MUMBAI: The Singapore media industry will consolidate its presence in the global arena under a unified front called “Singapore Media Fusion”, showcasing the industry’s collective richness and diversity at Mipcom 2006.

The project was initiated by Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) and developed in consultation with local industry players in a process spanning one year. It articulates the attributes of the media industry – the bold and creative energy inspired by the collision and fusion of different cultures in the cosmopolitan Asian city.

This year, fifteen Singapore companies will be showcasing their products and services at the Singapore pavilion, highlighting the country’s ability to work across the entire range of media activities and genres – from creative services to post-production capabilities, from live-action documentaries to animation series.

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MDA Chairman Dr Tan Chin Nam, said, ” In addition to lending consistency to the manner in which the Singapore media industry is represented and promoted, ‘Singapore Media Fusion’ enhances Singapore’s profile at the international level by projecting a unique voice that harnesses the collective strengths of our media industry, both in the traditional and new interactive digital media space. At the same time, local industry partners can also look to ‘Singapore Media Fusion’ as a common platform to showcase their success, one that helps us to achieve our goal of becoming a global media city.”

Commenting on the industry’s strategic positioning, Mr Tony Chow, Singapore’s Association of Independent Television Production Companies’ President said, “Singapore Media Fusion aptly describes the cultural diversity of our industry, and our position as an ideal East-West gateway.”

Concurrently, an online portal singaporemediafusion.com will be launched to cultivate an online community of local and international media practitioners who are interested in the Singapore media scene, whether they are seeking content, co-production partners or specialised media services.

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In the last couple of years, Singapore’s media industry has made significant inroads into the international market, with a slate of co-production projects with leading international players across various platforms, and an increasing demand for made-by-Singapore content.

Singapore’s media scene has never been more exciting. In content development, Singapore’s media companies have made strides in the global arena with leading international players including: House of Harmony, a Germany-Singapore telemovie production that premiered to close to seven million viewers in Germany on ZDF in October 2005; Secrets of Battleship Yamato, a US-Japan-Singapore television documentary which was beamed to households in US, Germany and across Asia; One Last Dance, a China-Singapore triad film thriller directed by Max Makowski and slated for release end of this year.

Increasing awareness and demand for Singapore-made content internationally saw Singapore showcasing its productions at Tous les Cinémas du Monde (All the Cinema of the World) during April’s Cannes Film Festival; Zodiac-The Race Begins, Singapore’s first 3-D animated full-length feature, was sold to more than 20 countries since it was launched at Cannes Film Market in 2005; PS I Luv U, Asia’s first made-for-mobile phone Mandarin drama serial produced by Singapore, has been acquired by telcos in six Asian countries.

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This year, Singapore’s animation house Scrawl Studios, sold its 2-D animated TV series Nanoboy to Thailand and South Korea, while 3-D animated series Katakune, a Singapore-China co-production, has been pre-sold to China’s CCTV.