Three elements contributed to put tiny city-state Singapore on the map: Former Singapore prime minister and current minister mentor Lee Kuan Yew (he first oversaw the separation of Singapore from Malaysia in 1965), its U.S.$300 billion GIC fund (the world’s third largest sovereign wealth fund); and the Media Development Authority (MDA), the over half-billion U.S. dollars a year fund that is making Singapore one of the media capitals of the world. To understand the how and how much, VideoAge went straight to the top, quizzing MDA’s CEO, Christopher Chia. VideoAge International: Dr. Chia, thank you for talking to us. Let’s start with finding out what the MDA does exactly, why it was created and what existed before? Christopher Chia: MDA was formed by the merger of the Singapore Broadcasting Authority, the Films and Publications Department, and the Singapore Film Commission, in January 2003 with a charter to transform Singapore into a Global Media City. Domestically, MDA’s priorities are to grow the revenues of the media sector, create jobs, and classify content to create more media choices for consumers. VAI: Looking at the “MDA upper management rap” on YouTube, one realizes that you take show business really seriously –– both the “show” and the “business.” Let’s focus on this latter part and talk money. How much money per year does MDA dispense? CC: Under the Media 21 blueprint (which has guided MDA’s industry development efforts since our formation in 2003), a total S$165 million (U.S.$94.7 million) was committed over five years to help Singapore media companies in content development, market development and capability development. But while funding support to Singapore projects and companies through grants and co-investment schemes is core to our efforts to grow the media sector, what is more critical is catalyzing and helping to sustain a thriving media ecosystem –– one that continuously attracts talent, ideas, capital and enterprises to create international products and services from Singapore. For this to take shape, it is important for private capital to be injected into the system. Today, more than S$1 billion (U.S.$672 million) worth of media funds are based in Singapore, with several media financing companies making Singapore their base for operations. The figure is a cumulative total, as a result of private capital injected by banks, financial institutions and strategic investors over the past few years, covering sectors such as television, film, games, animation and distribution markets. Some examples include: a. U.S.$400 million fund managed by RGM Entertainment to produce a slate of 10 international projects over four years, involving Singapore companies in production or post-production. b. U.S.$40 million EuropeanSingapore Co-Production Fund managed by Singapore distribution company SixSix-Eight to produce a slate of TV and film projects. c. The S$10 million Raffles China Media Fund (U.S.$6.64 million or RMB50 million) to co-invest and coproduce movie projects for distribution in China. d. Hyde Park Entertainment’s S$75 million (U.S.$53 million) to acquire, develop, produce, distribute and exploit a slate of at least eight feature-length motion pictures over the first five years of its operations in Singapore. e. Salon Media’s S$100 million (U.S.$70.68) integrated media fund. VAI: How many film-TV projects do you help finance per year. And how many are non-Singaporean? CC: Our support is channeled to Singapore-based companies and projects with Singapore involvement, with the number of projects varying from year to year. Film: We support the film industry primarily through our Singapore Film Commission (SFC) arm. More than 400 short films have been supported since 1998, while at least 300 filmmakers have been supported by the Overseas Travel Grant. Last year, we introduced the New Feature Film Fund providing first-time Singapore filmmakers with up to S$250,000 (U.S.$176,703) each to direct their feature films in collaboration MDA funds about 4,000 hours of public service content ranging from current affairs to drama, sports and children’s programming. Animation Development: In the area of animation content, MDA has supported over 50 projects ranging from concept development to commercialization of intellectual property into animated feature films and TV series. MDA has three schemes for 2D or 3D animation content — “Ideas,” “Pilot” and “Screen.” “Ideas” provides grant funding for conceptdevelopment level projects. “Pilot” provides grant funding for trailers or pilot episodes, while “Screen” finances a project by taking an equity stake in a fully animated television series or an animated feature film. To date, more than 60 Singapore game development and animation studios are actively developing content for Mobile, Casual PC, Online and Console platforms. VAI: How big is the film and TV industry in Singapore? CC: Singapore’s media sector has enjoyed steady growth since the industry’s national blueprint, Media 21, was unveiled in 2003. As of 2006, revenues from the media sector stood at U.S.$12.27 billion (S$19.5 billion) and employed over 54,000 people. Of note was the increase in higher value jobs, with the value-added per employee rising from approximately S$76,000 (U.S.$44,086) in 2000 to approximately S$91,290 (U.S.$ 57,455) in 2006. From just serving the needs of local audiences five years ago, made-bySingapore content nowadays can be found entertaining audiences across the globe in over 50 countries. Between 2003 and 2007, MDA cofunded 173 projects creating some 2,000 jobs and S$184 million (U.S.$122.1 million) of investment spending in Singapore. VAI: Finally, can you explain the upper management structure? How is it appointed? CC: My senior management team reports to a 16-member board of directors appointed by Singapore’s Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, comprising industry professionals. V I D E O • A G E MA R C H/ AP R I L 2 0 0 9 26 Q & A W i t h M D A Media Agency Bankrolls Singapore’s TV, Film Biz with experienced film production companies. Nine filmmakers have been awarded the grant. In addition, the SFC Stereoscopic 3D Film Development Fund and the SFC 35mm Fulfillment Fund introduced earlier this year aim to fill in the gaps to augment the development of the film sector in terms of technology and distribution support. Television: In the area of television, MDA has supported and facilitated between Singapore companies and their international partners, a substantial slate of Asian-themed international [fare]. Increasingly, much emphasis has been placed on Asian factual content with the potential for international distribution across different platforms such as digital and mobile, books, games and merchandise. We have, in recent years, introduced targeted initiatives and entered into collaborations to encourage more of such productions with multiplatform potential. One such example is the [jointMDA and Australia’s Screen West] Cross-Media Development Initiative, following the ratification of the Australia-Singapore Coproduction Treaty, to encourage Singapore and Western Australian companies to jointly develop and exploit the potential of multi-platform intellectual properties. Following its launch, two Singapore companies have been awarded development support. The first is Off The Wall by Singapore’s Scrawl Studios and Australia’s Zac Toons. The second project, Origami Samurai, involves Singapore’s Sitting in Pictures and Australia’s Vue DC. Another recent partnership is with FremantleMedia Enterprises to codevelop projects on Asian subjects and ideas with international appeal that are exploitable across multiple platforms. Three Singapore media companies, Imaginary Friends Studio, Oak3 Films and Ochre Pictures, have since obtained developmental investment. To assist our television companies in building their multiplatform content development capabilities, MDA launched “Pilot ––Television Content 360,” in December last year –– a grant scheme to support Singapore production companies to develop original ideas and innovative concepts across multiple media formats and/or platforms. Over and above the projects above, MDA’s Christopher Chia
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI4OTA5