Fact Sheet – Singapore Participation in MIPCOM 2011

The Maverick Chef, a co-production between Ochre Pictures, Lifestyle Inspired TV and MDA,will premiere in 7 Asian countries from 13 November. The 6x30min food series has also been selected for international distribution by UK-based Passion Distribution. (Images and video available upon request)

Details:

• Featuring Alvin Leung, a self-taught 2-star Michelin chef and self-dubbed ‘Demon Chef’, ‘The Maverick Chef’ is an avant-garde travel food show that takes some of the most iconic foods from different Asian cultures, deconstructs them into their bare essence and reconstructs them into surprising modern renditions with his bold creativity. 
• The series will premiere on LiTV in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam from 13 November. LiTV is Asia’s first 24/7 lifestyle channel in High Definition, based in Kuala Lumpur.
• One of the top independent content production companies in Singapore, Ochre Pictures has produced more than 350 hours of TV content screened in more than 20 countries worldwide. It has partnered major broadcasters including the National Geographic Channel, Discovery Channel, The Biography Channel and Disney.
• UK-based Passion Distribution is also known for carrying some of the most recognisable and popular lifestyle programmes in the US in collaboration with Scripps Networks International, including Food Network, Travel Channel and Fine Living Network.

Four original documentaries in English, jointly commissioned and funded by Singapore broadcaster MediaCorp and Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, are making their market debut for international sale and distribution at MIPCOM 2011. These were the 4 winning entries for The Asian Pitch 2010, a pan-Asia pitching event organised by MediaCorp and NHK since 2007. (Images and videos available upon request)

Details:

• The joint initiative targets independent producers and directors in Asia to develop talent and create compelling, original content about the region with an Asian perspective.
• These four stories (2 from India, 1 from Thailand and 1 from China) were selected from over a hundred entries received from all over Asia in July 2010.
• Winning entries from earlier editions of The Asian Pitch had been made into award-winning documentaries such as Supermen of Malaegon (City of Rome award for Best Documentary at the 9th Asiaticafilmmediale 2008), A Farmer’s Struggle (Best Short Film at the Green Film Festival 2010 in Seoul) and The Mummy Thief (Finalist Certificate for TV Programming at the New York Festivals 2009).

Highlights of the four titles:

• Angels of Troubled Paradise (India): This documentary follows the life of Aadil, a young Kashmiri boy who collects tear gas shells, then dismantles and sells them as scrap metal in order to support his family. Despite risking his life, Aadil says, “I prefer to die bravely collecting shells rather than dying of hunger.”
• Living For The Dead (India): This documentary is a heartrending, emotional journey into the lives of the few exceptional individuals who have found meaning in their lives through the dead and dying. One of them is a man who has performed over 1500 cremations on unclaimed bodies, keeping a meticulous record of the deceased, just in case someone someday comes looking for their dead relative.
• The Rest Of My Life Is For Sale (China): A 23-year-old Chinese girl opens an online ‘store’ selling “the rest of her life", where she undertakes a myriad of chores and acts for her online customers for a fee.
• Street Teachers (Thailand): Three passionate individuals try to make a difference in the lives of Thailand’s homeless children through extraordinary acts of kindness.

Singapore animation company Scrawl Studios announces co-production deal with French partner Cybergroup Studios on CG-animated series Zou. (Images available upon request)

Details:

• The new 52x11min CG-animated pre-school series has been presold in 50 countries worldwide, and has been picked up by broadcasters such as France 5, TeleQuebec and Disney EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa). It is expected to premiere on Disney in Europe in the 2nd quarter of 2012.
• Zou is a television adaption of a popular children’s book series by author Michael Gay that has also won the “Parent’s Choice” award in the US and the Special Award at the Festival de Turin. It tells the stories of the titular 5-year old zebra and his extended family as he goes about earning his stripes.
• Zou will also be screened at MIPJunior held in Cannes on 1 and 2 October 2011. MIPJunior is an intensive 2-day conference on the latest developments in kids’ entertainment.
• Scrawl Studios has a strong track record in international co-productions. Some of these include: Guess How Much I Love You –The Adventures of Little Nutbrown Hare with Australia’s SLR Productions, Almost Extinct with Canada’s CCI Entertainment and Taiwan’s Coolframes Digiworks;as well as a first-look multi-year agreement with Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific.

Local companies Drawiz Singapore and Sparky Animation are also joining forces to create and develop more original animation properties –such as Tocori the Ghost. (Images available upon request)

Details:

• Drawiz Singapore, an award-winning animation and visual effects studio headquartered in Tokyo, will partner Sparky Animation to develop an original 50x5min CG-animated series, tentatively titled Tocori the Ghost. The story explores a boy’s growing friendship with the titular character as they embark on different adventures together.
• Drawiz Japan has chosen to set up its first overseas studio in Singapore with the aim of growing its stereoscopic 3D business and developing its own original properties.
• Through business matching activities and product/concept showcases at MIPCOM, these companies hope to seek more co-production, investment and even distribution partners to further develop these properties.