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Up and coming creative talent to submit their concepts for a chance to see their story brought to life as a Viu Original production
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KUALA LUMPUR, September 10, 2020 – Viu, a leading pan-regional OTT video service from PCCW media group, has launched Viu Pitching Forum in Malaysia. It is Viu’s strategic initiative to empower and facilitate creative development in major markets across the region. The inaugural Viu Pitching Forum in Malaysia will focus on identifying, grooming and nurturing local up and coming scriptwriters. As part of the initiative, shortlisted participants will receive mentoring and guidance from leading creative talent from across the industry.
At the end of the process, one winning writer will see his/her story brought to life as a Viu Original production, which will be aired in 2021 across Viu’s 16 markets globally. Additionally, three finalists will receive mentorship to develop their concept further and refine their pilot scripts.
Viu Pitching Forum is an innovative program first launched by Viu in Indonesia in 2016. It received widespread participation from the creative community, as well as interest from brands and commercial partners. Additionally, Viu Pitching Forum resulted in highly successful Viu Originals that were developed locally and ultimately reached a global audience of millions. Following the success and impact of this program in Indonesia, Viu is pleased to expand the program and for the first time bring it to Malaysia.
Ms. Sahana Kamath, Head of Original Production for Viu Malaysia and Indonesia, said,
“What we have learned over the past two years of producing Viu Originals in Malaysia is that there are a plethora of rich local stories yet to be told and unique Malaysian voices still to be heard. In bringing together the country’s most celebrated veterans and brightest up-and-comers via Viu Pitching Forum, we are sure to see path-breaking stories and forward-facing themes emerge. At Viu, we are proud to provide a global platform for this kind of complex, inventive storytelling and to support the growing local industry for premium content as well as the Malaysian storytellers of the future.”
As a catalyst to growing and empowering the local entertainment industry, Viu Pitching Forum aims to create opportunities for scriptwriters to hone their craft and further develop their stories. With that, Viu is on the search for local budding scriptwriters and directors who are able to conceptualize distinctively bold, unique and differentiated concepts that are strongly grounded in local context and appeal to Gen Z and millennial Viu-ers across Malaysia.
A key highlight of the Viu Pitching Forum is a unique mentorship opportunity with renowned writers, directors and producers who have been involved in Viu Malaysia’s original productions. Finalists of the Viu Pitching Forum will be given an opportunity to interact with and learn from these industry veterans as they further advance their story ideas. Mentors for the programme will include showrunners Kye Sayed Fariz, Razaisyam Rashid and TJ Lee, head writers Alfie Palermo, Bernice Low and Chi-Ren Choong, actor/directors Douglas Lim and Nam Ron, and many more.
Since the 2018 debut of Viu Originals in Malaysia, Viu has released nine Viu Original productions, garnering six regional awards at the 2019 Asian Academy Creative Awards. In the recent ContentAsia Awards, Viu also picked up an award for Pretty Little Liars.
Writers interested in participating in Viu Pitching Forum Malaysia can submit their ideas to vpf.malaysia@vuclip.com. Submissions are open from 10 September 2020 to 30 October 2020, 5pm. For more information and entry requirements, please visit https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1pL1tkG0iWJlQxI_v6NsAXS5KntrqwHVJ
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About Viu
Viu is a leading pan-regional over-the-top (OTT) video streaming service operated by PCCW Media Group. It is available in 16 markets including: Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Myanmar in Asia; Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE in the Middle East; as well as South Africa.
Operating with both an ad-supported tier and a premium subscription tier, Viu delivers premium content in different genres from top content providers with local languages and subtitles, as well as original production series under the “Viu Original” initiative.
Viu offers users popular and current content with streaming and download features, and localized user interfaces. With the patented Dynamic Adaptive Transcoding technology, Viu can provide the best viewing experience regardless of device or network conditions. The service can be accessed via Viu app (available for free on App Store and Google Play) on connected devices, e.g. smartphones and tablets, selected smart TVs, as well as on web by logging into www.viu.com.
About PCCW media group
PCCW media group is a leading, fully integrated multimedia and entertainment group in Hong Kong.
PCCW media group operates the leading pay-TV service in Hong Kong under the Now TV brand offering more than 160 linear channels and an extensive on demand library of local, Asian and international programming. Premium content can also be accessed by subscribers via the Now Player companion app. It is also a leading producer of Chinese language news, financial news and sports programming, in addition to Asian infotainment content which complements its wide portfolio of licensed movie and international television content. Now TV also offers its content via Now E, a subscription OTT (over-the-top) service with international and Asian dramas, movies and world-class sports events, which is designed to meet the needs of millennial viewers. In addition, PCCW media group operates popular digital music streaming service MOOV in Hong Kong.
PCCW media group also provides a leading pan-regional OTT video service under the Viu brand with over 35 million users in 16 markets including countries in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, as well as South Africa. The Viu service is available to consumers through a dual model with an ad-supported free tier and a premium subscription tier. Viu offers fresh premium TV series, movies and lifestyle programming in local and regional languages and subtitles in different genres from top content providers, as well as premium original productions under the brand “Viu Original”. The service can be accessed via app, selected smart TVs and online.
About PCCW Limited
PCCW Limited (SEHK: 0008) is a global company headquartered in Hong Kong which holds interests in telecommunications, media, IT solutions, property development and investment, and other businesses.
The Company holds a majority interest in the HKT Trust and HKT Limited, Hong Kong’s premier telecommunications service provider and leading operator in fixed-line, broadband and mobile communication services. HKT meets the needs of the Hong Kong public and local and international businesses with a wide range of services including local telephony, local data and broadband, international telecommunications, mobile, and other telecommunications businesses such as customer premises equipment sale, outsourcing, consulting, and contact centers.
PCCW also owns a fully integrated multimedia and entertainment group in Hong Kong. It operates the largest local pay-TV operation, Now TV, and is engaged in the provision of over-the-top (OTT) video service under the Viu brand in Hong Kong and other places in the region.
Through HK Television Entertainment Company Limited, PCCW also operates a domestic free television service in Hong Kong.
Also, wholly-owned by the Group, PCCW Solutions is a leading information technology outsourcing and business process outsourcing provider in Hong Kong and mainland China.
In addition, PCCW holds a majority interest in Pacific Century Premium Developments Limited, and other overseas investments. To learn more about PCCW, please visit www.pccw.com. Click here to download the press material：
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