Singapore’s Refinery Media has launched a global co-production fund that will allocate up to 50% of production budgets for projects exploring the use of virtual production in films, series and unscripted shows. The fund was revealed at Singapore’s Asia TV Forum and Market.
“Asia’s Next Top Model,” “SupermodelMe Revolution” and “The Century Egg” are among Refinery’s previous credits.
The fund, the amount of which has not been disclosed yet, invites global submissions from creators, and will select up to five projects annually that propose innovative uses of virtual production in any long form genre to co-finance. Applicants must have a minimum three years’ experience in long form productions. All proposals must be original and have strong potential to be carried on any major network or streaming platform.
Refinery has partnered with its sister company, X3D Studio, due to open in the first quarter of 2024, to offer state-of-the-art virtual production facilities in Singapore. Beyond financial support, selected projects gain collaboration opportunities with Refinery’s team of producers, directors and storytellers, and access to X3D Studio’s tech facilities.
The Singapore government has just unveiled a major enhancement of its existing virtual production fund. And the country’s Mediacorp is making its first foray into virtual production.
Karen Seah, CEO of Refinery Media, said: “We want to support creators in really pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in filmmaking today. As creators ourselves, we understand the constraints that productions face. This initiative aims to foster an inclusive production ecosystem guided by imagination and innovation, and provides creators with the extra push to realise their creative vision.”
Myke Brown, co-founder of X3D Studio, added: “X3D Studio is dedicated to collaborating with filmmakers globally who are keen on transcending traditional filmmaking boundaries through virtual production. This is the future of content creation.”
Suryahti Abdul Latiff, director of Singapore’s InfoComm Media Development Authority (IMDA), said: “We are excited to see Refinery Media and X3D Studio take the lead in this strategic initiative to foster collaborations and accelerate the usage of virtual production technology in Singapore and Asia. These efforts are aligned with the IMDA’s commitment to innovation and industry excellence.”
