The 20th edition of the event closed off on December 6th, having welcomed over 5700 content players from 60 countries, which left behind an array of announcements and deals.
The 20th Asia TV Forum & Market, Asia’s leading entertainment content and conference, closed off on a strong note on December 6th, 2019, with a congregation of more than 5,700 content players from 60 countries and regions.
Against a backdrop of changing tides, this continued growth reflects industry confidence in the annual affair, which was co-located with the 9th ScreenSingapore.
Yeow Hui Leng, Group Project Director of ATF and ScreenSingapore said: “With the ever-changing industry landscape and consumption patterns, coupled with the rise of Asia, this year’s theme – ‘Streaming the Future’, serves as a timely reminder that content remains king in the new digital era of streaming platforms.”
“ATF is committed to put out the best in class content where delegates can gain fresh insights and partnerships to navigate the dynamic entertainment content landscape.“
Continued growth at ATF and ScreenSingapore even amid industry changes
Compared to 2018, the event saw a 5% growth in size. Key Asian brands and major international studios in attendance included CBS Studios International, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Television, The Walt Disney Company, Viacom International Studios and Warner Bros. International Television Distribution.
In line with the theme of “Streaming the Future”, there was a huge increase in the number of digital platforms participating at ATF, such as Alibaba Youku, Baidu Haokan, Google Play, Hoichoi, HOOQ, iQIYI, Netflix, Viu and Youtube.
To bring in-development projects and co-productions to fruition, ATF introduced “Speed Dating with Commissioners” this year, where producers and production companies had a chance to share their concepts for animation, factual entertainment, scripted fiction and short-form with commissioners seeking fresh programmes. This new initiative is part of ATF’s commitment to pave the way for opportunities and facilitate business dealings.
Underpinning ATF and ScreenSingapore’s position as an important platform where deals are sealed, the market was abuzz with a host of deals and partnerships made by groups like 108 Media, B Water Animation, HBO Go, IMDA, Tencent, Nippon TV and more.
Over 110 industry experts delivered insights at ATF conference
ATF and ScreenSingapore 2019 commenced with the ATF Leaders’ Summit (3 December), where opinion leaders shared insights about the digital future of entertainment content, and how Asia Pacific continues to keep up. Keynote speakers included Gong Yu, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of iQIYI, Shibasish Sarkar, Group CEO of Reliance Entertainment and Giorgio Stock, President, WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks, Distribution & Advertising Sales (EMEA & APAC).
Content Connection (4 December) placed the spotlight on scripted and unscripted formats up for deals by top sellers. Asian and international buyers caught a glimpse of the best Asia has to offer, with sessions focusing on fresh content from countries such as China, India and Korea, as well as the appearance of Thai superstar, actor, singer and model, James Jirayu, for the JKN Showcase: Thailand’s Big Hits session.
Production Day (5 December) saw a discussion that addressed production capabilities, where real issues and user cases were highlighted and presented to pave the way for capabilities advancement. Industry experts who shed light on the topic at the event include Deepak Dhar, CEO & Founder of Banijay and Quark Henares, Head of Globe Studios, who shared about co-production and financing; Vivek Bhutyani, CEO of Lattu Kids, Michel Rodrigue, CEO & Partner of The Format People and Leslie Lee, Vice President – Kids, WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks.
Opening doors to Asia and beyond for up-and-coming talents
In line with ATF and ScreenSingapore’s commitment to nurturing Asian talent, the ATF Animation, Chinese and Formats Pitches, along with the SAFF Project Market, made their comeback this year and named 11 projects as winners. These were backed by industry players and associations such as G.H.Y Culture & Media (ATF Chinese Pitch), Gold Green Animation Pvt Ltd (ATF Animation Pitch) and the Southeast Asian Audio-Visual Association (SAFF Project Market).
