Key Note by YBHG. Datuk Badlisham Ghazali,CEO, MDeC
This is a historical moment for MDeC and the Malaysian creative digital content industry. The MSC Malaysia Kre8tif! Digital Content Conference is MDeC's first digital content conference of this nature and it is also a first for Malaysia.
Our aim during the birth and when conceptualising this conference was to provide a platform for the exchange of digital creative content technical insights and expertise among the local and international creative community. We have amongst us the world's leading experts in the field and for that we are truly very fortunate.
Their presence here at this conference will give our own local talents the privilege of access to the most creative minds in the industry that would contribute to their own growth and maturity to take their passions and talents to the next level. And this is perfectly encapsulated in the theme of the conference - "Infinite Minds, Unlimited Passions".
Through this conference, our objective was to further strengthen Malaysia's position as a strategic point for talent resource, as well as a perfect location for outsourcing and engaging of co-production partners. Of course, we also have the ultimate aim of further promoting and elevating the creative content industry in Malaysia.
This MSC Malaysia Kre8tif! Digital Content Conference is being hosted under the auspices of the MSC Malaysia Animation and Creative Content Centre programme also known as MAC3, the nucleus in the development of the digital creative content industry in Malaysia, which was recently launched by the Prime Minister. The programme also acts as a think tank to provide industry and strategic inputs for the development of the creative multimedia industry through policies and strategic initiatives.
The MAC3 programme is part of the overall FIVE strategic thrust areas of the MSC Malaysia Creative Multimedia Content Initiative or M-CMCI which was launched in 2006. They are:
i. the establishment of Digital Media Zones
ii. the forming of strategic alliances with content distributors locally and globally
iii. the focus on funding Intellectual Property
iv. the provision of skills development programmes
v. the provision of accessible content infrastructure
The programme is set up to help and inspire artists, scientists and the general public with opportunities in content creation and commercialization whilst exploring how the partnership between public and private entities will boost the industry to greater heights.
In order to complement this initiative, the RM75 million MAC3 Co-Production Fund was established to focus on local and foreign co-production. This fund offers a maximum grant of RM5 million per deal and MDeC is targeting 15 projects over the next two years and is currently evaluating three significant animation projects. With co-production, Malaysian players are exposed to the whole value chain, including marketing, distributorship and merchandising. These represent valuable opportunities to gain experience and to create jobs.
The Malaysian creative industry was recently given another boost when the Prime Minister recently announced in the 2010 budget tabling that the Government aims to promote and develop the creative industry through the formulation of a comprehensive Creative Industry Policy, the establishing of a RM200 million Creative Industry Fund and the establishing of the Tabung Kebajikan Penggiat Seni.
MDeC supports the Government's introduction of the Creative Industry Fund as this will definitely spur more rapidly the growth of the creative industry in general, and complement the needs of the creative multimedia industry that MDeC is promoting.
The RM200 million Creative Industry Fund, which is to finance activities such as film and drama productions, music, animation, advertisements and local content development, will further complement the M-CMCI initiatives under MDeC.
The MSC Malaysia Kre8tif! Digital Content Conference includes avenues and channels for recognition and mentorship, through two key extended components of the conference, the MSC Malaysia Kre8tif! Industry Awards and the X|Media|Lab.
With all these components of the conference, participants will have the opportunity to engage with prominent speakers from the local and international creative scene and be exposed to the creative industry's offerings on a wider scale.
Being the first time that this initiative is being carried out, I am proud to say that we have garnered quite a number of local and international participation. With this encouraging response and the attention that Kre8tif! is receiving, we envision that this conference will become an annual affair and one of the many exciting programs in MSC Malaysia's calendar.
Before I end, I would like to once again extend our utmost appreciation and gratitude to Yang Berhormat Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Johnity Ongkili for gracing this launch. Your presence here, signifying the Government's support and commitment to the industry, is a boost for us to strive in 'creating content for the world'.