Local films set to reach a wider audience online

THERE is an easier way to enjoy Singapore films now, and the best part is you don't even need to get up from your sofa.

Homegrown online entertainment streaming service provider Viddsee has launched a new channel - supported by the Singapore Film Commission (SFC), part of the Info-Communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) - dedicated to showcasing the works of upcoming and established local filmmakers.

It went "live" on Wednesday at the opening of the Singapore Media Festival where the announcement was made. Up to 30 shorts spanning genres from documentary to comedy-drama and animation have been curated for the Singapore Film Channel (www.viddsee.com/singapore-film-channel).

The partnership will also find Viddsee - co-founded by engineering and filmmaking duo Derek Tan and Ho Jia Jian in 2013, and which has attracted over 500 million users globally - commissioning their first original short film by a homegrown director to produce a heartfelt Singapore-inspired story for a local and regional audience for release in the first half of 2017.

"We want to harness the opportunities and new avenues in the digital sphere to bring Singapore stories to a wider audience," says Joachim Ng, director of the SFC.

"We have many talented filmmakers with compelling stories from Singapore, and we want to give these voices a platform to take our stories further in this digital age," he adds.

Viddsee's co-founder Tan adds: "We are excited to have SFC's support, as it is a catalyst and facilitator in the development of the Singapore film industry. Together with the IMDA's efforts to connect content creators with technology, we hope to also nurture the next generation of digital content creators on our platform."