Book project writers needed

[Mark Schilling]

Screen International is looking for writers to cover Singapore, Hong Kong
and China for a book project on the Asian film market called SCREEN ASIA.
This job may lead to a permanent position as correspondent for these regions
or further assignments from Screen.

I am attaching the brief my editor, Louise Tutt, sent me for Japan to give
an idea of what is required. If you would like to apply for this assignment,
or know someone who might be interested, please contact Louise Tutt at
louise.tutt at media.emap.com

Mark Schilling

SCREEN ASIA
>
> Total word count: 4,000 words
>
> Screen Asia will be a special, stand-alone edition, focusing on the film
> industries of China, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan and Singapore. It will
provide
> anyone who wants to do business with any of these territories with an
> introduction to the present state of the film industry. It should be an
easy
> digest of film finance, production, sales, distribution and exhibition,
and
> a guide to television and new media as it relates to feature films.
>
> Most importantly it will have two principal aims: To portray the territory
> as a source of product for international buyers, and as a guide to the
> territory as a market for international product.  Be sure to keep it
forward
> looking.
>
> Checkpoints:
> Please divide the piece into the sections indicated
> Please no lists unless very clearly requested (ie the VIP lounge,
> directories)
> Please provide as many pictures as possible of new films by the deadline.

> Please provide a directory where requested for all companies mentioned in
> the piece. List should only include the company name and the telephone
> number and email/website if available.
>
> * INTRODUCTION (300 WORDS)
> A zeitgeisty piece looking at the present state of Japanese film-making
and
> the film industry as a whole. This should be a preview of what is to come
so
> please highlight the main talking points of each sector.  Try and capture
> the mood of the Japanese film industry.
>
> * Film financing, production, and post-production (1000 words)
> How do Japanese film-makers finance their films?  Please outline (not
list)
> the major sources of funding. Do they tend to be state bodies/private
> companies/financial institutions/broadcasters? Are there calls for more
> funding?  What are the major and most dynamic production companies? What
> kinds of films are they producing? What role does the government play in
the
> film industry, if any?
>
> * What are the leading post-production houses? How much work do
> feature films
> provide them with? What is their reputation? How state-of-the-art is the
> service they offer? What major films have they handled?
>
> * Please also look at Japan as a location for foreign producers. What
> foreign
> productions have shot in Japan in the past year or so? How easy is it to
do
> so? Are there any tax incentives offered to foreign producers? If so, what
> criteria must be fulfilled to qualify? What institutions or film
commissions
> promote Japan as a location or help ease the passage of foreign
productions
> shooting in the territory?
>
> * Directory of major financiers, production companies,
> post-production companies
> and institutions mentioned and contact numbers. Feel free to put tel
number
> in text where mentioned and I'll pull it out.
>
> * Please compile a list of 10 'buzz' films  either in development,
> pre-production,
> production or post-production for international buyers.  Information
should
> include Title (production company); Backer(s); International sales company
> and telephone number; short synopsis; executive producer(s); producer(s),
> director, scriptwriter, five main cast members, status.  Please provide as
> many pictures as possible.
>
> * SALES, DISTRIBUTION AND EXHIBITION (1000 WORDS)
> This piece should look at how well Japanese films do locally, in Asia, and
> internationally, and how foreign films fare in Japan. What are the main
> Japanese sales companies? Who are the main buyers of Japanese films?  Do
> Japanese audiences watch foreign films? What kind of presence do the US
> majors have in Japan?  Do foreign-language films tend to be sub-titled or
> dubbed? Who are the main local distributors? What type of foreign product
do
> they buy?
>
> * Please also look at Japan's exhibition industry. Is it a growing
> sector? What is the
> total admissions  figure for Japan? What types of films are driving the
> market? Who are the main exhibitors? What foreign exhibitors operate in
> Japan?  How many screens does Japan have?  How many multiplexes are
planned?
> What demographic visits the cinema most often in Japan?
>
> * Directory of major exhibitors and distributors and their contact
> details.
>
> * Please provide a top 10 chart for either the first six months of
> 2000 or all of 1999,
> and a top 10 'independent' chart for all product not financed by the US
> majors.
>
> * ANCILLARY MARKETS  - DVD, TV AND THE INTERNET. (1000 WORDS)
> How has the DVD market taken off in Japan? If it hasn't, why not, and what
> dominates this window? Video, VCD? Who are the main DVD distributors?
> Please provide top 10 charts of DVD rental and sell-through titles. Please
> include details of DVD distributors and units sold/shifted where possible.
>
> * Please provide an overview of the film interests of the main
> Japanese
> broadcasters, state and private, private and terrestrial. Who owns them?
> What's their market share? What does each invest annually in feature film
> and TV movie production? What do they spend annually on the acquisition of
> feature films?
>
> * Please also look at how the internet is being used by Japan's film
> companies to do
> business. Do most of the major film companies have their own websites for
> promotional purposes? What about virtual markets? Do Japanese buyers and
> sellers   use the internet to buy and sell films? Are there any Japanese
> internet distribution companies buying the internet rights to films to
> distribute over the internet?
>
> * Directory of major DVD distributors, broadcasters and internet
> companies with
> contact details.
>
> * VIP LOUNGE (1,000 words)
> Please provide a who's who of everyone you would need to know to do
business
> in Japan. Ensure they come from across the sectors and can also include
> directors and actors.
>
>
>
>
>