Chapter 2.4
Supporting Talents
New Talent Feature Grant
MDA’s New Talent Feature Grant encourages first and second-time directors to launch their careers in feature filmmaking for broadcast, cinema and film festivals. A total of 18 applications were received in 2015, including Popeye, produced by Anthony Chen and directed by Kirsten Tan. Popeye entered the Berlin International Film Festival’s Script Station and won the Production Award Top Prize at Torino Lab 2014. It also made the Cinéfondation L’Atelier shortlist at the Cannes Film Festival in 2015.
Media Education Scholarship
To nurture new generations of media practitioners, MDA co-sponsors media students through the Media Education Scholarship with partnering media companies. In August 2015, seven aspiring media change-makers out of 132 applicants received the Media Education Scholarship.
Scholars awarded the Media Education Scholarship in 2016 will have the opportunity to work with these companies upon graduation: Mediacorp, mm2 Entertainment, Monstrou Studio, Singapore Press Holdings, The Moving Visuals Co, Times Publishing Group, Ubisoft, Viacom International Networks and World Scientific Publishing.
Chong Lii
Singapore Press Holdings
Darian Tan
Times Publishing
Johann Fong
MES (Film)
Kannan S/O Vijakumar
MES (Film)
Koh Zhi Hao
MES (Film)
Low Ser En
mm2 Entertainment
Rubecca Wong
Singapore Press Holdings
“The Media Education Scholarship undoubtedly relieves financial burden, as it can get really costly studying abroad. Besides the monetary benefits, it’s icing on the cake for my résumé and reminds me to contribute to the industry as a citizen. Being a little red dot on the map, Singapore has a long way to go. The future is in the hands of our generation.”
RUBECCA WONG
Media Education Scholar (2015)
Talent Assistance Training Grants
To build a cutting-edge media workforce that can keep up with the evolving media landscape, MDA disburses training grants for media professionals to equip themselves with relevant skillsets. During the year in review, MDA awarded 732 Specialised Training Grants for individuals to attend various media-related courses by subsidising up to 90% of the course fees, as well as provided airfare subsidies and living allowances for those attending overseas training.
MDA also awarded 121 Training Allowance grants to supplement freelancers’ income when they attended selected media-related courses.