Winners of inaugural ATF x Mediacorp Drama Concepts & Co-production Pitch crowned
Singapore, 5 December 2024 – It’s official: Cycle, Detective Daiji and Drawn In are the winners of the first-ever ATF x Mediacorp Drama Concepts & Co-production Pitch! The three edged out two other finalists by impressing a panel of judges with their compelling proposals at a live pitching session on Day 2 of the Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) 2024, with each bagging a cash prize of $10,000 and an opportunity to work with Mediacorp to bring their ideas from storyboard to screen.
Launched in September this year, the ATF x Mediacorp Drama Concepts & Co-production Pitch attracted close to 150 submissions globally from a plethora of countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. A joint initiative between Mediacorp and RX, the organiser of the annual ATF, the Pitch welcomed scriptwriters and production companies to submit their concepts with an eye to potentially co-producing or co-developing a new drama with Singapore’s largest content creator.
From the initial pool of entries, five finalists were shortlisted and invited to Singapore to present their proposals on stage at ATF today to a panel of judges comprising industry veterans Indra Suharjono, Co-Founder & Director of I.E. Entertainment; Zainir Aminullah, Founder of Revolution Media; and Virginia Lim, Chief Content Officer of Mediacorp. After much deliberation, the judges concurred on Cycle, Detective Daiji and Drawn In as the standout winners.
Cycle, written by Singaporean scriptwriter Alan Sim, wowed the panel with its gripping tale of a broke ex-banker who, after finding refuge in a brutal, underground world where couriers compete on two wheels to win lucrative but mysterious job assignments, is forced to make a choice between money and ethics when he discovers the murderous nature of his work.
Organic Media Group, a production company from Taiwan and the United States, captivated the judges with their idea of Detective Daji, a thrilling narrative about Daji Su, a detective with the Singaporean Police Force who is murdered in the line of duty but gets a second chance at life when she is resurrected by an ancient Fox Demon, 九尾狐, hell-bent on revenge and reclaiming her place in the demonic world.
Finally, Big Meta Films, a production company from South Korea, impressed the judges with its production titled Drawn In. The film tells the story of a shy but talented teenage artist with the ability to turn her drawings into reality, and who must decide whether to use her power for personal gain or to help her friends.
“The response to our open call is a testament to the incredible breadth of creativity and talent waiting to be discovered,” said Virginia Lim, Chief Content Officer at Mediacorp and one of the judges during the pitching session. “At Mediacorp, we are constantly seeking stories that resonate with audiences in Singapore and beyond. This initiative has allowed us to connect with creative minds from around the globe, fostering a vibrant exchange of ideas and perspectives. We believe these collaborations will not only enrich our content but also set new benchmarks in storytelling. Congratulations to our winners – we are thrilled to embark on this journey together to bring these visionary concepts to life.”
For more information on the ATF x Mediacorp Drama Concepts & Co-production Pitch, please visit ATF’s website.
