animation in China and the Riki Group on a new show for primary-school-aged kids, Krash and Hehe. China has also been a critical co-pro territory for ZDF Enterprises, according to Peter Lang, the VP of ZDFE.junior. “China is one of the most important partners in the region in terms of co-productions,” Lang notes. “We are always open to evaluating new projects that have strong storytelling and reputable partners.”
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emerging markets where data is becoming more accessible for downloads and streaming more reliable. Traditional linear services will continue to be home for brand building. And while new digital players will always need a volume offering for their subscribers, we will see more first-run content on select platforms.” Martin Krieger, head of global distribution at Studio 100 Media, has observed the “impressive” rate of growth at emerging platforms. However, “TV still is our main focus with regards to the first window,” he explains. “In terms of establishing a high awareness level for a property, it is still the most important medium, especially for our merchandising and licensing partners.”
The Pirates Next Door is one of Cyber Group’s lead titles this ATF.
Meanwhile, digital platforms in China are giving international distributors new pathways into the country. FUN YOUNG ONES Union, for example, took BabyRiki into China with the main For Krieger, preschool is a strong seller in Asia, particularly local digital platforms. “It launched July 8, and by the end of content “with at least a light curriculum [combined with] August we had 145 million views,” says Christine Brendle, fun and comedy elements. It is important for us as a studio the CEO of FUN Union. to package educational elements suitably without lecturing At MIPCOM, France’s HARI International clinched a deal the kids, so the shows are perceived as fun rather than pure with China’s Mango TV for Grizzy & the Lemmings. “It will learning. We think this approach is also appealing to kids give visibility to the program in the territory, and hopefully and buyers across Asia.” that will have a domino effect in the region,” notes Adeline Preschool also features prominently for Superights, Tormo, the head of sales at HARI International. which is bringing to ATF Helen’s Little School—a show that The proliferation of online platforms has been a boon to dispromotes “edutainment and social development,” says Safaa tributors working in the region over the last year. “We have Benazzouz, sales manager at the company—as well as established strong connections with pan-regional platforms as Emmy & Gooroo and Story Time! well as local platforms—Amazon in India, tonton in Malaysia It’s a similar view at FUN Union, which is rolling out and Doonee in Thailand,” reports Raphaelle Mathieu, VP of BabyRiki, KikoRiki and PinCode to Asian buyers this ATF. sales, acquisitions and new media at Cyber Group. “Digital “The beauty of the three brands is you attract the child and platforms are very dynamic in the region and are always on the lookout for new business opportunities, which makes it very refreshing to work with them. While their needs can be quite close to free- and pay-TV operators, they are more flexible regarding the production date of a program and remain quite open-minded on acquiring 2D animation, which allows some of our programs to have a second life. On the other hand, as digital platforms are big players in the industry, when a title catches their attention and fits their needs, they are ready to invest more to get the first run and exclusivity.” Vargas at 9 Story expresses a similar view. “I believe there is a real potential for explosive growth in the digital sector still to come, in traditional territories across the region as well as Superights is tapping into the demand for preschool content with Emmy & Gooroo. 66 WORLD SCREEN 12/17
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Rainbow is looking to build on its strong presence in Asia with a brand-new gender-neutral preschool comedy, 44 Cats. Andrea Graciotti, head of TV sales, describes the show as a “great physical, character-driven comedy with strong storylines based on powerful musical assets. It is about how cats see the world and is very easy for young kids to relate to, both boys and girls. Key themes are friendship and altruism, and the stories will promote tolerance and diversity and offer important life lessons.” The company will also be touting new episodes of Regal Academy, which has rolled out to platforms in Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia, in addition to its slot on Nickelodeon. Cyber Group’s success in Asia stems from the diversity of its catalog, Mathieu explains. “Traditional kids’ buyers need more and more brands and properties that already have [awareness],” she says, referencing top sellers like Zou and Zorro the Chronicles. “In the preschool and tween markets, the main trend is that buyers are looking for entertaining kids’ productions that also transmit good values to children,” she adds. “All of our productions have in common the transmission to future citizens of important values such as solidarity, respect for wildlife and curiosity about other cultures. On the other hand, for some other broadcasters, the goal is to provide fun and entertaining programs, where comedy and creativity are the key selling points. From one country to another, or one broadcaster to another, each player has very different editorial requirements.”
TARGETED APPROACH Commissioned by CBeebies and Universal Kids, School of Roars is being presented by ZDF Enterprises.
Indeed, 9 Story’s Vargas says that a key evolution for the company in the region has been moving from a “panregional approach to a more territory-specific strategy. Asia contains so many diverse markets and each market has its own unique sensibility and demands. We tend to look at the Indian subcontinent, China, Southeast Asia, Korea, Japan and Australia as the separate areas of focus. Each market is quite different from the others and cannot be catered to with a generic, one-size-fits-all approach.” Nonetheless, there have been some standout titles across multiple markets for 9 Story, among them its PBS Kids slate— Peg + Cat, Daniel Tiger’s Neighbourhood, Wild Kratts and
the family. If you catch them with BabyRiki, the parents trust you, the children love you, and it’s a natural transition from there to KikoRiki and PinCode,” says Brendle. “The children recognize the difference in the animation, but at the same time, there’s a familiarity. That works well for us.” On BabyRiki in particular, Brendle says the show was “developed with a huge amount of input from early learning specialists and children’s psychologists. It hones in on the core skills that are usually recognized as the foundation of any good education—communication, cooperation, creativity and critical thinking. Each of the episodes features some aspect of this learning, and at the same time some cognitive skills learning. And the look and feel are unique, with the combination of CGI with live video. The big musical component, plus the foundation learning, makes for a really lovely recipe.” At HARI, Tormo sees interest in dialogue-free comedies, such as the company’s own Grizzy & the Lemmings. “Non-verbal shows targeting all ages are very well adapted to the new consumption modes of programs on smartphones and tablets. With a large number of smartphones and the high development of internet networks in the region, Asia is a favorable ground for the consumption of those kinds of programs.” FUN Union’s PinCode, aimed at primary-school-aged children, teaches science concepts. 68 WORLD SCREEN 12/17
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9 Story plans to continue its “tailored” approach to the region, Vargas says. “Asia is a huge and complex market that cannot be well served by a generic strategy. It’s important for us to understand the nuances of each territory within Asia Pacific to offer content that will resonate with its diverse fan base.” China, Southeast Asia and India are among Vargas’s key markets and while the company has built up a strong presence in the region, “there is always room for improvement,” he says. “We’d like to increase our penetration across smaller territories and stay focused on the digital space across all markets as it has the potential for dynamic growth.”
FUTURE FORECAST
HARI International licensed Grizzy & the Lemmings to China’s Mango TV.
Nature Cat. “Series with an educational curriculum tend to perform well within the territory,” Vargas says. “Live-action series are also performing well. Animated comedies with an element of slapstick humor have also been popular across the territory. We see strong demand across all age categories, from preschool right through to tween.” For ZDF Enterprises, a particularly strong area has been its portfolio of tween dramas, among them Mako Mermaids— which is airing on HBO in Southeast Asia, MCOT in Thailand, GMA in the Philippines and on Netflix—and Wolfblood. “Preschool programs are also working well in the region,” Lang adds. “Our new School of Roars, produced for CBeebies in the U.K. and Universal Kids (Sprout) in the U.S., had a tremendous response in Cannes during MIPCOM, and we are eager to introduce the property to buyers in Asia at ATF.” For kids’ distributors heading to ATF, the mood is upbeat about the prospects for new deals at the market and into 2018. At HARI, Tormo is focused on free-TV and VOD deals for Grizzy & the Lemmings, “especially since we now have two seasons to sell. Pay TV has been secured for both seasons with Turner worldwide. We are very excited about our new collaboration with Mango TV in China and we hope that this enthusiasm for the series will spread throughout Asia. The idea is to cover the main territories in all the regions to ensure the best exposure,” paving the way for an L&M rollout. FUN Union is taking a similar path for its portfolio of shows. “In China, once the popularity was there we got a huge amount of attention. We will announce before the end of the year a large toy licensing agreement, we have signed a book publishing agreement and we have [apparel] for children and a whole bunch of accessories lined up.” Mathieu from Cyber Group has been encouraged by the arrival of players like Canal+ in Myanmar and is seeing territories such as Mongolia open up to the company. While China and India remain Cyber Group’s strongest markets in the region, Southeast Asia has been developing quickly and Mathieu is eager to ramp up business in South Korea and Japan. “As both countries have strong local animation production, there is little space for foreign acquisitions,” she says. “Therefore, we are trying to build strong business relationships with key players to really understand their needs and try to find a match.” 70 WORLD SCREEN 12/17
Like others surveyed here, ZDFE.junior’s Lang highlights China, both for co-pros and finished content sales, as a major hub for the company’s business in Asia. The pact with HBO Asia for live-action series has also been a significant driver. “The Philippines is also very successful for us, where H20: Just Add Water, Mako Mermaids and Wolfblood are performing very well. And we are looking at developing new partnerships in Indonesia, where we would like to do more over the next few years.” Benazzouz says that Superights has clinched deals across the pay- and free-TV landscapes with such partners as Disney, Animax and TVB. “Our ATF plans are to find broadcasting partners for our highlights and also to sell the free-TV window of our biggest sales hit, Pat the Dog, after Turner’s first pay-TV window,” she says. “We will also be looking for new IP to distribute.” On the road ahead for the kids’ sector in Asia, Lang notes, “We still believe that the market will remain strong over the next few years as new digital platforms and OTT channels are launched on a regular basis. We also expect a rapid shift towards mobile consumption, something that we have already seen over the past years, and which is even more acute with kids.”
Rainbow is bringing its new preschool comedy 44 Cats to ATF.
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Mansha Daswani looks at the demand for Asian drama both from within the region and across the globe.
T
he competition for the hottest new dramas out of Korea has reached fever pitch across Asia, as pay- and free-TV players, as well as OTT platforms, clamor for the latest ratings hit from the country’s prolific production sector. The Korean Wave shows no signs of abating; indeed, thanks to platforms like Netflix and DramaFever, Korean dramas are finding eager fans outside of the region, too. Though Korea certainly doesn’t have a monopoly on the Asian drama export scene. As the scripted content business booms everywhere, shows from Japan, India and the Philippines are also finding new audiences worldwide, from Turkey to Colombia, Albania to Nigeria. “We believe that Asian drama is very strong and on par with Western drama,” observes Nixon Yau Lim, the head of the Asia Pacific at Eccho Rights, which has added Korean and Indian series to its extensive slate of European properties. “Asian stories can travel and will resonate with audiences around the world. There is already a huge cult following for Korean drama all across the U.S. Best of all, Asian dramas can be remade elsewhere in the world.”
SELLING THE SCRIPT The Asian scripted-format business is undoubtedly heating up, boosted recently by the massive success of ABC’s version of the Korean hit The Good Doctor. Turkey, a prolific drama-export market in its own right, has produced a wave of Asian formats of late, among them Mother and Woman, both based on shows from Japan’s Nippon TV. “Localized in Turkey by the amazing drama production company MF Yapim and MEDYAPIM, Mother reached the number one viewership rating position and a 25-percent share, leading to distribution in more than 12 other territories thus far,” says Shigeko “Cindy” Chino, the senior director of international business development at Nippon TV. “The adaptation of Woman in Turkey is now also obtaining wide recognition and stellar viewership.” Chino says that Turkish and Japanese cultures share many common values, easing the adaptation process. “We are confident that the themes and values depicted in our dramas can be appreciated in other territories as well, and our fine drama team is always cooperative in making the international version a hit.”
Yau Lim at Eccho Rights confirms that interest in Asian formats is rising in Turkey, particularly for Korean series. “In the last couple of years we have seen an increasing number of adaptations as drama continues to boom in the country and the producers are constantly on the lookout for fresh inspiration,” he says. “As we all know, Turkish series are long while Asian series are a lot shorter. The challenge lies in how to adapt a relatively short series to a somewhat long series. Although in the hands of a very capable writer and producer, we believe the challenge can be overcome.” Korea’s CJ E&M recently did a Turkish deal on its show Tears of Heaven, with Eccho Rights distributing the adaptation, Cennet. “We also have scripted option deals in the U.S. and Europe,” reports Jangho Seo, the general manager of the global content business division at the Korean heavyweight. “Currently we are working hard to prepare for scripted-format sales, making sales material and trailers.”
LATIN EXPANSION GMA Worldwide from the Philippines is also looking to drive its scripted-format business. Working with Latin Media Corporation, GMA Worldwide has sold the remake rights to seven of its dramas to Latin American production companies, according to Roxanne J. Barcelona, VP. “We are optimistic that in 2018 we can sustain and further grow the distribution of scripted formats, not only in Latin America but the Middle East as well,” Barcelona adds. Japanese broadcaster and distributor TV Asahi is similarly keen to license its scripts. “We are finding that stories with strong characters tackling a universal social issue attract much interest,” says Motoko Nakai, director of the international business department at TV Asahi. “Our storytelling techniques not only do justice to serious issues but also incorporate comedic, cynical or sometimes farcical depictions that shed light on the human condition.” TV Asahi has licensed A Family Goes Job Hunting into China, and Nakai says there’s been interest from other Asian markets in Hello, I Love You and Winter, Grasping Love. Asia has also been the dominant territory for TV Asahi’s finished drama sales, notably Korea, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and Malaysia, Nakai says. “We are also increasing our focus on Thailand and India.” For Nakai, the popularity of Japanese dramas outside of national borders is partly due to their narrative style, 12/17 WORLD SCREEN 73
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Our recently created Sunday evening drama slot was our proactive effort to reach out to men who can only enjoy dramas at that time of the week. As a result, Nippon TV has dramas appealing to every demographic and can provide a wide selection to our overseas audience.” Contemporary series focused on women are the top sellers for Nippon TV, Chino adds.
SURFING THE WAVE
Eccho Rights has been expanding its slate of Asian scripted formats, recently taking on the Korean drama Kill Me Heal Me.
featuring “a quick unfolding of the stories. All of the characters are well developed, which also adds to the overall richness of the story. Since the storyline of each story is very clear, it is easy for viewers of any nationality to follow and understand what is being depicted.” Medical and detective dramas dominate for TV Asahi, Nakai says, particularly procedurals, which are in high demand globally. “Also, as both medical and detective stories are not affected much by [the passage of] time, there is a strong demand for our archive series.” Nippon TV will be at ATF with new offerings such as Caution, Hazardous Wife and Kiss That Kills, targeting buyers in its core markets of Taiwan, Korea and China. On why Nippon TV’s slate has been able to resonate in multiple markets, Chino explains, “We strategically produce drama series targeting different demographics, according to who is available on which day of the week. Wednesday prime-time dramas reach out to working women and mothers. Saturday evenings are family time, so the themes cater to children and adults alike.
“Asia is our foremost market for finished content,” says Seo at CJ E&M. “Throughout Asia, we have a strong fan base thanks to the Korean Wave and their love for Korean drama stories and stars. New markets to open are definitely territories such as the Middle East and Central Asia. We believe that we have a high chance of success due to our similar cultures and values.” According to Seo, CJ E&M’s best sellers traditionally have been love stories, but fantasy elements have been striking a chord with viewers recently. The company is touting a diverse portfolio this ATF, including Prison Playbook, from the same team behind the hit Reply trilogy. There’s also a crime thriller in the mix, with Bad Guys: Vile City; the romantic fantasy A Korean Odyssey; and the black comedy-drama Avengers’ Social Club. Filipino content has largely been faring well in neighboring Southeast Asian markets, as well as in Africa and North America, reports GMA Worldwide’s Barcelona. “We would like to see GMA dramas being broadcast in China and Eastern European countries,” Barcelona says. “Our dramas are appealing as they focus on universal themes that the audience can easily relate to,” says
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Nippon TV will showcase Caution, Hazardous Wife to Asian buyers at ATF.
Barcelona on what’s driving interest in GMA’s slate, which at ATF will include the fantasy drama Angela and the romantic comedy My Korean Jagiya. “Stories about family and romance always work well with the audience. In addition, some of GMA’s stars are already recognized and have fans in countries like Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia. Most of the dramas they appear in are in demand in those countries.” Sunita Uchil, chief business officer for international ad sales, global syndication and production at Zee Entertainment Enterprises, expresses a similar sentiment about Indian serials. “Compelling storylines, glamour, costumes, songs and dances are all key factors that viewers prefer. For instance, in Indonesia, Indian TV stars are as popular as Bollywood movie stars.” She adds, “Family and romance dramas with complex and intriguing storylines continue to be our best sellers.”
the local language. However, payand free-TV rights are still the main source of revenue for our business.” But the landscape is changing, and distributors are keen to make sure they’re well positioned for the shifts still to come. “In the past few years, viewership on PCs and mobile devices has shown a dramatic increase in Asian countries,” says TV Asahi’s Nakai. “Especially in China, it has superseded TV and has become the main means of distribution. Thus, it has become more and more important for us to have the rights for digital platform distribution. In China, there is no interest in series that cannot be distributed digitally. The distribution fee also differs between content with or without digital rights. We recognize that it is crucial for us to gain those rights from the onset of production.” Nippon TV’s Chino stresses the importance of drama to the leading Japanese broadcaster’s “multiplatform convergence strategy,” encompassing its linear feeds, on-demand and Hulu Japan. “For example, we can broadcast the first episode on the Nippon TV linear channel, and the following episodes can be streamed immediately on Hulu. This was the successful case in our remake of Red Arrow International’s original hit drama series The Last Cop, capturing attention on linear and new subscribers on Hulu.” Chino adds that Nippon TV has been able to expand further globally because of its OTT deals. “We have expanded in areas such as China, Korea and Taiwan as a result of new business with digital platforms.”
NEW HORIZONS Asia and Africa have been the primary markets for dramas from ABS-CBN Corporation, according to Maria Cecilia Imperial, the head of integrated program acquisitions and international sales and distribution at the company. “We would like to open up Latin America and Eastern Europe,” she says, adding that Filipino dramas travel well as they have qualities similar to both telenovelas and Korean serials. Ramping up deals with OTT providers is one of Imperial’s key priorities for next year. GMA is also seeing greater interest from digital platforms. “We have received inquiries from buyers who only require digital rights,” Barcelona says. “Sales to these platforms are equally important, especially if the content is dubbed or subtitled in
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Formats remain in strong demand across the region as channels and platforms look to up their local content slates. By Mansha Daswani
T
he Asia TV Forum last December featured its first-ever Formats Pitch. Backed by all3media international, the competition sought out innovative concepts from the region that could be exported across the globe. Less than a year later, all3media international announced it had clinched its first commission on the winning entry, XTREME Media’s Hit It, which is set to premiere in Singapore next year. The Formats Pitch will return to ATF this year, with all3media keen to tap into the new opportunities emerging in the formats business across the region. “That covers the opportunity in terms of platforms, transmission slots and indeed genres that the market is open to,” says Sabrina Duguet, executive VP for the Asia Pacific at the company. “This is in part due to the growing number of platforms that are now also looking at original content, the increased budgets for local productions, which in turn has led to more slots for such programming, and finally, the channels are willing to take more risks, to try new ideas and content” as they look to drive viewership and revenues.
NEW HOMES Haryaty Rahman, the senior VP of sales and distribution for Asia at FremantleMedia International, agrees, noting, “We’re seeing a lot more opportunities in terms of how we can place our formats in the region, be it in the form of a widening pool of format buyers that cuts across a multitude of platforms (free to air, pay TV, OTT), as well as groups that are willing to invest in our formats (agencies, brands, etc.).” Another new development in the last few years, Rahman says, has been a stronger appetite for pan-regional versions of formats on big pay-TV channels like AXN, which is in season two of Asia’s Got Talent. Isil Turksen, sales director for Asia at Global Agency, has witnessed a “shift in demand towards different genres— buyers are now more open to try and produce new types of formats, even if they haven’t been tested.” Gary Pudney, the head of Asia at Keshet International (KI), says the most significant transformations for his formats business in the region have come from India and China. “The ongoing challenge of doing business in China and the
rise of the Indian market have been the biggest changes in the last 12 months,” Pudney explains. “China’s restrictions continue to grow and present ever greater challenges, however India is really taking off and presents hugely exciting opportunities, not only for domestic activities but internationally too as there are some fantastic creatives based there waiting to be exposed on the international stage.” Those two markets are major priorities for Inter Medya, which has expanded beyond drama distribution with a format slate that includes the game shows Money Monster, 1 vs. 10 and The Box Challenge. “The Asian market is quite new for us and we are happy and excited to work with any territory on the continent,” says Can Okan, founder and CEO of Inter Medya, “but India and China, in particular, are countries where we would like to deepen our existing connections and begin new business relationships.” Bomanbridge Media has radically altered its format strategy over the last year, according to CEO Sonia Fleck. “This year, the decision was made to cut back and discontinue distribution efforts on format themes that simply do not work well,” Fleck says. “Formats require a lot of time, energy and creative collaboration. We want those efforts to be efficient and focused. Observational reality series, for example, frankly have a low resell value in Asia. Other genres such as dance competitions are not strong in the list of successful themes to localize. The company is, therefore, tightening our focus to carry formats that are suitable for Asian tastes. We are now focusing almost entirely on game-show studio-based formats, beauty and ‘inspirational’ competition as well as a curated selection of other talent-based competitions.”
IN THE MIX Global Agency’s Turksen identifies singing competitions and game shows as key genres for the region. Recent deals for the company in Asia include Amazon Prime Video India taking The Remix, a music reality show. In addition, Pick’n Run is rolling out in Vietnam next year, as is My Wife Rules, which is also headed to India. When asked what kinds of properties are doing well for KI in Asia, Pudney says it’s a “mixed bag. We are selling all genres in the region.” The talent competition Masters of Dance has landed in Vietnam, Rising Star is going into its 12/17 WORLD SCREEN 79
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second season in India and the game show BOOM! is present in Thailand and Cambodia. At FremantleMedia International, Rahman reports sustained interest in its “big-brand talent shows such as Got Talent, Idol and X Factor, which continue to be highly successful in the territories that have taken them on and hence we see renewals on a year-on-year basis.” She also references solid traction with game-show and comedy formats. “We’ve recently completed deals for Thank God You’re Here and My Mom Cooks Better Than Yours in Thailand, Family Feud in Mongolia and Man O Man in Vietnam.” “The prime-time entertainment studio formats are still in high demand in the region and mark a key moment in a channel’s schedule,” reports all3media’s Duguet. “However, there is now space for non-studio entertainment and factual entertainment.” Among the all3media shows adapted in the region are Sexy Beasts, Are You Normal?, Cash Cab, Gogglebox and Undercover Boss. “A great range of shows are being licensed with a variety of budgets,” Duguet says. Bomanbridge’s Fleck notes that the shows most in demand are those that can give channels “bang for their buck, allow them to recoup their production costs and garner ratings,” and those tend to be game shows, entertainment, singing competitions and scripted drama.
LOCAL DRAMA
From the top, Inter Medya’s 1 vs. 10, Bomanbridge’s Gamerz and Global Agency’s The Remix are being shopped at ATF, and all3media international’s Cash Cab has been adapted across Asia.
Scripted formats is an area mentioned by many distributors as one that’s growing as the drama business booms worldwide. “Scripted formats are a new and solid way to introduce our content in the region given the international success of Turkish dramas,” says Global Agency’s Turksen. “Fiction products are the most demanded in the whole world, and Asia is a pioneer in drama productions. In addition, given Global Agency’s dynamic and innovative content, we believe there will be new productions in the region in 2018.” Pudney says that he’s seen rising interest in KI’s scripted formats, among them Loaded, Traffic Light, False Flag and The A Word. “We also hope to announce further deals (in addition to India) for Prisoners of War very soon.” Duguet says that all3media international has invested heavily in scripted drama over the past two years, “doubling our investment in the genre—and this has resulted in our strongest year to date in the genre. This has created a great response in terms of scripted format adaptations. This will definitely be more of a focus for us next year.” Looking ahead, Duguet says that she’s keen to see Japan open up more to formats on the heels of all3media licensing Undercover Boss there. “In terms of where we would like to do more, I would say the Philippines and Malaysia,” with a new lineup that she believes will be well suited to those territories. “We would like to further deepen our relations in Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore,” says Turksen. For Fleck at Bomanbridge, a priority growth area is formats with a “strong digital angle. Whether it be linear channels or nonlinear platforms, a smart digital angle can provide a beautiful opening to additional revenues for our clients.” And broadcasters having more money to spend bodes well for the future of the format business in the region.
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and talent from around the region and develop content that will not just do well in Singapore, but also in the region and maybe even around the world. TV ASIA: Tell us about the steps being taken to develop skills locally and attract regional talent. CHEE: It requires a whole ecosystem to make this work. You start with the schools—you have to have a pipeline of students who are exposed to the latest skill sets required by the industry. We have to work closely with the industry when we design our courses for technical education, polytechnics and universities. So the students, when they are still in school, are exposed to the skill sets companies will be looking for. The second thing that is critical is that, because this is a fastmoving industry with new technologies, ideas and types of formats, there’s a need to always be well connected with the movers and shakers. Some, I hope, will come from Singapore, our locally grown capabilities and companies, and some will come from international companies. That’s why part of our strategy is to get as many of these companies as possible to be based out of Singapore, not just to do work in Singapore but do work for the region. So Singapore then becomes like a gateway to Asia, it becomes a regional headquarters. TV ASIA: Do you see certain trends in the business at present that make it a good time for Asian content to be in the spotlight? CHEE: There is huge potential for growth in Asia, for various reasons. We have a very large population enjoying rapid increases in their quality of life and purchasing power—a
By Mansha Daswani
The Singaporean government is betting big on its communications and media sector, recently issuing an “Industry Transformation Map” for the business to drive revenues and job creation. The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) is at the heart of that roadmap. The IMDA led a large delegation of companies to MIPCOM this year, allowing Singaporean producers to showcase their wares on a global stage and network with potential partners. The delegation was joined by Hong Tat Chee, the senior minister of state for Singapore’s Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI). He tells TV Asiaabout his perspectives on what the future holds for Singaporean content producers. TV ASIA: What gains have you seen in terms of the presence of Singaporean content on the global landscape? CHEE: Our companies are making good progress. Very often they are working in new areas, either on their own or with other companies. At MIPCOM, we were very happy to see the MOU signing between three companies, Tiny Island Productions from Singapore, Shellhut Entertainment from Thailand and WingsMedia from China [for the co-production of ten animated feature films]. This is an example of the kind of partnership that we hope to see more of in the future. Beyond animation, we’re also trying to see if we can encourage similar kinds of partnerships in other areas within the media sector. So one thing IMDA will continue to do is try to see how we can build up stronger capabilities within Singapore. And not just indigenous capabilities, but how we can bring resources, ideas 82 WORLD SCREEN 12/17
rising middle class. This is seen in many parts of India, China, Southeast Asia. This will drive quite a bit of demand for entertainment. Asia also has a lot of untapped potential in terms of talent, storytelling and a rich heritage and culture with many folklores and many historical characters that are yet to be discovered. In the past, the market was not as well developed, the industry not as vibrant. Increasingly you see this critical mass being formed, talent coming out onto the global stage, being recognized for the top quality work they are able to produce. This is something audiences in more established markets in Europe and North America are also beginning to appreciate. So we’re seeing an increase in demand for not just global content, but a lot of local content, local stories, local characters, local heritage. We’re also seeing some interesting combinations in how people are taking international formats but localizing them, customizing them and making them even more relatable to local audiences. And the other way around, taking local content and being able to use digital platforms as a way to reach even more consumers at a relatively low cost. In the past, to go into new markets, the cost of entry was much higher. Now with the internet, the cost of reaching your end consumer has dropped significantly. This has led to a situation where you can see a lot more creative content and a lot more talent being discovered and having the opportunities to showcase their work.
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Singapore’s Tiny Island, producer of Dream Defenders, is collaborating with companies in Thailand and China to produce a series of animated feature films.
TV ASIA: You mentioned a three-company alliance earlier. Do you think that’s a good model for Asian producers and distributors as they look to deliver bigger projects? CHEE: I believe so. This industry is going to be fast-moving and we’re going to need good ideas, and no one can claim to have all the expertise, all the ideas, to do it singlehandedly. Partnerships make a lot of sense because they speed up your learning curve, allow you tap into strengths that, if they were to grow organically, would take too long. Partnerships speed up the whole process, and through collaboration and interaction you can spark off new innovative ideas. I think it will be a very powerful force. Singapore is one of the many players in this industry. We can’t be doing all parts of production. But you need a nerve center, you need a place where you can coordinate, integrate and pull things together. We hope that Singapore can play a role in Asia as that nerve center.
By Mansha Daswani As assistant chief executive (industry development) at IMDA, Angeline Poh is involved in a wide range of initiatives, among them talentdevelopment workshops such as Story Lab and wide-scale events like the Singapore Media Festival. Poh talks to TV Asia about some of the IMDA’s key activities as it works to make Singapore a hub for the Asian media business. TV ASIA: Singapore has always been very strong in animation. In what other areas are you seeing Singaporean companies gain a foothold? POH: We have a longstanding partnership with HBO Asia in drama. It was great for us to hear the news that the content HBO is producing in Asia is now going to be shown on the U.S. OTT platform as well. So we’re very encouraged by the fact that HBO Asia is able to do good-quality dramas, to tell stories from our region, that appeal not only to Asians but to a global audience. It encourages us to do more with them and other partners on the drama front. We’ve also seen our home-grown independent companies go from strength to strength. [IFA Media] was awarded a Netflix commission out of Asia earlier this year for a Chinese-language drama. That’s the direction we think we’ll see, where Singapore plays a part in creating those stories, but it will be an ensemble effort where you have talent from different parts of Asia, stories coming from elsewhere, but really us helping to make it possible and having a role to play in delivering the stories. TV ASIA: We’ve talked in the past about IMDA’s role in helping companies embrace digital content. Are you still involved in such initiatives? POH: We continue to look at working with different partners. We started with Maker Studios. We’re also looking at working with different OTT partners. While we strike up different partnerships on one level, we’re also looking at doubling down on our investment in storytelling.
Regardless of the platform and the medium through which the story is delivered, what really matters is having a great story told very well. A year and a half ago we created this initiative called Story Lab, and it’s really about identifying people in Singapore who have a knack for creating great concepts. We help them go through a workshop process to hone their craft and concepts. TV ASIA: Tell us about the Singapore Media Festival. POH: We see it as a platform for the discovery of talent and stories [from Asia]. Through our event partners we’ve created platforms like the ATF Formats Pitch with all3media international, the Southeast Asian Film Financing Project Market, and this year ATF has introduced an Animation Pitch. These are ways in which people who are less well known in the industry can come to the surface and their ideas might get a chance to be heard by commissioners and financiers. We have a Country of Focus for the first time, Indonesia. It’s one of the most populous countries in the world. And more than that, it’s a country that is really becoming addressable. The archipelago is so vast and it’s been hard to reach everyone, but today technology is changing that. For a lot of people in Indonesia, their first experience of the internet is going to be on a cellphone. That makes content providers rethink their model of how they are going to serve that market. There’s a lot of curiosity and interest in the market, and we’re trying to do our part to demystify it. We’re going to create an opportunity for people from the Indonesian industry, producers and broadcasters, to come and share what they’re looking for and match them with people who are curious to go into the market. That’s another attempt at being a bridge. You’ll see Indonesia pop up in all our pillar events. The other common thread across all the events is VR. That’s the new digital frontier. But more than just talking about technology, we really want to explore storytelling using VR. It’s just another medium, another tool, for storytelling. So it’s not so much about the geek bits of the tech, it’s about how you create a stronger emotional connection with the audience. VR has that potential. And we’re only at the start of learning and mastering the art of using this medium.
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