Platforms like Musicow in South Korea have found a way to tap K-pop fans, financing original works and creating a new retail investor product. Hong Kong’s finance and creative industries can learn from this.
Virtual production is gaining industry and government support as it is safer and more time- and cost-efficient than traditional filmmaking methods. That interest extends to Hong Kong, where the government needs to explore funding and support to keep pace with emerging technology and nurture local talent.
The capsizing of Jumbo Floating Restaurant and the upended fate of a timber factory with post-war roots have renewed discussion about cultural heritage. If we are to know what cultural assets we have and determine what is worth saving, documentation and digitalisation is a necessary step.
As breakdancing and video gaming gain recognition as sports, the line between culture and sports is blurring. Other economies are overseeing the two sectors together and investing in immersive entertainment. But what is Hong Kong’s vision?
From AI-assisted scriptwriting to viewer analytics and big data, technology is revolutionising the creation of quality content. The Science Park and Cyberport must step up to promote this trend, particularly in the city’s creative industries.
Economies like Britain, South Korea and Taiwan have already caught onto the trend driven by the convergence of arts and technology. Hong Kong’s new policy effort needs a team with a long-term vision for the entire arts and cultural scene.
A long overdue move to liberalise the archaic broadcasting rules must be only the first step to more investment and innovation. Hong Kong needs an ecosystem that supports a digital lifestyle, where people can seamlessly socialise, shop and be entertained.
Hong Kong government policies supporting the film industry are mired in nostalgia for the 1980s, even as film industries elsewhere zoom into a digital future.