The streaming service has launched an initiative called the HOOQ Filmmakers Guild

HOOQ video streaming

Singtel-backed HOOQ is inviting filmmakers to create original content for its video steaming platform.

Today, it announced the launch of an initiative called the HOOQ Filmmakers Guild. This programme will invite Southeast Asia-based filmmakers — directors, producers or scriptwriters — to submit scripts or treatment ideas for TV shows.

The five best scripts will be selected and the filmmakers will be given a budget of US$30,000 each to product a pilot episode of the show, which will debut on HOOQ.

A panel of judges consisting of film talents from Hollywood and Asia will pick the best pilot. The winner will get to develop a full-fledged TV series based on their script and it will be aired on HOOQ.

“There is incredible talent for TV series making in Asia, and we want to give opportunities to film professionals to turn these amazing ideas into reality. HOOQ is built in Asia for Asia and we want to give Asian filmmakers the power to create quality entertainment that gives our customers that escape into worlds of romance, action, adventure and even heroism, all in the setting of their backyard,” said CEO of HOOQ, Peter Bithos.

This project commences from 1 June 2017 and will be open for entries till 1 August 2017.

Also Read: HOOQ appoints ex-BBC Worldwide CTO Michael Fleshman as CTO

Applicants must be either in film school or working as professionals in the film industry with prior film production experience.  They are to submit the script and treatment for a mini-series or a full series with a maximum of 13 episodes for a single season in order to qualify.  There will be no restriction to genre, however submissions and productions must be in the language of the applicant’s country.

HOOQ also recently announced the production of four new HOOQ shows – Critical Eleven and Sweet 20 to hit cinemas in May and June 2017 respectively and the other three to hit the platform (‘The T Party’ and Marlina and the Murderer in Four Acts) later this year.

Founded in 2015, HOOQ is owned by Singtel, Sony and Warner. The video-streaming service is available in Indonesia, Philippines, India and Singapore. In 2017, HOOQ raised US$25 million of capital from the three existing investors.

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Image Credit: HOOQ

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The post Singtel-backed HOOQ is inviting filmmakers to create TV shows for its platform; winning scripts to get US$30K for pilot appeared first on e27.