Samsung unveils branded film fest in Singapore

Samsung Electronics Singapore is creating its own branded film festival. As part of the initiative, it is on the hunt for aspiring storytellers to create content for the "Short & Sharp film festival" taking place in May, which will highlight the advanced photography and videography features of its latest smartphone series, the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G. 

Content creators are urged to submit a one-minute short film shot on any mobile phone based on the theme “What the World Needs Now” - even an iPhone. This theme is inspired by the new world Singaporeans live, work and play, according to Samsung, where the pandemic has moved people to express hope, joy, compassion and humanity in new ways. Among the entries submitted, Samsung will be shortlisting 15 finalists, who will then work with well-known local film industry stars to co-create content using its Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G mobile phone. 

In a statement to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, a spokesperson from Samsung said it chose to work with content creators for its branded film festival because it wanted to put the power of its smartphones in their hands to "tell stories that relate". "By partnering esteemed filmmakers, we hope to showcase the Galaxy S21 Series 5G’s advanced photography and videography features powered by a pro-grade camera system, making the series the ideal tool for all aspiring filmmakers," the spokesperson added.

The list of filmmaker in the local film industry include filmmaker Eric Khoo, director Anthony Chen, media personalities Mark Lee and Jeanette Aw, as well as deputy editor of The Straits Times Life, Wong Kim Hoh. Finalists will also work in tandem with local content studio, Ministry of Funny which was founded by Haresh Tilani and Terence Chia. The winner of the contest will win SG$20,000, Samsung products and an opportunity to produce Samsung-branded video content in 2022.

All content from the finalists and the participating auteurs will be showcased at the Short & Sharp Film Festival.

Sarah Chua, vice president, IT and mobile, Samsung Electronics Singapore, said this initiative comes as technology now plays an important role in fulfilling a content creator’s vision in telling stories that matter. "We’ve seen the rise of digital content creators in recent times and new consumer habits influenced by the pandemic has also driven the consumption of digital content. With the inaugural Samsung Short & Sharp film festival, we want to put the power of our smartphones in the hands of budding filmmakers so that they can leverage on our advanced camera features to tell stories that relate," Chua added. 

The hunt for content creators in Singapore seem to be a rising trend among brands. Late last year in October, Singtel's mobile product provider GOMO launched an online contest looking for a talk show host for its newly-launched "Late Night Convo with GOMO". To search for a content creator, GOMO called for the public to submit a one to two minutes submission video showcasing their hosting talent. Similarly, foodpanda also tapped into the public to find itself a chief makan officer, by getting interested individuals to upload a one-minute video to show why they are fit for the job. 

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