IMDA-funded studios open to make 'magic'

A vintage diner, the inside of a train car, and a coffee shop are all possible backgrounds for filming. All are now located under the roof of the new Pixel Studios, a digital content facility where "magic" can happen.

The 25,000 sq ft space, opened yesterday in Queenstown's one- north, has facilities such as filming, recording and green screen studios, professional video equipment and workspaces for game developers.

It is spearheaded and funded by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), and managed by Nanyang Polytechnic. At yesterday's launch, Communications and Information Minister Yaacob Ibrahim said IMDA is already supporting the industry through grants and collaborations.

"But besides funding and programmes, we see value in a dedicated space for digital content creation, one that our community can call home, and where magical opportunities can be ignited at the intersection of infocomm and media," said Dr Yaacob.

Pixel Studios will collaborate with industry partners to offer programmes to digital content creators. The first of these is Spark by Maker, a collaboration with digital media brand Maker Studios, which will work with digital content creators to produce proof-of-concepts of original content. It will also partner local mobile game publisher goGame, to develop an accelerator programme to equip promising game developers with publishing, marketing and business skills.

IMDA's Singapore Film Commission has also worked with partner agencies and location owners to establish a filming friendly zone at one-north, where film-makers can conduct shoots though a streamlined application process.

Weiyu Films managing director Lee Thean-Jeen welcomed the initiative: "Hopefully, this is not a one-off, and it will facilitate the opening up of other locations, so we can expand to have more filming friendly zones."

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 30, 2016, with the headline IMDA-funded studios open to make 'magic'. Subscribe