Visit Seoul for co-production and location shooting
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the
Seoul Film Commission (SFC) held the 1st ‘Creative Multi-market’. They succeeded in finding much promising content including films, novels, games and webtoons. We met
LEE Jang-ho, the president of the SFC to ask about the past 10 years and the business domains they support.
- It is your 10th anniversary this year. Could you summarize what the commission has done so far?
We have aimed to enable circumstances where filmmakers can shoot films and videos smoothly. We have run Ohzemidong, a media center at Chungmuro, supported the Seoul Independent Film Festival (SIFF), attracted foreign media, introduced and marketed incentives, and established film creating spaces like Directors’ Zone and Producers’ Zone. The local government of Seoul did not have many policies to support media until they started activating new policies in 2002 when the SFC was established.
- What would you pick as SFC's most remarkable accomplishment of last 10 years?
First of all, we have made a contribution to the local economy by actively inviting foreign films. Last year for example, 24 foreign films were shot in Seoul. Another thing I can think of was that we created a space for film creation at Sangamdong where filmmakers can project and develop their work in comfort. I’m not entirely happy about the fact that cooperation with Seoul’s local government is not yet smooth enough, but we are preparing to work with Seoul city to systematically study, examine and conduct plans related to media policies.
- What characteristics are there with ‘Creative Multi-market’, which you started this year?
People often say today is the age of ‘Multi-source and Multi-use’. Most of the reports about media use these expressions. However, a close look at the program sometimes tells us how poor it actually is. Our initial goal was not to give cash prizes to winners, but to create a ‘place for exchange’ between experts in different fields such as film, game and novel. We wanted people who work in media to stand at the center of this place.
- What results can we expect from the multi-market?
In terms of industry, vitalization of multi-source and multi-use is expected. In the age of convergence, media policies also need to cross over. I hope that the multi-market receives good responses and is extended to other media polices in the future.
- What plans do you currently run to invite foreign films and media?
We pay them up to 25% of the shooting cost (for shooting cost of up to KRW 100 million/USD 90 thousand) spent in Seoul back in the form of incentives. We have also firmed our global network trough various support plans for familiarization tours and scouting. The incentive system has been very effective. Whereas there were only a few films coming to us in 2007 when we first introduced the system, 55 films were shot in Seoul in 2012. (for details about location support system of the SFC and how to apply, visit our website at eng.seoulfc.or.kr)
- An independent film Hanaan directed by PARK Ruslan won shooting subsidies of KRW 30 million (USD 27 thousand) from the SFC. Please elaborate on the background.
It was excellent in both work quality and completeness. I was delighted when I heard it had achieved good results at internationally renowned film festivals. The SFC has supported about 100 independent films since we started supporting them in 2007. We are to supporting independent films as farmers are to fertilizing the land to grow healthy crops. Independent films are very important in terms of diversity of media culture.
- What films has the SFC supported lately?
By September, we have supported 58 films. As well as the summer box office hit
Deranged, the recently released
Perfect Number won a subsidy also. A Malay drama
Julia was also shot in Seoul.
- What is the road map for ‘The Mecca of Media, Seoul’? What are you committed to aiming for next 10 years?
Although Seoul is an international metropolis, media industry is not prosperous enough. To have Seoul stand at the center of media industry, it is important to cooperate with the local autonomous entities next to us. Raising the synergy by building a ‘media cluster’ around Seoul is the road map that the SFC is targeting. In addition to this, now that the
Korean Film Council (KOFIC) will soon to move to Busan, Seoul local government and the SFC need to seriously study and examine film policies of Seoul.
Top 10 news of the SFC for 10 years
1. Oasis selected as the first film to support for shooting (2002)
2. The Ministry of National Defence enacted guidelines for public film production support; Window for shooting support unified by the SFC (2002)
3. Hong Kong film
Seoul Raiders (2006) invited; Overseas marketing spurred (2003)
4. Seoul mayor, inaugurated as ex officio president of the SFC (2004)
5. Consigned management of ‘Ohzemidong’, Chungmuro media center (2004)
6. <The Place in Seoul Cinema Fell in Love with> published; Tourism commercialization of Seoul promoted (2006)
7. Incentive system introduced to invite foreign media (2007)
8. Film creation space, Directors’ Zone open (2008)
9. Inaugural assembly of the SFC held (2011)
10. From projecting to finish, one stop support plan started (2011)
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Seoul Film Commission (SFC) held the 1st ‘Creative Multi-market’. They succeeded in finding much promising content including films, novels, games and webtoons. We met LEE Jang-ho, the president of the SFC to ask about the past 10 years and the business domains they support.- It is your 10th anniversary this year. Could you summarize what the commission has done so far?
