ContentAsia September 2023

SEPTEMBER 2023

C Formats Outlook The Asia Update

NTENT International demand drives Asia’s next LGBTQ+ TV wave

Plus India’s Hansal Mehta, Thailand’s Nitipat “Earn” Uahwatanasakul & more

SCRIPTED FORMATS THAT CAPTIVATE ASIAN AUDIENCES

SCRIPTED FORMATS THAT CAPTIVATE ASIAN AUDIENCES

OVER 12 PRIME TIME DRAMA ADAPTATIONS COMMISSIONED IN ASIA OVER 12LIAR, PRIME TIME DRAMA ADAPTATIONS COMMISSIONED IN ASIA INCLUDING CHEAT, MISS FISHER, BLOOD, DARK MONEY, STEP DAVE INCLUDING LIAR, CHEAT, MISS FISHER, BLOOD, DARK MONEY, STEP DAVE

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editor’snote/contents

The Meaning of Life

C

NTENT

Who hasn’t, at some point in the last year or so, sat themselves down and asked, What am I doing here? Where am I going with this? Is my purpose? Why? Is this how I want to be spending my precious life? Is there value here – for me and others? If I were to write a different story, what might that look like? And so we come to the ContentAsia Summit. Against the current backdrop, one theme popped: The Meaning of Life... and now what? This year’s agenda explores this and other questions the industry is (or we think should be) asking in navigating the path of a living, breathing, thriving community, avoiding the dry bones scattered over a scorched earth that has already claimed the lives of… actually, let’s not go there.

We are, instead, focusing on... finding meaning in current reality; how the industry in Asia is dealing with the crash of inflated streaming expectations; and how platform leaders are thinking about the latest environment. We look at the companies that continue to believe that Asian stories add value; at relationships and projects that are working and the people behind them; at storytelling trends and influences in Asia; at content funding backing new development, production and co-production; and at the digital-era resources that enable producers and platforms to make the most effective decisions possible.

There’s also the fourth annual ContentAsia Awards on Thursday, 24 August, which we started during the pandemic as a fun thing for Facebook Live and grew spectacularly from there. This year’s entries come from 12 countries: Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Mainland China, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan. Topics ranged wide: love, death, revenge, retribution, religion, reincarnation, comedy, cruelty... and so much more. Is there a particular meaning in all this? Hell, yes. Asia’s content community, for all that may not be happening as many wish it would, is living its most productive – and maybe even its best – life yet.

what’s inside...

And the In the pink Nominees are... Western demand for Asian LG-

4

10 Different Strokes Executive producer Nitipat “Earn” Uahwatanasakul is pushing for a new type of Thai storytelling. “We have the potential to do different and more challenging shows,” he says.

12 Reality check Taiwanese filmmaker Patrick Mao Huang on using XR to tell stories.

contentasia september 2023

BTQ+/BL content is soaring, says Taipei-based streaming platform GagaOOLala, which reports that 65% of its three million subs are now outside of Asia and is ramping up Originals to ride demand.

6

Truth in fiction Some truths, says veteran Indian filmmaker Hansal Mehta, are best told through fiction. Now at the height of popularity, he speaks about Scoop, Scam and what attracts him to stories.

14

A Bloody Disgrace Mediacorp CNA documentary, My Stolen Chinese Father, is the story of three people living in the aftermath of Britain’s decision, suddenly and secretly, to deport Chinese merchant seamen to Singapore and China after World War II.

8

16 Formats Outlook Song-based titles, game shows and drama series made up 64% of formats in Asia in 1H 2023, ContentAsia’s latest Formats Outlook shows

26 Sustainable Production Sustainable TV & film production processes are gaining ground in Asia... slowly.

Editorial Director Janine Stein janine@contentasia.tv Assistant Editor Malena Amzah malena@contentasia.tv Events Manager CJ Yong cj@contentasia.tv ContentAsia Awards Heather Berger heather@contentasia.tv Design Rae Yong Research Rhealyn Rigodon iyah@contentasia.tv Associate Publisher (Americas, Europe) and VP, International Business Development Leah Gordon leah@contentasia.tv Sales and Marketing (Asia) Masliana Masron mas@contentasia.tv

What is ContentAsia?

ContentAsia is an Asia-based multi-platform information resource that refines today’s info-deluge into usable, digestible and reliable intelligence about video content creation, funding, financing, licensing, & distribution across the Asia-Pacific region.

To receive your regular free copy of ContentAsia, please email i_want@contentasia.tv Copyright 2023 Pencil Media Pte Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

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deepdiveindieproduction

The Nominees Are... * Best Asian Original Game Show

• Everybody, Sing! Season 2 • That Free Money Show • SGD10000 • Super Trio – Ladies First Special • Uprising Kitchen

Best Factual Programme made in Asia for Multiple Asian and/or International market • The Exiles • The Forever Walk: China • The Mark of Empire: Kingdoms of the East • Thailand’s Unlikely Scrabble Rebels • Uptown Otters

Best Factual Programme made in Asia for a Single Asia market • Legends of the Ramayana with Amish • Majalah 3: Misi Kembalikan Kuasa Kenyir • Money Mafia Season 3 • Third Rail – Behind The Scenes Special • Secrets of The Kohinoor

Best Kids TV Programme in Asia

Best Factual Entertainment Programme Made in Asia for International/Regional Markets

• Lamput Meets Tuzki • Legenda Puteri Qaseh • Mr. Midnight: Beware The Monsters • Senduk Swap • Titoo: Purani Almari & Magical Wheel

• Don’t Hesitate to Emulate!

• Food Tales • Guru Coffee Tour • LOVE by A.I. • Office Romance

Best Current Affairs Programme for a Single Asian Market • 119 Jam Menuju Ke Putrajaya • 3 Miti News (ข่าว 3 มิติ) • Gaganyaan – Bharat Ki Antariksh Udaan • News Magazine: Girl In Coffin?

• Tuesday Report: Unusual Confessions

Best Current Affairs Programme Made in Asia for Regional Asia and/or International Markets

Best Asian Talk Show

• Hear U Out S3 • Next to Neelofa Season 2 • Point of View • With Love, Becks • The Zoe and Liang Show

Best Asian Comedy

• Debunk • The Jennie Show • Kaki Bola (Futsal Fan) • Lipgloss Spy (สายลับลิปก ลอส / Sailub Lipgloss) • Palatao Perdana Deepavali Galatta • SNL Korea Season 3

• The Atom Araullo Specials: Mata sa Dilim (Eye in the Dark) • Bali Bombing – The Untold Story • Catching a Scammer (Singapore Serial Swindler) • Connected with Divya Gopalan • No Poverty Land II – A Treasure Trove

Best Factual Entertainment Programme for a Single Market in Asia

• The Art Scene – The Art of Cuisine • Expedition Borderlands with Levison Wood and Ash Bhardwaj • Food Affair with Mark Wiens • Hunt for the Indian Mujahideen • Taste Of Satisfaction

Best Original Song for an Asian TV Programme or Movie

• I Still Miss You (ฉันยังคิดถึง) – OST. Spirits of the Mekong River (ภูตแม่น้ำาโขง) • I Think of You (อาทิตย์รำาพัน จันทร์รำาพึง) – OST. The Kinnaree Conspiracy (ลายกินรี) • It’s You (คือเธอ) – OST. Bad Romeo (คือเธอ) • Khanti by Rossa – OST Bidadari Bermata Bening • Rasa Yang Hilang by Heidimoru – OST Hilang

Best Short-form Drama Series Made in Asia • A Couple of Bros (Downstairs S3) • Dare Forward • Give Me Back My Nudes • Mr Zhou Ghost Stories@Job Haunting II • Solidarity 4

contentasia september 2023

Best Sound Design for an Asian TV Programme/Series • Fix My Life • Katarsis • Legacy • Mr Zhou Ghost Stories@Job Haunting II • UMG (Unidentified Mysterious Girlfriend)

Best Asian Feature Film/Telemovie • An Inconvenient Love • Lebai Sampan • Silent Walls – 2023 Telemovie • Silent Walls – 1938 Telemovie • Sekolah Sampah

Best Asian Drama for a Regional and/or International Market • Atom’s Last Shot • Decoy • Legacy • Rebooting • Why Didn’t I Tell You A Million Times?

Best Asian Drama for a Single Market in Asia • Dirty Linen • One Cent Thief • The Patient • Rebooting • Serigala Terakhir 2

Best Supporting Actor in a TV Programme/Series Made in Asia

• Ganindra Bimo as Reno in Serigala Terakhir 2 • Naim Daniel as Ayam in Projek: High Council • Kummun (Ball) Klomkeaw as Chanoot in You Touched My Heart (ที่สุดของหัวใจ) • Jeffrey Xu as Ke Nan in Strike Gold • Sam Yang as Weicheng Zhao in The Amazing Grace of Sigma

Best Female Lead in a TV Programme/Series Made in Asia

• Bae Suzy as Yu-mi in Anna • Mai Charoenpura as Madam Hong in Retribution (สาปซ่อนรัก) • Chayanit Chansangavej as Wanwan in P.S. I Hate You • Qin Lan as Yi Zhongling in Legacy • Tanivu Yatauyungana (Francesca Gao) as Kaili Qin in The Amazing Grace of Sigma

Best Director of a Scripted TV Programme Best TV Format Adaptation (Unscripted) in Asia • Dancing With Myself Vietnam • Indian Idol 13 • On The Red Dot: Old Enough • The Profit Mongolia • Top Chef Thailand

• Itaru Mizuno for Rebooting • Ampaiporn Jitmaingong for Bad Romeo (คือเธอ) • Sivaroj Kongsakul for 23:23 สัญญา สัญญาณ • Sidharta Tata for Pertaruhan The Series • Wang Wei for Legacy

Best TV Format Adaptation (Scripted) in Asia • 23:23 สัญญา สัญญาณ • Bad Guys ล่าล้างเมือง • Flower of Evil (Philippines) • Liar (Malaysia) • She Was Pretty (Malaysia)

Best Male Lead in a TV Programme/ Series Made in Asia

Best LGBTQ+ Programme Made in Asia • The Eclipse • Moonlight Chicken • Never Let Me Go • The Root (รากแก้ว / Rark Kaew) • Triage The Series

Best Supporting Actress in a TV Programme/Series

• Meng Po Fu 傅孟柏 as Ming Jie Zhang in Taiwan Crime Stories • Heo Sung-tae as No Sang-cheon in Decoy • Frederick Lee 李銘忠 as Chang Rong Shen in Taiwan Crime Stories • Po Chieh Wang 王柏傑 as Po Sheng Lee/ Tsung Yu Yeh in Taiwan Crime Stories • Shukri Yahaya as Syed Azril in Andai Itu Takdirnya • Nie Yuan as Xi Weian in Legacy

• Angel Chiang as Chung Ka-kei in The Beauty Of War • Samantha Ko as Youyun Zhan in The Amazing Grace of Sigma • Dhivyah Raveen as Malar in Naam S2 • Yu-Ping Wang as Lianxin Lee in The Amazing Grace of Sigma • Michelle Wong as Chien in After Dark S2 • Xiang Yun as Wang Jin Hui in Your World in Mine

* Nominees are listed in alphabetical order by programme or family name; where judges scores are tied, both titles are included in the nominations. The full list of nominees and companies/broadcasters is at contentasiaawards.com/and-the-nominees-are/

contentasia september 2023

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productioninterview

Taiwan Equals Love

In the pink Western demand for Asian LGBTQ+/BL content is soaring, says Taipei-based GagaOOLala, which reports that 65% of its 3m subs are now outside of Asia and is ramping up Originals to ride demand.

In GMMTV’s Moonlight Chicken, love and chaos plays out against the backdrop of a popular chicken and rice shop while new definitions of family and social norms are formed. TV Thunder’s Triage The Series is a fantasy medical drama exploring the meaning and interconnection of life, fate and love. BEC World’s The

Moonlight Chicken, GMMTV (main pic); Fragrance of the First Flower S1 (above); and Taiwan Equals Love (left)

Root (รากแก้ว Rark Kaew), from Thai production house Change2561, explores the struggle of love battered by status and socio-economic inequality.

There are others. From the Philippines, ABS-CBN

says the demand for Asian LGBTQ+

Entertainment’s GL (girls love) series, Sleep With Me, is about

and Boy Love (BL) content has soared in

how interabled queer individuals navigate life in a society that

Western markets.

makes them feel like outcasts. Out of Hong Kong, not traditionally

About 65% of GagaOOLala’s approximately

a bastion of gay-anything, leading broadcaster Television Broadcasts

three million subscribers are now outside of Asia,

Ltd’s (TVB), reality dating show, Boyscation, hosted by Vinci Wong,

GagaOOLala says, talking about the rising power of the “Western Pink

features 10 male contestants who hope to find true love.

Economy”.

The range is broad and the topics are, clearly, diverse. All are united in leading the latest groundswell of LGBTQ+ stories in Asia.

The platform cites U.S.-based corporate advisory and asset management company, LGBT Capital, which estimates the global

While Thailand remains in the lead in Asia in terms of output and

aggregated spending power of the LGBT consumer base is worth

mindspace, the divide is widening between TV production centres

US$3.9 trillion a year from a 15+ LGBT population of about 371 million

embracing diversity and those still hobbled by content codes that

people globally. LGBT Capital estimates that almost 75 million –

keep a tight lid on LGBTQ themes.

about 20% – are in mainland China. The company says Asia is fast

The ayes are gaining traction around the world.

developing, with estimated LGBT-GDP (nominal) now exceeding

Taipei-based LGBTQ+-focused streaming platform, GagaOOLala,

US$1.4 trillion.

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contentasia september 2023

MY

Life

WITHOUT YOU

“The LGBT population is generally accepted to account for 5%-10% of the total population, and with recent developments in particular, the LGBT Community is securing increased positive awareness and

soaps has helped broaden interest in Asian content and make it more accessible to new audiences,” SBS programmers say.

SBS On Demand has acquired two GagaOOLala originals: season

equality – with visibly increased LGBT consumer segment momentum

one of Fragrance of the First Flower, released in March 2023, and

and recognition as a result,” LGBT Capital says.

Taiwan Equals Love, a one-off documentary about Taiwan’s LGBTQI+

Global growth bodes well for GagaOOLala, which is part of a broader movement supporting LGBTQ issues and rights.

Launched in 2017 followed in 2020 with a global roll out,

landscape. Taiwan Equals Love releases in Australia in 2024.

“Fragrance of the First Flower was a wonderful representation of a queer romance that spoke to the heart of our purpose as a network –

GagaOOLala says 36% of its subscribers are from the U.S., and nearly

to platform both local and global stories that resonate with Australians

20% are in Europe. The rest are from other parts of the Americas,

of all backgrounds and diversities,” say SBS On Demand & World

Australia and New Zealand.

Movies’ Alex Walkden and Haidee Ireland.

GagaOOLala founder and CEO, Jay Lin, couldn’t be happier.

“Our platform serves as a conduit for cross-cultural understanding and acceptance, and we are humbled to play a pivotal role in fostering inclusivity and diversity,” he says.

Earlier this year, GagaOOLala parent, Portico Media, launched artists

Greater international traction has encouraged GagaOOLala to boost production. Season two of lesbian IP, Fragrance of the First Flower, has started filming and is set to premiere globally in 2024.

Dating reality show, Boys Like Boys, debuts globally in October 2023.

The series features eight men chosen from an open call in Oct/Nov

agency Glocal Talents to produce local content targetting global

last year. GagaOOLala says almost 1,000 applicants from 18 countries

audiences. The plan is to expand the ecosystem for mainstream LGBTQ+

responded. Musical BL series, First Note of Love, begins filming in

entertainment, and to enlarge the share of content made in Asia.

October 2023, with a target 2024 release. The series is a collaboration

Although tiny compared to global streaming giants, Lin says

with Thai partners and Warner Music Taiwan.

GagaOOLala’s niche is strong. LGBT-focused platforms in Europe and

These build on GagaOOLala’s 60 originals, which stream with more

the U.S., are almost exclusively Western,” he points out. “There are few

than 1,600 titles acquired from around the world, from coming-of-age

Asian titles, and if they appear, they are more Asian American or are

story Requiem, set in the 1600s against the backdrop of the witch trials,

from a Western or U.S. perspective.”

and Mediterranean short A King, Gazing at the Sea to K-queer film,

GagaOOLala originals are making their way onto other platforms, including, most recently, SBS in Australia.

“A greater focus on web-series and dramas rather than high volume

contentasia september 2023

Fifth Season and Chinese/Spanish collaboration Sunken Plum, about a transgender Chinese woman who returns to her village after her mother dies.

7

Peter Foo in The Exiles: My Stolen Chinese Father deepdiveindieproduction

We, as a team, have been able to help keep these stories alive and share them with a wider audience, so that we never forget what happened.”

Documentary filmmaker, Tom St John Gray, The Exiles: My Stolen Chinese Father

A Bloody Disgrace Mediacorp CNA’s My Stolen Chinese Father: Victims of U.K.’s Racist Past is the story of three people living in the aftermath of Britain’s decision, suddenly and secretly, to deport Chinese merchant seamen to Singapore and China after World War II.

Tom St John Gray

The Exiles tells a crushingly inhumane story of regular families torn apart

of the Battle of the Atlantic, only to be neglected by the very country they

and lives ruined, tragedy spread across generations and continents by

were seeking to protect. Why is this story known to only a very small group

British betrayal and cruelty. For Peter Foo, living with the consequences of

of people? What impact did these actions have on the lives of the sea-

Britain’s racist past, the situation “is a bloody disgrace”.

men, their wives and children?,” St John Gray says of the inspiration for the

“This country accepted that it did happen, but there are no apologies for any of us,” Foo tells filmmaker Tom St John Gray in The Exiles’ episode,

series, which he then took to CNA executive producer, Mark Pestana.

“As a documentary filmmaker, I was drawn to so many facets of these

My Stolen Chinese Father: Victims of U.K.’s Racist Past, nominated in

secret deportations. One aspect that played over my mind was the fate

the ContentAsia Awards 2023 category for Best Factual Programme for

of these men after they were left stranded and penniless in Singapore

multiple markets.

and China. Where did these men disappear to? Did they start their lives

The episode – one of two that make up The Exiles, a series produced for Singapore’s CNA/Mediacorp – has its roots in a newspaper article on the plight of Chinese seamen at the end of World War II. After years of loyal wartime service, the seamen were suddenly and secretly deported from their homes in Liverpool, and shipped to Singapore and China. Their British wives and children were left without explanation or information.

Decades later, declassified documents from the U.K. National Archives revealed the full extent of what the British government of the day had done. The revelation, St John Gray says, “was no comfort to the women

over with new families in Singapore and China? Are their descendants today even aware of their plight?,” he says.

The story ticks multiple boxes for CNA, Singapore national broadcaster Mediacorp’s dedicated news brand, which serves domestic viewers as well as a wider regional/international audience.

“I was confident that these stories would resonate with audiences anywhere in the world; they have drama and intrigue, and offer viewers an insight to the contributions and struggles of Asians during the war years,” Pestana, CNA’s deputy chief editor, documentaries, says.

“This was a story that demanded our attention and challenged us to

who went to their graves believing they’d been deserted, or the heartbro-

craft a series that would do justice to this shocking betrayal,” St John

ken children who grew up and grew old thinking their fathers had aban-

Gray adds.

doned them”.

“In the U.K., veterans are revered for their wartime courage and sacrifice but here was a group of Chinese seamen who had faced the horrors

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The second episode of The Exiles is set in post-war Australia, and came from the initial research on the Liverpool deportations. “Apart from newspaper reports, court documents and some rare archival footage, there

contentasia september 2023

Gray and his team – including researcher Junaini Johari and

was relatively little information about these Asian deportations in

history consultant Dr Ernest Koh – immersed themselves in the

the Australian public domain, so this felt like an equally impor-

circumstances to “ensure we were as knowledgeable as

tant and timely story to tell,” St John Gray says.

possible... As sensitive subject matter, it was important that

Of the approx 400 kids abandoned in the U.K., The Exiles’ Liverpool episode focuses on Foo, whose mission is to tell as

we understood the many facets of these stories before we

many people as he can about the deportations; Yvonne

engaged surviving relatives,” he says.

“These stories of deportations from Liverpool and Australia

Foley, who has spent decades searching for clues of her

are bound up in significant amounts of pain and trauma that

missing father and continues the quest despite the disappointments; and Barbara Ong Janecek, who now lives in Canada.

Mark Pestana

The stories are woven together with a strong maritime theme,

still resonate today,” he adds. While not everyone wanted to appear on camera, they were willing to share information.

“to remind the audience of a sense of movement, displacement and fluid-

St John Gray says gathering the Australian profiles “was a very differ-

ity,” St John Gray says. “In all the places we filmed [U.K., Canada, Singa-

ent affair”, leading the team through countless archives for named lists

pore], we searched for interesting and relevant maritime locations – ferries

of the Chinese and Malay men who were deported from Australia to

and boats, lighthouses and beaches, abandoned docks and waterways.”

Singapore and Hong Kong, based purely on skin colour. Eventually, St

Crosby Beach, just outside of Liverpool, proved to be an ideal location.

John Gray connected with six family groups.

“It has a long secluded beach, dotted with hundreds of Anthony Gorm-

Asked what he most likes about the finished programme, which pre-

ley statues of men, who disappear and reappear as the tide changes.

miered in March this year, St John Gray says: “During the making of this

This became a potent metaphor for the stolen lives of these Chinese sea-

series, it was clear that these stories were unknown to the wider public,

men, appearing and then disappearing from view.”

and so the production team carried a collective sense of responsibility in

Janecek closes her contribution to the Liverpool episode walking along a cliff-top Chinese cemetery in Canada, remembering her lost father

making something that was genuine, sensitive and truthful.”

“It was editorially tough at times telling such a complex part of history,

and her deceased mother. She gazes out to sea against a golden sunset,

whilst also intertwining deeply personal stories and experiences,” St John

soaring birds and crashing waves, wondering aloud about her attach-

Gray says. “These are stories from the dying embers of a colonial world,

ment to the ocean and her unknown father. “It’s such a puzzle, where

driven by elements of racism and discrimination, and it was important

you can’t find the pieces. You can’t complete the puzzle. I’m getting

that we presented this uncomfortable past in a truthful and clearheaded

very old now. Will I know anything more before I die?,” she asks. It’s one

way. I feel proud that we, as a team, have been able to help keep these

of St John Gray’s favourite scenes.

stories alive and share them with a wider audience, so that we never

That moment was hard won. Before approaching anyone, St John

contentasia september 2023

forget what happened.” – Janine Stein

9

productioninterview

Different strokes Executive producer Nitipat “Earn” Uahwatanasakul is pushing for a new and different type of Thai storytelling. “We have the potential to do different and more challenging shows,” he told Sara Merican.

Thai producer Nitipat “Earn” Uahwatanasakul has a passion for stories

Uahwatanasakul is open about his frustration with the current state

with social commentary, and, seven years after his hit drama Wai Sab

of Thai drama. “I think 80% of Thai dramas are the same. They have

Saraek Kad (Broken, 2016/2019) was released, is taking a strong stand

the same plot and style in dealing with family,” he says.

in support of Thai drama tackling more challenging themes.

Broken follows a psychologist dealing with troubled children from

“My dramas have to compete with those from other countries too... consumers can watch series from any other platform, not just

difficult backgrounds. “I studied urban and social planning and I

in the country... Thailand has the potential to do different, and more

wanted to tell a story about the situation in schools and about child

challenging shows,” he adds.

development,” he says.

His new series, Of Love and Money, is in production for domestic

Creating shorter, faster-paced seasons of TV shows is one of his challenges. “We used to make TV series to last 20 or 24 hours per

free-TV network, Channel 3, and is scheduled to wrap by end-

season, forming about 24 episodes,” Uahwatanasakul says. “Now,

2023. The coming-of-age story is about six graduates entering the

we have to make really short seasons and quickly get to the point,

workforce. Romance drama, Let’s Begin Again, is in post-production,

within six to 10 episodes.”

with a release date in 2024.

A business and info systems graduate with a master’s degree in

Romance – a mainstay of his family-owned Master One VDO

urban and social planning and development, Uahwatanasakul joins

Production – is Uahwatanasakul’s nod to market reality. “It’s what

a growing domestic industry call for government support/funding to

the channel wants,” he says.

help Thai TV producers to become more globally competitive.

After more than a decade in the film business, primarily

Right now, this hero’s ‘supreme ordeal’ – that moment every

making family dramas and romantic comedies for Channel 3,

great character faces and either overcomes, or doesn’t – involves

Uahwatanasakul says the pull to switch genres is strong. “I want to

politics. “The political situation in Thailand is not stable yet, which is a

make documentaries or stories closer to real life,” he says.

problem,” he says.

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contentasia september 2023

W AT C H THE TRAILER

productioninterview

Colored Tribeca Festival

Reality check “You feel how the character felt, when a finger is pointed at you” – Taiwan’s Patrick Mao Huang talks about using XR in a story of prejudice & discrimination.

Taiwanese producer, Patrick Mao Huang, is having an especially busy

How do we control the time and budget to support this 20-character

year, with several new ventures in XR filmmaking and a triumphant win at

scan? There were many restrictions that I had not experienced before.

Cannes as co-producer of Tiger Stripes, which clinched the Grand Prize

For example, the fabric had to be a certain colour, if not it will affect the

at the Critics’ Week.

scanning. For the hairstyle, it had to be quite constrained and with the

Huang’s Colored, a co-production between his company Flash Forward Entertainment and France’s Novaya, was one of two immersive

character’s movement, we could not cover any part of the body.

We had about five days of rehearsals before we even went to the fa-

projects from Taiwan nominated in New Voices Competition at the Tribe-

cility. We then also had to pre-select and process sequences and then

ca Film Festival’s immersive section in June. Both were highlighted for their

upload the big file to the cloud, where our French post-production super-

creativity, technical capabilities and market potential.

visor downloads them in France to work on.”

Huang first heard a pitch for Colored from Novaya at Sunny Side of the Doc in 2021. Set in Alabama in the 1950s, the film is about 15-year-old Clau-

Colored premiered at the Pompidou Centre this year. What are the

dette Colvin, who refused to give up her seat to a white passenger. Explor-

challenges you face in AR film exhibition? “Colored is a location-based

ing racial identity and ethnic issues, the film is supported by the Immersive

experience. Not every festival or venue can afford it... You have to pay

Content Grant from the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (Taicca).

more for more than just one headset, and the Microsoft HoloLens headset is even more expensive than VR headsets. That’s a big challenge that

How does Augmented Reality (AR) enhance the story you were trying

we are facing now. I’m going to have an exhibition in Taiwan in a few

to tell with Colored? “Watching this story with the Microsoft HoloLens 2,

months and we are still working out the budget.”

you can see the image of the character immersed within real furniture and environment... You can sit down on a bench with the character and

How do you choose which stories to produce? “The story has to have

experience the same thing. Since the subject is about prejudice and

something new to me, yet something familiar. Tiger Stripes is a coming-

discrimination, you can really feel how the character felt when a finger is

of-age story, which is familiar, but it has fantasy elements with the tiger

pointed at you, telling you to stand up and go away. You are under the

symbols, which is something new... For Colored, the human rights story

same pressure and situation as the character.”

was a familiar aspect, but we used a new technology called volumetric filmmaking. That’s something I can explore, so I wanted to do that. I have

What are some challenges that you faced while making Colored? “We

another documentary project which also came from meetings at Sunny

used live characters. It is not animated, so we did volumetric scanning

Side of the Doc. It is called Slave Island and it discusses the slavery system

at a Taiwanese facility founded by Taicca. Colored is the biggest project

still operating in Indonesia on Sumba Island. The island is actually full of

for this lab so far. They have done a lot of music videos, commercials and

tourists. It doesn’t look like it, but on the other side of the mountain, there

some short XRs, but our film is more than 30 minutes and we have around

is a village where slavery is happening. There’s always something hidden

20 characters.

and my job as a film producer is to discover the stories from this hidden world.” – Sara Merican

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contentasia september 2023

productioninterview

Hansal Mehta

Truth in fiction Hansal Mehta has never been this popular. Vanita Kohli-Khandekar spoke to the veteran Indian filmmaker about balancing commerce and creativity, streaming, cinema, investing in writers and the truths that are best told through fiction.

Hansal Mehta and Mrunmayee Lagoo Waikul’s Scoop, based on

Isn’t balancing commerce and creativity the eternal struggle in

Jigna Vora’s memoir Behind Bars in Byculla: My Days in Prison, is

cinema? “Every story, every film, has its audience. As a business we

a fantastic watch. Vora, deputy bureau chief at The Asian Age

need to find and reach that audience and understand the film we

(India), was wrongly implicated in the 2011 murder of Mid-Day

are making, Whether I make a Faraaz (2022) or (Siddarth Anand’s)

crime reporter, Jyotirmoy Dey (or J Dey). She was released on bail

Pathaan (2023) the promotion is in the same way. The marketing

after nine months in prison, and was acquitted in 2018.

teams, PR teams don’t really focus on content and use the con-

Released on 2 June, Scoop spent eight weeks on Netflix’s Top 10 shows in India, gaining traction in South Asian markets and parts of

tent to reach the audience. We are in these templatised times. We have forgotten that we have an audience to reach.”

the Middle East. Mehta’s earlier series, Scam 1992 (2020), based on the Harshad Mehta scam, helped revive the fortunes of the then

What is streaming doing to the creative and business of cinema?

struggling Indian streamer, SonyLIV.

“It is about people going to the cinema and cinema coming to

The success of Scam 1992 and Scoop in South Asia has focused

you. The primary difference between the cinema-going experi-

attention on Mehta’s brand of storytelling – dramatised contem-

ence and the streaming experience is experiential. Faraaz re-

porary history. In June this year, Netflix signed a multi-year series

leased and disappeared. But, on Netflix, it was on the top of the

partnership with Mehta, who has been making TV shows and award-

charts for nearly three weeks in India and other countries in Asia,

winning films since the 1990s. But this is the first time his popularity has

and on the top 10 films worldwide for two consecutive weeks. It

hit these levels.

goes to show that there was an audience. We did not find it in theatrical. We found that audience on streaming.”

What do Scoop and Scam1992 mean for you? “They have given me the drive and motivation to keep making the stories I do.”

What attracts you to a story? “It is a very personal process. I read a story and see how compelling I find it emotionally. I like to reflect on it, wait before I respond to it. Some stories you like instanta-

14

contentasia september 2023

neously but it doesn’t stay with you. For me to want to make it, it has to stay with me. The characters have to stay with me. I need to find a compelling character before I find a compelling story. Lots of my good work has been character driven. For example, Shahid (2012) is about a lawyer, Shahid Azmi; Aligarh (2015) is about Professor Siras.

Even Citylights (2014) is about Deepak Singh and his family. Scam 1992 was about Harshad Mehta and the whole family unit and about Sucheta Dalal (the journalist who broke the story). Those people, those characters were compelling. Ditto for Jagruti Pathak (the protagonist in Scoop). The entire ecosystem around her was compelling. For me, the plot comes after the characters.”

How much do you fictionalise? “There is an element of dramatisation, of fictionalisation. You take an informed decision. These decisions are taken jointly with the platform, the studios, the entire creative team.

And also during the writing process, depending on how much liberty you are taking with the available material. How much you are compositing characters. I have to tell an engaging story. To tell that there is a certain path I have to choose... For example, Scoop is inspired by Jigna Vora’s book, but we realised that there is a story outside the book that we wanted to tell. In order to be able to tell that story, we had to rely on a lot of research, lots of things people told us. Then, based on what people told us and what we found during research, we realised that we had to dramatise and fictionalise some characters. But in all of that there is an authenticity, some truth hidden in that fiction.”

How difficult is it to adapt a book? Especially a business book...

Hansal Mehta & Scoop star, Karishma Tanna

“I find business very fascinating. Adapting Scam, Sucheta Dalal and Debashis Basu’s book, was quite a ride. To find the personal story in the

How is Gandhi (based on Ramchandra Guha’s books and produced

middle of all that factual overload is a challenge and I enjoy it thor-

by Applause) shaping up? How tough is it? “It is a challenging task.

oughly. In a previous life I was part of the corporate grind, I worked

But am enjoying it thoroughly. There is no more important time than

in IT. That world fascinates me. Scam was just the beginning. Hope-

now to tell Mahatma Gandhi’s story to the world. I find his character

fully, I will get the opportunity to deep dive into this world further. No

extremely compelling. Pratik is playing Gandhi. The casting, both

show has held my attention and captivated my imagination the way

Indian and international, is in process.”

a show like Succession or the way Mad Men did many years ago. It deep dives into a world that seems boring and dry from outside. But

If one compares Indian shows with Korean, Turkish, Nordic shows, where

when you deep dive you see another side.”

do you see India? Do you see India making it to the global stage?

“The big breakthrough is around the corner. Let us focus on India first.

What were the tough parts or ‘aha’ moments in Scam and Scoop?

Streaming has yet to penetrate the entire length and breadth of the

“Every story you tell cuts into a part of you. It is a piece of your heart

country the way TV did. If we succeed in a larger way in our own

that you put out there. These are emotionally exacting stories. And

country, the international audience will embrace it. We cannot design

they are also mentally stimulating but take away a lot of time. The

our shows for the international audience, we need to tell authentic

big moment for me was when we found Harshad Mehta. It was when

Indian stories.”

I found Pratik Gandhi (who played Harshad) and the first day I shot with him. In Scoop, it was getting (soap opera star) Karishma Tanna

So the cross over, if any, has to happen on technology, production

for that part. Within my circle, my people, there was lot of resistance

etc? “We are doing well there. We need to invest in writers, not only in

to that choice. Why take someone from TV? Karishma Tanna and Har-

paying them to write but helping them evolve as top-quality writers.

man Baweja (who plays a senior cop and pivotal character in Scoop),

Technologically, we have advanced a lot but creatively we need to

these were the two choices that were not difficult choices but when

grow further. And that can only happen with a healthier exchange

we look back they were inspired choices.”

among the community globally with workshops for writers and creators.

Craft wise we can learn by exchange of knowledge globally.”

contentasia september 2023

15

formatsoutlook

Kafas, All3Media International / Sony Liv

Formats Outlook: 1H 2023 Singing-based titles, game shows and drama series topped Asia’s formats in Asia, accounting for 64% titles from Jan-June 2023; India, Vietnam and Thailand remain Asia’s leading formats markets, with a combined share of 42%, ContentAsia’s Formats Outlook for 1H 2023 shows.

Asian adaptations of 135 TV titles were aired or commissioned by

since 2017. The average combined

broadcasters/platforms/companies in 16 countries in the first six months

share was 67% for the first six months

of this year, according to ContentAsia’s 1H 2023 Formats Outlook.

of every year from 2017 to 2022 (1H

The ongoing research tracks formats adaptations commissioned/on

2017: 65%, 1H 2018: 62%, 1H 2019: 71%, 1H

air in 18 countries across the region, including Taiwan and Bangladesh,

2020: 71%, 1H 2021: 68%, 1H 2022: 65%).

which reported no adaptations in the first half of this year.

Volumes were down 20% – 34 titles – this year compared to the first half

Indonesia’s Next Top Model Cycle 3, Paramount Global Content Distribution / Net TV

Notably game shows, which dominated the formats by genre charts for 1H 2017, 1H 2018, 1H 2019, 1H

of 2022, when we reported a total of 169 titles. But this year’s total is still

2020, 1H 2021 and 1H 2022, have now dropped to second place, giving

seven (5%) higher than in the first half of 2021, which closed at 128 titles.

way to singing formats.

1H 2023 FORMATS BY GENRE....

list with 29 titles (22%) recorded from 11 countries: Cambodia, Indone-

Singing, game shows and scripted/drama formats continue to domi-

sia, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka,

nate. The three genres accounted for a combined share of 64% (85

Thailand and Vietnam.

The latest report for 1H 2023 places singing formats at the top of the

titles) of the total 135 formats in Jan-June 2023. This has been consistent 16

The singing format driver was Vietnam, which accounted for six (3.4%)

contentasia september 2023

Vietnam 16%

Cambodia China 4% 4% Hong Kong 1% India 18%

Keep Running S11, SBS Korea / Zhejiang Television

of the 29 titles. Five countries – India, China, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong – skipped the genre entirely.

Game shows and scripted series ran neck and neck, with 28 titles (21%) each.

Thailand 13%

Asia’s formats by country Jan-June 2023

Indonesia 6%

Sri Lanka 3% Singapore 2%

Philiippines na, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, 5% Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.

Nepal Vietnam led game shows with seven (25%) of the 28 titles. Four 2% Myanmar countries had none: Singapore, Nepal, Korea and Cambodia.

4% 10 countries embraced drama adaptations: China, India, Indonesia,

Japan 7%

12 countries contributed to the game show count: Chi-

Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The scripted format driver was India, with 13 (46%) of the 28 titles. Mongolia, Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Hong Kong had none.

Mongolia 9%

Korea 2% Malaysia 6%

Source: Distributors/rights holders, titles/seasons either on air or commissioned in JanJune 2023 by broadcasters/platforms/companies in 18 countries in Asia, as of July 2023, ContentAsia’s Formats Outlook 1H 2023

17

formatsoutlook

Drag Race Philippines S2, World of wonder / HBO Go

1H 2023: Asia’s formats by genre

Isteri Halal, ABS-CBN, Astro Malaysia Aarya S3, Banijay Rights / Disney+ Hotstar

Cooking trailed with 15 titles (10%), reported from eight countries: India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Thailand, with five (33%) titles, topped the cooking formats count in the first six months of 2023.

The rest of the formats genres were reality (9), talent (8), dating (6), variety show (4), fashion/beauty (3), movie (3) and talkshow (2).

1H 2023 FORMATS BY COUNTRY....

Yet again, India, Vietnam and Thailand led Asia’s formats market in the first half of this year. The three markets accounted for a combined share

Singing

29

22%

Drama

28

21%

Game show

28

21%

Cooking

15

10%

Reality

9

7%

Talent

8

6%

Dating

6

4%

Variety show

4

3%

Fashion/beauty

3

2%

Movie

3

2%

Talkshow

2

1%

Total

135

100%

of 47% (62 titles) of the total 135 shows commissioned/on air, according to ContentAsia’s latest Formats Outlook.

India, Vietnam and Thailand have been our regular top three/four on the formats by country charts for the past six years, with an average combined share of 48.5% (or average 104 titles) for the first six months in 2017-2022.

18

Source: Distributors/rights holders, titles/seasons either on air or commissioned in Jan-June 2023 by broadcasters/platforms/companies in 18 countries in Asia, as of July 2023, ContentAsia’s Formats Outlook 1H 2023

contentasia september 2023

formatsoutlook

Talent Cooking 4% 4%

Reality 29%

Talent 10%

Dating 5% Drama Variety show 5% 14% Fashion/ beauty 5%

Formats by genre India 1H 2023

Movie 4% Game Show 4%

Formats by genre Vietnam 1H 2023 Game Show 33%

Drama 54%

Singing 29%

Singing 6%

Cooking 17%

Cooking 29% Game Show Formats by genre 29%

Singing 42%

Thailand 1H 2023

Formats by genre Mongolia 1H 2023

Dating 6%

Talent 8%

Game show 25% Reality 8%

Drama 29%

Source: Distributors/rights holders, titles/seasons either on air or commissioned in Jan-June 2023 by broadcasters/ platforms/companies in 18 countries in Asia, as of July 2023, ContentAsia’s Formats Outlook 1H 2023

1H 2023 FORMATS IN INDIA... India was Asia’s top formats market by vol-

in five languages on Colors, Asianet and Star Vijay as well as an OTT ver-

ume in the first half of this year, with 24 titles/seasons. This is the third time

sion on JioCinema.

since 2017 that India has topped the country charts. India reported 32

The other formats were cooking (1), game (1), movie (1) and talent (1).

formats in 1H 2022 and 23 in 1H 2021.

Drama formats dominated as streaming platforms duel for domi-

1H 2023 FORMATS IN VIETNAM... Vietnam, which ranked second for the

nance and producers rush to fast-track drama production to service

past two years (1H 2021, 1H 2022), held onto the spot for the first half of

demand. 13 of the 24 titles in the first half of this year were drama for-

2023, with 21 titles (16% of 135 titles).

mats. In the first half of last year, drama made up 13 titles/seasons of the 31 total.

Game shows (also #1 in 1H 2022) were most popular. These included Japanese broadcaster TV Asahi’s game show, Hide and Seek with

New titles this year included All3Media International’s Kafas for Sony

Drone, for HTV7; Lightning Quiz from Workpoint TV also for HTV7; and

Liv, produced by Applause Entertainment and Madiba Entertainment;

ITV Studios’ I Love My Country commissioned by Dong Tay Promotions

season three of Banijay Rights’ crime/thriller Aarya, co-created by Ram

Company.

Madhvani and Sandeep Modi; and two seasons of Paramount Global Content Distribution’s crime drama, Rana Naidu, for Netflix.

Singing formats are also thriving in Vietnam, with six titles in the first half of this year. These included two versions of Banijay Rights’ Your Face

Unscripted/reality formats placed second with seven titles of the 24.

Sounds Familiar. The kids version of Your Face Sounds Familiar S5 pre-

These included Bigg Boss, an adaptation of Banijay Rights’ Big Brother,

miered in November 2022 and ran to the end of January this year. Your

20

contentasia september 2023

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formatsoutlook

Singing 11%

Drama 11%

Singing 13% Cooking 25%

Movie 11%

Game show 13%

Formats by genre Japan 1H 2023

Variety 11%

Dating 33%

Formats by genre Indonesia 1H 2023 Fashion/ beauty 13%

Dating 13%

Talent 11%

Drama 25%

Game Show 11%

Singing 25%

Talent 14%

Cooking 13%

Formats by genre Malaysia 1H 2023

Drama 25%

Singing 29%

Drama 14%

Formats by genre Philippines 1H 2023

Fashion/ beauty 14%

Game Show 29%

Game show 38%

Source: Distributors/rights holders, titles/seasons either on air or commissioned in Jan-June 2023 by broadcasters/ platforms/companies in 18 countries in Asia, as of July 2023, ContentAsia’s Formats Outlook 1H 2023

Face Sounds Familiar S9 is scheduled to premiere in October this year.

(the adaptation of Korean original Signal); and youth format, Thank You

Vietnam also had three variety shows and two talent formats. The re-

Teacher (the adaptation of Korean Black Dog). All three were for True

maining three were dating, drama and fashion/beauty.

ID/TrueVisions/True4U.

1H 2023 FORMATS IN THAILAND... Thailand was third behind India and

One31, Banijay Rights’ First and Last Thailand S5 for Workpoint TV, and

Vietnam in the first half, with 17 titles (13% of 135 titles). Thailand also

NBCUniversal’s Hollywood Game Night Thailand S6 for Mono 29. The

ranked third in 1H 2022 with 18 titles and in 1H 2021 with 15 titles.

other two Thai formats were a dating title and a singing competition.

Game shows this year included Fremantle’s Family Feud Thailand for

15 of the 17 were split evenly between cooking, drama and game shows.

These included ITV Studios’ cooking competition, Hell’s Kitchen Thai-

1H 2023 vs 1H 2022... 34 titles dropped off the face of Asia’s formats earth in the first six months of this year compared to last year. Vietnam

land. The show, commissioned by Heliconia H Group, premieres in

and the Philippines dropped the most, with 10 titles each. India shed

September this year on free-TV station, Channel 7. Heliconia also com-

eight titles while Korea was down by seven and China by five.

missioned the 12th season of the local version of Fuji TV’s cook-off, Iron

Myanmar recorded the most add ons with five titles for the first half of

Chef Thailand; the series premiered on Channel 7 in February this year.

2023. The rest of the countries either remained the same or dropped/

Three of the five drama remakes in Thailand were from Korea’s CJ

added about one/two titles each. Taiwan and Bangladesh recorded

ENM – business/romcom Start-Up Thailand; fantasy/investigation 23:23

22

none for the past three years (1H 2023, 1H 2022 and 1H 2021).

contentasia september 2023

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formatsoutlook

Drama 20%

Talkshow 20%

Talent 20%

Formats by genre Cambodia 1H 2023

Formats by genre China 1H 2023 Variety show 20%

Singing 80%

Game Show 20%

Talent 20%

Singing 20%

Game Show 25%

Cooking 40%

Formats by genre Myanmar 1H 2023

Formats by genre Sri Lanka 1H 2023

Singing 75%

Game Show 40%

Talkshow 33%

24

Movie 33%

Formats by genre Korea 1H 2023

Formats by genre Nepal 1H 2023

Drama 33%

Singing 100%

contentasia september 2023

MAXIMISE YOUR SAVINGS REGISTER BY 31 AUG to enjoy over 35% OFF on your all-access pass (Early Bird Rate: SGD885 / ~ USD660) CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW 5 Dec 2023 | The ATF Leaders Dialogue 6 – 8 Dec 2023 | Market & Conference MARINA BAY SANDS, SINGAPORE www.asiatvforum.com

productioninterview

Hansal Mehta

Green rooms Avatar’s eco-moments are legendary. Avengers: End Game made headlines for production sustainability.

The Hobbit trilogy committed to sustainability from day one. Succession, The Gilded Age, The Man in the High Castle... all part of a global movement towards sustainable TV and film production. Where is Asia on this journey? A new initiative by Canada’s Green Spark Group & India GreenSet plans to upsize the effort.

Where would you say Asia’s production industry is on the sustainability path

This is why sustainability needs a corporate

right now? There is a growing awareness within the industry. Production

mandate so that it can be adopted across

houses are already taking the initiative to implement waste and plastic

the value chain. In an industry with tough

reduction in their production process. This is the easiest to implement and

checks and balances for shoot and delivery

creates a virtuous cycle of use of food, scrap and reusables.

processes, it is challenging for production houses to take on the additional task of

What can media companies do in the short term? The media industry can move towards adopting mitigation to reduce its impact on the environment. This can be achieved in various ways, like minimising waste in food, water and electricity; using more efficient and eco-friendly energy sources like LED; using bio-degradable/recyclable packaging for catering; recycling sets and costumes; reducing the use of plastic; sourcing air travel alternatives where feasible; using zoom for prep meetings; and

implementing sustainable guidelines. The India GreenSet founders, Anupama Mandloi (top); Sophy VSivaraman

initial period requires adjustments.

We believe that if corporations set the agenda for change in a phased manner, eventually, there will be no

looking back. Who doesn’t want to work in a harmonious environment where people look out for each other, there is parity at work and a larger sense of mission?

collaborating with NGOs. All of these can be implemented with ease.

What’s the danger of falling into the “greenwashing” trap? Crucially, all Where do TV producers typically begin with a sustainability initiative?

processes and commitments must be transparent, third-party assessed

The earlier producers start planning and integrating sustainability

and grounded in science to avoid greenwashing.

initiatives into their production process, the easier and more effective it will be. Producers have often started by looking at waste and

How do you measure progress? You can’t manage what you

implementing solutions at the end of the process. However, this does

don’t measure! Progress is being measured through the number of

not achieve the transformation the industry needs. It is with planning

productions using free industry tools like Albert, by starting to track

and thinking about how to integrate solutions at the start that real

and measure key impact areas, sharing this data with production

results are achieved.

houses and big studios and developing case studies. We also start by measuring carbon emissions and this leads to insights into the

What would you say is the biggest challenge in making sustainability

consumption of material and fuel, how to plan for transportation, what

an essential part of production processes? The biggest challenge is a

to eat, etc. Progress for us would mean seeing more debates and

mindset shift. Everything follows from there. Any change that directly

discussions around sustainability.

or indirectly impacts budgets becomes a hurdle in implementation.

Edited excerpts. The full interview is at www.contentasia.tv 26

contentasia september 2023

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@MIPCOM & ATF 2023

+ digital + online + market dailies + video + social media

BookingsNowOpen

Putting your brand & products in front of more buyers & decision makers in 22 Asia-Pacific markets. ContentAsia reaches 12,400+ executives in Asia across all platforms with a clear editorial focus on Asia, market developments, trends, influences & information that makes a difference.

Contact Leah Gordon at leah@contentasia.tv (Americas, Europe, U.K.) Masliana Masron at mas@contentasia.tv (Asia, Australia, Middle East) CJ Yong at cj@contentasia.tv (China/Taiwan) For editorial info, contact Malena Amzah at malena@contentasia.tv

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M COM S N O DAR TATI DAP BLOOD, A A RAM FISHER, ME D

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NTENT 27 June-11 July 2022

Sponsor Spotlight

Page 3.

As well as one of Britain’s top-selling drama series Midsomer Murders, our quality content includes Fleabag, The Tourist, The English, The Traitors, Undercover Boss and some of televisions most beloved brands including Gordon Ramsay.

All3Media International 5 Teck Lim Road, #03-00 Singapore 088383 T: +65 9858 6934 W: www.all3mediainternational.com Social Links: @all3media_int All3Media International is one of the leading independent distributors of television programming and formats in the UK. All3Media International is the distribution arm of the All3Media group and manages a distribution catalogue spanning more than 30,000 hours of content across all genres.

Astro Malaysia All Asia Broadcast Centre Technology Park Malaysia Bukit Jalil, 57000 Kuala Lumpur T: +603 9543 6688 W: www.astro.com.my Astro astroonline astromalaysia company/astro

Who’s who...

Sabrina Duguet EVP, Asia Pacific (Pan-Asia, Formats for Australia and New Zealand) E: sabrina.duguet@all3media.com Jaenani Netra VP Sales (India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal & Sri Lanka) E: jaenani.netra@all3media.com Ziran Tang (Tony) VP Sales (China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan) E: ziran.tang@all3media.com Amanda Pe Sales Executive (Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand & Vietnam) E: amanda.pe@all3media.com

Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad (Astro) is Malaysia’s leading content and entertainment company, serving 5.5 million homes or 69% of Malaysian TV households, 8,600 enterprises, 18 million weekly listeners across FM radio and online, 7.8 million digital monthly unique visitors and 3.3 million shoppers across its TV, radio, digital and commerce platforms. We serve Malaysians with 3 distinct services – Astro Pay-TV, NJOI Prepaid and sooka, our own OTT for the millennials; and Astro Fibre, our own broadband service, offers greater value with its content-broadband bundles. More than 860,000 homes are already streaming the best of home entertainment via our Hybrid 4K UHD Ultra Box and HD Ulti Box, which can

Sabrina Duguet

Jaenani Netra

Ziran Tang (Tony)

Amanda Pe

be self-installed and run on both satellite and broadband. Today, our customers enjoy streaming our local signatures, Astro Originals, live sports and the best global shows from Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, HBO GO, iQIYI, TVBAnywhere+, beIN SPORTS CONNECT, BBC Player, Viu, ZEE5, WeTV and our own TV companion app Astro GO. Astro Radio, home to the country’s highest-rated radio brands across all key languages, and our digital brands including AWANI, SYOK, Gempak, Xuan and Astro Ulagam, connect Malaysians to content and stories that matter. Go Shop, our home shopping and commerce business, offers a fun and entertaining home and online shopping experience that suits the Malaysian lifestyle.

Who’s who...

Euan Smith Group CEO Agnes Rozario Director, Content Raja Jastina Raja Arshad Vice President, Head of Astro Shaw & Malay Nusantara Business Euan Smith

Agnes Rozario

Raja Jastina Raja Arshad

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NTENT ASIA

27 June-11 July 2022 Page 4.

Who’s who...

BEC World Public Company Limited 3199 Maleenont Tower Floor 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 30-34, Rama 4 Road, Klongton, Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110 Thailand T: +662 262 3648 W: www.becworld.com www.ch3plus.com/contentlicensing E: inter-sales@becworld.com CH3 Official Ch3thailand CH3 OTT

Ziraviss Vindhanapisuth (Tum) VP – International Business Ratsarin Phaisantanamol (Jay) Senior Manager – International Business Account Nantika Nuchpoom (Eve) Senior Manager – International Business Account Kawalin Chantawatkul (Gift) Senior Manager – International Business Account

Ziraviss Vindhanapisuth

Ratsarin Phaisantanamol

Nantika Nuchpoom

Kawalin Chantawatkul

CH3Plus

Who’s who...

Celestial Tiger Entertainment

Ofanny Choi Chief Executive Officer Annie Chan Vice President, Sales & Business Development Annie Lim Executive Director, Sales & Marketing Janice Lam Executive Director, Programming & Acquisitions

Suite 1603, 16/F, Kwun Tong Harbour Plaza, 182 Wai Yip Street, Kwun Tong, Hong Kong T: +852 2239 6000 W: www.celestialtiger.com https://www.linkedin.com/company/ celestial-tiger-entertainment-limited Ofanny Choi

Annie Chan

Annie Lim

Janice Lam

BEC World Public Company Limited, a leading media company, stands at the forefront of the entertainment industry, in the Thai-language television and feature film production, and worldwide digital distribution, and broadcasting, in Thailand for over 53 years.

BEC operates its Channel 3 DTTV and CH3Plus digital platform; and produces original content of various formats from news, variety shows to over 1,000 hours of wide-ranging slate of Thai dramas each year, with its renowned Thai celebrities, which are fast gaining international appeal and following.

The company’s vast library of Thai dramas, consists of more than 10,000 hours of programming which comprised of more than 4,000 individual television episodes.

To further grow its library and businesses, it launched BEC STUDIO in 2021, to produce original content for its platforms and partners.

Celestial Tiger Entertainment (CTE) is a leading independent media company dedicated to entertaining audiences in Asia and beyond. The company creates and distributes branded pay television channels and digital services targeted at Asian consumers, including: CELESTIAL MOVIES, the premium first-run Chinese movie channel powered by exclusive output deals with top Hong Kong movie studios; CCM, the classic Chinese movie channel featuring masterpieces of Chinese cinema from the world-renowned Shaw Brothers Library; CM+, a channel featuring the latest Blockbusters and exclusive movies from across Asia in Singapore; MIAO MI, the Mandarin edutainment channel created for preschool kids; KIX, the ultimate destination for Asian action entertainment; and THRILL, Asia’s first regional horror, thriller and suspense movie channel. All of CTE’s channel brands are available as linear, on-demand and over-the-top services. CTE also produces original production for its bouquet of channels.

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NTENT ASIA

NTENT 27 June-11 July 2022

Sponsor Spotlight Who’s who...

Iskandar Malaysia Studios 1, Persiaran Layar Perak, 79250, Iskandar Puteri, Johor Darul Takzim, Malaysia.

T: +607-560 1888 W: www.iskandarmalaysiastudios.com https://www.facebook.com/IskandarMalaysiaStudios/ https://www.instagram.com/iskandar_ malaysia_studios/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/ iskandarmalaysiastudios/

Rashid Karim CEO Catherine Lee Head of Business Development Dave How Lead, Comms & Client Relations

Rashid Karim

Catherine Lee

Dave How

Who’s who...

George Chien Co-Founder, President, and CEO E: George.Chien@KCGlobalMedia.com Andy Kaplan Co-Founder and Chairman E: Andy.Kaplan@KCGlobalMedia.com

KC Global Media Asia 10 Changi Business Park Central 2 Hansapoint@CBP, #03-08 Singapore 486030 T: +65 6980 0210 E: help@KCGlobalMedia.com W: www.KCGlobalMedia.com kcglobalmedia kcglobalmediasia

George Chien

Andy Kaplan

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Iskandar Malaysia Studios is a premier destination for filmed entertainment production in Southeast Asia. Our five stateof-the-art stages are large and versatile working spaces, and all include stage pits for water filming or dry use. Two 12,000 sq ft TV studios are fully HD-equipped with a total audience capacity of 1,200. In addition, all studios have easy access to a variety of production support facilities.

A range of interior and exterior tanks are available, including one of Southeast Asia’s largest interior tanks, located at Stage 5.

The exterior Paddock Tank offers green screen capability.

Our mission at IMS is twofold: to serve as a preferred location for film and television productions from around the world, as well as to promote and foster the development of quality Malaysian screen content from domestic filmmakers and TV producers.

With world-class facilities and convenient access to a range of stunning and diverse shooting locations, Iskandar Malaysia Studios can capably service all of your creative requirements.

KC Global Media Entertainment LLC is a global multi-media company based in the United States. The brainchild of former Sony Executives Andy Kaplan and George Chien, KC Global Media Asia (KCGM Asia) is Asia’s leading entertainment hub through the production, distribution and programming of quality, ground-breaking content.

Backed by more than two decades of industry experience, KCGM Asia boasts an impressive portfolio of premium pay-TV channels in South-East Asia and Korea, including English-language general entertainment network AXN, anime channel Animax, South Korea’s ONE and Japanese entertainment channel GEM. By combining award-winning and wellloved entertainment formats with extensive knowledge and insight of the Asia Pacific market, KCGM Asia is paving the way for a new standard of entertainment in Asia and beyond.

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27 June-11 July 2022 Page 6.

Who’s who...

Mediacorp 1 Stars Avenue, Singapore 138507 T: +65 6333 3888 W: Mediacorp.sg Facebook.com/mediacorp Instagram.com/mediacorp Tiktok.com/@mediacorp Youtube.com/mediacorpsg

Nippon TV 1-6-1 Higashi Shimbashi, Minato-ku Tokyo 105-7444 Japan T: +81 3 6215 3036 W: https://www.ntv.co.jp/english/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/ nippon-tv/

Who’s who...

Ayako Tajima Senior Director Moe Kanzaki Sales and Licensing Itaru Mizuno Creative Director of Rebooting

Ayako Tajima

Moe Kanzaki

Tham Loke Kheng Chief Executive Officer Virginia Lim Chief Content Officer Doreen Neo Chief Talent Officer Angeline Poh Chief Customer and Corporate Development Officer

Tham Loke Kheng

Virginia Lim

Doreen Neo

Angeline Poh

Nippon TV is Japan’s leading multiplatform entertainment powerhouse and ratings champion broadcaster. Over 90% of its content IP is fully owned by Nippon TV and the company has been bringing its content to the international market in the form of anime, ready-made programs, formats, and co-production partnerships.

One of the biggest success is their hit drama series Mother which has achieved global success as the most exported scripted format out of Asia, with its sales to South Korea, Turkey, Ukraine, France, Thailand, China and Spain.

The company is also known for its show Old Enough!, now streaming on Netflix in over 190 countries, and BLOCK OUT, an action packed game show format that has been adapted in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Spain, and Holland.

Itaru Mizuno

Mediacorp is Singapore’s national media network and largest content creator. Its purpose is to create engaging and trusted content, as well as to connect communities and inspire people. Mediacorp engages over three million people in Singapore daily across four languages on its digital platforms including mewatch, melisten and CNA.asia, six TV channels and 11 radio stations. Beyond Singapore, Mediacorp also has a growing international audience through CNA and content distributed across markets.

Rebooting Ranked #1 on AVOD and SVOD in the January-March 2023 quarter, this is a phenomenal and somehow humorous story about a mundane woman who is about to reboot her banal life.

Asami Kondo, age 33, is single, lives with her parents, and works at the local city hall.

Suddenly, she finds herself lying on an Ob-Gyn bed. Next to her are her parents, both young.

Asami’s second go at life has just begun.

Brace yourselves for this time leap human comedy that depicts bizarre daily occurrences at a spectacular scale.

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NTENT 27 June-11 July 2022

Sponsor Spotlight

Who’s who...

Avi Himatsinghani CEO E: avi@rewindnetworks.com Sandie Lee Executive Vice President E: sandie@rewindnetworks.com

Rewind Networks Pte. Ltd. 21 Media Circle #06-05, Infinite Studios Singapore 138562 T: +65 6635 3982 E: info@rewindnetworks.com W: http://www.rewindnetworks.com/ HITSTV HITSMOVIES HITSNOWTV

Avi Himatsinghani

Sandie Lee

Rewind Networks, a Singapore-based multimedia branded entertainment company, is dedicated to providing the best pay-TV content to audiences in the Asia Pacific region. With extensive licensing agreements with renowned Hollywood and international studios, Rewind Networks offers a wide range of film and television’s finest programming.

Who’s who...

Warner Bros. Discovery Solaris @ Fusionopolis 1 Fusionopolis Walk, #13-01 Singapore 138628 T: +65 6288 6303 W: www.wbd.com https://www.linkedin.com/company/ warner-bros-discovery/ Social: @WBD

James Gibbons President and Managing Director – Western Pacific (China, Japan & ANZ) Clement Schwebig President and Managing Director – India, Southeast Asia & Korea

James Gibbons

Clement Schwebig

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HITS, launched in 2013 became the fastest growing basic general entertainment channel in Asia. The channel provides a curated selection of the best television shows from the past few decades in high definition including The Nanny, Mission Impossible and Charmed.

HITS MOVIES was introduced in 2018, featuring a hand-picked collection of the finest movies from pre-1960s to the early 2000s. Blockbusters such as Men In Black, Genghis Khan, Blade and Spiderman are staples on the channel.

Launched in February 2023, HITS NOW is the newest channel off the block, featuring top-rated drama series, exhilarating reality shows, entertainment news, and exciting game shows. HITS NOW presents current and trend-setting shows like America’s Got Talent, Top Chef, Project Runway, Entertainment Tonight and Celebrity Family Feud.

Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ: WBD) is a leading global media and entertainment company that creates and distributes the world’s most differentiated and complete portfolio of content and brands across television, film and streaming. Available in more than 220 countries and territories and 50 languages, Warner Bros. Discovery inspires, informs and entertains audiences worldwide through its iconic global brands and products. These include: Discovery and discovery+, CNN International, DC, Eurosport, HBO, Max, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, Warner Bros. Film Group, Warner Bros. Television Group, Warner Bros.

Games, New Line Cinema, Cartoon Network, Cartoonito and others. In Asia Pacific, additional brands include Asia Food Network, Three, ThreeNow, Eden, HBO GO, POGO, Tabi Channel and Mondo TV.