Representatives from Taiwan’s Chunghwa Chungshan Media Corp. and Japan’s TV Tokyo Corp. and Shirogumi Inc. have inked a memorandum of understanding to produce a 3-D animation on ROC founding father Sun Yat-sen, according to event organizer Chunghwa Chungshan Media Oct. 17.
“The animated film depicts the history of how Dr. Sun Yat-sen overthrew the Qing dynasty and founded the ROC,” Minister without Portfolio Yiin Chii-ming said.
“The film will be the first production of its kind to be released simultaneously in Taiwan and mainland China after the Cross-Straits Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) was signed in June 2010,” Yiin said.
He added that as ECFA exempts Taiwan from the limited quota of foreign films screened in mainland China every year, Taiwan has been actively expanding its presence in that market.
According to Yiin, Japanese animation products have long been favored in the global market, with games, toys and other products applying original portrait animations and stories generating huge economic benefits.
“We hope Taiwan and Japan can strengthen collaboration and integration regarding culture, experience, creativity and techniques, and jointly develop opportunities in new emerging markets,” he said.
“The animation will integrate digital techniques including 3-D animation and visual effects by Taiwanese and Japanese elites,” said George Wang, executive vice president of the Institute for Information Industry, which pushed strongly for Taiwan to cooperate with Japan in making the animated feature.
“Facing fierce global competition, Taiwan’s next opportunity for development is to apply its advantage in information communications technology and integrate it with the creative industry, and expand cultural and creative businesses in the Chinese market,” Wang stressed. “The Sun Yat-sen animation is a product that meets this kind of opportunity.”
Kevin Geiger, the American producer of the film and president and CEO of Magic Dumpling Entertainment, added: “Sun Yat-sen’s life was a unifying force. He brought together many different people from different cultures, peoples with different interests, and people with a common goal from all around the world. This is the man who really has stood for freedom, for principles that are respected the world around.”
The animation is “more than just a film,” Geiger said. “It is a beginning of a cooperation that transcends countries, that crosses boundaries, that crosses waters,” Geiger stressed.
The film will be produced at a cost of NT$330 million (US$10.9 million), event organizers said, adding that it will be released in October 2012. (HZW)
Write to Grace Kuo at morningk@mail.gio.gov.tw