FILMART and EntertainmentPulse, organised by the Hong Kong Trade
Development Council (HKTDC), assembled more than 7,300 leading entertainment
figures from 41 countries and regions all over the world. From March 13-16, 2023, the
four-day content marketplace successfully showcased a great variety of
cross-media, cross-genre content and brought numerous business opportunities
for participants. The confident global exhibitors and buyers were delighted to
network in person. “This is my first time attending FILMART. HKTDC helped line
up over 10 business matching meetings which are all helpful in establishing
business contacts and develop new opportunities. I’m sure some would come to
fruition with follow ups,” said Ms Jean Dong, Founder & Chairman of Zespa
Media Group, based in London and Beijing.
Over 700 exhibitors from 30 countries and
regions gathered at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC)
for Asia’s largest cross-media and cross-industry film and TV entertainment
trade expo. The Mainland China exhibitor tally at FILMART exceeded 330, a record,
including the three major streaming platforms – iQIYI, Tencent
and Youku. The revived physical marketplace was as vibrant and active as
in the past, reuniting industry players from all around the globe for business
partnerships.
Innovation and technology had a strong presence,
as the Hong Kong Animation & Digital Entertainment Pavilion at
FILMART gathered more than 30 local companies offering animation, digital
effects and interactive media – the three major digital entertainment areas – to
promote innovative technology development. Their innovations included creative
content rendered through digital effects and Web 3. EntertainmentPulse,
the concurrent conference series of FILMART, featured a dedicated session on
Web3 in the entertainment industry, whose leaders also discussed the prospects
and potential of Asian content, the hype behind dating and romance reality
shows, and Chinese donghua (animation) as soft power.
Growing
interest in dating and romance reality shows
Dating and romance reality shows are not new to
the TV landscape but are finding great success once again. During the Love
Story Wanted: Hype behind Dating and Romance Reality Show session, Mr
Yosuke Muramoto, Director and Chief Producer of YD Creation, described how
to captivate audiences: “The question is ‘What is true love?’. But how many
people amongst the viewers could answer that? This is truly the topic that
everyone wants to know and what keeps the viewers coming back.”.
Web3
redefines engagement in the entertainment industry
The entertainment industry is fuelled by
creativity, and technology can accelerate its development. The latest
breakthrough innovation is Web3, which makes entertainment more
realistic and engaging. In the session Uncovering the Application of Web3 in
Entertainment Industry, Ms Jenefer Brown, EVP and Head of Global
Products and Experiences of Lionsgate, discussed how brands should engage
consumers with Web3: “We should approach it in the way that fans could
understand and avoid the technical terminologies. The way we market it and
engage with fans should always be very simplified. The key to success is to
make it feel trusted, understandable and not complicated. The more steps
involved, the more people we lose.”
New era for Hong Kong Movies
Several Hong Kong productions have broken Hong
Kong box-office records recently. In Dialogue with Hong Kong Directors: The
Spring of Hong Kong Movies? renowned Hong Kong film directors including Mr
Sunny Chan of Table of Six, Ms Judy Chu of Sunshine of My
Life, and Mr Jack Ng of A Guilty Conscience (which became the
highest-grossing Hong Kong film), reflected on the city’s cinematic success. Mr
Ng said: “It is the script that gives confidence to the investors and actors.
Without the script, we cannot go anywhere.”
Numerous special events announcing exciting
titles
This year’s FILMART again received strong
support from major local film and TV companies, organising press conferences as
well as on-site booths. Emperor Motion Pictures invited more than 80 movie
stars and industry leaders to announce upcoming productions at a press
conference, including Under Current, Customs Frontline and New
Police Story 2. In addition, PCCW Media Limited's MakerVille and Viu
also held a press conference to announce boy band Mirror’s first film WE 12.
A large-scale release conference organised by Muse Communications
showcased a wide range of Japanese anime, including the big hit Demon Slayer.
FILMART online platforms open until April 15
The online FILMART portal is accessible until April
15, so that users can revisit all the exciting content from EntertainmentPulse
and use the direct messaging function offered through the FILMART online
platform.
