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Tag: HKTDC

  • Kawamura’s filmmaking, from content and VFX perspective

    HONG KONG: The Digital Entertainment Summit 2017 was held on 15 March as part of the annual HKTDC Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART) organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 13 to 16 March.

    The Summit invited industry leaders to discuss the latest developments under the overarching theme of “The Past and Future of Filmmaking, from Content and VFX Perspectives”. The conference opened with Japan’s innovative producer Genki Kawamura providing attendees with a fascinating insight into how he goes about choosing content for his films. The Summit then focused on visual effects (VFX), inviting three leaders in the field to offer their views on the industry.

    Philosophy behind movie-guru’s success

    Kawamura, producer of ground-breaking Japanese animated movie Your Name – a story about body-swapping, took part in a panel with producer Takafumi Yuki, DigiCon6 ASIA Headquarters International Alliance Officer & DigiCon6 Magazine Editorial Office Editor-in-Chief, and Aki Yamada, Festival Director of Digicon6 ASIA Headquarters.

    Internationally acclaimed Kawamura said when it comes to producing films he looks for some fundamental elements – visuals, music and story. “These are the most important elements of the movie and these are things I try to focus on when I produce my films,” said Kawamura. “I often use rock music in my films and sometimes it’s not even from Japanese music but foreign bands such as British group Radiohead.”

    Kawamura said he was inspired to make movies after watching Steven Spielberg’s ET: The Extra-Terrestrial when he was three years old. He said the three elements he described earlier were used effectively by Spielberg in that movie and were fundamental to the movie’s worldwide success.

    “I remember watching that movie and that scene when they fly across the moon on the bicycles, it was something I always remember,” said Kawamura. “I remember when I was three years old and I actually stood up. It was very inspiring.”

    Kawamura, despite his popularity overseas for movies such as Your Name, Confessions and Wolf Children, said he does not consider his audiences preferences when he comes up with ideas for his films. “I make movies that I like to watch,” he said. “I’m from Tokyo and I know what people from Tokyo want and what I want, so I try to produce movies to satisfy what I think is a good movie. I don’t really think about what the people may want.”

    Kawamura related the story of how he once lost his smartphone and it benefited him by allowing him to see the world. “I was on the train and I saw a rainbow and I looked around to see who else could see the rainbow but I was the only one because everyone else was looking at their phones,” said Kawamura. “I realised that sometimes you have to lose something to find something that is more beautiful.”

    Development of VFX

    The second part of the Summit turned to special effects with three executives from top Asian-based VFX companies joining moderator Eddie Leung, Senior Teaching Fellow at the City University of Hong Kong (School of Creative Media).

    The speakers were Zhou Yifu, Executive Director of Digital Domain; Daniel Son, Head of VFX Division for South Korean company Digitaidea; and Felix Xu, CEO of ILLUMINA Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd. The panel discussed the status of VFX in Asia and the technological advances made by companies in the region, particularly in China.

    Son’s company is South Korean and he talked about his experiences working in China and the cultural differences between the two countries in terms of work practices. “Korea is between Japan and China but we don’t really have any collaborations with Japan,” said Son. “About half of our projects involve cooperation with China. There are cultural differences that result in Koreans and Chinese doing things differently.

    “For instance, China is more interested in fantasy and they are very creative with their ideas. China is more or less following Hollywood and they are quite well-advanced in their technology.”

    Xu agreed that Chinese VFX companies are technologically advanced and are continually working to improve the tools they use to create visual effects. However, he said the pressure to produce movies quickly and on low budgets means quality is sometimes lost. “The Chinese market is booming,” said Xu. “Many Hollywood and international companies are now paying attention to us. But in China, there are special situations. We only have a limited time to produce films so we may not pay that much attention to content.

    “Also, a large share of the investments are paid to actors, so we have to cope with that. On the plus side, the low budgets force us to conduct more R&D to cope with the challenges, make up the gaps, enhance efficiency and hasten the cycle.”

    Zhou’s company has offices in Los Angeles and Beijing and it is known around the world for the initial development of the NUKE compositing software. “We have developed the NUKE software and now a lot of companies are using it,” said Zhou. “I agree that we must perform much R&D to develop our technology and we have been successful in doing that and it has resulted is Digital Domain winning academy awards.”

    The panel came to the conclusion that VFX companies in Asia are gradually catching up with Hollywood and Western production houses in terms of technological advancement and it was now a case of improving the quality of their content in order to produce films and shows that cater to global audience.

  • FILMART drew over 8,000 visitors, leaders discussed trends & cooperation

    HONG KONG: The 21st Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART), organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), ended today. The four-day event is a premier trading platform for the Asia’s entertainment industry. This year’s fair attracted more than 8,000 visitors, up nine per cent from last year.

    Among the visitors who attended this year’s FILMART, participation from Asia rose significantly, with the Chinese mainland, Philippines and Cambodia recording double-digit growth.
     
    This year’s FILMART featured the latest productions of more than 800 exhibitors from 35 countries and regions. Chinese mainland and many overseas exhibitors also set up booths to promote their local entertainment productions, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, the European Union, Korea, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, India and Vietnam.

    An ideal trading platform featuring global buyers and latest productions

    FILMART has long been an important platform for local entertainment companies to release new productions and announce development strategies. This year’s FILMART featured more than 70 special events, including thematic seminars, press conferences and networking events. There were also some 40 world and international premieres. In addition to such film companies as Emperor Entertainment Group, Sun Entertainment Culture Ltd., Universe and Shaw Brothers announcing their latest projects, TVBI and Fantastic Television Ltd also unveiled the line-up of programmes.

    FILMART is an important promotional platform and one that has facilitated numerous successful collaborations. Asian film and TV productions were the focus among international buyers this year. The Thai delegation promoted “Content Thailand” at this year’s FILMART and concluded more than 10 deals with companies from the US and Korea during the four-day exhibition. The delegation was pleased with the results and is considering expanding their participation next year. Chinese mainland exhibitor Zhejiang Dream Stardom Film and TV Culture Co. Ltd. has been taking part in FILMART for many years. At this year’s show, the company successfully sold the first and second seasons of a Chinese TV series to a buyer from Southeast Asia. With so many business opportunities, a Dream Stardom representative said they would be returning to the fair next year.

    The Cambodia Film Commission also led a delegation of local entertainment companies to exhibit at FILMART. One of the companies, Kongchak Pictures, reached a deal with a Korean buyer for a film and also started negotiations with buyers from the US, Canada, Malaysia and Thailand.

    Leading producers share insights

    FILMART featured an extraordinary line-up of more than 70 speakers, including leading industry representatives from the film, digital entertainment, animation and other sectors to share their views and insights. A total of 12 seminars were organised or co-organised by HKTDC, attracting over 3,000 attendees.

    Documentaries were one of the focus areas of this year’s FILMART. The audience raised many questions during the seminar titled “Opportunity for Documentaries in Asia”. Ruby Yang, winner of the Academy Award for Documentary (Short Subject), shared her experience at the seminar. She said buyers tend to prefer productions about universal subjects.

    Also speaking at the seminar was Takahiro Hamano, Senior Producer (Content Development Center, Programming Department) of Japan’s NHK. He said pan-Asian collaboration projects are becoming common; and if the directors could capture promotion opportunities and present well-established stories, finding capital should not be too difficult.

    Jeong Joong Kim, Director of Acquisition and Chief Producer from Korea’s KBS, emphasised the importance of local perspectives. He said Korean audiences favour international stories with a Korean view point.

    Andrew Hevia, co-producer of the latest Academy Award winner for Best Picture Moonlight, also stressed the importance of identity. He said the success of Moonlight is its ability to tell a specific story for a specific audience, narrating the story in an unexpected but down-to-earth way and focusing on ideas.

    The Digital Entertainment Summit shed light on movie content and visual effects. Speakers pointed out that special effects companies in Asia are already quite advanced in the techniques that they use, and therefore should place more attention on enhancing content. At the Digital Entertainment Summit, Genki Kawamura, producer of Confessions and the hit anime Your Name, said that he joined the film industry because he was inspired by Steven Spielberg’s E.T. He said the film’s successful use of visual, audio and story-telling elements also inspired his own productions.

    Daniel Son, Head of VFX Division of Digitalidea, the post production company behind Korean productions Train To Busan and Goblin: The Lonely and Great God, said Chinese filmmakers are highly creative, and have a passion for fantastical works. They also possess advanced technical skills. Felix Xu, CEO, Illumina Technology said that low budgets motivated them to experiment with more technologies to cope with different challenges, enhance efficiency and reduce production time.

    The Hong Kong International Film and TV Market (FILMART) is a founding event of Entertainment Expo, Hong Kong, and is among one of the expo’s 10 events. Entering its 13th edition, the expo is running from 13 March to 25 April and is featuring 10 spectacular events, including three founding events and seven core events. The three founding events are: the Hong Kong International Film and TV Market (FILMART), the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) and the Hong Kong Film Awards Presentation Ceremony (HKFA); while the seven core events are: the Hong Kong–Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), the Hong Kong Asian-Pop Music Festival (HKAMF), the IFPI Hong Kong Top Sales Music Award, ifva (Incubator for Film & Visual Media in Asia Festival), the Asian VFX and Digital Cinema Summit, the Digital Entertainment Summit and TV World International Forum.

  • FILMART: Internet aids nonlinear content delivery on multiple screens, maximises value

    HONG KONG: Content creators and producers have highlighted the opportunities the Internet is creating for Asia’s entertainment industry at a panel discussion during the HKTDC Hong Kong International Film and Television Market (FILMART), which ends today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

    A premier trading platform for the international entertainment industry, this year’s FILMART welcomes more than 800 exhibitors from 35 countries and regions. A series of thematic seminars led by global industry leaders are held during FILMART, including the 14 March session entitled “Is the Internet a Challenge or Opportunity for the Show Business?” While the expert panel urged the need for transformation and development in order to maximise the opportunities that the Internet presents in the longer term, most agreed there were short-term challenges that are affecting the profitability of film and television houses.

    The panel’s moderator Peter Lam, the Vice President of the Hong Kong Televisioners Association, said greater collaboration between stakeholders, a focus on outstanding content and a willingness to experiment would see a more prosperous future.

    “Even if, for the time being, they are not making a profit they would like to build and develop for the future,” he told the panel.

    To open the discussion, Gu Guoqing, the General Manager of China Film Promotion International Ltd, argued the Internet was another platform for filmmakers and that the ability to deliver nonlinear content presented the industry another vehicle to maximise value and deliver content to multiple screens.

    “I don’t see the Internet as such a threat,” Mr Gu said. “Viewers have gone from the cinema to online with 750 million paid subscriptions, online streaming and integrated content. In the Internet age I think that the line between virtual reality and film and television is blurring. The Internet is a factor for change. We can have immersive experiences.”

    The Chief Content Officer of iQIYI.com, Wang Xiaohui, touched on some of the ways that the Internet has changed the lifestyles and habits of viewers, noting that there were increasing opportunities to watch content, be it at home, on public transport or sharing content on social media. In order to capitalise on changing trends, the need for good content was increasingly important.

    “In the short-term, it’s quite challenging since we cannot make a profit, but in the long-term we can see the promise,” Mr Wang said. “But all in all, content is still the basic way to success. I think the film industry is prosperous but it should focus on good content. We should follow the trend to make our own unique content.”

    A discussion on the challenges prompted Akinori Kobayakawa, President, Kyushu Associations of Independent Entrepreneurs, to chart the short-term revival of the entertainment industry. An emphasis on collaboration and on engineering could create opportunities because the Internet was driven by people and was a human machine.

    “You need to create a strategy no matter the outcome,” he said. “The current situation can be described as chaos, so what we have to think about today is working against the old common sense. We cannot use the old common sense to adjust to the situation because what is happening with the Internet and the impact of the Internet is unpredictable.”

    Joe Suteestarpon, CEO, Mediaplex International, has played a significant role in developing a subscription video on demand service called DOONEE for the Thai market. In working with that country’s 22 traditional broadcasters, they had created a new space for the audience to enjoy high-quality content.

    “Everything is on demand and there is no exception for television,” he told the audience. “Right now the client is the one that is controlling the industry. People are still consuming the content but the format has changed. It’s a nonlinear world.”

    Szeto Kit, Director & CEO, Dim Sum TV said the Internet had revolutionised his business. He has found that consumers would pay for subscription content, an experience he had enjoyed in his own business. The Chinese mainland was an excellent test bed for a traditional broadcaster transforming into an Internet-based content provider.

    “The television industry is entering the Internet age and streaming is completely changing the traditional establishment,” he said. “China is an excellent example of what might happen next.”

  • Oscar-winning Moonlight producer shares his journey

    HONG KONG: Fresh from a successful Hollywood awards season, film producer Andrew Hevia led the popular “Sharing by Andrew Hevia, Co-producer of Oscar-winning Best Picture “Moonlight”” session held on 14 March at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The discussion was moderated by Maurice Lee, Partner, Maurice WM Lee Solicitors. The seminar was part of the HKTDC International Film & TV Market (FILMART) (13-16 March), which is organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC).

    Andrew Hevia, Co-producer of Oscar-winning Best Picture “Moonlight,” used the seminar platform to share how his journey of independent filmmaking in Miami, United States, led to the Academy Awards stage. Using various trailer examples of indie movies that he loves, and often helped create, Mr Hevia explored the theme of specificity and identity in filmmaking. The up-close dialogue explored how his professional journey of micro-budget community filmmaking and the local networks he created in Miami impacted and led to the creation of the Oscar-winning production Moonlight. Having previously resided in Hong Kong, Hevia shared his special connection to the city and discussed how his approach to filmmaking can apply to Hong Kong creators seeking to tell local stories.

    Miami Beginnings

    As a proud resident of Miami with Cuban origins, Andrew Hevia has strived to create and share a film telling the “Miami story from a Miami perspective for a Miami audience.” This passion for authenticity and localised storytelling led to the creation of the “Borscht Film Festival.” Featuring film pieces specific to neighbourhoods throughout Miami, not “just the beaches we are all familiar with”, the event encouraged residents to tell stories important themselves and their niche using minimal budgets. Through this passion project, he “learned how to make movies cheaply and quickly” and shared that micro-budget films are basically “inviting your friends to work with you and make something you like.” Through persistence driven by creative hunger, the Borscht Film Festival led to greater community support and the eventual sharing of his projects across multiple film festivals. It was during his times in the Miami film community he initially met eventual screenwriter and director of Moonlight Barry Jenkins.

    Creative Solutions

    Introducing several key takeaways from his professional journey, Hevia explored the advantages of micro-budget filmmaking. He stated that “it can be better to have no money than some money” because with “some money it is a job that doesn’t pay well but if you have no money it is not job. With no money you have fun.” He further explained that with limited to no funding you have to get creative to achieve your end result and those results are “personal, original and not expensive.” Continuing on, he said “it’s easy to make things look like you spent money; it’s hard to make them good.”

    The Power of Specificity

    The core theme of Hevia’s presentation was the power and importance of specificity in filmmaking. He highlighted the importance of his experiences “focusing on Miami” because it allowed him and the creators he worked with to “explore the stories we knew that no one else knew” which made them personal and unique. He said that “we wanted to show you where we lived, who we were and how we lived.” In reference to the eventual success of both the Borscht Film Festival and Moonlight, he stated that “a limited audience is actually a specific audience, and that is an asset” compared to the standard universal movie approach which creates a movie that appeals to everyone but “universal is bland” in his opinion. He suggested that if you can make a specific movie accessible by “taking what you know and making other people appreciate it, you have done something good.”

    Bringing “Art-house to the Hood”

    Hevia detailed how a personal phone call and invitation from Jenkins led to him joining the Moonlight production. He explained that Moonlight was a hard movie to make because it did not fit the traditional ideals of what a successful movie is – “it had no movie stars, there were no white actors, it was an experimental narrative and it had no international appeal.” But from Hevia’s perspective, “the reasons why people don’t want to fund your movie are probably the reasons you need to make it.” Moonlight was successful because it was “about and for a specific audience, it was told in an unexpected way, it paid attention to craft over spectacle and that it was about ideas.” He said that “identity is specific” and Moonlight is an identity film about “someone growing up poor, black and gay.” He explained that “identity is how people see themselves, and if you show people themselves they will reward you with passion” which leads to success because “when people are passionate about your work, your work will spread.”

    Stories for Hong Kong

    To conclude to the sharing session, Hevia focused on how specificity and identity in filmmaking can apply to Hong Kong. Reflecting on his experience residing in city, he said “one thing about Miami that I recognised when I came to Hong Kong was that Miami is a place nobody lives in; everyone is temporarily there, they are from somewhere else.” This issue was a originally a key inspiration for starting his local film festival to tell Miami stories as a way to express identity and how Miami relates to residents’ identities. He went on to say that

    “I think Hong Kong in a similar way has some of those same issues” and that creates an opportunity to “start talking about what it means to be here, to be from here, what is it like live here.” In reference to Hong Kong’s position juxtaposed with the Chinese mainland, he compared the situation to Miami against New York and Los Angeles and encouraged filmmakers to “do Hong Kong” and focus on the specific stories and identities of the city like he did with Miami.

    Hevia is currently developing a Hong Kong-based mystery thriller with local commercial director Joshua Wong. “Dark Room” will be an English-language film with a focus on authentic Hong Kong aesthetics inspired by his time living in the city in 2015 as Fulbright scholar.

  • Hong Kong Music Fair kicks off

    Hong Kong Music Fair kicks off

    HONG KONG: Another initative has been included for the Hong Kong Festival by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC). Seeking to provide an ideal business platform for music industry players to network, promote and explore business opportunities, a separate fair has been instituted by the HKTDC, together with IFPI Hong Kong Group, to cater to the earlier ignored sector of the entertainment industry.

    Running concurrently with the tenth anniversary of the Hong Kong Filmart, the the Hong Kong Music fair was inaugurated here at the Hong Kong Convention Centre yesterday .

    Recoginising the importance of the music industry, which is a major component of the entertainment business, The Hong Music fair saw a huge turnout from the music Industry.

    The pace was set by an endearing song sung by Alan Tham followed by speeches by various dignitaries including Dr Patrick CP Ho, the island’s secretary of home affairs.

    Over 65 exhibitors, including record companies, music publishers, mobile phone makers and service providers, portable music device manufacturers and vendors, internet music service providers, technology support companies, artist management and concert promoters industry associations as well as systems providers and Karoke operators.

    Though quite well attended at the launch by media and visitors, the fair saw a poor response on the second day.

  • Filmart kicks off, new addition is Hong Kong Music Fair

    Filmart kicks off, new addition is Hong Kong Music Fair

    MUMBAI: The 10 edition of Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (Filmart) kicked off today (20 March). This edition also introduces the launch of The Hong Kong Music Fair, in collaboration with IFPI Hong Kong. Filmart is on till 23 March.

    The Hong Kong Music Fair will offer a dedicated pavilion for music industry professionals and players to explore business opportunities on new media applications, copyright trading, technology transfer and cross-media partnerships.

    Over 60 companies specialising in records production and distribution as well as artist management have taken part in this year’s premier Hong Kong Music Fair launch.
    Filmart offers a wide variety of products and services, spanning from film, animation, digital entertainment, audio-visual equipment, post production and music productions, at the four-day event.

    Over 400 exhibitors from 28 countries and regions presenting their most creative programmes have converged on Hong Kong Filmart, considered Asia’s world entertainment market. The exibihtion is recognised as the cross-media platform for industry players to network, exchange and trade in this part of Asia.

    Over 4,000 buyers have registered on-line to visit the show, informs an official statement. Exhibitor attendance this year includes the first time exhibitors from Turkey, the Bahamas and Iran.

    The Filmart exhibition will also inculde animation and digital entertainment pavilion to showcase their animation,online games and edutainment software as well as their digital post production facilities and services.

    The Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) will be held concurrently with Filmart for the third year.

    HAF, co-organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and Hong Kong & New Territories Motion Picture Industry Association Ltd (MPIA), is aimed at serving as a match making platform for the film industry, helping commercially viable and promising film projects in Hong Kong and Asia locate financial and business support through joint ventures or co-productions.

    Over 160 film screenings and international premieres will be arranged for trade visitors.