Forum sees creative collaboration in digital entertainment
23 - 03 - 2005

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited:

Hong Kong Cyberport hosted the annual Cyberport Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum (DELF) 2005 today. The event attracted professionals from digital entertainment industries around the world to share their vision and experience on "Creative Collaboration in the Digital Entertainment Value Chain".

Jointly organised by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited, the one-day forum featured distinguished speakers and participants from renowned enterprises. Participants of DELF 2005 included producers and directors in film, digital entertainment and advertising; software and hardware developers; entrepreneurs in the digital entertainment industries and creative professionals.

Forum speakers and participants together explored the dynamic nature of value chain in digital entertainment, including Content Creation that drives differentiation, Experience and Convergence for managing customer expectations, New Platforms for defining new applications and business models as well as Content Evolution for bridging innovation and customer expectation.

Speaking at the forum's opening ceremony, the Permanent Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology (Communications and Technology), Mr Francis Ho, said that the Government was committed to spearheading the development of the rapid-growing digital entertainment industry by launching a wide range of initiatives, which included the setting up of the Digital Media Centre, iResource Centre and Wireless Development Centre.

"Building on these existing infrastructure facilities, the Government will sponsor the establishment of a Digital Entertainment Industry Support Centre in Cyberport by end April this year to provide one-stop services to the industry.

"In the coming year we will place more emphasis on nurturing promising companies and local talents. A Digital Entertainment Incubation-cum-Training Centre will be set up in Cyberport towards the end of this year. In the first three years the centre plans to nurture 20 to 30 companies with good potential for success, focusing on innovative applications, product, services and platforms with sustainable business models," Mr Ho said.

"We are absolutely thrilled that the forum received such overwhelming response and recorded over 400 registrations. At the same time, we are honoured to have a group of most creative people who made a significant difference to the development of digital entertainment as our speakers," said Mr Nicholas Yang, Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Ltd. "Most importantly, they were here to share their hard earned knowledge and experience, and to inspire us on the creative collaboration in the digital entertainment value chain."

An eclectic mix of business and creative celebrities including Mr Jun Tang, President of Shanda Interactive Entertainment Co. Ltd., a Shanghai-based Nasdaq listed company, Mr Michael Hedges, Academy Award Winning Re-cording Mixer for the Blockbuster "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2004)", and Mr Dan Sarto, Publisher and Co-founder of Animation World Network, shared their creative ventures on digital entertainment.

In addition, a world-class animation feature combining culture and creativity was screened for the registrants. Directed by renowned cartoonist Mr Sylvian Chomet, the film "Belleville Rendez-vous" was nominated two academy awards and a world cinema award.

As a continuation of DELF 2005, Cyberport Digital Entertainment Consumer Extravagnaza (DECE) will be held from March 23 to 28, 2005. DECE will take advantage of Cyberport's unique connected environment to showcase digital entertainment technologies from around the world. Home grown Hong Kong companies, like Pixel Magic, who specialises in home digital entertainment, also join the parade to exhibit their latest award-winning technologies for video processing or scaling products. Cyberport 360 degree surround vision film will also be open to public, bringing the audience an unforgettable multi-dimensional animation experience.

Both DELF and DECE facilitates the collaboration of creative minds in digital entertainment, further strengthen the digital entertainment platform built. To signify the inaugural event, an official opening for DECE will be held at the Arcade of Cyberport tomorrow (March 24).

About Hong Kong Cyberport (www.cyberport.hk)

Cyberport - Hong Kong's IT Flagship - is a US $2 billion (HK$15.8 billion) landmark project managed by Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited and wholly owned by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). The project is being developed on a 24-hectare site at Telegraph Bay in the southern district of Hong Kong Island. It comprises four office buildings, a five-star hotel, a retail entertainment complex and a deluxe residential development, aiming at creating an interactive environment that will be home to a strategic cluster of about 100 IT companies and 10,000 IT professionals. The project is being completed in phases from mid-2002 to 2007.

- END -