Festival brings Hollywood experts to Macau

from the Macao Daily Times newspaper
by Alexandra Lages

The first Macau International Digital Cinema Festival and Entertainment Technology Expo will open tomorrow at The Venetian. The event brings to Macau experts from Hollywood, Hong Kong and mainland China and aims to be a platform between Asian and Western filmmakers and TV broadcasters.

“What’s happening is that in the entertainment world today there is a revolution. The world of TV and film making is changing. And we brought top Hollywood experts in digital effects that have worked in Titanic, Avatar and Lord of the Rings,” Jeff Greene from the organization told reporters yesterday.

“The idea is doing an event when you bring together top digital and filmmaking experts from Hollywood and mainland China,” he added.

The event will interweave leading entertainment companies and broadcasters in China with global leaders in technology, manufacturers and world-class content creators. Until Saturday, the event will feature industry leading speakers, celebrities, digital motion picture screenings, seminars, panel discussions, award winning independent and student films, opening night gala and receptions.

It focuses on the latest advances and technologies of 21st century motion picture and television production.

Keynote speakers include: Scott Ross, visual effects expert producer of Hollywood blockbusters “The Terminator”, “X-Men”, “I Robot”; Scott Billups, an award-winning director/cinematographer who has produced, directed, written and shot numerous feature films, television programs and commercials; and Randal Kleiser, director, writer and producer whose first feature was “Grease” and “The Blue Lagoon”.

Tim Smith will present the new Canon cameras and digital motion picture photography, while Ted Schilowitz is the official spokesperson for the Red Digital Cinema Company.

Randall Dark, from the organization, said during his speech, that the festival will join new and old filmmakers, and everyone interested in digital cinema and entertainment. Seminars are open to the public.

“Students will have an opportunity to make questions to top experts,” Greene pointed out.

According to the organization, China has recently begun to broadcast in high definition, and as Chinese broadcasters and content creators adapt to the change there is a great interest and opportunity in entertainment technology and its effect on every stage of the creative process, from inception through to final delivery.

Greene said that for its first year, the event is starting small, with only 10 participants from Hollywood, mainland China, Hong Kong and Japan, as well as celebrities from China and Hong Kong. Next year, the festival is expected to be bigger.

The festival is produced by Burma Road Productions in association with Randall Dark Productions. Both companies have been developing projects in mainland China and Hong Kong

http://www.macaodigitalcinema.com/