MSC Malaysia on track to lead nation into becoming regional creative hub

Datuk Badlisham Ghazali, CEO of MDeC launches Kre8tif! 2010

The Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) in collaboration with official partner, X|Media|Lab (XML), today kick-started the Kre8tif! 2010 Digital Content Conference and Awards Night (Kre8tif! 2010 in short), which will see the participation of creative industry professionals and students from several countries. Being one of the largest industry events in the Southeast Asian (SEA) region, the staging of Kre8tif! 2010 further underlines Malaysia?s role as a regional creative industry hub.

Organized from Dec 15 to 17, Kre8tif! 2010 is themed “Back to Basix,” and will feature over 50 local and foreign creative industry experts sharing their insights and experiences via a series of keynote addresses, master classes and conferences.

Datuk Badlisham Ghazali, CEO of MDeC said “The New Economic Model (NEM) and the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) have both highlighted the creative industry as one of the key areas of growth that we can leverage on to realise our goal of becoming an Innovative Digital Economy. The „Back to Basix? theme of Kre8tif! 2010 will help provide local and regional creative talents with the right raw information to ignite the spark that will see us consistently develop world-class creative content.”

Brendan Harkin, Founder and Director of XML mentioned, "This year?s Kre8tif! has some top notch and award-winning industry practitioners – from animators and design heads to visual effects directors and producers – come together to bring a holistic learning experience for all participants. Truly, we are looking forward to a successful Kre8tif! 2010, and perhaps an even larger regional event next year."

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In conjunction with Kre8tif! 2010, five MSC Malaysia companies have finalised co-production deals with foreign partners, bringing in an estimated overall investment of RM61 million.

These are:

Meanwhile, MDeC?s 3rd Annual MSC Malaysia Global Exchange Programme, an initiative which highlights engagement and establishment of G-to-G (government to government) relationship, has put its focus this year on the sharing of creative multimedia knowledge and services. The programme, which has been running from Dec 13 to 17, aims to foster international exposure and development of Malaysia?s capabilities and technology in the creative multimedia sector.

The Kre8tif! 2010 Digital Content Conference is headlined by some of the top international creative minds including Alexander Laurant, an art director who has worked on Hollywood blockbusters such as the “Star Wars” franchise, “Saving Private Ryan” and “The Day After Tomorrow”, Zareh Nalbandian, co-founder and CEO of animation studio Animal Logic, which animated the recent Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga?Hoole”; and Alan Mun-Onn Chan, Technical Director for Sony Pictures and a Malaysian creative industry professional who has managed to break into Hollywood, working on both “Titanic” and “Lord of the Rings” as special effects director.

This three-day creative summit will wrap up with the Kre8tif! 2010 Awards Night on Dec 17, which will feature top local creative personalities deciding which of the participating entries will get the distinction of being the best of show in 22 awards across four main categories: Animation/Visual Effects (VFX), Digital Arts, Professional Games and Student Games.