The latest equipment and technologies used in the film and television industry is being showcased at the sixth Vietnam International Exhibition on Film and Television Technology (Telefilm) organised at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre in Ho Chi Minh City from June 7-9.

The sixth Việt Nam International Exhibition on Film and Television Technology - Telefilm 2018, yesterday opened at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC) in HCM City’s District 7 from June 7-9.

The Telefilm 2018 exhibition has attracted about 150 exhibitors and more than 3,000 film and television technology professionals from 15 countries and territories such as the UK, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Philippines, India, Singapore, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Many well-known international communications and TV organisations are attending the exhibition, including Thailand’s JKN Global Media Public Company Limited, Taiwan Drama Production Industry Federation (TDPIF), Japan’s TBS, Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) and Media Corp Singapore.

Steven Lin, chairman of the Taiwan Drama Production Industry Federation, said that 17 Taiwanese companies at the Taiwan pavilion will introduce 55 movies and TV series.

Movie stars from Taiwan will also be present at the pavilion to interact with visitors, he said.

The exhibition is displaying products, services and technologies used in film and television, including TV programmes and serials, broadcasting platforms, satellite television and internet television services, pre-production and post-production services, and broadcasting equipment and technologies.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Nguyễn Thành Lương,deputy director of VTV, said the annual exhibition is a venue for TV and film professionals to share experiences and seek business opportunities.

“This exhibition provide great opportunities for local firms to learn on the spot about filmmaking processes and the latest production techniques,” he said.

Among the local exhibitors are Việt Nam Television (VTV), Việt Nam Television Cable Corporation (VTVCab), Voice of Việt Nam (VOV), Saigon Cable Television (SCTV), Application and Development Electronic Technology Co. (ADT), Việt Nam Television Film Centre (VFC), Vietcom, Sunrise, Vietfilm and Fafim.

The exhibition was organised by the VTV, ADPEX Joint Stock Company and TVAd (Television Advertising and Services Centre).

A seminar called "OTT (Over the Top) TV" on the future of television in the digital age is one of several seminars that are due to take place on the sidelines of the event  in addition to business matching events, and cooperation agreements.

The seminar offered an overview of the traditional cable or satellite pay TV ecosystem, the characteristics and audiences of OTT, and responses of local and foreign firms to an increasingly competitive multi-platform video market.

Trần Thị Thanh Mai, general director of the Kantar Media Việt Nam, said Kantar’s recent research in Hà Nội, HCM City, Đà Nẵng and Cần Thơ showed that leading OTT apps used by Vietnamese are YouTube, Zing TV and FPT Play.

The growing popularity of OTT video is changing the dynamics of the TV landscape and the media industry. It is affecting video consumption patterns, content production and distribution models.

With the growth of broadband internet and social media, the evolving viewing habits of millennials and their engagement with user-generated content, OTT is quickly gaining ground.

Architect Lê Xuân Thái, from VTVCab, said the local OTT service industry faces many challenges, including YouTube giving audiences free access, violations of copyright and other related rights, difficulty in online payments, heavy investment needed to develop OTT sevices, and the impact of Industry 4.0.

To deal with a fierce battle in the OTT service market in Việt Nam, OTT firms should develop strategic and sustainable planning, he said.

The conference has attracted hundreds of representatives of domestic and foreign OTT enterprises, advertising agencies, media companies and other enterprises. — VNS/VNA