The rapid advancement of technology has made animation and creative content industry a very lucrative economic enabler for the region said Datuk Ng Wan Peng, Chief Operating Officer of The Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC).
Noting the remarkable transformation of South East-Asia’s creative content industry over the last decade, Ng added that there is an emerging trend of production companies moving from outsourcing and co-production model, towards focusing on their original content for international consumption.
She commented this as MDEC welcome delegates to the latest edition of the Kre8tif! Conference & Content Festival today. Held in Cyberjaya, the two-day regional Conference brings together over 40 of the region’s leading creative practitioners in an exchange of ideas, knowledge sharing and future collaborative opportunities.
The Conference is part of the week-long Kre8tif Conference & Content Festival which kicked off on Sunday with a Kre8tif! Costume Fun Run, followed by the two-day Conference and will conclude with a Cyberjaya Multimedia Festival that is set to take place this weekend.
MDEC to the Creative Content Industry: “Create and Innovate More”
Inspired by the vibrant development of South East-Asia’s creative content industry, the Kre8tif! Conference this year is anchored on the theme “Kre8 Innov8”, emphasising the need for the industry to think differently and discover fresh innovative ideas that would put the region at the forefront of content creation.
Elaborating on the theme, Hasnul Hadi Samsudin, Vice President of Creative Content & Technologies Division at MDEC said, “In designing Kre8tif!, we paid considerable attention to how the Conference has become an important platform to address real expectations and needs for the industry. In the age of consumption, creative and technical boundaries will be tested and we want to be able to work collectively as an industry to give everyone the competitive advantage to create, produce and market high-quality content for the international market. It is our hope that Kre8tif! will continue to inspire creative exploration and innovation for years to come.”
The line-up this year is reflective of the forward growth that MDEC seek to inspire, featuring a mix of local and international speakers including Nizam Razak of Animonsta Studios (BoBoiBoy), Usamah Zaid of WAU Animation (Ejen Ali), Zeno Gabing of Giggle Garage, Hidehiko Kitajima of OLM Asia Sdn Bhd (Pokemon), Dongsu Jung of ICONIX (Pororo the Little Penguin) and more. Among the most anticipated sessions are the keynote on “VFX for Blockbusters” by Christopher Bremble of Base Media Group, “Transforming Theatre with Technology” by Puan Sri Tiara Jacquelina of Enfiniti Vision Media, and the panel session on “Expanding Your Licensing in SEA Region” with local studios heads.
Malaysian IPs Snag Lucrative Deals, Reaffirming Demand for Local Production
The opening ceremony also saw several high-impact intellectual properties (IPs) announcements by local production companies:
• Animasia Studio, the team behind Chuck Chicken, signing multiple licensing and merchandising partnership agreement with Australia’s Koala Popcorn to launch Chuck Chicken Popcorn, Malaysia’s Foodie4U to produce Chuck Chicken-themed biscuits, Spain’s Kidzworld SL to produce Chuck Chicken-themed sugar confectionery, and Malaysia’s MCM Studio Entertainment to develop an indoor theme park based in Johor
• LemonSky Animation, the creator of the “AstroLOLogy”, signing multiple international licensing and distribution deals with China’s LOTTA and Spain’s Imira Entertainment, and YouTube partnership via United States’s WildBrain and India’s YoBoHo New Media
• Primeworks Studios to co-develop new animation projects with three Malaysian studios; Blindspot Studios, Giggle Garage and the R&D Studio, as part of the company’s commitment to support Malaysia’s animation industry
• Wau Animation, the studio that produced Ejen Ali, and Primeworks Studios announcing the long-awaited Ejen Ali movie slated for a 2019 release following a successful run in 13 South-East Asian countries via Indonesia’s FTA MNCTV and Disney Channel Asia. The animation is also set to air its second season in Indonesia later this year
Praising local studios for adopting fresh approaches in promoting Malaysian IPs and capabilities at the international level, Yang Berhormat Gobind Singh Deo, the Communications and Multimedia Minister said, “Kre8tif! is an example of reciprocity on an international scale. We are proud of these home-grown studios as they continue to set the bar for the local industry to thrive and transcend borders through the infusion of our rich local culture and digital proliferation."
Cyberjaya Multimedia Festival Adds Colours to Kre8tif! 2018
Following the success of last year’s Content Festival, MDEC has partnered with city planner Setia Haruman to organise a community-focused content festival that also celebrates Cyberjaya’s influential role as a Multimedia city. Cyberjaya, which turned 20 in 2017, is home to MDEC and the Malaysia Animation and Creative Content Centre (MAC3) which incubated many of today’s most successful animations studios. The city remains a popular destination for those pursuing certification and career in creative content creation.
The weekend festival (11th and 12th August 2018) will showcase some of the best animated and digital media content from local and international companies, in addition to various family-fun activities.
