TAICCA Unveils the Taiwan Creative Content Fest, the Top International Market in Asia
Taiwan performed impressively amid the global pandemic, suppressing COVID-19 and creating space for creativity and technological innovation to flourish.
That allowed the Taiwan Creative Content Agency to bring Taiwan’s cultural content to the international market in the first-ever Taiwan Creative Content Fest from Nov. 17 to Nov. 22.
At the official kickoff press conference for the fest, TAICCA showed that international buyers are evincing growing interest in the potential of Taiwanese content and that sales to distributors around the globe are trending up accordingly.
Taiwanese Premier Su Tseng-Chang made a special appearance to celebrate the launch of Taiwan’s new cultural brand — emphasizing immersive social experiences — and TCCF’s international market features. Su appeared via a virtual reality meeting platform provided by XRSPACE, a new Taiwanese company focused on virtual reality and 5G social technology. International buyers appeared using the VR space as well.
Taiwanese Minister of Culture Lee Yung-Te also spoke at the press conference to emphasize that the Ministry aims to increase awareness of Taiwan’s cultural brand. According to Lee, thanks in part to TCCF’s promotion of dynamic original content and its showcase of rising industries in Taiwan, a Taiwanese cultural wave appears certain in the post-pandemic world.
TAICCA Chairperson Ting Hsiao-Ching pointed out the significance of TCCF itself, apart from the content and companies showcased there.
“In such a difficult and turbulent year,” she said, “content industries around the world were in shock. Physical exhibitions and events have been difficult to organize, so they’ve become rare during these times — so TCCF is a testimony to our capabilities in Taiwan.
“In the inaugural TCCF, we wish to show the international potential of Taiwan’s cultural content industries and drive awareness and sales of Taiwanese content.”
Taiwanese films have shined in international film festivals and Taiwanese series have also reached new heights as global streaming platforms surge worldwide. Critically acclaimed series, such as “The Teenage Psychic,” “The World Between Us” and “The Victims’ Game,” were either international co-productions or screened exclusively on international platforms.
TCCF presented a wide variety of cultural content, including films, television, written works, animation and immersive content. It also highlighted online matchmaking meeting systems for international buyers — a new business model for international trade shows. Beyond that, TCCF demonstrated Taiwan’s forward-thinking immersive content industry, which opened up new prospects and outside-the-box ideas for cultural content worldwide.
While physical events are postponed or canceled due to the pandemic, virtual events are booming and sustaining content industries’ market flow. Seizing the opportunity to move beyond traditional face-to-face meetings and presentations, TAICCA designed an online matchmaking and meeting-reservation platform and optimized online streaming forums. It has also created an X-Reality virtual business showroom with XRSPACE. With cutting-edge VR technology, visitors were able to enjoy a virtual TCCF and experience a new definition of social engagement.
Also introduced was a TCCF app where visitors could register for immersive content exhibition experiences, reserve matchmaking meetings and receive the latest conference updates. For participants who could not attend the physical event, all conferences were livestreamed and highlights of TCCF were made accessible right at their fingertips via the app.
The press conference also featured the curators of three of the fest’s themed exhibitions — Immersive Content, Story Translation and Taiwanese Trend Perspectives — presenting highlights from their shows.
Samuel Wang, who previously curated the closing ceremony for the 2017 Summer Universiade games, presented the Immersive Content Experience Zone, which included the 5G version of “Rhythm With U,” an exhibition featuring dance troupe U Theater; and the world premiere in-person screening of “Curious Alice,” a VR experience that puts the viewer in the shoes of the “Alice in Wonderland” heroine. The project was a Taiwan-U.K. production. These presentations showcase Taiwan’s creative and co-production capabilities for immersive content.
Frank Huang of Double-Grass, who has curated the annual Taipei Art Book Fair, harnessed his interdisciplinary expertise for TCCF’s Story Exchange exhibition. This forum showcased multiple artists in “story gamification,” demonstrating the possibilities of adapting books and comic books to other content formats.
Taiwanese Trend Perspectives was led by Johnason Lo, noted curator and TCCF’s visual director for 2020. Lo created Taiwan HYPE, an exhibition that brought together Taiwan’s competitive manufacturers and creative industries at the VIESHOW Square. With 37 teams, HYPE aimed to transform traditional industries in Taiwan and inspire conversation between the spheres of technology development and creative culture.
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