MDA streamlines funding schemes1 min read
Reading Time: < 1 minuteSingapore’s Media Development Authority (MDA) has streamlined its suite of funding programmes to provide a more systematic approach to support an increasingly sophisticated media industry.
It has whittled down the number of assistance schemes from the current 46 to just five.
They cover development assistance, production, marketing, talent support and enterprise development, and will apply to all seven media sectors – broadcast, film, animation, publishing, interactive media, games and music.
The move should sharpen the funding process and address industry feedback that MDA’s myriad array of schemes sometimes proved confusing, with some used only occasionally.
It should also address concerns over the application process. The criteria and key deliverables have been made clearer, while applicants will get an answer within eight weeks.
Leon Tong, a producer with Boku Films, called it a “radical” change, noting that the new scheme gives more flexibility to producers to pitch projects. He also welcomes the additional help to freelancers to upgrade their skills through government subsidies.
