Singaporean Companies Ink Deals Worth $50 Million

SINGAPORE, October 31: Singaporean media outfits inked deals
worth about $50 million at MIPCOM this month, according to the country’s Media
Development Authority.

IV Lab, the animation arm of ST Electronics, announced an
agreement with Promenade Pictures in the U.S. and New Zealand’s Huhu Studios to
co-produce five 3-D animated projects over the next six years, with a total production
budget estimated at $25 million.

Scrawl Studios’ animated series, Milly Molly, which is represented by Beyond Distribution, has
been sold to ABC Australia, and offers were received from Canada, South Africa
and Latin America. Scrawl Studios also announced a co-production agreement,
worth $4 million, with DECODE Entertainment and the Hong Kong animation company
Agogo Media for a fast-paced sci-fi animated comedy.

Lights and Shadows announced its collaboration with
Australia’s

Stewart & Wall Entertainment to create a high-definition
3-D animated series titled Odd Sox. The
company is also working with the World Toilet Organisation (WTO) to produce the
13×3-minute Happy Toileteers.

Following the success of the German co-production House
of Harmony, Oak3 Films is working with
Smeaton Entertainment to co-produce the TV movie Love under the Sign
of Dragon for broadcast on ARD.

And Studio Bizzaro's live-action puppet show, Planet
Bizzaro, which debuted on Malaysian channel
TV2 this month, was sold to MediaCorp and is slated to begin airing on Kids
Central in February 2007.

Dr Tan Chin Nam, the MDA’s chairman, noted, “The flourishing
international co-production deals between Singapore media companies and leading
international players are indicative of the growing demand for the creative and
technical capabilities of Singapore’s production companies. While Singapore’s
media industry may be small in size, we differentiate ourselves from the
competition by capitalizing on our unique position as the cultural confluence
of the East and the West. Our highly skilled media talents also inspire
confidence in our international partners of our ability to deliver on our promises.”