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Dated: 5 November 2010
Santa Monica–In boosting Singapore’s film industry, the country’s Media Development Authority (MDA) announced today that it has shortlisted two projects –The Harvest (working title) and Cooktales (working title) –for funding under its International Film Fund (IFF).
The Harvest (working title), a stereoscopic 3D thriller-horror about the misadventures of a group of backpackers, is to be produced by Singapore’s Blackmagic Design Films with Australia's Goalpost Pictures. Blackmagic Design Films is the film arm of post-production company Blackmagic Design, which has won several awards for its work on global television commercial campaigns. The company is in the midst of producing its first stereoscopic 3D feature film Bait, also with Australian partners, namely Arclight Films, Story Bridge Film and Pictures in Paradise.
Cooktales (working title), an epicurean drama set in the food paradise of Singapore about a coming-of-age tale of an amateur cook who at the same time has to deal with the twisted fate of his family, will be a film directed by Gina Kim (Never Forever). This is the second collaboration between Bang Singapore and Korea’s CJ Entertainment following Neon Sign, a project that was announced at last year’s American Film Market.
Mr Aubeck Kam, Chief Executive Officer, MDA, said: “Singapore has long been a champion of transnational co-productions, which effectively pool together creative and financial resources of media companies in different countries for a heightened outcome. The MDA International Film Fund is an initiative in this direction and we are glad that it has opened up opportunities in cross-border projects for Singapore’s filmmakers.”
IFF was launched by MDA in 2009 to encourage Singapore-based production and post-production companies to executive produce and/or co-produce films of global appeal with international partners. Hong Kong-based Distribution Workshop is a distribution partner of IFF.
IFF has since supported two projects, namely Bait and Neon Sign.
Bait, a stereoscopic 3D thriller about a pack of hungry tiger sharks and the first official co-production under the Australia-Singapore Film Co-production Treaty, has been pre-sold to 24 territories. Principal photography commenced in October 2010 in Australia’s Gold Coast. The Singaporeans among its international cast include Asia Television Award Best Actor Adrian Pang and MediaCorp’s leading man Qi Yuwu. The film is targeting for release in 2012.
Neon Sign (working title) is the first Singapore-China-Korean film co-produced by Bang Singapore and Korea’s Nabi Pictures. Backed by CJ Entertainment and Beijing Film Distribution, the film by Korean-Chinese director Gam-sung Pil is about a scandal-plagued Korean star who flees to Yunnan, China where he finds redemption and is slated to hit the cinemas in 2011.
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Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA)
Formed in 2003, the Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) plays a vital role in transforming Singapore into a Trusted Global Capital for New Asia Media. MDA spearheads initiatives that promote industry growth in film, television, radio, publishing, music, games, animation and Interactive Digital Media. At the same time, in ensuring clear and consistent regulatory policies and guidelines, MDA helps to foster a pro-business environment for industry players and increase media choices for consumers. For more information, visit www.mda.gov.sg and www.smf.sg.
Distribution Workshop
Distribution Workshop is a joint venture between Bona International Film Group, the holding company of Beijing Polybona Film Distribribution, the largest independent distributor in China, and film distribution veterans Nansun Shi and Jeffrey Chan, with a mission to be the premier international sales agent and produced of the best quality Asian films for distributors worldwide.
Blackmagic Design Films
Blackmagic Design Films, a wholly Singapore owned entity, is the film arm of local post-production company Blackmagic Design Pte Ltd, which is one of Singapore’s leading post-production facilities and has won several awards for their work on global television commercial campaigns. The company is moving into content and IP production with projects that have a strong VFX element. A recent addition to Blackmagic is Mr Ian Maycock, who used to run the Technicolor facility in Bangkok, and now oversees film projects at Blackmagic Films.
Goalpost Pictures
Goalpost Pictures is a leading Australian film and television drama production company. Goalpost Pictures credits include the 2007 Sundance hit Clubland, 2009 Rose D’or winner The Eternity Man, the award winning LockieLeonard Series for Australias Nine Network and the BBC, Scorched which won the 2009 Digital Emmy Award, and the horror-thriller Panic at Rock Island for NBC/Universal and the Nine Network starring True Blood’s Grant Bowler. They were Executive Producers on the 2010 Cannes Closing Night film The Tree. Goalpost Pictures has an alliance with International Sales Company Goalpost Film based in London and are a recipient of Screen Australia’s Enterprise development fund.
Bang Singapore Pte Ltd
Bang Singapore is a leader in the executive production of media projects across Asia, achieving critical acclaim for the creation, production, financing and distribution of high-end, quality content projects that showcase the compelling dynamism and brilliance of Asian storytellers to the rest of the world. Bang is based in Singapore with partner offices in Tokyo and Seoul.
CJ Entertainment
CJ Entertainment, part of the CJ Group, is a leading entertainment studio in Asia. Since its inception in 1995, CJ Entertainment has been the key force behind the vibrant growth of the Asian film industry. CJ Entertainment has been known for its global perspective, by partnering with DreamWorks at its inception;with Paramount for its Korean distribution;and with T-JOY to build a new film studio in Japan, CJ Entertainment Japan. (www.cjent.co.kr/eng)
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