108 Media Explains Why Singapore Is Becoming a Hub For Creative Talent in Asia
The Singaporean film industry is emerging as a strong competitor to Hollywood and other creative talent hubs. Singaporean firm 108 Media Corp is going to share some insights.
When you think about movies and the film industry, you might first think about Hollywood (USA), or perhaps London (UK) or Mumbai (India.) Yet 108 Media Corp notes that the city-state of Singapore in South East Asia has emerged as a major hub for both talent and production and is establishing itself as a leading destination for creative industries in Asia.
“Singapore has emerged as a leader in the Asian film industry, and the industry is making its presence felt global as well,” a spokesperson for 108 Media Corp says. “A lot of talent has emerged locally, and Singapore can also draw upon global talent. Support from the public and private sectors has helped creative industries grow, including but not limited to film.”
When Lucasfilm sought to diversify and set up a large office outside the United States, the famed film company ultimately chose Singapore. Lucasfilm now resides in a stunning “Sandcrawler” shaped building, drawing on one of the iconic images in the first “Star Wars: A New Hope” film. When deciding upon Singapore, Lucasfilm cited the local talent base as one of the biggest draws.
Local talent has indeed been a key ingredient for the success of Singapore’s creative industries, and efforts to support and expand talent have also played a vital role.
108 Media Talks About Local Efforts to Grow Creative Talent
Singapore is a relatively small city-state spread out over just 728 square kilometers of land, which is a bit smaller than New York City. Singapore is home to roughly 5.6 million people, of which just over 4 million are residents while many of the rest are immigrants.
An immigration policy that encourages talent to relocate to Singapore has buoyed creative industries by allowing Singapore to find skilled labor, such as actors and film production staff, the world over. As skilled workers relocate to the city-state, some skills end up transferred to local workers as well.
“Singapore’s relatively open immigration policy has helped increase the overall quality local creative industries and has attracted not just talent, but funding from abroad as well,” a spokesperson for 108 Media Corp suggests. “Of course, it’s important to make sure that locals are plugged into the film industry and that we grow local talent and skills as well. This is true not just in film, but other industries as well.”
Speaking of local support, the Singapore Film Commission has previously sponsored programs providing funding to Singaporeans who direct and produce movies. One program offered up to 250,000 Singaporean dollars (SGD) for local directors to fund homegrown movies, for example.
In 2019, the Singaporean government launched a 20 million SGD effort to entice media investment funds to set up shop locally.
Investment funds should ultimately support both local and international film projects, further cementing Singapore as a global leader in the film industry.
The high-quality of life in the city-state and excellent local education facilities and infrastructure should also ensure that the city-state continues to draw in global talent while also developing domestic talent.
“Creative talent is in many ways blossoming in Singapore, not just in film but other creative industries as well, and we’re proud to do our part to support that growth,” a spokesperson for 108 Media Corp says.
