CANNES, FRANCE: Singapore and Western Australia have extended an initiative to encourage jointly produced television programmes.
Back for a second year, up to three co-productions will receive up to US$30,000 in development funding each under the Media Development Authority-ScreenWest Cross-Media Development Initiative.
This was announced at MIPCOM, the TV trade show being held in Cannes, France.
"Off The Wall" was the first project to win funding from the scheme last year.
It is a show about friendship as a group of ordinary kids befriend a ragtag bunch of graffiti characters with spooky powers.
The show made its debut at MIPCOM.
The story idea was jointly produced by Singapore's Scrawl Studios and Australia's Zac Toons.
Its Singapore developer, whose other animated shows are already broadcast in the US, Australia and across Asia, said such seed funding helps them get potential projects off the ground sooner.
Scrawl Studios' Seng Choon Meng said: "That got us enough interest to secure a development deal with ABC from Australia and one of the major broadcasters in the region. Currently, we are working on scripts and some story boards with the broadcaster, looking to a potential commissioning by spring next year."
Media development agencies from Singapore and Western Australia said such
cross-border projects make sense as they appeal to a wider audience and are able to tap on more sources of financing.
The winning Cross-Media Development Initiative projects for this year will be announced in December at the Asia Television Forum in Singapore. The money will come equally from Singapore's Media Development Authority and ScreenWest, its Western Australian counterpart.
A strong element of this year's MIPCOM show for the Singapore delegation, here for the 9th time, is enhancing its distribution channels. With over 10,000 buyers and sellers converging at Cannes, Singapore hopes to promote its Singapore-made shows beyond the 70 countries it is already in.
- CNA/ir
Source: Channel NewsAsia
Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:48 am