Kuala Lumpur, Dec 30 – Malaysian filmmaker and producer, Leon Tan, and veteran Hollywood film financier and producer, Greg Cooke, have set up a joint-venture, to fill in the missing piece of the industry.
Tan and Cooke set up DragonSlate Sdn Bhd to produce world-class films and television shows locally for the global audience.
Speaking to Bernama, Tan said the local film scene was a developing industry, and unlike Hollywood, the expertise and experience in Malaysia needed to be tapped.
“(For the time being) all these can be filled by Cooke’s network from around the world that will join us in making DragonSlate’s films here in Malaysia,” he said.
Tan said DragonSlate would eventually reduce its dependency on foreign skills once it had managed to acquire the necessary skills in the film industry.
Training, under the various initiatives by the relevant authorities, such as Multimedia Development Corp, would help Malaysian talents become skilled workforce, he said.
Tan and Cooke hold 45 per cent stake each in DragonSlate and the Malaysia Venture Capital Management Bhd (MAVCAP) 10 per cent.
MAVCAP has invested RM10 million in DragonSlate for the company’s development, which will be disbursed gradually in three years.
“In filmmaking, it is difficult for independent filmmakers like us to get worldwide (recognition) in order for us to progress, develop ideas, attract directors and talents and even to raise production budget,” said Tan.
DragonSlate is Cooke’s initiative in the expanding Asian media development, including Malaysia where he felt the country has a conducive environment to nurture a world-class film and television production hub.
“Tan and I met years ago in Los Angeles and he talked with the same passion about Malaysian community and its film industry while I have spent a large part of my life in the region,” said cooke.
Cooke will co-manage DragonSlate with Tan, who is also Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of animation/post-production company, Tripod Entertainment Sdn Bhd.
Tan was the producer of Malaysia’s award-winning 3D stereoscopic animated feature War of the Worlds: Goliath.
Based in Los Angeles, Cooke has had decade-long career in the film business, most recently as Chairman and CEO of Dune Entertainment.
During his tenure, Dune Entertainment co-financed over 60 20th Century Fox movies, including James Cameron’s Avatar, the highest grossing movie of all time.
DragonSlate had already structured a “slate” of international films into production in 2014, he said.
“We are looking at 15 to 20 projects. And out of these, two or three of the films may likely start production next year,” he said.
In the execution of its projects, DragonSlate will actively engage and co-develop the Malaysian ecosystem for world-class fimmaking with other industry players and government initiatives, he said.
The initiatives included Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios and Film In Malaysia Incentive Rebates.
Tan said the company was receptive to joint-ventures with local production companies to produce movies for global audience.
– Bernama
