Hong Kong's 14th Microfilm Production Support Scheme Promotes Creative Collaboration in Advertising, Film, and Music Industries

Matching session and kick-off ceremony of 14th Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music) held

Sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Hong Kong Association of Interactive Marketing, the 14th Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music) held its matching session and kick-off ceremony today (October 5), promoting cross-sector collaboration among Hong Kong's advertising, film and television, and music industries.

Speaking at the kick-off ceremony, Assistant Commissioner for Cultural and Creative Industries Miss Yvonne Ip noted that since its launch, the scheme has facilitated collaboration between more than 340 advertising production companies and some 290 groups of singers, providing the local film and television, advertising, and music sectors with a valuable creation platform and hands-on opportunities. CCIDA will continue to actively foster cross-sector collaboration in the local creative industries, with a view to promoting the professionalism, industrialisation and internationalisation of the industries.

This year's scheme consists of two funding categories, namely the "Advertising Production Start-ups" and the "Professional Advertising Production Houses". The selected creative teams will receive production funding as well as professional training and mentoring opportunities to produce original microfilms. At the kick-off ceremony, 10 start-up advertising production companies under the category of "Advertising Production Start-ups" were paired with singers, while the five teams under the category of "Professional Advertising Production Houses" were formed by directors, scriptwriters, singers and advertising production companies individually. The microfilms will premiere online in January next year and will be showcased to the industry at the Hong Kong International Film and TV Market (FILMART) in March next year.

Launched in 2013, the Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music) is a cross-sector collaboration initiative that brings together advertising and film production with music creation. It aims to enable local emerging directors and their creative teams to collaborate with local singers in producing original microfilms, thereby promoting the development of Hong Kong’s creative industry ecosystem.

For more information about the 14th Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music), please visit www.hkmfa.hk (Chinese only).

Matching session and kick-off ceremony of 14th Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music) held Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs and Hong Kong Police's Sham Shui Po District conduct joint-operation to combat illicit cigarettes

Hong Kong Customs and Sham Shui Po District of the Hong Kong Police Force mounted a joint-enforcement operation from September 18 to 30 and detected cases involving illicit cigarettes in the district. A total of about 100 000 illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $480,000, and a duty potential of about $350,000 were seized. Five persons connected with the cases were arrested.

To combat illicit cigarette activities in Sham Shui Po District, Customs and the Police's Sham Shui Po District conducted multiple surprise inspections and raids, cracking down on 22 temporary illicit cigarette storage points and a mobile illicit cigarette stall. Two local men, two local women and a Vietnamese man were arrested.

Customs will continue the multipronged enforcement strategy to vigorously combat illicit cigarette activities. Customs reminds members of the public that under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109), anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080, its dedicated crime-reporting email account(crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Hong Kong Customs and Hong Kong Police's Sham Shui Po District conduct joint-operation to combat illicit cigarettes Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases