FLY 2014, KAFA Cinematography Workshop & Pre-biz Training
Korean films are taking big strides into Southeast Asia with diverse training programs. Such ‘training programs’ range from discovering young aspiring film talents to offering Korean film technology workshops. Here is an overview of Korean film training programs currently taking place in Southeast Asia and a detailed exploration on its background.
FLY 2014 film workshop took place in Yangon, Myanmar
Last November, ASEAN-ROK Film Leaders Incubator: FLY 2014(FLY2014) took place in Yangon, Myanmar. FLY2014, co-organized by the
Busan Film Commission, Myanmar Motion Picture Development Department and the Asian Film Commissions Network (AFCNet) was launched with the purpose of discovering young aspiring film talents from Asia. Starting its first year in 2012, the workshop is now embracing its third edition. FLY is organized per following. The ten ASEAN countries including the Philippines, Myanmar, Singapore, and Korea selects 1-2 participants per country who are then regrouped into two teams. Then an online pre-production takes place, and each team submits an idea that is developed into a treatment. Each team is assigned to make a short film based on selected scripts. Meanwhile, participants undergo practical training which can be used on actual film sets. From techniques in handling digital cameras, lighting equipments such as HMI lamps, Kino Flo and tungsten lights, sound recording equipments like TASCAM HD-P2 and Rycote microphone windshields to using editing equipments such as Mac Pro and Final Cut Pro, the program provides a full walk-through in film production from shooting to post-production. A cash prize of USD 5,000 is given to 2 participants at the end of the training who performed exceptionally during the program.
FLY aspires to be a ‘moving film school’, and this is why the event is annually hosted by a different country. The ten ASEAN nations take turns each year to host FLY in their region. The first year was held in the Philippine’s Davao, the second in Thailand’s Huahin, and this year’s third edition was held in Myanmar’s Yangon. Meanwhile, participating countries advocating such FLY objectives are actively involved in the program with their support from each related government organization including Media Development Authority Singapore (MDA), National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS) and Thailand’s Department of Tourism’s Thailand Film Office (TFO).
FLY isn’t simply a program aiming to help young Asian filmmakers make two short films, but is one that ultimately aspires to create an active network among Asian filmmakers. Busan Film Commission Director OH Seok-geun emphasizes that the program should not be seen as a kind of “aid to film students from Southeast Asian regions”, adding “It is FLY’s goal for Korea to provide a place for interchange where young Asian filmmakers can share and move forward”. In other words, FLY’s objectives are not about providing resources and passing on film technology, but creating a cooperative system between Korea’s and Southeast Asia’s film industry. Proving scholarship support to a selective number of trainees since its first edition and offering participants the opportunity to be a part of follow-up connected workshops are the result of such contemplations. Among this year’s trainees, twelve finalists will be attending a follow-up connected program ‘FLY2014 in Higasikawa’ held in Sapporo, Japan. The follow-up program’s organizer was replaced by the Sapporo-Hokkaido Contents Strategy Organization (SHOCS) from the Screen Authority Sapporo (SAS). Director OH Seok-geun stressed the program’s ambitions to have the ten ASEAN countries host FLY in turns in addition to expanding the program into an Asian film school as a broader arena for training and exchange. He also explained he is seriously considering to “create an integrated system between the Busan International Film Festival’s Asian Film Academy (AFA), the Busan Film Commission’s FLY, and the
Korean Film Council’s
Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA)”.
KAFA+ conducts a cinematography workshop in Vietnam
KAFA+ also held a film training program recently in Southeast Asia. From November 22nd-29th, KAFA+ held a week-long 2014 KAFA+ Global Cinematography Workshop in Da Nang and Hoi An, Vietnam. This workshop was organized with the purpose of encouraging exchange between Korean and Southeast Asian filmmakers.
KIM Hyeong-gu, DP of
The Host (2006, dir. BONG Joon-ho) and
LEE Doo-man, DP of
May 18 (2007, dir. KIM Ji-hoon) were invited as instructors to pass on their expertise on film cinematography to Vietnamese film talents.
KAFA+ also conducted a week-long KAFA+ Global Indonesia Pre-biz Training Program from June 8th-14th in Jakarta, Indonesia. As the first major event since the signing of Korea and Indonesia’s MOU for Creative Industries in 2013, the program was organized to promote the exchange between various fields of the two nations. Especially with the Indonesian government including film into its creative industries in 2012, co-productions are becoming a heated issue and possibilities for collaboration between Korea and Indonesia are on the rise. The Indonesia Pre-biz Training Program ultimately aimed for market expansion and development. Indonesia is a fairly substantial market with much room for growth as it retains a population of 250 million, and a film industry with considerable potential. And this is the very reason why the Pre-biz Training Program takes on great meaning. As of June 2014, the total number of screens in Indonesia is listed as 780, spread over in just 55 theaters across 538 cities nationwide, suggesting a large potential for the local Indonesian market. This is the reason why Korean film companies such as
CJ E&M and
Lotte Entertainment are paying keen attention to Indonesia.
The Korean film training programs offered to Southeast Asian countries are generating positive results. A young Indonesian producers’ gathering was launched this year which goes by the name of Association of Indonesian Film Producers(APROFI), who signed an MOU with Korea’s Producers Guild of Korea(PGK) and discussed various ways of promoting exchange during this year’s
Busan International Film Festival. Furthermore, the two DPs KIM Hyeong-gu and LEE Doo-man who attended the KAFA+ Global Vietnam Cinematography Workshop, developed relationships with Vietnamese film talents to offer practical assistance for future endeavors.
Likewise, the Korean film industry’s interest in Southeast Asia is due to the conviction that their film industry will expand like Korea once did. With industrialization lying ahead, the Indonesian market resembles Korea’s film industry during the 1990s. There are indications that the government will lift the Negative List which was a major setback to Indonesia’s economy. Once there is capital inflow and a reinforcement of the industry’s infrastructure, prospects for growth is quite bright for Indonesia. Maintaining and further developing a network with Indonesia’s local film professionals will enable the Korean film industry to find new breakthroughs. Not only that, it also opens the doors for market expansion. Korean film industry’s overseas activity used to rely heavily on the U.S. and Chinese market. However, both markets have become too big in addition to a number of competitions from other countries to enjoy any substantial range of selection. At the moment, Southeast Asia seems to be on a roll and will probably open a new chapter for the Korean film industry if Korea takes the initiative to create collaborative models with various regions. This is why training programs based on practical collaboration between two countries are actively being organized. KAFA+’s DOH Dong-joon predicted that “Southeast Asia’s overall conditions including population, film industry’s potential, and film professionals’ strong will power are already satisfied. With more exchange between Korea and Southeast Asia, I am sure a new film market can be developed”.
Images provided by Busan Film Commission