Malaysian film industry set to soar with Iskandar Malaysia as base

Source from ~ http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/business/article/malaysian-film-industry-set-to-soar-with-iskandar-malaysia-as-base

The Malaysian film industry is set scale new heights over the next five years with a large inflow of production companies servicing it and with Iskandar Malaysia as its base.

Iskandar Malaysia Studios Sdn Bhd Chief Executive Officer Michael Peter Lake said the growth is timely and in line with the government's aspirations to further develop the creative content and communication media industries.

"The government is also very supportive of the 'Film in Malaysia' incentive, which is a big plus factor towards attracting production houses.

"I am very bullish now over the potential of the industry within Iskandar," he added.

The 'Film in Malaysia' incentive offers a 30% rebate to foreign production houses that spend a minimum of RM5 million in Malaysia.

Local production companies that spend at least RM2.5 million will be entitled to the same benefit.

Japan-based Imagica Corp and Khazanah Nasional Bhd have formed a joint-venture (JV), Imagica South East Asia Sdn Bhd (Imagica SEA), to establish the first international post-production facility at Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios in Iskandar Malaysia with a RM9 million investment.

Imagica International will hold a 49% equity interest in Imagica SEA with the balance held by Candelon Ventures Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned special purpose vehicle of Khazanah.

Lake said companies can take advantage of the fully–integrated facilities within Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios which include five film sound stages over 100,000 square feet, the broadest range of post facilities under one roof, two 12,000 square feet high-definition equipped television studios and other support services.

Meanwhile, Imagica President Yukihiro Fujikawa said it was an exciting time to be in the region as the film industry was booming and that the company planned to tap the available potential.

He said Imagica was offering comprehensive and highly creative digital post-production services as well as the transfer of technical know-how to create more skilled players in the industry.

Apart from post-production activities, Fujikawa said the company would also commence digital distribution services such as Digital Cinema Delivery and Digital Distribution Management, alongside archiving and restoration services from its Iskandar-based post-production facility.

The services will be available starting next month.

Among notable post-productions works by Imagica is the film "Kagemusha" by the famous Japanese director, the late Akira Kurosawa and an animation short film, "Tsumiki No Ie", which won an Academy Award for Animated Short Film in 2009.

Source from ~ http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/business/article/malaysian-film-industry-set-to-soar-with-iskandar-malaysia-as-base

Iskandar film talents initiatives

Source from ~ http://www.nst.com.my/life-times/showbiz/iskandar-film-talents-initiatives-1.473983

Aspiring as well as experienced personnel from the film industry can now sign up for the Iskandar Malaysia Creative Industry Talent Development Programme, writes Aref Omar

IN an ongoing effort to boost the local creative industries, the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) has collaborated with Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios (PIMS) to present the Iskandar Malaysia Creative Industry Talent Development Programme (IMCITDP).

The second batch of courses under the programme was recently launched, and is aimed at training and strengthening the levels of professionalism and skills among film production personnel especially in various aspects of international filmmaking.

INTENSIVE COURSES

During a Press conference held at University of Kuala Lumpur (UniKL), IRDA chief executive, Datuk Ismail Ibrahim, explained that 30 intensive courses will be offered covering filmmaking skills that include production management, arts department, casting, location management and management techniques for film.

There will also be master classes, made up of short courses in screenwriting and adaptation, cinematography, production design, global producing and working with distributors.

“The first batch of 146 trainees graduated on May 28 last year after undergoing 10 weeks of intensive vocational training from international industry experts in hairdressing, make-up, wardrobe management, production accounting, set construction, grip and electrical departments,” he said.

Ismail added that many of the graduates have been employed on local and international productions as well as by local small and medium enterprises.

“In meeting the projected talent requirements of incoming foreign productions, some of the courses taught to the first batch of trainees are now offered by accredited training centres under the Department of Skills Development since the fourth quarter of last year.”

“IRDA will continue working with the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia, film and creative industry associations, vocational schools and institutions of higher learning, in particular UniKL, to encourage more Malaysians to take up these skills,” he said.

The event was launched by National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) director-general, Raja Rozaimie Raja Dalnish Shah, on behalf of Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek, who was unable to attend.

Rozaimie said the programme would boost the creative industries sector, which has been identified as one of the nine economic sectors under the Economic Transformation Programme by the government as being a key contributor to increasing the country’s Gross National Income through investments and job creation.

He added that the government’s initiatives in the creative industries sector was expected to increase the contribution to gross national income to RM3 billion by 2020 and will create 10,422 employment opportunities.
 

INTEGRATED PRODUCTION FACILITY

Located in the Iskandar region of Johor, PIMS is a fully integrated production facility offering five film sound stages, two HD TV studios and state-of-the-art post-production facilities, which is set to become the region’s hub for international productions.

PIMS chief executive officer, Michael Lake, said that these courses will be held in collaboration with the MET Film School from the United Kingdom, which brings to the programme their network of experienced and qualified mentors and trainers.

Lake added: This year marks the school’s first Malaysian initiative and they will share extensive knowledge of international film production, course development and delivery to train, up-skill, and develop the local talents and workforce to international film production standards.”

The first of the 30 courses for the second batch — Breaking into International Filmmaking: Production Assistant Seminar — was held recently in Johor Baru and will be conducted again on Feb 15 to 16 in Kuala Lumpur.

The rest of the courses, each ranging from two to six weeks, will be conducted at various times in JB and KL, starting from Feb 17.

All courses under the second batch will be completed by end of July and although spots are limited, the public is encouraged to register via the website www.iskandar-film-training.com.my, which also features the courses’ exact dates and locations.

The organisers are targeting 800 participants in total for the second batch.

Candidates must meet the pre-requisites as listed on the website and will be selected through an interview process for the full-time courses, which are free of charge. Those who want to equip themselves with cross-skills training from their current industry to filmmaking are also encouraged to apply.

The first batch saw a number of participants who underwent cross-skills training — carpenters for set construction and electricians for the lighting department.

For the Location Management course commencing on Feb 17, the organisers are not only looking for people from the industry but also tourist guides and even photographers.

Visit www.iskandar-film-training.com.my and www.facebook.com/IMCITDP for more details.

Source from ~ http://www.nst.com.my/life-times/showbiz/iskandar-film-talents-initiatives-1.473983

Johor to become Malaysia's ‘chocolate state’

Source from ~ http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2014/01/09/Johor-chocolate-state/

GELANG PATAH: Johor wants to become the “chocolate state” in the country by developing and positioning itself at the key chocolate hub in Malaysia and the region.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said it was possible to achieve the status based on the cocoa industry in the state, which was dynamic and vibrant.

“As the key chocolate hub in the region, Johor will play a bigger role in the cocoa and the chocolate-making related downstream activities,’’ he said on Thursday.

Mohamed Khaled said this in a press conference at the opening of Guan Chong Bhd’s RM55mil industrial chocolate facility – GCB Specialty Chocalates Sdn Bhd at the Port of Tanjung Pelepas industrial zone here.

He said presently Malaysia has a cocoa grinding capacity of 300,000 tonnes annually, of which about 85% of the grinding capacity was based in Johor.

Mohamed Khaled said the RM816mil investment from the world’s famous chocolate maker, the US-based Hershey Company to set up a plant in Senai, Johor Baru as the start of achieving the chocolate hub status.

“The company’s investment in Johor is the single-largest investment in Asia to date and its Johor plant will be the distribution centre for the Asian region,’’ he said.

Mohamed said the Hershey factory in Johor is expected to be completed in 2015, and the investment would create more than 400 job opportunities for locals.

He said apart from Hershey, which had invested in Johor last year, there would be another international chocolate company to set up a plant in the state this year.

Mohamed Khaled declined to divulge more details on the new investment including the company’s name whether it was a European or US-based chocolate company.

“Don’t worry, we will reveal to you (the media) when the time is right,’’ he said adding that it was becoming more challenging to attract new investments as Johor continue to face competition from other states and countries in the region.

Source from ~ http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2014/01/09/Johor-chocolate-state/

MALAYSIA – Meetings on the Desaru Coast

Source from ~ http://www.ttgmice.com/article/malaysia-meetings-on-the-desaru-coast/

Desaru Coast, Malaysia’s first luxury integrated destination located on the south-eastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia, will open in 2015. Visitors will find a choice of top-name hotels including Sheraton Desaru Resort, Aman Country Club and Aman Villas, two aquatic theme parks, two championship golf courses, a hospitality school, a waterfront retail village and a state-of-the-art convention centre.

Strategically located at the heart of the Desaru Coast development, the Desaru Convention Centre offers banqueting and exhibition space for up to 1,000 guests, on top of meeting rooms, pre-function areas and VIP lounges.

Source from ~ http://www.ttgmice.com/article/malaysia-meetings-on-the-desaru-coast/