(28 April 2021, Hong Kong) Organized by the Hong Kong Association of Interactive Marketing (“AIM”), with Create Hong Kong (“CreateHK”) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (“HKSAR Government”) as the lead sponsor, the 8^th Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music) (“Support Scheme”) held the online Awards Presentation Ceremony cum Premiere today. A total of 26 awards were presented in the event to commend the distinguished local microfilms produced under the 8^th Support Scheme and their production crews. It was noted that the overall standard of this year’s entries is outstanding.  Outperforming the other contenders, “Tomorrow is not promised” and “GongWoo Land II” won the Gold Award of the “Best Microfilm Production Award” in the Tier 1 “Start-up Group” and the Tier 2 “Professional Group” respectively. As for the “Best Microfilm Actor” and “Best Microfilm Actress” Awards, Ng Lam Fung and Lung Siu Kwan, Ngo Ka Nin and Jennifer Yu were crowned as gold awardees in their respective tiers.

The 8^th Support Scheme has 32 participating teams, each formed by a local advertising production company, a local director, and a local singer/ group. With the subsidies and professional training offered by the Support Scheme, 22 teams from the Tier 1 “Start-up Group” and 10 teams from the Tier 2 “Professional Group” produced their original microfilms in 5 months to compete for 26 awards which were announced in today’s online Award Ceremony. These awards are the “Best Microfilm Production Award”, the “Best Microfilm Actor Award”, the “Best Microfilm Actress Award”, the “Best Microfilm Scriptwriting Award”, the “Best Microfilm Cinematography Award” and the “Best Microfilm Art Direction Award”, the winners of which were selected by the judging panel, and the “Most Popular Microfilm Award”, the winner of which was online voted by the public.

Today’s Award Ceremony is honored to have Dr. Bernard CHAN Pak Li, JP, Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the HKSAR Government to deliver a pre-recorded speech. Mr. Francis FONG, Founding and Honorary Chairman of AIM, Mr. Ralph SZETO, Chairman of AIM, Ms. Flora KWONG, Committee Member of IFPI (Hong Kong Group), Mr. Anthony LEE, Vice Chairman of Hong Kong Film Directors’ Guild, and Mr. Jason LAM, Scriptwriter made an appearance to the live broadcast of the ceremony and celebrated the excellence of the awardees’ achievements. The following is an introduction to the winners of each tier.

Tier 1 “Start-up Group”

Lung Siu Kwan won the Best Actress Gold Award for the second consecutive year

The Gold Award of Best Microfilm Production went to “Tomorrow is not promised”

“Tomorrow is not promised” produced by Unungoek Limited and directed by Liu Lap Chi Nick, won the Gold Award of the “Best Microfilm Production Award” in the Tier 1 by its fruitful content and a sense of humor. Its leading casts – the four-member Carrier showed their distinctive characteristics in the microfilm, while Lung Siu Kwan, the vocal, triumphed the Gold Award of “Best Microfilm Actress Award” by her excellent performance. This is the second consecutive year for her to win the same award. The rest of the group also collectively won the Bronze Award of the “Best Microfilm Actor Award” with this microfilm.

The Silver Award of the “Best Microfilm Actress Award” went to Cherry Fung, the leading actress of the microfilm “Victims of Love” produced by Live Moment Creations Limited and directed by To Ka Lee Kary, while Karen Kong won the Bronze Award in the same category with her performance in the  microfilm “Human Error”, which was produced by Kikicaca and directed by Erica Kwok. This microfilm also brought the “Best Microfilm Art Direction Award” to art director Blue Hau for the splendid make-up styling and precise color tone.

“My Hero Daughter” and “Lost Pearl” won 3 prizes respectively

Produced by Oneshot Concept Limited, directed and written by Lai Yuen Shing to present the heartwarming father-daughter love, “My Hero Daughter” was crowned the Silver Award of the “Best Microfilm Production Award” and the “Best Microfilm Scriptwriting Award” in the Tier 1. Its leading actor Ng Lam Fung who acted as a good father in the microfilm also won the Gold Award of the “Best Microfilm Actor Award” with his natural and effortless acting skills.

“Lost Pearl” produced by Junes, directed by Li Ho, and photography directed by Fung Ka Cheuk, Kira, was acclaimed for its professional cinematography techniques. The attractive scene of the microfilm not just brought the production team the Bronze Award of the “Best Microfilm Production Award” and the “Best Microfilm Cinematography Award”, but also the Silver Award of the “Best Microfilm Actor Award” to the vigorous leading actors, Andy Is Typing. The four-member group has successfully presented the unbending and rebellious characteristics of youngsters in the awarded microfilm.

For the “Most Popular Microfilm Award” online voted by the public, the winner of the Tier 1 went to “Limelight”, produced by Ursa Media Workshop, directed by Ronald Zajac, and starred by Ying Chi Yuet.

Tier 2 “Professional Group“

Ngo Ka Nin and Frederick Cheung in “GongWoo Land II” swept the board with three grand awards

In the Tier 2, “GongWoo Land II“, produced by Worldstar Moving Pictures, directed and written by Frederick Cheung and starred by Ngo Ka Nin, was highly commended by its creative script and local sitcom style and thus, took home the Gold Award of the “Best Microfilm Production Award” and the “Best Microfilm Scriptwriting Award”. Moreover, its leading actor Ngo Ka Nin, who vividly played a debt collector in the microfilm, received the Gold Award of the “Best Microfilm Actor Award”.

“The Silent Farewell” recognized with four awards and became another big hit

“The Silent Farewell”, produced by UTO Production and directed by Lo Wai Lun, earned honor for the Silver Award of the “Best Microfilm Production Award”. The microfilm successfully transformed Hong Kong into a “western world” through various details. In addition to that, the remarkable shots with lighting application by the director of photography Siu Hing Wa, Derek and high-quality art design capturing the aesthetic Hong Kong by art director Lok Hiu Wa, Sellwa, won the microfilm the “Best Microfilm Cinematography Award” and the “Best Microfilm Art Direction Award”. Its leading actor Matt Force used mere glances to tell the story of a bounty hunter. His superb performance in the microfilm brought him the Bronze Award of the “Best Microfilm Actor Award”.

“Frequency” and “Traces of You” both won Bronze Award of “Best Microfilm Production Award“

Two microfilms jointly received the Bronze Award of this year’s Tier 2 “Best Microfilm Production Award”. One of them is “Frequency”, produced by Marc. Two Limited and directed by Lawrence Kan to tell a youth love story. Its leading actress Gigi Cheung further won the Silver Award of the “Best Microfilm Actress Award” with her youthfulness presented in the microfilm. The Gold Awardee of the same category went to Jennifer Yu for her natural performance in “Company”, produced by Him Strategic Marketing and directed by Lam Tsz Him. This microfilm also won the “Most Popular Microfilm Award” with its touching story. In addition, Shiga Lin received the Bronze Actress Award by playing a killer in “A hundred miles song”, produced by Qcure Healthcare Technology Company Limited and directed by Poon Tsz Yin, Tim.

Another Bronze Award of the “Best Microfilm Production Award” went to “Traces of You,” which was produced by Two Meter Desk Creative Limited and directed by 6@RubberBand (Mau Hou Cheong). The moving plots in the microfilm touched the audience, while its leading actor Terrence Chui was also named the Silver Award of the “Best Microfilm Actor Award” for his affectionate presentation.

Dr. Bernard CHAN Pak Li, JP, Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the HKSAR Government, congratulated AIM on successfully organizing the Support Scheme again. In his pre-recorded speech, Dr. CHAN said that CreateHK has been encouraging cross-sector collaboration in creative industries, thereby consolidating Hong Kong’s status as Asia’s creative capital. He noted that the Support Scheme is one of the exemplary projects in terms of such cross-sector collaboration.

Speaking at the award ceremony, Mr. Ralph SZETO, the Chairman of AIM, said that, “We are delighted that the Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music) was successfully implemented again this year. With the continued support from CreateHK throughout the years to provide a strong upkeep of both the advertising and music sectors, the Support Scheme enables the talented local singers and directors to go further in their careers. AIM will continue to promote cross-sector collaboration and hence, nurture more creative supernovas.” Mr. SZETO congratulated all the winners on their professional productions and exquisite acting techniques. He also sent his gratitude to all the participating production crews for their extraordinary efforts in bringing magnificent microfilms to the public.

The 32 microfilms of the 8^th Support Scheme have been uploaded onto the official website for public review. The list of winners is attached in the Annex.

The 8^th Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music)

The 8^th Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music) comprises two tiers. For Tier 1 “Start-up Group”, it has 22 teams, each formed by an advertising start-up established within the last six years, one local director who has less than six years’ experience, and a local singer/group paired up through drawing of ballots. Each team received a maximum subsidy of HK$120,000 to produce its original microfilms with storylines of four to eight minutes. As for the 10 teams in Tier 2 “Professional Group”, each team is formed by a small-sized advertising production company established within the last 12 years, a local director who has less than 12 years’ experience and a local singer/group teamed up by themselves. Each team received a subsidy up to HK$220,000 to produce its original microfilm with storylines of 12 to 16 minutes.

The singers/groups participating in the Support Scheme provided songs for use and performed in the microfilms of their own teams and thereby earned more performance experiences and increased their exposure.

Besides, all-round promotion for the participating teams will be provided by the organizer. And the teams with prominent performances will be further recommended for participation in international microfilm or short film-related competitions, to let more people appreciate the creative works of Hong Kong’s younger generation.

For more details about the Support Scheme, please visit: https://www.hkmfa.hk.

Create Hong Kong

Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) is a dedicated agency set up by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR Government) in June 2009. It is under the Communications and Creative Industries Branch of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau and dedicated to spearheading the development of creative industries in Hong Kong. Its strategic foci are nurturing talent and facilitating start-ups, exploring markets, and promoting Hong Kong as Asia’s creative capital and fostering a creative atmosphere in the community. CreateHK sponsors the Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music) since 2013/14 and other projects to support the further development of local advertising and music industries.

Website: http://www.createhk.gov.hk

Organizer:                                Hong Kong Association of Interactive Marketing

Lead Sponsor:                 Create Hong Kong of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Issued by:                                Hong Kong Association of Interactive Marketing

Media enquiries:                     VIS Communications Consultancy Limited

Mr. Felix Poon                                                          Tel.: 9202 2885 / 2804 2388

Fax: 2804 2390                                            Email: felix@vis-pr.com

Disclaimer: The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region provides funding support to the project only, and does not otherwise take part in the project. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials/events (or by members of the project team) are those of the project organizers only and do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Communications and Creative Industries Branch of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, Create Hong Kong, the CreateSmart Initiative Secretariat or the CreateSmart Initiative Vetting Committee.

Annex

The 8^th Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music) Winner List –

Tier 1 “Start-up Group“

Tier 2 “Professional Group”

List of Advertising Production Start-ups and Singers/Groups Participating in

The 8^th Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music) – Tier 1 ‘Start-up Group’

(Listed in alphabetical order of the English names of the participating advertising production companies)

List of Small Advertising Production Enterprises and Singers/Groups Participating in

The 8^th Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music) – Tier 2 ‘Professional Group’

(Listed in alphabetical order of the English names of the participating advertising production companies)