ScreenSingapore Prepares for Kickoff

SINGAPORE: ScreenSingapore is putting the finishing touches on the lineup of keynote speakers, premieres, conferences and panel discussions for this year’s event, which gets under way December 4 and runs alongside the Asia TV Forum.

On December 5, the conference focus will be on China, followed by a spotlight on the global stage on December 6, with film co-production and financing panel sessions turning to Europe, Southeast Asia and the U.S. The Europe panel session will look at production in Europe. The Southeast Asia panel will spotlight funding opportunities for new filmmakers, while the U.S.A. panel asks if storytelling is compromised by the growth of co-productions. There will be a host of networking opportunities scattered throughout the event, which wraps December 7. A number of notable directors, producers, distributors and professionals in film finance, entertainment law and talent representation have confirmed their attendance as ScreenSingapore ambassadors.

Greg Coote, the chairman of the board of ScreenSingapore, said, “We rescheduled ScreenSingapore from its original June date to December this year to co-locate with the highly successful and well-established Asia TV Forum & Market, and made a conscious decision to focus on Asia. As a market, the Asia region is the fastest growing in the world, and Singapore is the place to inspire talent and create opportunities for quality content. Our keynotes and panel sessions reflect worldwide views from an Asian perspective. I want to thank the Media Development Authority of Singapore, the board of ScreenSingapore and its ambassadors for their great support in making this the success that it already is.”

Greg Basser, ScreenSingapore ambassador and the CEO of Village Roadshow Entertainment Group, said, “Singapore has led the pan-Asian film industry since the early 1990s with the launch of the first multiplex in the region and continues to lead the region in the cinema experience. In recent years, Singapore has also become a key industry hub for higher education in the film industry and excellence in post-production. I see Singapore as the key territory where the film industries of Hollywood, Bollywood, China and the rest of Asia meet and flourish, with ScreenSingapore serving as the gateway to and from that vibrant marketplace.”

Michael Ellis, the president and managing director for the Asia Pacific at the Motion Picture Association of America, said, “MPA commends ScreenSingapore’s efforts in creating a quintessential platform for the Asian film industry to flourish. Events such as these not only help generate a wider appreciation of Asian cinema, but also provide the screen community with a greater synergy of creativity and exchange of ideas across various media, countries and cultures. We are honored to be a part of ScreenSingapore."

Peter Loehr, the CEO of Legendary East (China), commented, "ScreenSingapore presents a great opportunity in a unique setting for filmmakers and industry professionals from all over the Asian region to convene, compare notes and share knowledge and resources. I very much look forward to being a part of it this December."

Ricky Tse, the general manager of sales and distribution for Media Asia Films HK, added, “ScreenSingapore brings filmmakers, buyers and sellers together and this creates a good platform for co-operation opportunities for people, especially in the Southeast Asia region.”

Wayne Borg, the deputy CEO and COO of twofour54 Abu Dhabi, said, “For any regional industry to develop, it is important that it interacts with its international counterparts. ScreenSingapore’s strategic location provides a great platform to showcase Asian content across all media platforms and to encourage international collaboration with a view to fueling further development and growth in the region’s film and television industry.”

Robert Lundberg, ScreenSingapore ambassador and the president of Latitude Entertainment, remarked, “ScreenSingapore offers up more than just amazing screenings and a tremendous market for quality media product; it’s a way to connect the Asian media headlines we see in the trades and in our inbox every day with real people. Those individuals drive the industry towards a new frontier in ever changing times, allowing for innovation, progress and the sharing of ideas—three essential items to move the medium into the future.”