ATF 2021 – Show Daily Day 1

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THE 2021 OFFICIAL – 1 Dec 2021

Brought to you by

WARNERMEDIA

VIACOMCBS

GROUP ONE

META

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@ A GLANCE

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RED U T FEA

Featured Screenings Business Matchmaking ATF Animation Pitch 2021 ATF Formats Pitch 2021 ATF Chinese Pitch 2021 SEAScreen Project Market 2021

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Highlights @ ATF 2021

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Buyers

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In Conference With

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Features

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Products

The thoughts, views and content expressed and presented by the speakers, moderators and participants are solely their own and do not represent that of the organiser (ATF and RX).

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CONTENTS

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An Event of

Hosted by

EDITORIAL & PRODUCTION TEAM EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Lulu Mendoza WRITERS Marcus Goh Selina Tan Dinesh Pasrasurum DESIGNER Shellen Teh PHOTOGRAPHER Milton Tan VIDEO PRODUCTION Lim Eu-Jin (Reel Production) PROJECT MANAGEMENT GROUP PROJECT DIRECTOR Yeow Hui Leng SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER Joyce Chua PROJECT COORDINATOR Jocelyn Phng BUYERS RELATIONSHIP MANAGER Lim Li Min Samantha Lee EXHIBITORS & PARTICIPANTS SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Phua Meenyi ATF CONFERENCE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Lulu Mendoza PRODUCER ASSISTANT Khoo Hwee Lee MARKETING MARKETING MANAGER Hairol Salim OPERATIONS SENIOR OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE Karen Liew

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HIGHLIGHTS @ ATF

FEATURED SCREENINGS 2021 Check out this year’s Featured Screenings @ ATF Online+

Medal of the Republic

This is a Chinese anthology drama series, based on the true stories of the first group of recipients of the Medal of the Republic, China’s highest honor for those who have made great contributions to the development of the country. Covering war heroes, prominent scientists and role models, the eight recipients are war veterans, Li Yannian and Zhang Fuqing, nuclear physicist Yu Min, longtime national legislator Shen Jilan, aerospace engineer Sun Jiadong, “Father of the hybrid rice”, Yuan Longping, nuclear submarine designer Huang Xuhua, and China’s first Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine Tu Youyou. Focusing on their most prominent moments, the series is centered on the heroes’ devotion to their careers and continuous efforts to improve the lives of the Chinese people.

Kamaz. Extreme Racing

Screeching sands, overheating engines, life-shattering accidents, and courage – all of it come together in this brand-new sports drama.

Based on the real stories from the KAMAZ Master racing team and played by top stars, the series grips viewers from the first scene and won’t let go until the last moments. The lives of the ‘Tsars of Dakar’ are fascinating and dramatic. Add the generation conflict, the first female racer, impossible romances and spectacular stunts – and you have a real showstopper.

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Stalk

As Lux starts his third year in engineering school, it’s clear that his stalking days are over. He and his Stalker Hunters have joined the student union, with Lux at the helm. Everything seems to be going well for him. However, it’s short-lived: a mysterious stalker by the name of “White Duke” is victimizing the campus. And seems to have a personal grudge against Lux.

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ATF 2021

COFFEE HOUR CONTENT SHOWCASE

hybrid edition

1–3 December 1.30pm–5pm

YOUR DAILY CONTENT TREAT

1 December 1.30pm

TREASURE BOX JAPAN Part 1 2pm

K-FORMAT

6 Unscripted Formats From Creative Hotspot KOREA 2.30pm

3pm

iQIYI CONTENT SHOWCASE

4pm

FRESH CONTENT CHINA

CHINA

Dramas

3.30pm

4.30pm

K-CONTENT SHOWCASE (KCA)

FRESH CONTENT FROM TURKEY

KOREA

The Endless Land of Content

2pm

2.30pm

TAIWAN SHOWS UP Part 1

2 December 1.30pm

TREASURE BOX JAPAN Part 2 06

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K-FORMAT

5 Scripted Formats From Creative Hotspot KOREA

TAIWAN SHOWS UP Part 2

2 December 3pm

FRESH CONTENT

Your next TV hit is from Spain

3.30pm

FRESH CONTENT GWANGJU, KOREA

Animations, Characters, & Drama (GITCT)

4pm

FRESH CONTENT CHINA Animations 4.30pm

FRESH CONTENT

Korea Content Village (RAPA)

3 December 1.30pm

HIDDEN GEMS FROM JAPAN 2pm

K-FORMAT

3 Scripted & 2 Unscripted Formats From Creative Hotspot KOREA 2.30pm

TOKYO DRAMA AWARDS 2021 WINNERS

3pm

FRESH CONTENT

Malaysia Animation 3.30pm

KOREAN ANIMATION SHOWCASE

Seoul Business Agency (SBA)

4pm

FRESH CONTENT CHINA

Documentaries / Variety Shows 4pm

KOREAN ANIMATION SHOWCASE

Geyonggi Content Agency (GCA)

Award-Winning Dramas: Buzz & Trends

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BUYERS W H AT D O B U Y E R S WA N T?

Looking to Acquire Korea & Chinese Dramas K-dramas craze has taken over OTT and audiences around the globe have been enthralled with Korean content, especially Korean dramas, or K-dramas as they are called. Rabia Asif, Director, Strategy and Business Planning, of Dot Republic Media (DRM), is getting in on the online momentum as she is set to acquire more Korean drama content with great romance and familyoriented stories for DRM. She is also looking out for similar Chinese titles at ATF.

Rabia Asif Director, Strategy & Business Planning Dot Republic Media (DRM)

“We would like to explore revenue share models for YT [YouTube] and other AVOD platforms, where we will invest in dubbing and marketing of the content,” said Rabia.

Dot Republic Media is a YouTube MCN that serves Asian audiences across the globe and partners with CTV platforms to distribute language specific content.

W H AT D O B U Y E R S WA N T?

Seeking Preschool Fare for Israeli Market Israel’s Hop! Media Group is looking out for pre-school shows that are entertaining, fun and carry a social, emotional or education angle.

The company is interested in expanding its content catalogue with fresh and new content, primarily animation and live action shows, from all over the world that can easily travel to Israel and be fully localised to Hebrew.

Group said she is looking forward to uncovering new pre-school shows that are in the pipeline and deepening her acquaintances with the Asian market.

“Creating and curating content for over 20 years, Hop! is synonymous with high quality and thrilling content, good nurturing values and a safe environment, and is instrumental in building and maintaining leading pre-school brands in the territory.”

Sharon Moverman, Vice-President (Acquisitions & International Operations), of Hop! Media

The media group is the owner and operator of four children’s channels in Israel – Hop!, Luli, Hop! Israel Childhood and WIZ.

Sharon Moverman Vice-President (Acquisitions & International Operations) Hop! Media

W H AT D O B U Y E R S WA N T?

Ramping Up Inventory for Sarawak Viewers

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Ryan Lee Content Acquisition Executive Sarawak Media Group

Ryan Lee, Content Acquisition Executive, of Sarawak Media Group, is participating for the first time at ATF. The company operates the state-owned television station, TVS focussed on content that showcases the beauty of Borneo, East Malaysia, and Sarawak. Reaching viewers in Malaysia and internationally with its catalogue of culture-centric programmes, Ryan is on a mission to expand the existing

offering by acquiring content for the channel, as well as distribute TVS’s original Borneo content.

“We are looking for fresh and inspiring contents that can increase the engagement and ratings of our television broadcast as well as digital platform,” he said. He is looking to network with counterparts and welcomes collaborations from “honest and ethical companies” for long-term partnerships. He added, “the payment terms will be according to the terms and conditions agreed by both sides of the party after all the necessary discussion and process flow has been adhered to.”

BUYERS W H AT D O B U Y E R S WA N T?

Looking for Partners Distributing Hollywood & Asian Films

Thao Nguyen Content Acquisition Galaxy Play JSC

Thao Nguyen, Content Acquisition, of Galaxy Play JSC, is on the search for more partners that distribute Hollywood and Asian movies.

“Our top genres are action, adventure, and movies. We are looking for new and existing products in these genres,” he said.

Galaxy Play is a video on demand service in Vietnam, boasting a large content catalogue of Vietnamese, Hollywood, and Asian movies and dramas.

W H AT D O B U Y E R S WA N T?

Abu Dhabi Media on Buying Spree at ATF In October this year, Abu Dhabi Media had launched a brand-new app, Majid Universe, providing consumers with digital access to its library of over 800 hours of content, including live and animated TV shows, games, and a monthly print publication dating back to 1979.

“The app launch comes 42 years after the iconic character’s 1979 debut in a weekly comic magazine,” said Nermine Mohamed, Head of Programming of Abu Dhabi Media Company.

backed broadcaster in the region, already has a huge fan following from its young target audience, who are between the ages of 4 and 12.”

She added that it is ranked top 5 rated free-toair channel in MENA, owns the highest-selling children’s magazine in the region and is the largest producer of original Arabic animation.

At ATF, Nermine is looking to acquire animation, features, and games of the adventure, action, and comedy genres, for audiences in the 6 to 12 years demographic.

“Majid Platforms, which is part of the Abu Dhabi She welcomes titles in all languages, with Media, and the only kids’ channel from a state- those dubbed in English a plus.

Nermine Mohamed Head of Programming Abu Dhabi Media Company

W H AT D O B U Y E R S WA N T?

Acquiring Content for Upcoming Digital Platform NET Mediatama Televisi (NET TV), Indonesia’s free-to-air television channel, is looking for entertainment content, both drama and non-

Yeni Priana Anshar Director of Programming NET TV

fiction, for its digital platform that is being developed.

Yeni Priana Anshar, Director of Programming, of NET TV, shared that the company is looking to acquire content from all over the world for Indonesian audiences, and is open to exploring payment and licensing models.

“ATF is the largest content market at the end of the year. We want to get insight into what things are currently trending and popular in various countries,” she said.

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BUYERS W H AT D O B U Y E R S WA N T?

Investing in Local Content to Maintain Consumer Share Stepping up its acquisitions of media content and producing their own shows is Tencent Video. Phoebe Tsai, Country Manager, Tencent Video (WeTV), said her company is looking to invest in licensed content of the romance and comedy genres for the Middle East, South America, Korea, and Taiwan.

“For the Middle East and South America, we prefer finished products. For Taiwan, we prefer content in stages of development,” shared Phoebe, adding that, while the majority of its offering consists of Chinese dramas and variety shows, there is a deliberate effort to populate its catalogue with more local content for Southeast Asia and Taiwan.

SVOD adoption continues to rise in Taiwan reaching a total of 3.4 million paying Phoebe Tsai Country Manager Tencent Video (WeTV)

W H AT D O B U Y E R S WA N T?

Staying Fresh with International Slate – Indian, Filipino, & Korean As work-from-home measures remain enforced, or are re-introduced across countries, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, consumers have become exposed to more global content as they become comfortable with subtitles as well as stories that resonate with them. Streaming services are now increasingly vying viewers with more diverse titles and talent.

A glance at the shopping list of Jose Escalante, President of Latin Media Corporation, revealed that he is interested in acquiring Indian, Filipino, and Korean series. Romance dramas and comedies rank high – an indication that domestic viewers are looking beyond regional content and that companies are mixing it up with international programming to keep their content offerings fresh.

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“We want to check what are the new series available for our region, [and] we hope we can start acquiring the rights for our region during ATF,” Jose said. Open to different payment terms, he added, “we buy content, dub it in Spanish and sell it in Latin America and the US. We work with clients with YouTube Channels, FTV, PayTV and OTT platforms. We need exclusive FTV and non-exclusive PayTV [and] VOD (AVOD, SVOD) [rights].”

Jose Escalante President Latin Media Corporation

subscribers in the second-quarter of 2021 versus 3 million paying subscriptions in first-quarter of the year with the average household subscribing to 2.9 services, according to a report titled ‘Taiwan Online Video Consumer Insights & Analytics’ by analysis firm Media Partners Asia. In Southeast Asia, SVOD subscription hit 33 million in Q3 2021, with Thailand and Indonesia coming out as the region’s most competitive premium video markets, according to the firm’s quarterly report, ‘Southeast Asia Online Video Consumer Insights & Analytics’.

The company is also on the lookout for partners that are interested in co-production opportunities, specifically for the Taiwan market. Tencent Video was recently in the headlines, with the debut of the highly anticipated ‘League of Legends’ animated TV series on its streaming platform in November, a move that marked the media giant’s foray into in-depth IP development.

BUYERS W H AT D O B U Y E R S WA N T?

Wooing Vietnam with Romance, Thrillers, & More With a population of around 98 million people, Vietnam is a big market by any standards in Asia-Pacific and when it comes to video, it is brimming with the old and the new. The AVOD business represents a fast-growing opportunity in the Vietnam market, but also presents challenges in getting its content discovered by viewers. According to The

Statista market forecast, VOD sales are predicted to reach US$141 million by 2024, with SVOD making up the lion’s share, estimated to have generated US$71m in 2019, and set to account for US$120m by 2025.

Aiming to draw audiences to its streaming platform, Natalie Phan, Purchasing Manager, of MMedia, is looking to expand the company’s inventory with a diverse range of titles, ranging from action, romance, crime, thrillers, and period genres. The company offers a “basic AVOD” for the Vietnam market, as Natalie described. “We can buy more titles non-exclusive,” she added, with a 50/50 payment arrangement.

Natalie Phan Purchasing Manager MMedia

W H AT D O B U Y E R S WA N T?

Asharq News Seeks Health & Science Genres Asharq News is a 24/7, multi-platform Arabic news service that brings content to audiences in the Arab region and beyond with a unique approach based on news and in-depth analysis reported through the prism of the economy to Michline Alain Acquisition Manager Asharq News

empower people in their everyday lives. The news is delivered through a dedicated television channel, as well as multiple digital platforms.

Michline Alain, Acquisition Manager of Asharq News said she is keen to meet with new distributors and counterparts, as well as uncover fresh Asian content.

“We are keen to acquire documentaries for our free-TV channel, digital and social platforms for Arabic language.” The company is open to pre-buy deals and looking to acquire more content in the health and science genres.

W H AT D O B U Y E R S WA N T?

Viewers Drawn to CrossCultural Similarity Content is one way that people make sense of the world, building on the archive of personal experiences and opinions of other places.

The perceived cross-cultural similarity by consumers, as it appears, is one of the draw factors in viewers gravitating towards certain international content over others.

“Channel K’s audience mainly like Indian series and cultural programs that we produce. They also like Thai series because we have similar

culture and lifestyle. And another series that audiences in Myanmar prefer are Chinese and Filipino series,” said Khin Ni Tar Htun, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of KMA Telemedia Holdings Ltd, who is looking to acquire these titles at ATF. Launched in 2019, Channel K is a 24-hour free-to-air television channel that broadcasts entertainment programs and offers a digital free-to-air entertainment channel that reaches across all 15 states of Myanmar on linear TV. “The motto of Channel K is, ‘Together We Explore’… [it] has four main pillars of programming: business, movies, music and culture. We expect to get the content that will match with our audience and budget,” Khin said. The company is also interested to be involved in co-productions this year.

Khin Ni Tar Htun Deputy Chief Executive Officer KMA Telemedia Holdings Ltd 11

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BUYERS W H AT D O B U Y E R S WA N T?

Docs Needed for Programming Channels TRT World, a public broadcaster in Turkey, is looking to acquire documentary films and series for two programming slots on its platform. The first is a 52-minute slot titled Storyteller that airs once a week.

Tugba Bozkurt, Deputy Producer, of TRT World expressed a priority for content that covers human interest, social impact, or environmental issues. The documentaries should “address pressing contemporary world issues and their effects on people whose voices are rarely heard in mainstream international media”, said Tugba, alluding to titles fronted by strong characters and having a solid structure, either story-centric or theme-based. The second programming slot is 26 minutes long and reserved for acquired or commissioned documentary series that the company has branded internally. Genres Tugba Bozkurt Deputy Producer TRT World

broadcasted include travel, music, food, culture, and human-interest stories.

Tugba expects to meet with new distributors to expand the company’s network and discover new documentaries for its channel.

He shared that, for this year, they have expanded the scope of topics to include the theme of “modern day challenges”, which considers documentaries that tackle the effects of technology and AI on humans from various aspects.

“We prefer content that is fresh or seeking a second window, and we prefer that it is partially or fully in English,” said Tugba. “We license on a non-exclusive basis and we mostly do acquisitions of finished content. Our standard method when it comes to payments is 100% of the fee after the contract is signed and after the content passes QC, but we have also signed deals where we pay 50% upfront and 50% after QC – we can be flexible about the terms,” he added.

W H AT D O B U Y E R S WA N T?

Known Talent & Broad Genres for Younger Audiences When asked about the type of content she is looking to acquire at ATF, Nazli Akaktan, Head of International Content, of GAiN, said: “Our content strategy is to bring innovative, brave, and fast-paced programming produced with [an] intelligent, artistic approach. We’re interested in series with well-known actors, series of broad genres from drama, action, comedy and fantasy, preferably not older than four years, targeting millennials and Gen Z.”

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The VOD platform, launched in end December 2020, offers a range of series, shorts films, documentaries and entertainment shows, both in short and long formats. “GAİN produces original content, but also acquires premium scripted and non-scripted content from local and global providers to showcase a dynamic and current stream,” said Nazli.

The company has partnerships with globally known companies such as Lionsgate, BBC, Fremantle, ViacomCBS, etc. At ATF, she is looking forward to meeting with potential partners and discovering new content trends.

In response to the content that she is looking for, she added that “it’s important for us to see that the series performed well across multiple countries, and subjects are close to our culture and audience. We check IMDB and Rotten grades before passing to our screening team. We prefer fast-paced factual style documentaries as well.”

Nazli Akaktan Head of International Content GAiN

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IN CONFERENCE WITH iQIYI

The thoughts, views and content expressed and presented by the speakers, moderators and participants are solely their own and do not represent that of the organiser (ATF and RX).

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BIG PLANS AHEAD: EMBODYING THE CULTURE OF SILICON VALLEY, & THAT OF HOLLYWOOD At the Asia TV Forum, Chen Xiao, Senior Vice President of iQIYI, presented his views about empowering the entertainment industry with technology, while building an industrialised system for video production. Since the company started expanding its international footprint in 2019, and launched iq.com for global users, they have gained immense traction globally. At present, their accumulated international app downloads in 2021 have increased beyond 70 million, with a monthly playback time that exceeds 140 million hours.

One of the largest online video platforms in the world, iQIYI’s vision is to become a technology-based entertainment company. Chen shared a video showcasing one of their current content production technologies that allowed them to achieve for the first time, naked-eye 3D with Virtual Reality at ‘‘Cloud Show”, China’s first interactive, immersive, online performance product by Chinese girl group THE9.

The concert used world-leading extended reality (XR) visual production technology and facilitated one-to-one real-time interaction among guests’ virtual identities, setting a new global benchmark in terms of the range of virtual scenes and the number of interactive users online. iQIYI has also become the first Chinese streaming platform to use Interoperable Master Format (IMF), a component-based media framework designed to simplify the file exchange process by creating a single master file for distribution. Unlike the past practice of putting all components into a single file, IMF can store digital assets in separate files, using add-ons for playback and editing, making it easier to reuse content and reducing the cost of manual labour and other resources. “Luoyang”, for example, was aired with the use of the IMF technology.

Moving on to the topic of virtual idols, in late 2020, iQIYI debuted RiCH BOOM - China’s first virtual idol group featuring trendy culture and pop music. It has appeared as

a host, contestant, and guest performer on multiple top iQIYI variety shows and music videos, generating millions of online views. Transcending time, geographical and cultural constraints, it focuses on digitalized platforms and innovative music trends, in line with the explosive popularity of ACG culture. These changing consumption patterns require the market to create entertainment that is more refreshing, and more interactive. Virtual idols are a perfect combination of entertainment and technology that seamlessly encapsulates this trend while inspiring people’s imaginations.

As an entertainment company driven by technological innovation, iQIYI has been actively promoting convergence of AI applications and video services and has attained great results in full-process intelligent video services, such as intelligent creation, intelligent production, and intelligent broadcasting. In addition, the implementation of artificial intelligence in iQIYI’s business has helped the company select the right films to take online, which has reduced cost and enhanced return on investment.

As the tech and investor communities increasingly turn to concepts such as the metaverse, iQIYI is committed to embracing the possibilities of the metaverse as well as its implications. The company continues to explore the future of entertainment by enriching its IP assets and innovative technology, building on its ability to transfer people into another world through immersive stories.

In his closing remarks, Chen spoke about how the best visual content should reflect both the viewers’ everyday experiences and the current zeitgeist, inviting content creators to come forward to freely collaborate with iQIYI. As a company that embodies the culture of Silicon Valley and the culture of Hollywood, he reiterates iQIYI’s belief that integrating content with technology is the key to driving the future of the entertainment industry.

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OPENING CEREMONY STRENGTHENING GLOBAL FOOTPRINT OF ASIAN STORIES Addressing guests virtually, Singapore’s Minister for Communications and Information Josephine Teo, celebrated the resiliency of media companies and professionals in Southeast Asia, and reiterated Singapore’s vision to be a platform for regional stories.

She was optimistic about the propitious outlook ahead for APAC’s media industries, signalled by global media companies anchoring their regional HQs in Singapore. In 2020, Singapore’s Infocomm and Media Sector experienced a 4.8% growth. The Singapore Media Festival, albeit predominantly a virtual event last year, secured about S$260 million (over US$190 million) worth of partnerships and deals.

With consumers increasingly seeking out content that aligns with their cultures, identities and personal preferences, Singapore is staying ahead to deliver a stream of strong, distinct Made-with-Singapore stories. To this end, Minister Teo announced content and talent initiatives by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), which included a new partnership with Netflix for a Series Writing Workshop that will involve up to 20 screenwriters from Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia. Conducted by Christopher Mack, Director of Grow Creative at Netflix, and screenwriter and producer Joe Peracchio, the programme will also feature guest speakers such as writers behind Netflix’s popular series sharing their expertise with participants.

The Capability Partnership Programme previously eligible to MNCs, has been enhanced to support Singapore SMEs that pair up with global media companies to co-create premium content. Beach House Pictures will develop a series of premium documentaries for international OTT platforms and broadcasters including CuriosityStream. Meanwhile, Clover Films will partner with iQIYI on a line-up of online films. These partnerships are expected to benefit more than 80 SMEs and more than 500 media talent through job creation and opportunities for upskilling in the next two years.

In addition, six new projects from Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam, have qualified for the Southeast Asia Co-Production Grant of up to $300,000 each. The newest batch of projects, anticipated for completion between 2022 and 2023, will be produced by Singapore’s Akanga Film Asia, August Pictures, E&W Films, Threesixzero Productions, and Zhao Wei Films, and further solidifies alliances between Singapore and regional counterparts.

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OUR ASIAN STORIES ARE PASSPORTS FOR OUR AUDIENCES, BRINGING THEM TO DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD. THEY ALSO CONNECT US WITH ONE ANOTHER AND REMIND THE WORLD OF ASIA’S RICH TAPESTRY OF CULTURES AND STORIES. Mrs Josephine Teo Minister for Communications and Information, Singapore

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OPENING CEREMONY

REIMAGINING ASIA’S SHIFTING MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT LANDSCAPE There was a collective celebratory cheer among the participants on-site at the opening ceremony of the 22nd edition of the Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF), many of whom were attending their first physical trade event after almost 2 years of virtual representations.

This year’s industry convention is especially meaningful, as it returns with a hybrid format of in-person and online components at the Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. ATF Online+ sees over 3,000 trade attendees from 60 countries and regions, participating virtually. There are 16 official virtual pavilions from China, France, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, and Turkey, and over 4,500 IPs, of which 30% are new, will be presented at the market.

The special country focus on China is timely as Chinese media giants expand their footprint in Southeast Asia and increase their investments in productions of Asian content.

The opening ceremony was officiated by Yip Je Chong (JC), Managing Director of Singapore & Malaysia, and Senior Vice President, Commercial, Asia Pacific, RX, and Justin Ang, Assistant Chief Executive of Media, Innovation, Communications and Marketing at the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).

JC welcomed the progressive resumption of in-person events. In line with ATF’s mission to celebrate the best in class in Asian storytelling, he shared that conversations would centre around the theme – “Reimagining TV: Vision 2022” that aims to capture the re-prioritisation, re-structuring and re-monetisation that is happening in Asia’s media and entertainment landscape and sharing its ecosystem. Topics are also forward looking, covering production sustainability, programming priorities, and virtual productions that have risen as a result of the pandemic.

Justin was just as optimistic about the commercial success of recent Asian-focussed content, which has shown audiences’ interests. He said the Singapore Media Festival as the intersection bridging the connection between local and international players and expressed his hope for more new IPs from Asia, which audiences can look forward to in the coming years.”

On a closing note, JC shared that ATF will be back stronger in 2022, as an in-person event. So, mark your calendars for next year – December 7—9, 2022!

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(L–R) Yip Je Chong MD, Singapore & Malaysia, & SVP, Commercial, APAC RX Justin Ang Assistant CE of Media IMDA 21

ONLY THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIPS CAN WE FULFIL THE NEED OF OUR CONSUMERS. Catherine Park Senior Vice President, Head of Office & Streaming (Asia) ViacomCBS Networks International

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IN CONFERENCE WITH VIU SINGAPORE VIACOMCBS NETWORKS INT’L iQIYI INTERNATIONAL PICTURE BOARD PARTNERS

BOOSTER SHOT THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS The golden days of payTV, with three-year contracts, are starkly different from the realities of OTT platforms today, with more complex issues to take into consideration like retention, monitoring of sales channels. On that front, Thailand is ahead of the game because they have more payment possibilities, compared to regions like Indonesia where they are still working on payment partnerships, shared Anna Pak Burdin, Head of Business Development, iQiyi International.

Thanks to the pandemic, there is a growth in e-commerce, and there is potential for partnerships with such platforms.

“Today, we’re announcing our partnership with Alipay+,” stated Anna. “There will be a smoother payment experience.”

She spoke at a session with Anson Tan, Country Head, Viu Singapore, and Catherine Park, Senior Vice President, Head of Office & Streaming (Asia), ViacomCBS Networks International. It was moderated by Unmish Parthasarathi, Founder & Executive Director, Picture Board Partners (Moderator).

(L–R) Anson Tan Country Head Viu Singapore Anna Pak Burdin Head of Business Development iQiyi International Unmish Parthasarathi Founder & Executive Director Picture Board Partners

There will be a time when mobile data plans will be much more affordable, predicted Anson, which is why Viu launched quite aggressively in 2015, in anticipation of this new era. Being consumer-focused and agile is important, and partnerships are going to be key in their strategy, hence they are looking at launching more strategic partnerships.

Catherine also agreed with this perspective. “Only through the partnerships can we fulfil the need of our consumers,” she said. In addition, she observed that everyone is almost a tech company these days. Asia will be a large potential market for the rollout of their streaming service, Paramount+, in 2022.

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IN CONFERENCE WITH CO-PRODUCTIONS, A BOON IN PANDEMIC With increasing audience consumption of content, co-productions are becoming a strategic way to meet the burgeoning demand in Asia. The multiple-partner arrangement presents opportunities for content creators and producers, but also poses challenges for broadcasters, OTT players, publishers, and distributors who are tasked with scaling the content they are producing as well as financing the productions.

For Angeline Poh, Chief Customer and Corporate Development Officer, Mediacorp, co-productions still offer a “viable and sustainable way to expand the content universe” that the company is able to offer to audiences. With the pandemic, Mediacorp was forced to rethink its approach to co-productions and lean on existing partners within proximity. In this case, Mediacorp turned to WattPad, where it leveraged the latter’s data insights and cocreate content that audiences were truly interested in.

Reflecting on the importance of localisation as a strategy in Southeast Asia, Clement Schwebig, Managing Director - India, Southeast Asia, Korea at WarnerMedia, suggested that localisation is beyond just having to produce local content. It includes “having local teams on the ground” that allows the company to build a brand that is locally relevant through multiple touchpoints that offer consumer engagement beyond the content. This presents possibilities for building a fan following, as well as discoverability of the brand and content. He added that having good and precise subtitling, which is often undervalued, is also key to allowing local audiences embrace foreign content.

On the topic of IP ownership, Lim Teck, Managing Director of Clover Films sees the value and importance in retaining control, stressing it is still sacrosanct and allows for exploitation in the long-term. The view is echoed by both Clement and Angeline, who noted that IP ownership ultimately comes down the partnership’s involvement in the project.

Ultimately, all three agreed that getting into a co-production is akin to a dance; finding like-minded partners who share your vision and are open to new and alternative sources where stories can come from. At the crux of it, it is about building a solid and repeatable partnership.

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MEDIACORP WARNERMEDIA CLOVER FILMS SERIOUS MEDIA

(L–R) Prem Kamath CEO Serious Media Clement Schwebi, MD - India, SEA, Korea WarnerMedia Angeline Poh Chief Customer and Corporate Development Officer, Mediacorp Lim Teck Managing Director Clover Films

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IN CONFERENCE WITH CJ ENM HK (SG BRANCH) META, APAC TECHSTORM TV IKTOMI

(L–R) Nader Sobhan CEO IKTOMI Mickey Ong Senior Vice President & General Manager CJ ENM HK (Singapore Branch) Debbie Lee Founder & CEO TechStorm TV Saurabh Doshi Head - Entertainment Partnerships Meta, Asia-Pacific

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE RISKS WHEN YOU DIVE INTO SOMETHING THAT’S CREATIVE, AND THAT’S SOMETHING YOU CAN’T ALWAYS USE A PARTICULAR MATRIX TO MEASURE – Mickey

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SUCCESS LIES WITH THE AUDIENCE What does success mean? For Debbie Lee, Founder & CEO, TechStorm TV, hers is an e-sports and tech channel start-up with no legacy to adhere to. So, success is benchmarked against milestones. Now that they’ve entered in 11 markets, they’re looking at engagement with fans.

The three spoke at a discussion about investing in Asia, moderated by Nader Sobhan, CEO, IKTOMI. “There will always be risks when you dive into something that’s creative, and that’s something you can’t always use a particular matrix to measure,” commented Mickey.

It’s similar for Mickey Ong, Senior Vice President & General Manager, CJ ENM HK (Singapore Branch), who feels that the best thing for success is to see more audience loving the content, and for it to trend. He also wants to build meaningful relationships with producers. After all, they’ve invested a lot into local productions in the region, and they’re heavily involved in subscription and linear networks.

And there’s never been a better time than now. “There’s a convergence and intersection between blockchain, media, IP rights, e-sports gaming, brands, and entertainment,” observed Debbie, which will open up opportunities that heretofore have not been seen in the last 10 years. What shape and form it’ll take, however, is yet to be seen. But compelling storytelling will always be important, regardless of the type of content.

Saurabh Doshi, Head - Entertainment Partnerships, Meta, Asia-Pacific, sees his core mission as giving people the power to build communities, and to create an immersive experience for audiences. The future of social technologies is here, and there is a huge opportunity for content creators.

The APAC region is an important one for Saurabh – literally every market in the region. There is an amazing amount of content and export opportunities here, he commented. To create communities around such platforms, he plans to build easy and accessible tools for content creators, which will help to draw audiences and lead to monetisation.

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(L–R) Justin Deimen Executive Director, Southeast Asian Audio-Visual Association Hari Vijayarajan Chief Commercial Officer Group ONE

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IN CONFERENCE WITH

GROUP ONE

BRAND WHISPERER TO GEN ZS & MILLENNIALS ONE sees itself as one of Asia’s largest content creators for Gen Z and millennials. In the last 18 months, the company has amassed 50 million followers on all social and digital platforms and grown its social following 2x year-on-year and has grossed 2.5billion monthly organic video views on social and digital media, with a projected 30 billion views by year-end.

The formula to creating content that appeals to the segment involves being front and centre, and rests on several factors.

The first of which involves connecting with audiences through engaging and authentic stories of its athletes and heroes, said Hari Vijayarajan, Chief Commercial Officer, Group ONE. The company has been able to stay relevant by building different content stacks with a combination of storytelling, business, esports, and sports – all of which play to the company’s strengths. There is also a need to keep content fresh by integrating components such as QR coding (link to partners’ pages) and sweepstakes in its content, to drive interaction and engagement with its viewers.

Additionally, having its own in-house data and analytics team has allowed ONE to get into the skin of its consumer. Through data, the team dissects the audience profile, their viewing and content habits, propensity to purchases, etc. With all this information, ONE is able to tailor an approach for the content they are pushing out, as well as craft a targeted action plan to expand the reach of their partners’ brand and products. As Hari puts it, “embracing a data-driven methodology has paid off for ONE and its partners”.

Having had to film and produce its own version of the reality TV show, ‘The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition’ during the Covid pandemic, Hari shared that the company is ready to kick start their own IP, briefly hinting at a project in the pipeline that incorporates key opinion leaders with a mix of business.

The thoughts, views and content expressed and presented by the speakers, moderators and participants are solely their own and do not represent that of the organiser (ATF and RX).

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IN CONFERENCE WITH WARNERMEDIA

UNDERSTANDING AUDIENCES IS KEY TO CREATING RELEVANT CONTENT Everyone now is hungry for content that can travel, content that is universal in nature. In terms of humour and storylines, quality storytelling will always be number one, said Leslie Lee, Vice President, Kids Asia Pacific, WarnerMedia.

Leslie, who also oversees Cartoon Network and Boomerang, revealed that the former would be launching two big initiatives soon. First is Redraw Your World, which redefines Cartoon Network and involves a whole new look. Second is Cartoonito, a programming block aimed at kids two to five.

His strategy is long-term – Leslie is playing the long game.

He would rather have a show that lasts for many years, than a show that makes a splash with the first episode but peters out later.

“Borders are open virtually,” observed Leslie regarding the opportunities for growing partnerships. “Ideas no longer have specific geographies.” So, he’s not just looking for content from this part of the world.

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What’s his advice for better understanding the audience when it comes to creating relevant content? “One, watch Cartoon Network, so you know what we’re looking for.

It’s always good to be consuming what the consumer is consuming,” said Leslie. The other two pieces of advice were to read and watch everything and have a constant dialogue between the commissioner and production house to broaden perspectives.

He was also surprised by the resilience and patience shown by the industry over the past 18 months – noticing that people have been supportive during this pandemic. It’s a trait that this industry needs to keep going with.

Leslie’s vision for 2022 is nothing less than reimagining what we’re used to seeing. For example, he gave the instance of the launch of, “We Baby Bears” 2022, a spin-off from the popular “We Bare Bears” IP.

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IN CONFERENCE WITH 108 MEDIA

COMPANIES EMBRACING A CROSS-BORDER, CROSS-CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE Justin Deimen, President, Production, 108 Media, has a lot going on his plate, from developing newly acquired projects, to hiring new people as the business expands its global footprint. Headquartered in Singapore and London, he shared that the company will be opening a new office in Mumbai in first quarter of next year, adding to its other offices in Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Ho Chi Min, Toronto, Tokyo, and Spain.

Justin is on the lookout for good producers who can create regional and global content that can sell across multiple markets. He noticed producers nowadays are having to develop their package of projects quite fully early on before they even bring it to a buyer, who have many options these days. “Buyers are looking for fully packaged product off the bat and therein lies the value of capable producers,” he said.

108 Media follow a three “C’s” mandate: cross-border, cross-cultural, and co-productions when deciding the types of projects to acquire and/or support. This is a growing perspective that companies globally are embracing, he said.

108 Media has around 42 IPs in active development and have invested S$4.5 million in development funding. “We spend a lot of money making sure the best global and regional writers are involved, and the best IPs are getting made,” Justin said.

He pointed out that budget differences and expections makes it challenging to engage in international coproductions. “What over here goes for high budget, goes for low budget somewhere else. So, it’s hard to have meaningful co-productions with big buyers, even if you are coming from a strong position locally, or regionally,” he said, pointing out that 108 Media’s value proposition lies in gap financing, allowing international content to have the budget to go global.

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BUYERS ARE LOOKING FOR FULLY PACKAGED PRODUCT OFFTHE-BAT AND THEREIN LIES THE VALUE OF CAPABLE PRODUCERS.

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IN CONFERENCE WITH MEDIACORP FORMATS AREN’T JUST RESTRICTED TO TELEVISION ANYMORE Podcast wasn’t a format that Mediacorp paid much attention to in the past. But it’s a great way of testing the reception to new stories. For example, they’ve just released a brand-new IP in the form of horror story podcasts, that runs parallel to the accompanying video stories, shared Sapna Angural, Head of English Audience, Mediacorp.

The upcoming 2022 countdown show is also in a hybrid format, Sapna shared, which reflects the shift in formats. “We don’t just produce content for TV anymore,” she said of the local broadcaster.

This shift has been reflected in the new pitching season, which saw Mediacorp receiving 680 concepts in total. She’s very excited about them, and some of the concepts are in genres that they’ve never heard of before. Commissioning new shows is an art and science, and it’s also data driven for Mediacorp.

The improvement in the pandemic situation has also given the opportunity for some beloved series to return.

Sapna shared that Lil Wild, Titoudao, and The Last Madame would be coming back in some form. The pandemic gave them time to look at the return of those series.

Ultimately, though, local adaptations work. The Singapore audience is able to watch and believe stories even if it didn’t originally come from Singapore.

“The secret sauce is localisation,” said Sapna, and “localisation is really the heart and soul of it.”

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But one genre they’re more selective about is reality shows. When it comes to such projects, they have to weigh the cost of developing and testing a new reality show format, against buying the IP.

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IN CONFERENCE WITH G.H.Y CULTURE & MEDIA

CASTING SIGHTS BEYOND CHINESE CONTENT Chan Pui Yin, Director, Production & Distribution, G.H.Y Culture & Media (Singapore), is on a mission to make up for lost time in 2022. The company has had to put its plans on hold as a result of the continuing wave of Covid infections globally.

Since 2019, she has been working on the construction of a permanent set at Iskandar Malaysia Studios for ‘Sisterhood’, a new 40-episode Chinese-language drama series, produced by G.H.Y Culture and Chinese streaming giant iQIYI, for which filming has only commenced late last year.

Additionally, G.H.Y Culture & Media is growing its suite of services to clients by offering VFX services. The company, known for producing Chinese content, is also expanding its focus to other Asian content to broaden its offering. In 2022, the company will partner with iQIYI to shortlist four pitches that were submitted to the ATF Chinese Pitch in past years, for development.

Responding to the company’s plans for the new year, she said, “We have different types of productions – the long-form ones where we invest a lot in sets and visual effects. We are also going into mid-range productions where we do shorts. And there are online and traditional movies.”

She observed an increasing consumption for shortform content and revealed that the company – through Singapore-based talent agency, Uni-Icon Entertainment set-up by iQIYI and G.H.Y Culture & Media earlier this year – has been scouting for talent to star in their future slate of short-form developments.

She welcomed collaborations with partners, is open to acquiring scripts, and financing and co-producing opportunities, for short, to mid-range, to long-form content. As a producer, script and production quality are top considerations when deciding to get behind the project. Other factors include the budget efficiency, the viability of the project and whether the project will attract audiences.

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WE ARE MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME IN THE PAST TWO YEARS AND WANT TO CATCH-UP IN THE NEW YEAR. INSTEAD OF DOING ONE PROJECT EACH YEAR, WE ARE LOOKING TO DO TWO PROJECTS NOW.

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IN CONFERENCE WITH ALEX PROYAS

OUR GOAL IS TO DEMOCRATISE THIS FORM OF PRODUCTION AND MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE TO ALL FILMMAKERS

The thoughts, views and content expressed and presented by the speakers, moderators and participants are solely their own and do not represent that of the organiser (ATF and RX).

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VIRTUAL PRODUCTION – A HYBRID WORKFLOW IS HERE TO STAY “Filmmaking is unnecessarily wasteful of resources, today’s large set is tomorrow’s landfill,” said Alex Proyas, Film Director/Writer/Producer, Heretic Foundation. But such wastage is no longer necessary, thanks to virtual production.

Now, filmmakers have a way to imagine whatever they want, to tell any story in any world, without having to edit the vision with the thought: “my budget can’t afford that.”

The beginnings of virtual production can be found in 2002’s “I, Robot”. It was the first large scale production to take those techniques to a new level. In the film, Alex had a scene where the protagonist, played by Will Smith, had to run through a group of a thousand CGI robots. But it was difficult to visualise how the actor would run in front of and behind robots while on green screen.

It was virtual production to the rescue. A rough composite image of the robots was generated with real-time shots of Will. This enabled Alex to understand the perspective of the set, without having to rely on the imagination or to draw on the video monitor.

As virtual production technology progressed, Alex was able to start work on “Paradise Lost” in 2010, where a virtual world was built where he could plot out the entire film, down to the specifics of the camera work. Due to budget concerns, the film didn’t complete shooting. But that experience taught him lessons which went into 2016’s “Gods of Egypt”, which used a hybrid of physical sets and CG models to create a completely convincing world.

However, it will be a long road to a fully virtual workflow, as it needs to be better, faster, and cheaper than the current hybrid workflow. “Our goal is to democratise this form of production and make it accessible to all filmmakers,” stated Alex.

To that end, Unreal Engine, a real-time 3D creation tool by Epic Games, has been a boon to filmmakers. But more must be done to make virtual production financially viable. For successful use of virtual production, filmmaking must not be seen as three separate pre-production, production, and postproduction stages, but as one unified process, commented Alex.

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IN CONFERENCE WITH BANDAI NAMCO STUDIOS SINGAPORE PTE LTD SHOOTING GALLERY ASIA CGANGS MOVING BITS

WE SHOULD BE A BIT DARING TO TRY AND BE MORE EXPERIMENTAL. IF WE DON’T GIVE IT A SHOT, WE WILL FALL BEHIND. – Sebastian

VIRTUAL PRODUCTION IS NOW, NOT THE FUTURE Virtual production is here to revolutionise how content is produced and delivered, and it has a wider variety of applications, beyond just events and games. The reception to virtual productions from media companies in Singapore is, however, lukewarm with companies slow to warm up to virtual productions.

“Shooting virtual production with assets being prepared ahead and shooting everything through the camera, is like going back to the old days of shooting where you shoot everything in camera. So you can actually visualise everything without having to be too dependent on post-production. I think that’s the beauty of it,” Sebastian added.

Mario Lord, Executive Producer - Product Design, Department/Development Division, BANDAI NAMCO Studios Singapore Pte Ltd , candidly shared, that within his company, there was a fair bit of convincing needed to its HQ in Japan, before virtual production was embraced. To Mario, adopting it was a no-brainer as virtual production offered enormous benefits in streamlining the production processes.

In addition to investment, capability development is another challenge in the uptake of visual productions. Alvin Lim, Business Development Director (APAC), Cgangs, felt there is a lack of talent capability and expertise in the applications of virtual production towards media productions. Those with 3D virtual production knowledge usually lack broadcast expertise, and vice-versa, and a combination of knowledge is necessary to put together a workflow. “We have to find people with the right mindset, right background, and train them until they become all rounded, and that takes time,” he said.

Cost appears to a major deterrence for companies when considering virtual productions, said Sebastian Tan, Group Managing Director, Shooting Gallery Asia. While all panellists agreed that initial investment setup cost are high, this is to be expected with new technologies. As companies lack an understanding of the possibilities and benefits that a virtual production offers over a traditional production workflow, they are also unable to see the payoff.

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Sebastian, however, intends to change the misimpressions about virtual productions. In 2022, he plans to organise a demo in Singapore to showcase the capabilities of a virtual production to the industry by allowing them to experience a live-action shoot, simultaneously see the results and have them realise the potential of realising imagination.

(L–R) Sebastian Tan Group Managing Director Shooting Gallery Asia Mario Lord Executive Producer - Product Design, Department/ Development Division BANDAI NAMCO Studios Singapore Pte Ltd Jay Soo CEO Moving Bits Alvin Lim Business Development Director (APAC) Cgangs

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VIRTUAL PRODUCTION – MAKING CREATORS & AUDIENCES HAPPY This year’s Olympics showcased the power of virtual production. Unable to fly entire teams into Tokyo for the actual event, almost every news studio was using Unreal Engine for the virtual productions of their news bulletins. And now that there’s a realisation that it’s cheaper to do this than to fly people over for overseas events, virtual production isn’t going away, noted Dean Reinhard, Evangelist & Technical Account Manager, Southeast Asia, Epic Games.

“People can focus on being creative and forget about technology,” he said of the benefits of virtual production.

“For us, [virtual production] is definitely going to stay, maybe in a hybrid form,” commented Choong Chyi Kei, CEO, Aux Media. Audiences at home are no longer satisfied just watching the screen anymore. “If there’s a key word, it’s going to be ‘real-time immersive experience’ using all the tools and assets available,” he said.

For Choon Meng Seng, CEO, Scrawl Studios Pte Ltd, it has definitely benefitted the animation industry. “[Virtual production] takes the grunt work out of animation, but still leaves the director and artist free to express themselves in ways that go beyond what they have been able to do traditionally,” he observed.

The trio spoke at a session about virtual production, which was moderated by Himanshu Shah, Business Director, AV8.

All agreed that virtual production is here to stay. “I don’t see anyone that has done [virtual production] go away from it yet,” said Dean, noting that both cast and crew liked the new virtual production process. Phrases like “we’ll fix it in post” are a thing of the past, thanks to the flexibility that virtual production offers.

“What I can see is a further democratisation of the production process in animation,” said Choon Meng of virtual production.

This will mean that animation is no longer the domain of big studios – something that’s close to his heart, given the talent pool and cost constraints that Singapore faces.

Ultimately, though, it’s something that both audiences and content creators are happy with. “I think that virtual production will last, because it makes it easier for the production side and consumption side,” summed up Himanshu.

(L–R) Himanshu Shah Business Director AV8 Dean Reinhard Evangelist & Technical Account Manager, SEA Epic Games Choon Meng Seng CEO Scrawl Studios Pte Ltd Choong Chyi Kei CEO Aux Media

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IN CONFERENCE WITH SCRAWL STUDIOS PTE LTD EPIC GAMES AUX MEDIA AV8

PEOPLE CAN FOCUS ON BEING CREATIVE AND FORGET ABOUT TECHNOLOGY. – Dean

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IN CONFERENCE WITH iQIYI

FUELLING THE GLOBAL SURGE FOR ORIGINAL ASIAN CONTENT The global consumption of non-English language content is rising at an astonishing rate. In particular, content from Asia is faring extraordinarily well with audiences wanting more. As of the third quarter of 2021, iQIYI reported over 103.6 million paid subscribers worldwide and, in Southeast Asia alone, the number of monthly active users have doubled in the past 11 months – outperforming the Middle East and Australia.

The company experienced a 4x increase in Chinese content consumption, with over 50 million downloads globally via its app, averaging 200 million minutes per day.

Kuek Yu-Chuang, Vice President for International Business at iQIYI, attributed the exponential subscription growth to the introduction of the company’s growing slate of premium, high quality pan-Asian Originals, which starred some of the biggest and recognisable Chinese drama celebrities and drew over 180 million streams in total as of October. With the figures suggesting an insatiable consumer demand, it would explain why the Chinese streamer is doubling down and aggressively investing in more original Asian IPs. “In 2022, iQIYI has made the commitment to create more Pan-Asian content for the world, with a deep interest in bringing regional and local talents to the global stage. iQIYI also seeks to push the boundary of traditional storytelling and innovate hybrid drama content genres outside of industry norm, and as global leaders in C-language content, iQIYI will continue to innovate and elevate Chinese-content to the next level,” said Kuek.

In October, it announced a fresh Chinese slate comprising 260 films, TV series and variety shows spanning crime and suspense, inspirational, fantasy, romance, comedy, war, and history, as well as animation, aimed at capturing the cultural Zeitgeist. Encouraged by the skyrocketing success of its first original title, ‘My Roomate is a Gumiho’, – which became iQIYI’s most watched Original of the year surpassing 100 million views and emerged as the overall top-ranking Korean drama in Asia and the Middle East – the company is ramping up its Korean offering with an additional five original productions in the new year.

During its showcase at ATF, in addition to previously announced titles, iQIYI revealed five more original titles from Malaysia, and one title from Thailand, that will be rolled out progressively in 2022. Among the Malaysian titles are, ‘In Sori Naik Lori’, about an average housewife who deals with the overnight fame from her viral TikTok video and an insecure husband, and ‘My Ofis’, a sitcom centred around the trials and tribulations of a Rockstar wannabe who chooses to sacrifice his dreams to support his single-mother. Thai drama series, “KinnPorsche” sees a young man reluctantly becoming a bodyguard to the heir of a powerful mafia family.

“As the biggest advocates for Asian entertainment, iQIYI will continue to play our part to uplift the Asian entertainment ecosystem, with a growing emphasis on producing and licensing content from the region and making them accessible to international audiences,” Kuek added.

IN 2022, IQIYI HAS MADE THE COMMITMENT TO CREATE MORE PAN-ASIAN CONTENT FOR THE WORLD, WITH A DEEP INTEREST IN BRINGING REGIONAL AND LOCAL TALENTS TO THE GLOBAL STAGE.

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The thoughts, views and content expressed and presented by the speakers, moderators and participants are solely their own and do not represent that of the organiser (ATF and RX).

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VOD BOOM OFFERS SECOND CHANCE FOR OLDER TITLES

Some of the most prominent changes in the industry right now are related to VOD rights. “One phenomenon is the continuously rising number of both regional and worldwide VOD and FAST TV platforms. We’ve adapted to a changing rights and financing landscape and the market is getting more and more crowded,” said Eleytheria Heine, Sales Manager, of Albatross World Sales GmbH. “But it’s an exciting time for distributors; the growing number of platforms provide a longer shelflife or even give a second chance to some of our older titles, especially in the history genre.”

Albatross World Sales is an independent distributor delivering factual content in the genres of wildlife, science, history, and travel and culture. “We notice that the demand for factual content is rising; especially wildlife docs are highly successful. Documentaries that mix scientific insights with a strong story and outstanding camera work are the winners,” Eleytheria said, adding that travel shows have also struck a chord with audiences since the pandemic happened.

“My impression is that the buyers I am working with have become more open to broadcasting documentaries that differ from their usual broadcasting habits, for example titles with odd or quirky stories,” she said, referring to titles that have performed successfully in Asia despite its focus on regional narratives or topics.

The company is delivering on its promise of quirky content at ATF, with ‘Glorious Bustards’ titled after an endangered bird in Central Europe and efforts to protect it. ‘Planet Sheep’ explores the success story of humankind’s woolen companion in the past, presence and future, while Jan Haft’s new feature-length documentary, ‘Ode to Nature’ is a poetic masterpiece to the fragile beauty of European nature reserves.

Eleytheria Heine Sales Manager Albatross World Sales GmbH

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BUYERS SEEK SHORTER PROGRAMS & MORE DIGITAL RIGHTS “Asia has suffered some economic blows, buyers have been more careful in their investments, no longer are they buying just to corner certain titles. For the same reasons as well, some buyers have chosen to relicense dramas already dubbed in their language and with proven viewership success,” said Wincess Lee-Gonzalez, Sales Head (Asia and Latin America), of ABS-CBN Corporation.

She noted that dramas with heavy conflicts are always a staple in buyers’ shortlists but has seen demand for inspiring and lighthearted content. Aside from some buyers needing more digital rights to go with their TV buys, she noticed that “length has started to become a consideration even for Free TV buyers in Asia, (with) more and more buyers asking for programs with 50 episodes or less.”

Her goal at ATF is to secure new clients, with an eye on China, India, and Vietnam.

“We’re focused on South Asia as a growth opportunity for us. There are a lot of similarities in our culture in terms of family dynamics and on the importance of faith

as personal guide in daily undertakings.

Likewise, we will continue to push in North Asia, which we’ve started to open through our movies and mini-series,” she added.

The company is presenting its own game show format at ATF, titled, ‘Everybody, Sing!’ that Wincess described as a “feel-good show for family viewing where no one will go home empty-handed”. Participants from the same vocation or community win prizes as they finish the lyrics of songs, with the opportunity to win a big cash prize in the jackpot round that is to be shared equally by all.

“It aims to bring communities together, leaving no one behind. I think it’s very special to see this kind of cooperation on screen, especially after what we’ve all been through in the last 20 months.

The show is also scalable depending on what production guidelines may allow, you can have 25 participants per episode or as much as 100,” she said.

Wincess Lee-Gonzalez Sales Head (Asia and Latin America) ABS-CBN Corporation

WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS, MAKE A FILM As the coronavirus wrecked widespread disruptions and halted productions globally, resulting in a shortage of content, Wonderphil Entertainment decided to take matters into their own hands. “Filmmaking practically came to a complete stop last year during the pandemic. So, we’ve had to create our own product as well as search a bit harder for quality films,” said Philip Gorn, CEO of Wonderphil Entertainment, LLC. He is thrilled to present the company’s first title, ‘Find & Design’, a home improvement series that reveals million-dollar houses in Los Angeles and teaches viewers how to easily create some of these seemingly expensive features in their own homes.

“We’ve also produced a romantic comedy called, ‘#MyCorona’, about a Los Angeles apartment community dealing with the stay-at-home. There has been non-stop stress regarding Covid, so we made a movie that allows people to finally laugh about the pandemic,” Philip added.

The film is the company’s first full-length feature to be entirely directed remotely at the end of May last year. Other titles available at ATF include scifi and action genres, which he said, “have always been the best-selling, particularly internationally because these films tend to have less dialogue – show, don’t tell – making it easier for non-English speaking territories to relate and understand”.

Philip’s goal is to secure sales for individual films or package deals. “Asia has always been a major focus as our line-up continually includes something of interest to different regions throughout Asia.”

The company’s track record speaks for itself, he added that “we’ve been selling films for 16 years so we’ve built a trust with previous buyers and I think new buyers will get a sense of this trust even if this is the first time working with us. All buyers appreciate that we work efficiently, respectfully, deliver proper materials and we do what we say. When it’s time to communicate or deliver, we do so in a timely manner.”

Philip Gorn CEO Wonderphil Entertainment, LLC

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KEEPING UP WITH THE KIDS Children make up a sizable audience and present opportunities for new revenue streams. With increasing subscription numbers and digital natives, content streamers are investing more in the kids’ space and building large enough libraries of kids content to compete for the family audience.

“When we look at this area, I think that more active, more colourful, and more intelligent content comes to the fore. The most important reason for this is that children consume products very quickly, they do not want to be bored at all. On the other hand, they do not stop watching their favourite content over and over.

With the increase in digital platforms, the need to produce fast and high-quality animation projects has also increased,” said Serkan Semiz, Founder of VFX Istanbul.

The multi-disciplinary animation studio has developed a new animation titled, ‘Champ: Rising Star’. Inspired by the most common of toys, the series depict a group of competitive yet charming animated sport balls that strive to better their game play. Serkan wants to close a deal with at least one business partner from Asia, someone whom he described as being able to “see the potential of the projects we bring to ATF and would like to be a part of it too”.

He revealed that the company have not made any direct purchases with Asian buyers, but the impression is that they are “somewhat conversative” and prefer to see the completed product before committing. But he noted that they are increasingly placing more importance on quality than budget.

The company has had to be nimble and responsive to developments on home ground as well as keep up with requests for its animated content. “Production and postproduction processes and timings are very fast in Turkey.

A series of episodes longer than two hours are shot every week, all post-production processes are finished and broadcasted. In order to be able to produce at this speed, we have improved ourselves a lot in making quick decisions and applying them. Therefore, we are capable of responding immediately to different and unexpected demands of customers,” Serkan said.

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Serkan Semiz Founder VFX Istanbul

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FEATURE

Taiwan Shows up @ ATF 2021 View our latest TV content & film showcase !

LIVE

December 2-3 2:30pm–3:00pm

RE-RUN

Available on ATF Online+

Dancing Diamond 52 Pigsy Express

Listen Before You Sing

2049 Full Lineup at 2021 ATF

Aqua Challenge

Show On: an Influencer's Rise to Her Hot Hot Fame

Taiwan Cinema Catalogue

Check more latest titles at Taiwan Virtual Pavilion!

Presented by

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SHIFT IN ASIA FOR HOME GROWN CONTENT A regular presence at ATF, Mediacorp hopes to generate more business leads, meet new buyers, and continue to extend its content footprints globally. The company is also searching for co-production opportunities and like-minded partners to expand its production genres, in a bid to offer greater content diversity to the market.

With the proliferation of OTT platforms globally, Jesslyn Wong, Head, Content Distribution, of Mediacorp said that it is hard to pinpoint a particular region to focus on.

“Instead, we are committed to delivering what our buyers require for their platforms with our comprehensive and diverse catalogue of content, which includes dramas, entertainment, lifestyle and factual titles.”

She added that in Asia, the company is seeing an exponential shift towards locally produced content as networks increase their output productions to cater to local audiences’ tastes and preferences. On the other hand, OTT platforms, which have a more diverse audience base, remain open to streaming both local and international content. “The pandemic has impacted the bottom line of TV networks across Asia. We find that Southeast Asian buyers in particular appear to be more price conscious and selective in their acquisition of foreign content,” she said.

Mediacorp’s romance and historical period dramas have resonated well with audiences domestically and internationally. Its top-trending drama in the region, including China, is, ‘My Star Bride’, a rom-com involving a young woman from Vietnam who travels to Singapore in search of her long-lost sister. The company is set to woo with an action-packed slate at ATF. “We are bringing to the market more action titles, specifically crime-related shows and thrillers. With our strength in multi-language productions, this year’s showcase will include Chinese, English, and Malay dramas,” Jesslyn said. Amongst the line-up are ‘Key Witness’ and ‘The Takedown’, both Chinese crime stories, as well as a Malay drama, ‘Forensik’ about a forensic scientist who tries to solve some of the most heinous crimes, and ‘Reunion’, an English psychological thriller about a group of friends having to deal with the reappearance of a missing friend 15 years later.

Jesslyn Wong Head, Content Distribution Mediacorp

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ASIA PECKISH FOR SPANISH FARE Different markets and regions stock up their content inventory based on their audiences’ viewing demands and interests, but there is also a commonality across the board – that is, companies globally are focused on relevant and remarkable titles from the international market.

“Globalisation led to the creation of compelling stories with universal perspective.

For that reason, we realised the importance of shows with international appeal; not only as a must for finished product but also based on an increasing interest in format rights for local adaptations,” said Rocio Cachero, International Sales Manager, of Mediterraneo (Mediaset España Group).

She recognised that with technology, the former barriers that obstructed the penetration of Spanish content in some international markets are vanishing. “The keystone is to create programs both universal and authentic, daring content in different genres that will call the attention of the audience and seduce the viewers. We are now luckily experiencing a moment with enough room for every kind of content. And, unquestionably, the arrival of new channels and platforms specialised in different genres highly contributed to this change of framework,” Rocio said.

In her view, Asian viewers are now more receptive to non-English international content and buyers have responded by sourcing titles from places they may have never considered

before. “The change in the panorama and the sought for global content are the main reasons why our opportunities are enlarging in the APAC territories. It’s a very unique region, with a vast contrast depending on each geographic area. Therefore, buyers’ needs are unsimilar and divergent; an invaluable richness in terms of available windows for each different type of content,” she elaborated.

In the last few years, Mediterraneo has experienced a change in how media players operate, with big major VOD platforms tending to require all-rights. This means restrictions in the permitted exploitation of the title, which normally limits the life cycle of the series, as Rocio pointed out. Still, she thinks it is a great way to reach global audiences and turn a title into a worldwide mainstream.

On offer at ATF is the company’s slate of fiction, documentaries, and entertainment shows. ‘Basketball Golden Giants’ is a new documentary series that tells the story of the men who changed the history of Spanish basketball, while “It’s Flamenco”, is a twoseasoned docu-series that explains the history, lineages, dynasties, and stars of flamenco today and of all times. Also, up for grabs is its newest guessing game show, “Naked Eye Game”, a studio-based format that was highlighted at MIPCOM as one of the most innovative productions of the international market.

Rocio Cachero International Sales Manager Mediterraneo (Mediaset España Group)

DECIPHERING TOMORROW’S CONSUMER

Elif Hacibektasoglu Head of Growth Nabulu

The generational shift in the global entertainment and media landscape in favour of digital content has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on consumer habits. Viewers are voting with their eyeballs and increasingly gravitating towards content, both mainstream and niche, that appeal to their tastes. This pose both challenges and opportunities as companies navigate and respond to rapidly changing consumer interests.

Elif Hacibektasoglu, Head of Growth, of Nabulu, is keen to

make some sense of what consumers want by gathering intel at ATF and deciphering the data.

“We would like to have information on content marketing and expand our vision for the next trends,” she said. Headquartered in Istanbul, Nabulu describes itself as a “new generation content agency” encompassing traditional, digital, and social media advertising. The agency is focused on the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey, and their best-sellers come from the kids’ genre.

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FOCUS ON SEA & MIDDLE EAST WITH RISE OF OTT STREAMERS Shierly Kosasih, Vice President (MNC Contents and Licensing), of MNC Media, is well aware of the impact that the pandemic has had on purchasing behaviours of Asian buyers. She observed that they are more price sensitive and risk-averse, preferring “safer” content that resonates with all audiences. She also noted the rise of OTT streaming platforms in the region and as such, South East Asia and the Middle East continue to be the company’s focus markets because of the culture closeness. Dramas, movies, and animations continue to be the company’s top-sellers and dominate viewership.

Shierly’s goal at ATF is to create awareness of MNC Media’s content offering and ink licensing deals, whilst exploring opportunities beyond buying and selling.

The company is promoting three of its “champion” titles at ATF this year – ‘Ikatan Cinta’ (The Ties of Love), the record-breaking soap opera in Indonesia, followed by ‘Amanah Wali’ (The Messenger), and ‘Putri Untuk Pangeran’ (Princess for a Prince). She added that titles in her content catalogue are suitable for general audiences, reducing the risk for partners when acquiring content.

Shierly Kosasih Vice President (MNC Contents and Licensing) MNC Media

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REPLICATING A WINNING FORMULA

Laura Fornelio, Sales Manager of Onza Distribution is looking to adapt the successful Spanish talent show, ‘The Celeb Challenge’ for Asia. The show, which has been sold all over Europe, pits eight celebrities against one another in near impossible challenges that test their physical and mental prowess.

Earlier this year, it was reported that the company closed deals for the title with Coral Europa for Portugal, Vincent TV Producties for the Netherlands, and Banijay Group in countries such as Russia, Italy, and Germany, among others.

“They (channels) have found out that realities and entertainment formats are their way to compete against OTTs,” said Laura, who noted the increasingly fragmented market. She added that the company’s best-selling projects are telenovelas. “[The] pandemic has changed a bit the way Asian buyers perform. Now they have to be more careful, and they bet only on what they think is going to work. They are starting to take risks, but step by step. They are buying for longer periods… buying more rights,” she said.

In addition to ‘The Celeb Challenge’, the company is also making available its newest documentary, ‘Real Madrid: The White Legend’. The series explores the famous football team’s epic victories, notable players, and the sport. Scheduled for completion in January 2022, Laura is keen to have the documentary reach households across Asia Pacific.

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ASIAN BUYERS ARE FORWARD THINKING, RISK TAKERS Samantha Feruson, Senior Sales Manager, of Rabbit Films, oversees English-speaking territories and all of Asia, including India. At ATF, she is counting on reconnecting with buyers and meeting new clients.

“Rabbit Film’s genre strengths are adventure reality formats and also game shows,” she said. “There are a few territories in Asia we are keen to meet and discuss our formats further as our content would be a great fit for some of the channels and platforms,” she added. She considers Asian buyers as “very forward thinking and also are not afraid to take risks and try something new.”

Like most buyers and sellers, she noted that the biggest change since the Covid pandemic was the postponement of productions and trade markets, as well as having to quickly transition to digital means of transacting and networking. “We’ve all had to be more resilient in our working ways,” she said. And we can’t agree with her more.

Samantha Feruson Senior Sales Manager Rabbit Films

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EUROPEAN DRAMAS RIVAL US SERIES DEMAND IN ASIA The rise of global streamers has undoubtedly had the biggest impact on the television landscape across Asia, as it has throughout the world in recent years. The significant shifts in how series are produced and acquired have diversified the market, observed Sarah Mottershead, Sales Director (TV Series), of Studiocanal. It has presented more opportunities for drama in the region and levelled the playing field for the demand for European content.

“Whilst English language drama has previously dominated the acquisitions landscape across Asia, there is a notable shift in recent years towards foreign-language content from Europe. Large scale productions and compelling storylines can now compete with major US series and have helped to break down language barriers,” she said.

Sarah Mottershead Sales Director (TV Series) Studiocanal

The company’s premium mixed language dramas have helped pave the way for local players to trial different languages with audiences and introduce a wider range of content into the region.

“European dramas are continuing to travel and perform extremely well in major markets, such as Japan, South Korea and China. However, recently our foreign language series are finding new audiences in a wider reach of territories including Indonesia, Hong Kong, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

Our goal is to continue bringing these stories to viewers typically less familiar with foreign

language drama and establish yet more new partnerships for our series across South East Asia in particular,” Sarah added.

From the slate of blended genre dramas, there is the comedy-drama, ‘All Those Things We Never Said’, a story about a second chance and a first love, based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Marc Levy. ‘No Return’ is an event drama involving a fun family holiday in Turkey that quickly turns into every parent’s worst nightmare, when their British teenager is arrested for a serious crime that he denies committing, while ‘Klangor’ takes place in a seaside town on the border between Germany and Poland, where a drug deal between a prison guard and an inmate goes wrong, resulting in a psychotic prisoner escaping.

She mentioned that by presenting more varied series, Studiocanal hoped to have an opportunity to fulfil even more programming needs for both new and existing partners across Asia. “Looking into the future, Studiocanal continues to diversify this offering further, by expanding our slate into the worlds of kids and factual content.

Within this arena, we are very excited to discuss our productions and developments in these new genres with both new and existing partners across Asia.”

SHIFTING GEARS FROM DISTRIBUTION TO LICENSING Spanish studio Planeta Junior expanded into original content for the first time, earlier this year with their children’s series, ‘Tilly, The Power Within’, a show that teaches kids about bravery and how to deal with scary things or situations.

Lucia Vismara, Head of Media Sales of Planeta Junior, shared the shift in the company’s direction “from a distributor approach to a licensor approach”. She added, “We are investing in creating our original production for which we are international licensor and master agent, managing all the rights worldwide and monitoring all customer touchpoints”.

As consumption moved from linear channels to streaming platforms, from street-side business to online retailers, which led to an increasing direct-to-consumer business approach, it made sense to Planeta Junior to take ownership of the licensing and marketing aspects of the IP they are creating. This also meant autonomy

in deciding which partners to involve at the development phase.

In her experience dealing with Asian buyers, Lucia said there is an apparent eagerness for European content. Her goal is to grow her network of Asian broadcasters and platforms, as she markets the company’s well-established titles to AsiaPacific. In the process, she anticipates finding coproduction partners for their upcoming projects.

The slate showcased at ATF includes the number one pre-school animated series in the UK ‘Milo’, which sees two best friends use role-play to explore the world of vocations, and ‘Gormiti’, a GCI production based on the toy line created by Italian company, Giochi Preziosi.

“We manage distinctive shows capable of having an immediate positive impact on broadcasters’ schedules, driving audience engagement, increasing share and creating strong brand recognition for themselves and for the broadcasting channel.’

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SWIFT RESPONSE ENSURES SURVIVABILITY Murat Kaya, Producer of Outline Animation Studios, is grateful for the increased business for content during the pandemic. The demand calls for an accelerated delivery, which means a swift investment in equipment.

“The technical equipment, needs and costs is the most prominent thing we [have had to] deal with.

During the pandemic, animation broadcasting became more important, and we also upgraded our company by means of technology and staff,” Murat said.

The company offers a full-service production studio and a portfolio of featured films and animation series. Murat has observed the growing interest for animation content in Asia and hopes to be acquainted with buyers to introduce its content slate, as well as explore co-production possibilities.

Murat Kaya Producer Outline Animation Studios

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Anna Pichot International Sales Coordinator CLPB Rights

ASIA REMAINS A FOCUS MARKET ALBEIT CHALLENGING TO PENETRATE “At CLPB Rights, we are open to the world and focusing on each territory but considering that ATF as an ideal Asian anchorage with a great network, we would like to take this occasion to focus maybe more specifically on Asian territories even though there are some countries with which we are collaborating already since long time,” said Anna Pichot, International Sales Coordinator, of CLPB Rights.

She stated that Asia remains a challenging territory, with buyers being very specific in terms of thematic content that they are looking for. “Sometimes, it can be a bit more difficult to convince them that a program which doesn’t reach perfectly their first idea in terms of content expectations, can still become an unexpected great success!”

The entrance of SVOD platforms, and transition of TV channels towards non-linear with reduced license fees, are some of the shifts she has noticed in the market.

“The difficulty remains on the financial level – except with the big internationally renowned ones – since we are not really on the same financial conditions.

As for acquisitions however, it sometimes allows us to export our content where linear channels do not have the place anymore. Nevertheless, regarding the acquisitions volume, it sometimes allows us to export content that most probably would not have found a slot within the channel’s broadcaster’s agenda,” said Anna.

For this edition of ATF, CLPB Rights is presenting its latest fiction, ‘The Devil’s Leap’ about a former Special Forces officer and his daughter on a hiking trip that goes awry. Documentaries include the four-part docu-epic series ‘Magellan’ that recreates the journey taken by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, and ‘Music’s Superpowers’, a film that unveils the mystery of music’s multiple powers in our lives.

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CULTURAL SIMILARITIES A PLUS WHEN SELLING TO ASIA Reflecting on the impact brought about the pandemic, Sara Kyungwon Han-Williams, President of Neon Creation, Inc pointed to the increased difficulty with sales of television rights, with merchandising rights taking a harder blow as licensees have become more conservative about producing new product brands due to the uncertainty of sales revenues. This is compounded by the fact that many traditional offline outlets and promotional events have been hampered or shut down, making it challenging to engage with customers.

Sara added that the impact was also felt in Asia where buyers are unable to meet the asking price for quality content that has very expensive production costs. She recognised that this is a result of the pandemic, which has affected everyone financially, and commented that she was open to reasonable negotiation where price and payment terms are concerned.

“Asian buyers are very important for us since the Asia market is growing overall and they respond better to some content due to similar culture experiences. As always, high quality animation and a strong story wins, I believe.”

Neon Creation is ready to launch its newest title, ‘DeeDee, the Little Sorceress’, a 3D animated fantasy-adventure series (52x11’) that is set in a delightful pop-up style world, which focuses on the three main values of friendship, tolerance and solidarity. Targeted at children 4 to 6 years, the series will be completed by the end of November this year and has been produced as an international co-production between Toonz Media Group (Singapore), Telegael (Ireland), and Cengkerik (Malaysia).

“I think that the girl property is a trend now since we are selling ‘DeeDee, the Little Sorceress’ at present with good responses in the market,” said Sara. She is confident that the strong look of the characters and internationally collaborated stories in the series will appeal to audiences in both Asian and Western countries. Her goal is to sell the company’s completed programs to broadcasters and licensees, and source coproduction and co-financing Sara Kyungwon Han-Williams partners for projects that are being President developed.

Neon Creation, Inc

PRIORITISING QUANTITY OVER QUALITY RISKS ERODING CONSUMER GOODWILL In the race to satiate customers through an expansive content offering, companies risk the possibility of putting off discerning consumers by opting for quantity, and sacrificing quality, opined Rahul Kumar Tewary, Producer/Managing Director, of One Life Studios. “There is an extraordinary rise in OTT viewership and audience demand for differentiated and good quality content – be it of any origin,” he said, having observed that originals and local adaptations, especially crime and thrillers, are top choices for viewers.

He cautioned that while consumer interest in these genres is at its peak, they could “wane off if content makers do not maintain a quality check and churn out unappetizing content.

It will eventually be a fight between quality content versus volume.”

In terms of his best-selling content, period dramas have maintained a good viewership.

He cited their flagship series, “Porus” that has been licensed in 19 territories in 3 years and continues to be in demand. “People are only interested in viewing good content. It could be in any language,” Rahul reiterated.

His banner, One Life Studios, is a video production and distribution company, and had nabbed the remake rights for the popular Argentinian mob drama series ‘The Cleaning Lady’ early this year. The series is being tailored to the suit the palette of Indian audiences and scheduled for production in early 2022. The US version was produced by Fox in 2019.

“The beauty of our company is that we are not limited to selling specific content or to specific territories. We cross trade across the globe, so there are no defined regions for us.

But yes, South East Asia will always remain our prime market,” said Rahul. He does not believe in sticking with specific genres and expressed an openness to acquiring projects at any stage of development, “from production, direction, creation, development, concepts to aggregation and distribution.

“We take the best of every part. We are not limited to owning and selling just our own IP. We create, procure and sell whatever the client and audiences want,” he remarked.

Rahul Kumar Tewary Producer/Managing Director One Life Studios

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EVERCHANGING VIEWING HABITS HERE TO STAY Changing viewership habits have paved the way for digital platforms to experiment with the types of content they offer to their subscribers, as well as how viewers can watch the content. Ashok Namboodiri, Chief Business Officer, International Business, of ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Limited, said there is an increasing demand for real stories across markets: “Movies with meaningful story plots and good performances strike well with the new sampling appetite of the Asian audience.”

He pointed to a newfound virtual co-viewing pattern such as group watch and online hangouts, including virtual viewing parties, which permit simultaneous viewing and, once again, enabling shared experiences beyond the same households.

“Demand for content across the globe has taken a huge turn post pandemic and the everchanging viewing habits are here to stay, this has opened tremendous opportunities for content exchange and experimentation.

Global drama appetite is stronger than ever, especially now, spanning all genres – be it family, romance, historic and crime,” Ashok added.

The company is driven to expand its client base and explore multiple opportunities for business in future, be it co-productions, dubbed content or adaptations of family and romance dramas. “Our primary focus has always been the Southeast Asian region where not only does our content resonate well with the audience, but it also feeds the demand for local content with adaptations that offer cross-cultural similarities,” he said.

Zee’s focus markets include Southeast Asia and further extends into North Asia such as Taiwan, Korea, and Japan.

“Asian buyers have a varied choice and as an audience hold a huge appetite for content consumption; they like to experiment and sample [a] wide array of formats and the demand is ever increasing. Good content is travelling the boundaries and people are ready to pay the high price for their discerning choices; it is selling on its merit and not on pricing. In fact, there is a sharper focus on content development that provides context, relevance, and opportunities for distribution in individual markets,” Ashok explained.

Among the six new titles showcased at ATF, is the family drama ‘Bhagya Lakshmi’, romance drama ‘Rishton Ka Manjha’, and historical series ‘Kashibai Bajirao Ballal’.

Ashok is confident that the slate will appeal to buyers who are looking at value and volume at the same time, coupled with extended partnerships that can last longer for mutual benefits in future. He is also happy to be back at the content marketplaces and network with counterparts. “Given the recent conditions, we all are looking onwards and upwards and this year’s ATF is significantly encouraging from [a] selling and networking perspective,” Ashok said.

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Ashok Namboodiri Chief Business Officer, International Business ZEE Entertainment

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Telling you what’s going on in Asia and what it all means.

On the ground in Asia.

All day. Every day.

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Be included, contact: Leah at leah@contentasia.tv (Americas and Europe) Masliana at mas@contentasia.tv (Asia, Australia and Middle East) CJ Yong at cj@contentasia.tv (Taiwan and China) www.contentasia.tv

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CUSTOMISABLE GAME SHOW FORMATS OFFER MULTIPLE REVENUE STREAMS Game show formats offer a lot of potential for customisation and long-term exclusivity to major streaming platforms. “We are having the most success with game show formats that have a proven track record.

For local markets, however, we have found that formats that are suited for business development to generate multiple revenue streams are preferred,” said Mayu Sunaga, Director (International Content Development), Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc. In April this year, the broadcaster had reached a licensing agreement with US cable network G4 to license ‘Ninja Warrior’ and ‘Unbeatable Banzuke, and the Indonesian/ Thai versions of Takeshi’s Castle. And for the first time, the shows will feature livestreams and gameplay commentary incorporating real-time comments from viewers.

‘Melody Kingdom’ and ‘The Double Down’ are two of several new game shows showcased at ATF. Developed with an international audience in mind, their formats are designed to be easily customised and executed into a successful show suitable for any target or region, as it utilises easily localisable computer graphics and technology.

“With the limitations and new production requirements necessitated by the pandemic, we have put our heart and soul into creating and developing new formats that better serve the market and buyer’s needs in this environment. For the last two years, we have developed game show format styles and projects with our partners that are new for TBS, and as a result, we have been able to evolve with the market by providing programming that is more versatile and can fill many more programming needs,” Mayu explained.

Apart from game shows, buyers in Asia have shown an interest in scripted formats. “I feel that the success of TBS drama productions over the past few years in Japan has had a direct impact on this interest in our scripted formats. Further, TBS’s move into international program production, movie production and product development has me very excited for our future business in Asia,” she said.

Mayu Sunaga Director (International Content Development) Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc.

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Yasuyuki Azuma Vice President and Producer Fuji Television Network, Inc

GOODBYE, EMAILS. HELLO, JET! Up until now, sellers in Japan have been promoting their new projects and content through catalogues and trailers manually via e-mails to overseas buyers. This approach is set to change with the introduction of the Japan Entertainment TV programs market, or JET – the first Internet sales system in Japan created by Fuji Television Network.

Yasuyuki Azuma, Vice President and Producer, of Fuji Television Network, Inc, intends to promote JET at ATF. “Currently, Fuji Television is developing formats for variety shows that can be exported overseas. As long as buyers sign up for JET, they can freely search and view all of our contents including finished-programs, scriptedformats or non-scripted formats. It’s an easy way to start the sales negotiations”.

The idea is that buyers around the world can now freely access JET’s electronic IP catalogue and purchase Fuji TV programs “just as if they were casually checking out and purchasing products on Amazon”, as Yasuyuki puts it. “This makes it easier for us and our buyers to do business.”

Yasuyuki noticed that Japanese audiences are increasingly consuming more foreign language content, favoring them over local productions. “In the past, terrestrial broadcasting was the infrastructure that delivered the most information to most people. However, the Internet has changed all that. It is now possible to easily enjoy foreign content in Japan. Everyone can easily become familiar with foreign content that invests several times the budget of Japanese dramas. And they began to compare and choose between them and Japanese TV contents. This is a very big deal for Japanese TV stations as well as a platform and content producer,” he said.

The recent success of Korean dramas has spurred an interest in Asian content and the company has received interest for its content from new distribution platforms in Asia. “They are very knowledgeable about Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Thai content, which makes me realise that we need to create even better Japanese content,” Yasuyuki added.

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A RENEWED ZEAL: JAPANESE CONTENT @ ATF 2021 This year’s ATF is said to surely show off the continuously impassioned Japanese content industry. It is truly alive and well.

This will be reflected at the 2021 Asia TV Forum & Market via the much-anticipated Japan Pavilion, which will bring together 29 broadcasters and other content holders from across the exquisite Land of the Rising Sun. The country’s pavilion will be a one-stop-shop for unique Japanese content, including the latest dramas (complete productions and remakes), as well as variety formats, animation, films, documentaries, and programmes introducing the attractions and culture of Japan’s local regions.

The Pavilion will be jointly operated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), the Broadcasting and Entertainment Agency of Japan (BEAJ), and the International Drama Festival in Tokyo (IDFT). And as it was the case last year, this resourceful trio will work in collaboration with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO).

“IDFT is supporting Japanese content production and overseas development through the Tokyo Drama Awards – one of its major projects – as well as by setting up pavilions at international trade fairs,” said Kimio Maruyama, President of Chukyo TV and Chairman of the Overseas Development Committee of the Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association (JBA), which is taking the lead in the IDFT. According to Kimio, the Japanese content industry has been engaged in uninterrupted content production with ingenuity and enthusiasm,

even under Covid-19. The craving for video content that can be enjoyed in the comfort of one’s own home has been growing in many parts of the world, and this can be a chance for people to rediscover the unique appeal of Japanese content.

In Japan, content creators are scrambling to win over viewers, and one of the results of their efforts was the “Tokyo Drama Award 2021”, which was announced at the end of October, where some excellent drama productions won awards.

There was a moment where concern was rife, reverberating apprehension that online trade fairs would lead to a decline in the number of business meetings. However, the benefits of online trade fairs, such as efficient communication that is not affected by distance or time, and the ability to meet new business partners through highly accurate matching, are being used to pursue a new era of overseas development. This quest has added greater impetus for foreign expansion.

“For Japanese content holders, Asia remains an area of great familiarity and interest,” said Kimio. “We hope that this year’s ATF will also be an opportunity to meet with business partners from around the world, particularly in Asia, and to present Japan’s best content to them, albeit online,” he concluded.

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PRODUCTS DRAMA - SERIES

MIRROR: A TALE OF TWIN CITIES Su Mo, the new generation Sea Prince meets Bai Ying, a female disciple of the Sword Saint. The two fall in love but unknowingly get embroiled in a generational feud. In the midst of the political struggles, Su Mo tragically loses his loved one. He then travels the world in cultivation for a hundred years and returns with a new-found identity as the King of Sea, eager to reunite with his lover.

DRAMA - CRIME INVESTIGATION

ACHERON A mysterious exhibition that leads to a series of unsettling murders.

Years later, genius girl Rosalyn Jiang and investigative reporter Kaito Shen work together to solve the case.

COMPANY: MAPLESSLAB CO., LTD.

COMPANY: CROTON MEDIA CULTURAL CO. LTD.

DOCS & FACTUAL - CURRENT AFFAIRS

COVID-19: LIFE AND DEATH ON THE FRONTLINE Co-produced by Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation and Lion TV, the documentary “COVID-19: LIFE AND DEATH ON THE FRONTLINE” directly brings the audience to the heart of China’s fight against the COVID-19 epidemic. Telling a story of a how the medics step forward to lend help to Hubei and fight in the heart of the storm, the documentary records the truth, the emotions and the moments of life and death during the fight. This is a story of bravery, ingenuity, sacrifice and the resilience of the human spirit, revealing a real picture of China’s fight against the COVID-19 epidemic.

COMPANY: JIANGSU BROADCASTING CORPORATION

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PRODUCTS ANIMATION, CHILDREN

NUTCRACKER AND MAGIC FLUTE

ANIMATION, CHILDREN

VICTOR, US AGAIN

On Christmas Eve, Marie makes a wish to be little and turns the size of her toys. Awakened by the casting magic, the unattractive Nutcracker doll transforms to Prince George, who has been put under a spell. In this admiring animation adventure, Marie, George and their friends travel to the Land of Flowers with a mission to save the world from control of the sinister rat people and free the Nutcracker.

Most kids would be thrilled to be crowned the champion of the children’s game ‘Dipomon’, but most kids aren’t Victor. He neither relishes the glory nor the constant challenges from fellow opponents and the kids in his neighbourhood. Having had enough attention, he hatches a plan to lose but no matter how hard he tries to deliberately fail, Victor somehow emerges the victor.

COMPANY: MELNITSA ANIMATION STUDIO

COMPANY: STUDIO TNT

ANIMATION, CHILDREN

BALL BEAR A group of cuddly anthropomorphic animals representing a different sport each, gather at the sports centre to fulfil their dreams of becoming a recognised ball. Scheduled for release in 2022, the family friendly animated comedy series feature themes of friendship, love, and sportsmanship, as the lovable characters overcome hurdles and complete challenges, as they sprint towards their goal.

COMPANY: DOFALA.INC

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DINO POWERS

ANIMATION, CHILDREN

EKIP SIBERAY (SIBERAY TEAM)

The series plays out in two worlds – the present where dynos and humans co-exist, while monsters lurk and live in a parallel world. Four chosen heroes known as the Dino Powers are tasked with saving humanity from the monsters and must stop the sinister Anti-Ti from breaking the boundaries between the two worlds, at all cost.

Computer mavericks, Hakan, Selvi, and Umut are three students who transform into superheroes whenever there is trouble in the cyber world. As the trio go off on their adventures to gather important intel about the online world, they fend off enemies and rivals that threaten to disrupt the cyber harmony and cause virtual disarray.

COMPANY: DOFALA.INC

COMPANY: OUTLINE ANIMATION STUDIOS

ANIMATION, CHILDREN

RAINBOW BUBBLEGEM The series recounts the magical adventures of seven mermaid princesses who must go to school on land to search for enchanted jewels to save their undersea realm from an evil witch. As the princesses learn to work together and adapt to new situations, children will learn about friendship, co-operation and how working as a team can lead to success.

COMPANY: CAMPFIRE ANIWORKS CO., LTD.

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PRODUCTS DRAMA - SCI-FI/FANTASY

REINCARNATION Life is born with a kind of original sin, love, pain, betrayal, and fulfilment. Where do these causes, and effects come from? Causality is coded into one’s body right from the beginning and birth comes with various shackles, just like being trapped in the six reincarnations, repeating the same fate over and over again. The sins owed in the previous life will be repaid in this life; If you don’t repay your debt, the cycle repeats indefinitely until it is resolved.

DRAMA - FAMILY

“GROWING UP WITH TIANTIAN” SEASON 1-4 Adapted from Feng Lili’s non-fictional literature “Raising My Child in the Countryside – A Diary”, “Growing Up with Tiantian” is a 4-season animation series about an ordinary family of three who lived in a big city.

After the child develops a fear of going to school, they decide to move out to the country to be near nature and experience the joys of rural life.

COMPANY: SHENZHEN TIAN TIAN CHENG ZHANG FILM AND TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS LTD.

COMPANY: FIXED STAR MULTI-MEDIA CO. LTD

KIDS (AGES 7 AND UP) - ANIMATION

DRAGONERO he world of Elves, Humans, Dwarves, Orcs and Dragons of the Italian comic, Dragonero, published by Sergio Bonelli Editore, is becoming an animated series. Dragonero tells the adventures of Ian Aranill, Scout of the Erondarian Empire and heir of the noble and ancient house of the Varliedàrto, or of the “Dragon Hunters”. The upcoming animated series is made with 2D and 3D animations filtered with a final 2D effect.

COMPANY: POWERKIDS ENTERTAINMENT (SINGAPORE) PTE. LIMITED

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PRODUCTS PRE-SCHOOL - ANIMATION

CONABLUE Jointly produced by FZ Entertainment and Tencent Video, CoNaBLUE is a puzzle animation series that tells the adventure story of Columbus and his four partners working together to explore, investigate and protect the symbiosis of nature. In this process, they also learn how to live in harmony with nature. This is an international STEM animation product that aims to cultivate emotional intelligence and inspire children.

COMPANY: FZ ENTERTAINMENT CO. LTD.

DOCS & FACTUAL - NATURE & WILDLIFE

THE LAST WILDLIFE – ANAN, WANGPENG & ME Climate change has had serious ecological impacts on the Earth. These changes are now being felt in the “highlands”, which are known as the roofs of the world.

Last Wildlife follows the snow leopard, the endangered prince of the plateau, and details their competition with nomadic people in China and Tajikistan as they are driven to climb the plateau in pursuit of livestock feed.

Meanwhile, as these winds of change blow through the global ecosystem, the Korean leopard’s footsteps have disappeared forever.

COMPANY: HONG PICTURES (홍픽처스)

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DRAMA - FEATURE FILM

MARK OF THE BEAST It is said that there was a witch, who had the gift of prophecy in ancient times. However, the heretic had an ugly appearance, which led to her being spat on and persecuted by the public.

COMPANY: SUNSHINE AND MOONLIGHT LTD.

PRODUCTS WE’VE GOT ENTERTAINMENT COVERED. November 8, 2021 12:01am PT

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PRODUCTS ANIMATION, TEENS

CAN’T GO ON-AIR! Mafu-kitty dreams of working in the entertainment industry and creating shows that can make audiences laugh. When she is offered the role of a television assistant, she realises that the industry is far from the rosy picture she had imagined it to be. But the chaotic demands of her job will not stop a cheerful and unrelenting Mafu-kitty from bringing laughter and cheer to those around her.

ANIMATION, PRE-SCHOOL

CUBISTAR Davi and her friends are a band of magical guardians bestowed with the powers of the stars to maintain the balance between good and evil.

Each of them has their own unique ability and collectively known as the Cubistars, they undergo a magical transformation to fight injustice, remove obstacles, and maintain harmony across the galaxy.

COMPANY: STUDIO TNT

COMPANY: TV TOKYO CORPORATION

ANIMATION, PRE-SCHOOL

DINOSALLY A peppy, plucky, pink young dinosaur named Sally goes on adventures in Dino Town with her friends. In Dino Town where everything is possible, Sally and her two besties, Blambi and Tibo see a super exciting opportunity for fun every day. Most of all, Dino School is Sally’s favourite place to be, surrounded by her teachers and friends.

COMPANY: MOSTAPES

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The Weight PRODUCTS of Reaches unusual

VideoAge

HEIGHTS

Serving the international TV industry in good and in challenging times with print Issues, PDF editions, weekly online features, and daily e-newsletters. www.VideoAge.org www.VideoAgeDaily.com 81

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PRODUCTS DRAMA - CRIME INVESTIGATION

HARRY WILD

DRAMA - HISTORICAL PERIOD

LIU GONG AN

Harriet “Harry” Wild is retiring as a University of Cambridge literature professor, and she is finding herself at one of life’s crossroads. Jolted from a mugging by a young thug, she reluctantly agrees to recover at her son, Charlie’s home, himself a senior police detective. Despite Charlie’s strong objections and warnings, Harry starts to interfere in her son’s particularly baffling murder case when she notices the murderer has followed a pattern from a well-known play.

During the Qianlong period, Cai Yongchang, the prefect of Dongchang, Shandong Province, was found to have stolen a large amount of silver but vanished without a trace while being escorted to the capital for questioning. The millions of stolen silver also mysteriously disappeared.

Meanwhile, Liu Yong, a dependable official is tasked with heading to Shan Dong to observe the situation of the place and citizens and reporting back to the Emperor.

COMPANY: DYNAMIC TELEVISION LLC

COMPANY: CENTURY UU

PRE-SALE CONTENT, NEW IP IN 2022

ODYSSEY - BEHIND THE MYTH Who was Homer, and what is the meaning of The Odyssey? In this documentary we follow the footsteps of Ulysses, also known by his Greek name Odysseus – a hero as relevant today as he was nearly three thousand years ago, on a journey across some of the most fascinating landscapes and seascapes of the Mediterranean region.

With the help of prominent international scholars, we seek to resolve the questions that still surround one of humanity’s greatest literary works and its enigmatic author.

COMPANY: MEDIAWAN RIGHTS

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PRODUCTS DRAMA

DON’T CALL IT MYSTERY

FACTUAL

JURASSIC CASH

When a murder is discovered in a park, Kunoh becomes the prime suspect. Hauled into the police station, his calm and collected demeanour helps him through the interrogation. Thrown for a loop, the detectives grasp at straws as Kunoh points out inconsistencies surrounding the case and his alleged involvement in the crime. Just when he thinks they have nothing on him, the murder weapon is found, with Kunoh’s fingerprints over it.

Dinosaur fossils are the new gold with yearly record-breaking auction sales. With private buyers clinching the prehistoric gems, science and museums risk being deprived of access to the Jurassic remains. Gaining access to the largest Triceratops sale taking place in Paris in October 2021, the film interviews private collectors and palaeontologists to nourish the debate and question the best way to combine private funding with science.

COMPANY: FUJI TELEVISION / FUJI CREATIVE CORPORATION

COMPANY: TERRANOA

ANIMATION, PRE-SCHOOL

HAKLI KARINCA / RIGHTEOUS ANT Kura the baby ant who grew under the supervision of the wise Şura, is sent off on an assignment to Nemil Valley. There, the curious and zealous Kura makes new friends, and learns the ins and outs of the World of Ants, discovering that it takes fastidious hard work and teamwork to overcome hurdles, and accomplish tasks.

COMPANY: OUTLINE ANIMATION STUDIOS

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PRODUCTS ANIMATION, PRE-SCHOOL

THE LITTLE DINOSAUR KUANG Targeted at children 3 to 5 years, the 3D animated series (25x5.5’) features little dinosaur Kuang and his friends as they travel on their superbus that transports them from the village to different adventures.

The joy rides are filled with fun and laughter as the affable prehistoric entourage breaking out into songs that thrill and delight.

COMPANY: SOUL CREATIVE

ANIMATION, CHILDREN

MUSHYMON DAYS Upon entering the game world, the heroic Kingdom Champions must battle against the mighty monsters of the Demon Legion. A mere newb has no chance to defeat the hordes, so they must first level up.

They gain the help of Mushymon, the first creature they encounter in the game, and who helps them accumulate points, acquire new skills, and gain experience to become more powerful.

COMPANY: STUDIO TNT

DRAMA

MORBIUS Biochemist Michael Morbius is dangerously ill with a rare blood disease and determined to save others suffering his same fate. His attempts to cure himself first appear a radical success as he becomes stronger than ever, with increased speed, hearing, and other abilities. The experience is short-lived when he realises there is a darkness inside him brewing and transforming him into a hunter.

COMPANY: SONY PICTURES TELEVISION

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PRODUCTS FORMATS/ NON-SCRIPTED ENTERTAINMENT REALITY SHOW/SCRIPTED REALITY

AQUACHALLENGE AquaChallenge is the first ever reality show that spotlights scuba diving underwater photographers and freediving underwater models together, pitting them against one another, for the final prize and, of course, bragging rights. Filmed completely in the tropical waters around Taiwan, every episode of this competition is themed differently, and competitors are matched with different underwater partners. In the end only one photographer and one free diver will survive the test and prove that they are the best of the best.

DRAMA - MINISERIES

DEAR BUSTER Netizens accuse Jiang Zheng-ming, a Taiwanese player just signed by MLB, of sexually assaulting an underage girl. “The glory of Taiwan” instantly becomes a low life. Chuang Yong-qing is heavily cyber bullied by the supporters of Jiang Zheng-ming. She jumps off a tall building but survives, while it is revealed that Jiang Zheng-ming has instead died by hanging himself in the stadium where he played baseball for the first time. His fiancée fights tooth and nail to find the real culprit and prove his innocence.

COMPANY: TVBS MEDIA INC.

COMPANY: VISION CREATOR PRODUCTION COMPANY

KIDS (AGES 7 AND UP) - ANIMATION

EJEN ALI TV SERIES In the futuristic city of Cyberaya, a young boy accidentally binds himself to an intelligence device, IRIS, belonging to a spy agency, MATA. He is then unwillingly recruited as an agent to go on secret missions with his uncle, school rival and a cat that can turn invisible, whilst trying to juggle his own chaotic normal life.

COMPANY: PRIMEWORKS STUDIOS

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PRODUCTS DRAMA

THE EARTH OF 3 COLORS A never-ending string of obstacles appear to stand in the way of Alif’s dream to study high technology in Bandung and then, to see America.

At his lowest point in life, he begins to question his abilities and is about to give up, when two ‘mantras’ from his early days at school resurface and deliver the strength he needs to preserve.

COMPANY: PT MNC STUDIOS INTERNATIONAL TBK

ANIMATION, TEENS

THE DAY I DIE High school student Ian finds himself trapped in a bus terminal basement that has collapsed due to an earthquake. With outside rescue unable to make their way through the rubble, the prolonged situation for survivors trapped inside becomes tense and heated as fractions break between the strong and weak. Ian, who is on the side of the injured, must act to devise a way out of the underground maze.

COMPANY: EYESCREAM STUDIO

DOCUMENTARY, NATURE

ANIMAL CONSTRUCTION Set to roll out in January 2022, this wildlife series (6x52’) offers an insider’s peek into nature’s engineers and their masterful builds. Marvel at their construction abilities as you journey into our living planet and come face to face with a world of defensive lairs, protective shelters, and megacities made of loft structures, and more!

COMPANY: TERRANOA

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PRODUCTS DRAMA - HISTORICAL PERIOD DRAMA

THE TREASURE GUARDIANS In 1941, various forces entrenched in Zhao Cheng had their sights set on China’s national treasures. Zhao Wen Zhong, a member of the Communist underground, takes on the task of fighting against Japanese occupation and protecting the treasures. In order to find the treasure map, the Japanese army brutally ravages the villages.

Complications arise when Wen Zhong’s father becomes the key to this struggle.

COMPANY: BEIJING HUALU BAINA FILM & TV CO. LTD.

DRAMA - HORROR

THE SWARM Strange happenings in our oceans: Jellyfish wash ashore by the thousands. Fishermen vanish out at Sea. Whales completely disappear and a new species of ice worm blankets the continental shelf. As the United Nations finally step in, they create a scientific and military joint task force. The theory: Down in the deep sea, a life form exists. The military and the scientists disagree on the correct course of action.

Only contact and a sense of understanding can be the way forward. The question becomes whether we can truly coexist with others…and the clock is ticking.

COMPANY: BETA FILM GMBH

MUSIC - MUSIC

64TH GRAMMY AWARDS® Annual Event: “Music’s Biggest Night®” – the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards®, promises an evening of enthralling musical performances as today’s top artists convene to celebrate the year’s best music. The world’s most prestigious televised music awards show, the critically acclaimed 63rd GRAMMY® Awards was filled with the music world’s leading superstars including BTS, Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, Megan Thee Stallion, Bad Bunny, Lil Baby, Doja Cat, Dua Lipa, and more.

COMPANY: ALFRED HABER DISTRIBUTION, INC.

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PRODUCTS PRE-SALE CONTENT

THE ART DISPUTE THE ART DISPUTE is an eight-part documentary series on looted art, directed by Emmy Award winning director Hans Pool and commissioned by Dutch broadcaster BNNVARA. In THE ART DISPUTE each episode is centered around a different artefact or object, examining their historical legacy and the objects’ current locations.

What should museums do, or not do, about these long-disputed objects? Where do treasures from the past rightly belong in the present and why?

COMPANY: DFW INTERNATIONAL

FORMATS/ NON-SCRIPTED ENTERTAINMENT - TV GAME SHOW

DNA SINGER A passionate competition performance staged by fantastic families who share the “Star” DNA. DNA Singer, who will perform a duet stage with the celebrity, will first watch his Family Singer perform, substituting himself. The Family Singer is the father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, son, or daughter of the DNA Singer. In order to see the real skills and ability of DNA Singer, judges have to catch the only hint, ‘DNA’ in the voice of Family Singer, and perform a duet stage with the most curious DNA Singer only by listening/watching his Family Singer’s stage. Who will be the ones to be selected as the duet partner of celebrities? And does the hint of Family Singer helpful to choose the DNA Singer as the partner?

COMPANY: SBS FORMATEAST

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KIDS (AGES 7 AND UP) - ANIMATION

BUTTERCUP WOOD Louie, Shanghai and Dietel may come from totally different social worlds, but they discover that together, they can achieve practically anything. Each character gets the opportunity to shine in a range of funny and imaginative stories, showing that it doesn’t matter how much or little you have, it’s determination, intelligence and above all, a belief in yourself and your friends that will ultimately prevail.

COMPANY: AGOGO STUDIOS LIMITED

PRODUCTS DRAMA

THE SUPERNATURAL AGENT Houses have lives of their own with some giving off positive energies, while other houses harbour sinister intentions on its human dwellers.

In this fantasy, sci-fi web series, a real estate agent with special abilities exorcise houses, helping owners terrorised by strange, unexplained afflictions, to gain control over their homes.

COMPANY: KINEMAFACTORY

ANIMATION, CHILDREN

THE BIGFOOTS The Bigfoot Family, the last dinosaurs of this era, live on a chaotic island that floats in the far sea. Bigfoot families are different in appearance and personality, but they always live happily and harmoniously. With each family member possessing a skilled trait, the Bigfoot family venture off on adventures through a magical volcano, riding an eggshell that transforms itself into a variety of rides.

COMPANY: CAMPFIRE ANIWORKS CO., LTD.

DRAMA

MINX Set in the 1970s in Los Angeles, the comedy series (10x 30’) is fronted by an earnest young feminist, who joins forces with a low-rent publisher to create the first erotic magazine for women.

COMPANY: LIONSGATE

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PRODUCTS DRAMA - FAMILY

ALONE “Alone” is a film about humanism and joys that drive life, such as humanities and the arts. Du Zhengsheng is a well-known professor of architecture in Taiwan who worked as an architectural consultant for a Malaysian construction company. Upon retirement, he yearns for a quiet and worry-free life, choosing to settle in a villa by the sea for the elderly with his wife. He thinks they can live simply and happily, that is until Alzheimer’s disease strikes and disrupts the original settlement plan.

PRE-SCHOOL - ANIMATION

GO GO DINO SEASON 7 Little Jini, who claims to love dinosaurs, and her guards T-roc and Troc, come to Ururu planet where the dinosaurs and Go Go Dino Explorers live. In all their mischief and clumsiness, Jini misunderstands how dinosaurs live and creates all kinds of trouble with T-roc and Troc. In this time, Go Go Dino Explorers will set out to solve dinosaurs’ problems and help Jini understand the dinosaurs’ way of life.

COMPANY: GUANGZHOU LOTTA ANIMATION DESIGN CO., LTD.

COMPANY: ENJOY TV & FILM BROADCASTING CORPORATION

KIDS (AGES 7 AND UP) - ANIMATION

HAPPY LUSASA Although Lusasa Town may look just like any other town, it’s really an alternative reality. The lives of the characters are very similar to those of people on Earth. The characters act just like humans. The residents are adorable and naughty. They have emotions, friends, goals and ideals and they love to gossip, just like us. What happens at Lusasa Town are all the little things in life that we are intimately familiar with.

COMPANY: DREAMAKER MEDIA INC.

92

PRODUCTS KIDS (AGES 7 AND UP) - ANIMATION

THE GREAT WARRIOR WALL In an innocent world, the Black King unites the forces of evil to conquer the good and plunge the land into darkness. But in the chaos, three heroes arise to take their place in the ranks of the legendary warriors of old… except these three heroes are teenagers with no experience and little control over their magical abilities. Together they pledge to save their world – if they can just stop fighting amongst themselves long enough to grow up.

DRAMA - FAMILY

THE BUILDERS In the early years of the Republic of China, two generations of the Murong family experienced the setting up of factories and businesses, witnessed its development and painful destruction during the SinoJapanese war before focusing on the rebuilding and expansion of the industry.

COMPANY: FUTURE TV CO. LTD.

COMPANY: PUREDRAW INTERNATIONAL

DRAMA - SERIES

THE INVESTIGATOR A story about risk management follows a team of investigators who work together to eliminate fraud.

COMPANY: HANGZHOU IX MEDIA CO. LTD

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PRODUCTS FACTUAL

BEYOND THE FAR SIDE, THE DAWN OF A SPACE REVOLUTION The documentary follows the Chinese space program placing an explorer on the dark side of the moon to uncover the secrets that lie in the lesser-known side of the pole. In the company of physician Christophe Galfard, the film takes us on a fascinating scientific mission to better understand the challenges of this research and what is being played out for the future.

ANIMATION, CHILDREN

IRON DRAGON Young Iron is a raw cadet, who aspires to be a Monster Master. With his talking toy bear Slime, an evil sword named Mos, and a stern warriormagician named Xina, the unlikely lot travel into the vast, magical realm of Pantopia on a quest to restore their master, the Wizard Ssabu, back to life and recover Monster Eggs of unimaginable magic power.

COMPANY: MOSTAPES

COMPANY: CLPB RIGHTS

ANIMATION, CHILDREN

MIKITTI Mickey the pirate cat, and his crew of notorious pirate felines known as the Mikittis, crash-landed on a deserted island after being swept away by waves. Surrounded by scary sharks and greedy seagulls, the cats’ concerns grow until they realise that the vast ocean is full of unique and mystical things. In order to survive, the desperate cats must work hard to adapt to the rough, unfamiliar environment.

COMPANY: MOSTAPES

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PRODUCTS PRE-SCHOOL - ANIMATION

LUPIN’S TALE Lupin dreams of being like the storybook heroes he admires and goes from one tale to the next to live out their adventures. But the impetuous wolf-cub is far from perfect, and it’s not easy getting to that “happy ending”! Luckily, he can count on the Narrator’s help to learn from his mistakes.

DRAMA - SERIES

-197°C A martial arts master and overlord of the commerce community is frozen to sleep. When he is awakened in the modern age, he joins forces with his technology-obsessed grandson to fight against an evil organization.

COMPANY: STRONG PRODUCTIONS CO. LTD.

COMPANY: YOUKU KIDS

DRAMA - COMEDY

FLYING MOCO This comedy-drama is about a stray dog MOCO who met a little girl named Yummy. Since then, the two became fast friends. Through the fun of daily life, they explore themes of friendship, family, diversity, social integration and confidence building. This program promotes good values and aims to help children learn how to play together and understand that it is entirely possible to make friends without changing who you are.

COMPANY: GUANGZHOU AIFAY CULTURE COMMUNICATION CO. LTD

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PRODUCTS KIDS (AGES 7 & UP) - ANIMATION

YOUNG CAPTAIN NEMO Young Captain Nemo is the first of a trilogy of animated actionadventure films. It revolves around Gabriel Nemo, a young modern-day descendant of the famous literary figure Captain Nemo from Jules Verne’s internationally known book series heralded by the classic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Gabriel, along with his friends and his highly advanced “Nemotech” submarine, named the Obscure, uses his knowledge of the oceans and technology to face sea monsters and keep the earth’s oceans safe.

COMPANY: ANIMASIA STUDIO SDN BHD

DRAMA - HISTORICAL PERIOD DRAMA

THE RED SLEEVE Crown Prince Yi San believes his duty is to his country first above love and Deok Im is a strong-willed court lady who treasures friendship and freedom. When the two fall in love unexpectedly, they face repeated challenges, including Deok Im’s initial refusal to become a royal concubine. A creative spin on real-life historical figures, this is a captivating story of an ordinary court lady who is fiercely protective over her chosen life but eventually becomes the wife of the emperor and mother of the future crown prince, ascending to the highest position in the palace.

COMPANY: MUNHWA BROADCASTING CORPORATION (MBC)

PRE-SCHOOL - ANIMATION

TEAM S.T.E.A.M.!

Team S.T.E.A.M.! is made up of six amazing kids who each use a different STEM-based area of expertise to solve the problems they face.

Living on Tomorrow Island, filled with innovative new technologies, natural phenomena, and all manner of wildlife, the intrepid team is ready to respond to any emergency by combining knowledge, ingenuity, and teamwork.

COMPANY:GUANG DONG WINSING COMPANY LIMITED

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