THE HONG KONG FILM INDUSTRY

Hong Kong is one of the world's major film exporters and producers. In 2007, 60 locally produced films were released and about HK$350m of exports of films in the form of videotapes, DVDs and other compact discs.

The vast majority of films are shot by local production houses but Hong Kong is visited from time to time by overseas crews making commercial films, TV programmes and advertisements. In 2007 and 2008, several films from Hollywood to Bollywood and across the globe made Hong Kong their filming location. They included 'The Dark Knight', 'Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer', 'Push', 'I Come with the Rain', 'Largo Winch', 'Kentri', and 'Boys Over Flowers ~ Final'.

Hong Kong has many talented directors, actors, writers, producers and technical crews who are acknowledged throughout the world as hardworking, enthusiastic and innovative professionals. The Hong Kong film industry offers a wide range of film production and post-production services and facilities.

The Hong Kong Film Market

From the silver screen to silver-coloured discs - films are available in every medium in Hong Kong.

There are 47 cinemas with 182 screens in Hong Kong (as at July 2008). Foreign films are released through the following major groups: United Artists, Broadway Circuit and Panasia Circuit. Local films are released through Newport Circuit and Gala Film Distribution.

Movies can be bought or rented in DVD and video CD formats.

English, Chinese and foreign-language films are featured on local terrestrial free television, pay television and subscription satellite channels.

Film Development Fund (FDF)

The FDF was set up by the Government in 1999 to support projects conducive to the long-term development of the film industry in Hong Kong. At present, it finances small-to-medium budget film productions. The general requirements are:

• at least one Hong Kong permanent resident is employed in each category of the three out of five major categories of creative talents,
• applicants should be film production companies, film industry organisations or related bodies which have been registered in Hong Kong,
• either the production company, the producer or the director must have produced/directed two films in the ten years preceding the date of application, and
• the project must be commercially viable and the production budget must not exceed HK$12m.

For details, please visit www.fdc.gov.hk.

Film Production Services

Advanced digital special effects have become more prominent in Hollywood and the same is happening in Hong Kong. 'CJ7' and 'Stormrider II' are two of the better known recent Hong Kong productions that have used state-of-the-art digital visual effects. Computer animated films from Hong Kong are gaining international recognition. One example is 'The Secret of the Magic Gourd'. It was designed and produced for Walt Disney for the Mainland market. 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' and 'Astro Boy' were locally produced for the overseas market.

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