Singapore—Mar 1, 2006
MediaCorp Technologies and China Film Digital collaborate on digital distribution of movies to make them available, in better quality and sooner to Asian audiences.
More Chinese movie content will soon be made
available, in better quality and sooner to Asian audiences, thanks to the
collaboration between MediaCorp Technologies and China Film Digital. They will
jointly develop a digital content distribution model to distribute content
between China and Singapore, with the support of the Infocomm Development
Authority of Singapore (IDA).
Owned by leading media agency China Film Group, China Film Digital was
established to manage digital cinema developments and supply digital content in
China. To date, China Film Digital owns 180 digital cinema screens and
distributed and exhibited 70 domestic and imported digital titles across the
country.
A Memorandum of Intent (MOI) was signed today by the Infocomm Development
Authority of Singapore (IDA) CEO, Mr Chan Yeng Kit, MediaCorp Technologies CEO,
Mr Mock Pak Lum and China Film Digital Deputy General Manager, Jiang Defu to
formalise the collaboration.
With this MOI, MediaCorp Technologies and China Film Digital will work on the
business plan, platform and workflow for the commercial digital distribution of
Chinese digital titles to various platforms in Singapore and other Asian
territories.
Benefits of digital content distribution model:
1. Singapore can now tap into the wide variety of Chinese digital content.
2. Ability to reach audiences sooner due to reduce post-production time, for
example, shorter time needed for multi languages subtitling and censorship.
3. More effective cost model.
4. Better digital content quality with no deterioration on quality.
5. More secured and more cost effective digital storage solution.
The model also offers a playlist of subtitles in different languages along with
the master copy to cater to audiences of different countries.
In addition, the cost of distribution can also be reduced with the asset
management and distribution process centralized with MediaCorp Technologies.
For a start, there is the delivery of a Chinese digital movie, Sunrise, Sunset
from Beijing to Singapore via satellite transmission. This project, CCTx China,
marks the first time a movie is digitally transmitted between China and
Singapore.
Mr Chan says, “I firmly believe Singapore’s collaboration with China in the
digital cinema arena promises greater things. The movie industries of both
countries stand to gain significant first-mover advantages in commercialising
digital content. I am glad to see Singapore and Chinese companies working
together to export Chinese digital content through Singapore into the rest of
Asia. These are exciting times for the digital media industry.”
The original 80GB movie file was encrypted and delivered from China to Singapore
using AsiaSat 2 satellite on C band. Downlinked in Singapore at SingTel's Bukit
Timah Satellite Earth Station, the movie was repackaged into MXF interop format.
Post production for English subtitling and trailers creation were added on to
the transmitted content. This end to end process was made possible by local
industry partners, Mega Films and digital cinema server provider, GDC
Technology.
In June 2005, with the support of the local and international digital cinema
industry, iDA led the Cross Continental Transmission Project (CCTx) - which
successfully established a secure, reliable and cost-effective digital delivery
work flow from United States to Singapore and for re-distribution to Thailand.
CCTx China leverages on the experience gained in the Cross Continental
Transmission Project (CCTx) and expanded the delivery from China to Singapore.
Says Mr Mock, ”MediaCorp Technologies is very honoured to be part of this joint
government-industry collaboration to further Singapore as a digital distribution
hub. China Film Group is the largest digital content owner in China and this
collaboration will set the platform for greater variety of Chinese digital
content for distribution into Singapore and Asia. One of the main reason for
China Film Group in choosing us as their partner for digital content
distribution is because as content owner ourselves, we are able to address their
concerns in managing content.”
Says China Film Digital’s Mr Jiang, “Singapore is chosen as our partner for
digital content distribution, given her excellent infocommunication
infrastructure, strong IP regime and digital media eco-system.In addition,
Singapore’s involvement in the CCTx project, which saw the success of
distribution of digital content from Hollywood to Asia in June last year will
prove advantageous. They can use the know-how and expertise to commercialise and
export Chinese digital content into the region.”
