Taiwan’s TAICCA eyes investment in European co-productions

Trade body TAICCA is looking to entice more European shows to Taiwan, with execs at Series Mania outlining an array of investment and coproduction schemes available to international producers.

TAICCA (Taiwan Creative Content Agency) was formed by the Ministry of Culture of Taiwan in 2019 and has already worked with Malian director Abderrahmane Sissako and invested in shows including French-Taiwanese feature A Holy Family.

It has previously partnered with companies such as Netflix, HBO and South Korea’s CJ ENM, while also co-producing on shows including Perfumed Hill, which has partners including Gaumont and CineFrance onboard.

Co-funding

TAICCA chairperson Ting Hsiao-Ching told TBI she is now looking to ramp up its partnerships with international TV producers and make use of the Taiwan International Co-Funding Program (TICP), which can support 30% of a show’s production budget, up to $300,000.

Qualifying criteria requires shows to have a Taiwanese element and to have secured international distribution, while producers must also have lined up the remaining 70% of the total budget.

Ten shows are already in development through the coproduction scheme and Hsiao-Ching pointed to other schemes including the Creative Content Development Program (CCDP), the Immersive Content Grant – designed to support international XR projects – as well as marketing initiatives that TAICCA can offer.

“For international companies like Netflix and HBO, they probably don’t need our production support but we can help them with marketing support so they can introduce content from Taiwan to a more international audience.”

TAICCA’s schemes are in addition to the Taiwan government-backed production incentive, which offers a 30% cash rebate on shows with a minimum spend of $2m. Producers must work with a Taiwan-based producer to qualify.

Hsiao-Ching added that the organisation could also invest directly in shows as a coproduction partner but has also taken minority stakes in local companies such as ScreenWorks to support the industry.

“We can invest in individual projects or individual companies, some have been production houses and we’ve invested in projects they have with international partners.

“We are also open to coordinating with all kinds of national funds, including those in Europe – we want to work together on content that will be relevant to their market and ours.”

Series Mania pact & studio focus

Earlier this week, TAICCA unveiled an agreement with Series Mania designed to offer “a fast track” for creators, producers, investors, and distributors from both sides to ensure market access in Asia and Europe.

The two organisations will co-organise co-production workshops for project teams to present at the annual drama event, with European decision makers invited to attend Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF), the flagship industry festival and market by TAICCA in November.

Hsiao-Ching was speaking following a studio-focused session – titled the Audiovisual Shooting Locations: A Creative Breakthrough – as part of Series Mania’s Lille Dialogues strand.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Edith Sepp, CEO of the Estonian Film Institute and VP of EFAD (European Film Agency Directors), said that competition between European studios was driving up the quality of facilities on offer to producers.

She also highlighted the importance of improving diversity among workforces with local training schemes and outlined how sustainability was improving at many studio operations.

Sky Studios COO Caroline Cooper said her company had incorporated a raft of green practices at its Elstree Studios, the giant new complex in North London that is currently under construction.

Fabien Jankowiak at France’s Pictanovo and Chiara Sbarigia, president of Italian studio giant Cinecitta, also pointed to the surging demand for studio space across Europe and the importance of making the most of local locations where possible to entice productions.