Thailand signs 22 International MOUs @ Creative Collaboration 2011

The Software Industry Promotion Agency (SIPA) recently organized Creative Collaboration 2011 to promote Thai Digital Content Industry in the global market. The event saw 16 Thai companies sign MOUs with 20 international partners resulting in 22 MOUs covering animation, games, software, licensing and education fields. Creative Collaboration 2011 was supported by the Thai government under the Creative Thailand project, The Minister of information and communication technology (MICT), and Software Industry Promotion Agency (SIPA). Silpakorn University was selected to be the event organizer Sripatum’s Kamon Jirapong was the advisor to the project.

The MOU partners were as follow:

•    AMADIVA Thailand and Hipwell Animation

•    Anya Animation Thailand and Wild Boar Media Inc., USA

•    CWITE Thailand and VINASA, Vietnam and ICTBA, Cambodia

•    Debuz Thailand & IEM Consulting, Germany

•    Forever Best Idea Thailand & SSAK C&M, S.Korea

•    Gmotif Thailand & FatCheez, Malaysia

•    Imagine Thailand & Asia Media Animation, Malaysia

•    King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) Thailand & NAPT, Laos PDR

•    Machobiz Thailand & Star Cluster China

•    Novaleaf Thailand & JCC, Singapore

•    Novaleaf Thailand & FatCheez, Malaysia

•    Ring Zero Thailand & IEM Consulting, Germany & Just-A-Game, Germany

•    Sripatum University Thailand & Shandong, China / STUT, Taiwan

•    Silptorn Animation Thailand & Snap Creative, Malaysia

•    Studio Hive Thailand & Grasshopper, Japan

•    TIGA Thailand & Anhui Time Anime Company Limited, China

•    Urbanice Thailand  & AnimationXpress

•    Vithita Animation & CIBN Group, China / Key Asylum, USA

Dr. Niracharapa Tongdhamachart (June), SIPA shared, “The purpose of the Creative Collaboration 2011 is to support Thai companies to collaborate with international partners that not only will benefit their companies to grow sustainably, but also help strengthen the Thai local content industry. In 2011 we want to penetrate into the International markets through international collaborations with other countries. We can’t go alone and also the market size of Thailand is very small. The population of just 60 million people is not enough. For the same we are dealing with many countries including Canada, France, Singapore, Japan, Vietnam and Malaysia. The next event this year focusing on this sector would be Digital Art in October- November in Pattaya. This would be organized by the agency under Prime Minister’s office.

Imagine Design and Asia Media Animation to co-produce animated series, Squatting Tiger

Thailand’s Imagine Design and Malaysia’s Asia Animation signed the MOU for an animated series, Squatting Tiger. The target market of the property is Asia. Reggie Lee, a famous Malaysian comic writer will be writing the script of the series. The companies shared that they wanted a story which had a human touch and very strong Asian values. The budget of the entire series is approx. Ringgit 10 million.

Hipwell and Amadiva to co-develop live action cum animated series, ACE

Both the companies signed an MOU to develop a children TV series, ACE (13episodes x 11 mins) which is live- action cum animation. Hipwell International Production services (Australia) will take care of the live action while Amadiva (Thailand) will be handling the CG of the series. The companies are still in talks for the total budget of the series. The story is about a young boy who has a normal life and comes across this garage and discovers a space craft. He hops into the space craft and has some amazing adventures in the universe. The original idea was developed by John Hipwell from Hipwell International Production services.

Fatcheez to develop ‘Pisi The Cat 2D’ series with GMotif and PC Game with Novaleaf

Fatcheez, Malaysia signed two MOUs related to the property ‘Pisi The Cat’. One for the 2D flash animation series (11mins x 26 epi) with GMotif and the other for Pisi The Cat's PC game with Novaleaf.

Total estimated production cost for animation will be at USD800k+ and USD300k+ for PC game, both end developed products will be marketed worldwide by Fatcheez as its' Asia, M.East and Russia's license holder, inclusive of media broadcast rights as well.

 Wild Boar & Anya Animation to co-develop original comic, ‘Project OHM’ (working title)

 Wild Boar Media (US) and Anya Animation (Thailand) signed a deal to produce an original comic book, ‘Project OHM’ for the US market whose copy rights will be owned by Anya. It would be a Science fiction about 2 friends who lose one another when they were kids. The initial plan is to work on the concept development which is to be uniquely Thailand but internationally marketable. Anya’s Sutape is the concept creator and Eric from Wild Boar Media will be the script advisor. The story development will be completed over the next one month and the companies are looking at selling it to a company before this spring, and get the comic book ready by end of 2011.  The companies plan to launch 3 volumes of the title following the Japanese format.

Six Inch Space & Silptorn Animation to start animation education programs in Thailand

 Six Inch Space and Silptorn Animation entered an MOU to start an animation education venture in Thailand. Under this collaboration, Six Inch Space and Silptorn will launch animation degree programs and specialized animation programs for Doctors and Engineers. The companies will partner with universities in Thailand and jointly promote the programs. Six Inxh Space will write the Syllabi for the programs while Silptorn will serve as the local partner in marketing the programs in universities and schools in Thailand and will have the controlling stake in the venture.

Imagimax and Hue Studio sign MOU for Swordmen

Swordmen is an animated feature that Thailand’s Imagimax has been working on. Malaysia’s Hue Studio signed an MOU with Imagimax to cater to the animation production of the feature and contribute also in terms of funding and other areas like producing, finding local talent. Hue would be seeking funds from private Malaysian investors, venture capitalist. The budget of the film is USD 10 million. Hue will take care of animating, modeling, texturing and other post production work. The companies plan to complete the project in 24 months.

Just a game, Ring Zero and IEM Consulting

Thailand’s Ring Zero, a game development company got into an agreement with Germany’s ‘Just a game’, a game publishing company to publish their upcoming games. Just a Game publishes 10-20 online games per year and 20-30 offline games per year. The companies still have to decide on the no. of games that Just a Game will publish.

IEM is a consulting company specializing in the Games market. They connect development teams from Asia to establish business in Europe and USA. IEM has liaison Ring Zero with Just a Game.