The Creative Media and Film Society of the Philippines
(CreaM) will conduct a free briefing for filmmakers on "The Asian Pitch," the
NHK-MediaCorp-KBS collaboration for independent directors who live and work in
Asia, to tell original stories from their respective countries.
Filmmakers and directors will be able to submit their ideas to create a new original documentary to be shot on HD (high definition). Three Asian broadcasters will commission the selected proposals to broadcast in their primetime slots and introduce to an international market. Premiere of the chosen documentaries will be at the Cannes Film Festival.
The free briefing will be held on January 16 (Wednesday) at the Bohol Function Room, Edsa Shangri-la Hotel, Mandaluyong City. Registration begins at 6 p.m.
The documentaries produced will be aired in three broadcast networks, NHK of Japan, KBS of Korea and Media Corp/Caldecott Productions in Singapore. If the pitch is approved, the cost of production will be shouldered by The Asia Pitch and aired at primetime slots of the networks. A total of 4 documentaries will be produced out of all the proposals/pitches.
CreaM was born out of a desire to address issues and recurring problems in the
film and animation sectors. Between complaints of the current state and
imminent decay of filmmaking and the crisis in the sub-contractual animation industry, it was evident that there was a need to invest in developing
creative capabilities. Upgrading technical knowledge must be supported to
promote the skills of the Filipino filmmaker and animator in the global market.
Imee Marcos, president of CreaM, points out: "My family has a long-
standing commitment to the arts and to the creative industries that produce
culture, educational material and entertainment. My mother [former First Lady
Imelda Marcos] built the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Folk Arts Theater,
established the first film festivals and even the National High School for the
Arts. I personally took charge of experimental cinema, which produced works
like Oro, Plata, Mata, Himala and Scorpio Nights. Recently
as a member of Congress, I authored most of the intellectual property,
anti-piracy, anti-censorship, film development, convergence and IT
legislations."
Deadline for submission of proposals is April 30, 2008. Proposals sent by mail should include a filled-in application form and a sample trailer . Directors can
submit any story that it is suitable for family viewing and caters to Asians and the international community. The Asian
Pitch will be held in Singapore at the end of July or early August 2008. All
short-listed directors will be given a free economy-class ticket and budget for two-night accommodation.
For more information, call Edwin of
Mowelfund at 727-1915.