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The following is issued on behalf of the Cyberport Management Company Limited:
Hong Kong Cyberport hosted the fourth Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum (DELF) today (March 21). With the theme of "The (He)Art of F/X: The Future of Digital Storytelling", DELF 2007 showcased how cinema would be moving towards digital content creation. Leading international computer animation and visual effect creators congregated at Hong Kong Cyberport to share with the participants their experiences on how to use new digital technology to create mega hits such as The Da Vinci Code, Titanic (1997 Oscar winner), and Happy Feet (2007 Oscar winner), etc.
The Permanent Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology (Communications and Technology), Mr Francis Ho, said in the opening address that DELF had become an annual signature event in line with the Digital 21 Strategy of the Government to promote digital technology in Hong Kong. "This forum facilitates the growth and development of local digital entertainment industry to make Hong Kong a leading digital entertainment hub in Asia," Mr Ho said.
CEO of Hong Kong Cyberport, Mr Nicholas Yang, said, "DELF 2007 provides a platform for Hong Kong's digital entertainment professionals to exchange and share views with the world's best. As the market and economy become ever more global, Hong Kong's digital entertainment industry must reach for new height in creativity."
More than 300 people, including creative artists, entrepreneurs, entertainment professionals, government officials and academicians, came to Hong Kong Cyberport today to be enlightened by an elite group of icons and experts on the new development in digital entertainment, animation and visual effects. DELF 2007 is proud to be a core event of the international extravaganza, Entertainment Expo Hong Kong, again.
DELF 2007 featured 12 speakers who are pioneers and leaders in computer animation and visual effect from around the world. Keynote speakers included Mr Scott Ross, CEO of AWOL Pictures (US) and the 1997 Oscar award winner for "Titanic"; Mr Warren Franklin, CEO of Rainmaker Entertainment (Canada), and producer of numerous renowned films such as "The Da Vinci Code" and "The Night at the Museum"; Mr Paul Wang, Executive Vice-President of Imagi International (HK), and creative contributor of CG works in Batman Forever, Madagascar, and the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; and Mr Edward Jones, Principal of The Light Exchange (US), and Executive Producer of the newly awarded 2007 Oscar winner of Best Animation Feature, "Happy Feet".
Other prominent speakers were (in alphabetical order by surname):
- Mr Ken Bautista, CEO & Executive Producer, Hotrocket, Canada;
- Mr Lawrence Behrs, Founder, President and CEO, South Park Media Company, US;
- Ms Rita Cahill, Principal, RTC Productions, US;
- Ms Lorraine Justice, Director, School of Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, HK;
- Mr Andrew Senior, Head of the Creative Industries, British Council, UK;
- Mr Michael Stephens, Wingnut Film's Lawyer and Board of Directors of Park Road Post, New Zealand;
- Mr Lifeng Wang, President, Eastar (Xing Xing) Digital Corporation, China;
- Mr Victor Wong, Director, Menfond Electronic Art & Computer Design, HK.
The Digital Pioneers Award Presentation was also held successfully during the DELF 2007 luncheon today. The Digital Pioneers programme, co-organised by Hong Kong Cyberport and the British Council, aims to identify and develop a network of young creative entrepreneurs in Hong Kong and the UK via international mentorship, overseas work placements, industry-specific capacity building activities and peer exchanges.
Cyberport is Hong Kong's IT Flagship and a US$2 billion (HK$15.6 billion) landmark project wholly owned by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), and managed by Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited. The project is being developed on a 24-hectare site in the southern district of Hong Kong Island. It comprises four office buildings, a five-star hotel, a retail entertainment complex, and a deluxe residential community, all interconnected by the state-of-the-art broadband network, aiming to create an interactive environment that will be home to a strategic cluster of about 100 companies and 10,000 professionals in the IT and related creative industries.
Ends/Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Issued at HKT 15:01
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