2024 Asian Content & Film Market’s new initiative program, Producer Hub, proved its promising role as an international networking platform for film producers searching for international co-production.

The opening event of the Producer Hub.

With the 2024 Asian Content & Film Market (ACFM) successfully held from the 5th to the 8th of October at Busan BEXCO Exhibition Center 2, its constituent Producer Hub program also launched its first step. Launched fresh this year, Producer Hub aims to serve as an international networking platform for film producers, fostering international co-productions and co-financing opportunities. An effort to expand ACFM's role from a traditional marketplace of pre-produced content to an active player at the pre-production stage, Producer Hub is also a key initiative of Ellen YD Kim, the new chairperson of ACFM who possesses an extensive career as a film producer.

Korea Film Council(KOFIC) participated as a co-host of the Producer Hub as part of their new 'KO-PICK Showcase' initiative. 'KO-PICK Showcase' is launched with a mission to foster key assets of Korean film to enter the global market with more ease. Some of its early achievements include its participation as a partner at this year's Cannes Marche du Film Producer Network, and its hosting of a separate session at the ACFM focusing on Saudi Arabia's rich possibility as a cultural hub. Chief Manager SHIN Do-won from KOFIC stated "the drastic changes in the Korean film industry post COVID-19 pandemic alarmed a necessity to actively foster international co-production, which the KO-PICK Showcase essentially targets.“

Alongside KOFIC, 7 international institutional partners - Taiwan Creative Content Agency, Visual Industry Promotion Organization Japan, Film Development Council of the Philippines, Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency Hong Kong, Directorate General for Cinema/Cinecitta Italy, Busan Film Commission and Association of Indonesia Film Producers - supported Producer Hub by organizing a delegate of respective nation’s producers or even hosting a case study session of their nation’s film production ecosystem. Adding up the partner delegates and independent participants, a total of 123 producers from 19 different countries participated in the program. Producer Hub plans to select a 'focus country' every year: given the program’s newborn nature, this year's focus country was South Korea.

Producer speed meeting hosted by KOFIC.  

Day 1 of the Hub launched with an opening event, followed by a speed meeting: a quick, casual networking event allowing participants to icebreak and introduce their needs to fellow producers. Hosted by the Producers Guild of Korea (PGK) and KOFIC respectively, the two consecutive speed meetings prepared several tables with a Korean producer placed on each table, then the global producers moved across the tables for a short 10-minute discussion at each. The event was a friendly gathering as well as a fierce competition for pitching business ideas: participants were busy exchanging business cards and matching their needs with the others' projects in hand. 

Two subsequent days were also buzzing with various seminars about international co-production case studies and market analysis, with abundant networking opportunities freely provided between the participants. A couple of events drew special attention, including the 'Co-production with South Korea - Up till now and from now on' forum on Day 2. Hosted by KOFIC, the forum showcased various efforts for international co-production taking place in Korea. The current initiatives were actively taken not only by the industry giants such as CJ E&M and Showbox, but also on an individual level by dedicated film producers, suggesting a great number of opportunities lying in the Korean market as well as a dire need for a public-private partnered international co-production cultivation scheme.

PGK International Co-Production Showcase & MOU Signing Ceremony. Photograph provided courtesy of PGK.  

The forum was followed by an event hosted by PGK: 'PGK International Co-Production Showcase & MOU Signing Ceremony'. Two sets of MOU, each with Asosiasi Producer Film Indonesia(APROFI) and Hong Kong Movie Production Executives Association Committee (HKMPEA), were signed, but the key achievement of the event would be the launch of 'International Co-operation Hotline'. As it was cumbersome until now to find an international co-production partners due to difficulties in securing contact points, the Hotline signifies the PGK's dedication to playing an active mediator between the Korean producers and global producers seeking for possible co-production opportunities.

Global producers wishing to use the Hotline only need to prepare a one-page proposal and send it to PGK(international@pgk.or.kr). PGK then propagates the proposal to its constituent Korean producers so that interested producers can respond directly, completing the whole process in a 'one-week response'. Director HAN Jin of PGK told KoBiz that "the Hotline initiative's idea to establish a centralized contact point gained a great deal of positive responses from the global producers", while stating future plans to "develop the Hotline into a holistic platform for international co-production, also providing various information for technical and location support."

 ‘Support Programs for Internationally Co-produced and Foreign Projects’, an event hosted by Korea Film Commissions & Industry Network was another informative event for global producers wishing to utilize the rich production assets of Korea. Sessions dedicated to the case study of Spain and Hong Kong, renowned film production hubs of Europe and Asia respectively, also gained great attention from the Korean producers who were mostly introducing their production capacity to global visitors during the program.

Chief SHIN from KOFIC stated the first Producer Hub "gathered great compliments from the participants": "as there was a great lack of global networking opportunities for film producers in and out of Korea, Producer Hub proved the dire needs of these producers and provided a wealth of opportunity for them." Director HAN from PGK also told that "the establishment of a regular networking platform is much appreciated, especially myself being a film producer as well": "I'm aware a number of countries are greatly wishing to be the next 'focus country' of the Hub."

The opening event of the Producer Hub.  

Written by Park Sooyong