Hong Kong Launches Schemes To Increase Asian Co-pros, Streaming Content material  – Deadline

Hong Kong’s authorities is introducing two new funding schemes underneath the Hong Kong Movie Improvement Council (HKFDC) geared toward boosting co-productions with different Asian nations and to help the manufacturing of streaming content material in Hong Kong.
 
The ‘Hong Kong-Asian Movie Collaboration Funding Scheme’ will hand out grants of as much as HK$9M (US$1.15M) to a most of eight movies which might be co-produced by Hong Kong filmmakers and their counterparts in Asian nations. Candidates will have the ability to search different traders in instances the place the manufacturing finances exceeds the grant.
 
The ‘Content material Improvement Scheme for Streaming Platforms’ will likely be performed via a contest to pick eight manufacturing groups to develop sequence for streaming platforms. Along with a script growth charge, every profitable crew will likely be awarded a complete of as much as HK$5.7M (US$726,000) and will likely be free to strike offers with streamers or different events for extra funding.
 
HKFDC at present administers the Movie Improvement Fund (FDF), which offers help for Hong Kong movies and has lately backed productions together with Anastasia Tsang’s A Mild By no means Goes Out, Nick Cheuk’s Time Nonetheless Turns The Pages, Ka Sing-fung’s Misplaced Love and Eric Tsang’s Hong Kong Household. Since 2005, the FDF has pumped HK$1.54bn (US$196M) into Hong Kong movies and film-related initiatives.
 
The 2 new schemes ought to allow Hong Kong filmmakers to partake within the vigorous and fast-expanding collaborative funding scene that’s at present creating in Southeast Asia and Taiwan. A number of authorities businesses, together with the Singapore Movie Fee (SFC), Movie Improvement Council of the Philippines (FDCP) and Taiwan Artistic Content material Company (TAICCA), have launched funding schemes prior to now few years that encourage regional co-production.
 
The HKFDC initiatives also needs to assist Hong Kong achieve a foothold within the manufacturing of streaming content material, the place it has lagged behind as the worldwide streamers have focused their content material funding and viewers acquisition budgets on different markets, resembling Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia.
 
Mainland China streamers together with Tencent Video, iQiyi and Youku sometimes put money into Hong Kong content material, however give attention to Mandarin-language reveals, moderately than the Cantonese-language movies and sequence which might be normally produced in Hong Kong.
 
“The Authorities and the Movie Improvement Council repeatedly attempt for figuring out additional initiatives to reinforce help in new areas,” mentioned HKFDC chairman Dr Wilfred Wong. “By encouraging co-productions by filmmakers between Hong Kong and Asian nations, the Hong Kong Asian Movie Collaboration Funding Scheme will assist native filmmakers broaden their international visions and study from the artistic minds of different Asian nations with a view to bringing new vitality to the native movie business.” 
 
Wong continued: “With the vast protection of streaming platforms, the Content material Improvement Scheme for Streaming Platforms will certainly assist improve the exposures of Hong Kong productions internationally.” HKFDC additionally introduced the eligibility necessities for the 2 schemes:

Hong Kong-Asian Movie Collaboration Funding Scheme:
·      Among the many three important artistic positions of producer, director and screenwriter, there have to be not less than one Hong Kong and one Asian nation movie practitioner.
 
·      Collaborating producers/administrators/screenwriters from Hong Kong/Asian nations have to be residents or everlasting residents of the respective nations and have been awarded or nominated for Greatest Movie, Greatest Director or Greatest Screenwriter in an internationally recognised movie pageant or native award ceremony.
 
·      Six of the next ten positions should have not less than one Hong Kong everlasting resident: Main Actor and Actress; Supporting Actor and Actress; Cinematography; Motion Choreography; Artwork Route; Costume Make Up Design; Movie Enhancing; Unique Movie Rating/Track; Sound Design; Visible Results.
 
·        No less than 30% of below-the-line expenditure is spent in Hong Kong.
 
Content material Improvement Scheme for Streaming Platforms:
·      Important artistic crew ought to embody 4 positions: producer, script editor, screenwriter and director. All producers, script editors, screenwriters and administrators have to be Hong Kong everlasting residents.
 
·      Producers and script editors ought to have accomplished not less than two characteristic movies which have been commercially launched prior to now ten years or two sequence broadcast on tv or streaming platforms within the capability of a producer or script editor.
 
·      Director and not less than one screenwriter ought to have accomplished not less than one characteristic movie which has been commercially launched prior to now ten years or one sequence broadcast on tv or streaming platforms within the capability of a director or screenwriter.