Media festival moves in a digital direction

A SPECIAL event is to be launched at this year’s Singapore Media Festival (SMF) to cast the spotlight on exciting digital trends that are breathing new life into entertainment formats.
Echoing the festival’s theme of ‘Celebrating Asian Storytelling’ to recognise the region’s talents, accomplishments and tremendous growth of the media sector, SMF Ignite will focus on digital developments and creations.
Organised in collaboration with the Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) and industry partners in the digital domain, the event will be a feature of future SMF editions. 
More than 20,000 people from around the world are expected to attend the festival.
SMF Ignite is intended to bring together digital content developers to learn, experience and create through an exciting line-up of interactive workshops and insightful conferences in various fields led by industry leaders. 
The third edition of Southeast Asia’s leading international media festival will also have established events including the Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), Asian Television Awards (ATA), Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF), and ScreenSingapore (SS). 
SMF 2016 will welcome two new associate events, CASBAA Spotlight Series: Emerging Southeast Asian Markets and ciNE65 by Nexus, which is a one-day conference offering attendees valuable insights on a particular Asian market or sector. Its focus this year will be on pay-TV and broadband markets in Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia.
Behind each unique Asian story is a team of outstanding storytellers with exceptional talents. SMF 2016 celebrates these individuals by recognising their contributions and providing them platforms to showcase their works to a global audience. 
SGIFF announced that “A Yellow Bird” by local filmmaker K. Rajagopal, which premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, will be in competition for the Silver Screen Awards’ Asian Feature Film Competition. 
SGIFF will also be paying tribute to the late local filmmaker Abdul Nizam – a pioneer in Singapore’s indie film and music scene who passed away earlier this year – through the screening of his short and feature films such as “Datura” (1999) and “Breaking the Ice” (2014).
The ATA celebrates Asian storytelling for television, and the people who contribute to the industry. This year, its Award for Outstanding Contribution to Asian Television will be presented to Ko Dae-young, the president and CEO of Korean Broadcasting System (KBS). 
The award honours exceptional individuals who have distinguished themselves through their accomplishments and contributions to the television industry in Asia Pacific and beyond. As a broadcaster, KBS’ continued relevance is seen from its wildly successful release of the drama “Descendants of the Sun”, a huge hit in South Korea and across Asia.
ATF will introduce its inaugural Digital Corridor, where Transmedia Producer workshops will see experts, such as Arnaud Colinart, Producer at Agat Films & Cie and Ex Nihilo (France), share their experience in applying new technologies to narrative works. An VR Zone will allow attendees to immerse themselves in the world of virtual reality (VR), through screenings of VR projects, including Sundance-winning “Notes on Blindness: Into Darkness”.
SMF serves as an invaluable platform to uncover and nurture a new generation of Asian storytellers, capable of telling compelling stories across various genres and platforms. 
This contributes towards building a tight-knit community in the region that will offer both budding and established storytellers potential for personal creative growth and collaborative opportunities. 
The inaugural SMF Ignite will partner industry players such as Maker Studios, StyleHaul and Dailymotion to bring budding digital content creators through a series of hands-on workshops across genres, ranging from fashion and beauty to monetisation opportunities in digital media. 
With the attendance of established brands and experts, participants can look forward to gaining practical knowledge and a vibrant exchange of ideas on topics such as innovative technology like VR & AR, and the industry’s fastest growing sub-sector of gaming.
The inaugural ATF Formats Pitch will see regional content creators present their new and original, non-scripted entertainment formats. 
The winner will receive a bespoke package worth SG$20,000 (Bt505,000) of consultancy advice and cash support, tailored to the specific pitch, followed by trailer and sizzle preparation, production budgeting, talent payments, publicity, the global sales process and editing. The winning format will also have a chance of being aired.

CREATIVE GATHERING
- Singapore Media Festival 2016 runs from 23 November to 9 December. 
- Go to www.SGMediaFestival.com