TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) has announcement EMERGE, a Chinese-language content development program in which Oscar-winning director Ron Howard’s Imagine Entertainment will mentor Taiwanese filmmakers in series development.
One of the goals of the program, according to TAICCA, is to introduce the time-tested process of Hollywood content development to Taiwan and help filmmakers take advantage of the opportunities that have arisen with the popularization of streaming platforms. “While this increase in demand has created opportunities for local productions globally, it has also created a pipeline to discover and identify new talent to meet market demands.”
TAICCA added that EMERGE will give Taiwanese creators the opportunity to “maximize their talents to meet the challenges of a competitive global market.” Five teams of filmmakers will work with Imagine Entertainment, along with Sixty Percent Productions, a Hong Kong-based company specializing in Asian content, in an intensive 20-week workshop to develop their stories.
In a video introduction, Howard said he and his team “have built on these great collaborations and relationships with creative talent, and we’ve all grown from those working relationships. Whether it’s a series or a movie, we know it’s hard work, but also a collaboration, that produces some truly memorable and successful programs.” He added, “We’re excited for this opportunity to share what we know and also to learn from talented screenwriters and directors in Taiwan.”
TAICCA CEO Izero Lee (李明哲) said, “The current state of the international content market has intensified the competition between content produced in each country. Therefore, if the Taiwanese film and television industry can increase its production of high-quality original content, it can increase its chances of successfully tapping into commercial markets.
Lee said TAICCA looks forward to Imagine Entertainment and Sixty Percent Productions “sharing their unrivaled knowledge of the international market with the local industry.”
The program is open for applications until July 31. Screenwriters or writing teams who submit their Chinese-language development series will be selected by Imagine Entertainment and Sixty Percent Productions to participate in the program.