Christopher Chia

December 2008

The offices of the Media Development Authority (MDA) of Singapore were consolidated at one location this year, in a complex named Fusionopolis. The government-backed initiative was set up as a central hub for Singapore’s science, technology and media industries. From its new base, the MDA will continue its efforts to foster Singaporean content that can be exported around the world and played on multiple platforms. The MDA’s CEO, Christopher Chia, tells TV Asia Pacific about some of the lead advancements made this year.

TV ASIA PACIFIC: How are you utilizing Fusionopolis?

CHIA: Our operations, which used to spread over four locations in Singapore, have now come under one roof in Fusionopolis, a new landmark in the west of the country that is home to the science and engineering research community, as well as the [information, communications] and media industries. Fusionopolis is part of the larger one-north development, which is envisioned as an integrated development for research and innovation spread over 200 hectares of land with facilities for work, living, play and learning. Besides MDA, media companies and institutions, such as Ubisoft, the DigiPen Institute of Technology and Asian Food Channel, are aggregating into Fusionopolis and the one-north area.

TV ASIA PACIFIC: What have been some of the other advancements made by the MDA in 2008?

CHIA: In the last six months, we have doubled the amount of private media funds based in Singapore to about $700 million, covering the TV, film, animation, games and distribution sectors. This is private capital injected by banks, financial institutions and strategic investors. We have been working with financial institutions and media enterprises in the past few years to encourage the private sector’s involvement in media financing. We are glad to see a positive momentum in place, especially in light of the current economic climate. A healthy media financing system is crucial to the development of the whole industry and it is an area that we will continue to work very hard on.

The third growth area is our productions. Increasingly, our production houses are deploying high-definition content that can play across multiple platforms. This is reflected in the deals announced by Singapore companies at MIPCOM. For example, Infinite Frameworks teamed up with U.S.-based VOOM HD Networks to co-produce and distribute up to $20 million worth of HD programming over the next five years. In addition, Oak3 Films and Beach House Pictures announced Extinctions and Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled, their respective projects that are being co-produced with global partners. Plans are in the pipeline to deliver both projects beyond TV to online and other platforms.

All these deals share another commonality, which is Singapore’s emphasis on co-producing high-quality content targeted at the global market with partners from around the world. From 2003 to 2007, MDA seeded around S$190 million worth of co-production deals. Such co-productions with leading international players help to facilitate the export of Singapore-made content into worldwide markets, which has led to the presence of made-by-Singapore TV content in over 50 countries, including the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand and China.

The fourth area is the distribution side. We have an arrangement with FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) that is going from strength to strength. FME and MDA first teamed up on the production of Kylie Kwong: My China that successfully launched at MIPCOM 2007 and has since been sold to 37 territories. We are now moving into different platforms, signing a multi-year joint agreement at MIPTV 2008 to coinvest in multi�platform TV projects developed by Singapore-based companies. Since then, three Singapore production partners have been identified for investment under the agreement.

TV ASIA PACIFIC: You’ve also made great investments in the Singaporean animation space.

CHIA: Three-quarters of the companies that came with us to MIPCOM are in the animation space. In the span of five years, Singapore’s animation industry has grown from fewer than 10 companies in 2003 to about 40 today. Many of these companies are moving from fee-for-service types to owning partial or full rights to the content they produce, and penetrating the global market on the back of international co-�productions. For example, Scrawl Studios’ Nanoboy, which is distributed by Cookie Jar, is available in the U.K.; Character Farm’s Katakune is broadcast in the United States; and Big Communications’ Master Raindrop is shown in Australia.

More international co-productions are in the pipeline. Following the success of Clang Invasion, Scrawl Studios will be reuniting with Canada’s DECODE on RPG High. Sparky Animation, one of Singapore’s front-runners in CGI character animation, has partnered with U.S.-based PorchLight Entertainment and Scotland’s Grimpley Films on a $22 million 3-D CGI animated movie, The Grimpley Brothers.

On an average, 10 to 12 original animation intellectual properties are developed by Singapore companies a year.

TV ASIA PACIFIC: What impact do you think the economic downturn will have on the production of content from Asia?

CHIA: At this point, whatever productions that have been locked in have been locked in and those should continue. The consumption of media content is also expected to continue. Just a few months ago, John Woo’s Red Cliff launched and did millions at the box office. So, the interest in Asian productions is still there.