Speech by SMS Tan Kiat How at the Asia TV Forum & Market

Opening Address by Mr Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Digital Development and Information, at the Asia TV Forum & Market (4 December 2024)

Distinguished guests,

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen

1. A very good morning! I am happy to join all of you at the 2024 Asia TV Forum and Market.

2. The ATF is an important part of the Singapore Media Festival which aims to bring together Asia's film, television, and new media industries. The SMF has grown and evolved over the years. In addition to the ATF, we have three other elements.

3. The longest running element is the Singapore International Film Festival which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, so another important milestone for SGIFF.

4. In recent years, the SMF also welcomed Singapore Comic Con and Nas Summit Asia. These additions reflect the broader changes in the media sector and have enabled SMF to engage new audiences.

5. Only by proactively adapting to changes and seizing emergent opportunities can Singapore remain relevant to the global market and add value to the industry as a vibrant regional media hub.

6. Therefore, I am glad that ATF has also continued to innovate and continues to serve as an important platform for media talent and companies to elevate their international visibility.

7. Last year, the ATF market facilitated over $327 million Singapore dollars in deals, a 6% increase over 2022. I am glad to see major players here like Disney, Netflix, VIU, iQiyi and many others. Their presence is an affirmation that the ATF remains an important platform for media businesses.

8. A key focus of the ATF is for regional media talent to come together to create, connect and bring their ideas to life. Its theme: “Make It Here” highlights Singapore's ongoing commitment to building a robust media ecosystem.

9. We have organised six development pitches this year. Pitch submissions have risen by 40% from last year, reaching 509 at this year’s ATF. One of the pitches also includes a dedicated lab, which will offer even more opportunities to expand knowledge, build networks, and present ideas to industry experts.

10. I am also glad to know that we have a 30% increase of Singapore-based companies participating in the market. I wish them every success!

11. This year is also a significant one for the ATF. It is celebrating its 25th, or Silver Anniversary. I wish the ATF many more years of success! Please give them a round of applause.

Telling Stories and Identity

12. Speaking of anniversaries, Singapore approaches SG60 next year. It is our 60th year of independence. We find ourselves at another moment in our history. It is an opportunity to reflect and look forward.

13. We are a society of multiple cultures and languages, constantly evolving, and our media landscape reflects this. Throughout Singapore’s relatively short history, our storytellers have found new and creative ways to tell our stories.

14. 2024 has seen Made-with-Singapore films being acknowledged at international festivals.

15. “Stranger Eyes”, directed by Yeo Siew Hua, competed for the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival, and won Best Original Film Score at the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival.

16. “Mongrel” earned Chiang Wei-liang the Golden Horse Award for Best New Director.

17. Films like “Viet and Nam”, “Don’t Cry Butterfly”, and “Wonderland” have also received accolades at Cannes, Venice, Palm Springs, and Ho Chi Minh respectively.

18. I congratulate our filmmakers on their achievements. We are very proud of them. These achievements not only underscore the talent of our filmmakers, but also reminds us that we have many talented media professionals here.

19. We want the media ecosystem to grow and be nurturing for creative voices. Central to this is our commitment to develop media talent and open up more opportunities for them.

20. We're taking significant steps to do that through the refreshed Skills Framework for Media.

Future of Media Careers & Talent Development

21. This refreshed Skills Framework was developed in partnership with SkillsFuture Singapore, and the Singapore Association of Motion Picture Professionals. It provides a comprehensive roadmap for media professionals, charting the future of media careers and talent development.

22. This framework is the result of extensive consultation with over 150 media representatives across the industry, training providers, institutes of higher learning, and freelancers. This ensures the framework can better meet the dynamic needs of our media landscape.

23. The skills framework identifies a list of 195 job roles across 9 tracks. It provides critical insights into existing and emerging skills in Media - like Virtual Production and Generative AI. Employers and training providers can use this roadmap as a guide, to chart a meaningful path for the training and development of every media practitioner.

24. For example, the newly added ‘Virtual Production’ and ‘In-Camera Visual Effects’ track highlights new roles in the industry, with the adoption of cutting-edge technologies in content production. Today, Singapore has three virtual production studios — Aux Infinite, Oceanus Media Global, and X3D Studios — all capable of supporting large-scale, international-standard productions.

25. Since 2023, IMDA has trained over 650 media professionals through workshops with global experts like Korea's XON Studios and 28 content projects, where professionals gained hands-on experience, with more in the pipeline.

26. Take Ian Wee, for example. A graduate of Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s Film, Sound & Video course, Ian began his career directing documentaries for Discovery Channel and National Geographic. He later moved into directing commercials and television dramas. After building a solid foundation in traditional filmmaking, Ian ventured into virtual production. With training from the UK’s National Film and Television School, he directed “Tainted”. This was supported by IMDA’s Virtual Production Innovation Call and enabled him to shoot dynamic fight scenes in a virtual environment. This year, Ian is pushing his skills further, taking on intricate time-lapse sequences for his latest project, “Time Apart”.

27. The skills framework empowers aspiring media professionals like Ian to grow, adapt, and thrive with new technologies.

28. I’d like to share another story. Mohammad Ghufran Bin Mohd Jasni, a Nitec graduate in Digital Audio and Video Production, Ghufran started his journey as a freelance crew member. He worked as a lighting grip on the movie “A Land Imagined” in 2018 and as a gaffer on “Wonderland”, released earlier this year in August. Drawn to virtual production, he became a gaffer for “18”, a short film by Rojak City, where he coordinated physical set lighting with lighting from the LED volume to create realistic shadows and reflections. After attending AP Media’s Virtual Production Masterclass, Ghufran secured a gaffer role in “Mothernet”, an upcoming virtual production film set in the future.

29. To further grow our pool of talent, we will launch more company-led apprenticeships. This is aligned with the skills framework, to deliver hands-on practical training, ensuring our media talent is prepared for the industry. Through structured on-the-job training, apprentices will get to hone their craft and gain industry exposure by working on projects under the guidance of experienced mentors.

30. To start, IMDA will partner with 7 companies to offer over 70 apprenticeship opportunities across content production, business management and technical roles.

Conclusion

31. Let me conclude. The Asia TV Forum and Market, and the Singapore Media Festival, are more than just marketplaces. They are platforms for networking and collaborations.

32. As Asia’s entertainment content industry grows, Singapore will be your partner to tell our stories to the world, and for the world to find discover the talents and gems here in Asia.

33. Today, we are taking an important step to do so by investing in the future of media – our professionals so that they are equipped with the right skills, technology, tools and platforms to excel in this dynamic story.

34. I invite all of you participating in this Forum – content creators, network executives, technologists – to be part of this journey. Leverage opportunities at this festival. Explore partnerships. Engage with our talent and continue telling our stories for many generations to come.

35. And lastly, let me once again congratulate ATF on your Silver Jubilee. We look forward to many more years of success.

36. Thank you so much.