Archived News 2006
Singapore and New Zealand companies announce first film collaboration
19th June 2006
Media release issued by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, 19 June 2006
The first feature film co-production between Singapore-based MediaCorp Raintree Pictures and New Zealand's Eyeworks Touchdown was announced yesterday in Auckland, New Zealand, attended by New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during his visit to New Zealand.
The companies intend to produce two films, the New Zealand-based Tattooist and Singapore-based Altar. Tattooist, will be the first full-length feature film for New Zealand director, Peter Burger, whose reputation has been built over many years as an award-winning commercial director.
"The signing of this letter of intent with Eyeworks Touchdown is the culmination of work undertaken over the past three years to identify a suitable partner to develop commercial projects which will travel outside of Asia," said Daniel Yun, CEO MediaCorp Raintree Pictures.
"When you consider the array of award-winning talent and infrastructure, New Zealand presents a very compelling proposition as a creative partner."
MediaCorp Raintree Pictures was set up in 1998 and is Singapore's pioneering movie company, having already produced 19 feature films. MediaCorp Raintree Pictures has previously shown its interest and commitment to New Zealand films when it took on the Singapore distribution of The World's Fastest Indian.
For Eyeworks Touchdown, the focus of attention has been on Asia and in finding a strategic partner with whom they could build a sustainable commercial model. "Both Singapore and New Zealand markets by themselves are small. We believe we can use specific elements from each of our cultures to develop unique stories for the international market," said Julie Christie, CEO, Eyeworks Touchdown.
"We have been looking to develop a partnership that can yield dividends for not just one project, but over a period of time, and to enable a new set of specialist expertise and relationships to evolve that can also benefit the broader New Zealand industry. We regard our collaboration with MediaCorp Raintree Pictures as a long-term, slate-focussed agreement that will further enhance both New Zealand and Singaporean filmmaking capabilities."
Eyeworks Touchdown, founded in New Zealand in 1991 as Touchdown Productions, has become New Zealand’s leading entertainment television production company and the country’s market leader in broad appeal entertainment programmes. With consistent ratings success on major channels in New Zealand, Australia and the USA, the company has only recently expanded into drama and film, and already has three films in development.
New Zealand's film industry is maintaining its momentum after a very successful year in 2005 with some industry observers already describing New Zealand as Hollywood's home away from home. Films such as King Kong, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and The World's Fastest Indian, are just a selection of recent movies that showcase the depth of filmmaking and storytelling ability that exists and thrives in New Zealand.
Given the global nature of the film industry, all of these films had part or full financing from international investors, which reflects a further sign of confidence in New Zealand's capacity to successfully establish global alliances in filmmaking.
The New Zealand government - through Investment New Zealand, in conjunction with the New Zealand Film Commission and the national locations office Film New Zealand - actively markets New Zealand as a business partner and location for filming.
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise has played a key role in facilitating this first New Zealand/Singapore feature film co-production providing assistance to both parties including a Strategic Investment Fund grant to Eyeworks Touchdown to develop projects in Asia.
"This co-production marks another important milestone in the creative partnerships that are developing between Singapore and New Zealand," said Rob Skinner, Creative Industries - Asia, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. "With a co-production agreement in place since 2004, we are actively seeking to develop new partnerships which benefit the media industries in both countries," he added.
Reprinted by Film New Zealand with permission of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
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