Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Malaysia’s lead digital economy agency, has launched the Digital Content Creators Challenge (DC3) for 2022. Established in 2006, DC3 is one of the platforms that provides seed funding for creative content developers to create a portfolio or intellectual properties (IP) that can be used to pitch to investors, broadcasters, and publishers to get further funding. Throughout the years of the competition, MDEC has funded 360 projects and has disbursed RM15.3 million in prize money to the winners.
DC3 is a competition-based programme designed to assist content creators to develop and produce high-quality digital content as well as increase the creation of Intellectual Property (IP), in line with the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint (MyDIGITAL) which sets out to produce 200 IPs by 2025.
The winners of DC3 2022 will receive prize money to develop their proposed digital creative content with the support of industry experts through a mentorship programme. This would provide the necessary catalysts for local talents to penetrate the local and global markets.
The CEO of MDEC stated that past winners have gone on to win awards on the global stage and we at MDEC cannot be more than honoured to provide the necessary platform to content developers to develop, showcase, and market their digital content regionally and globally. He added that MDEC is optimistic that the participants for 2022 will bring fresh ideas and develop great stories that will place Malaysia on the global map of creative content.
The programme is open to digital content creation companies and is divided into three project scopes, namely, digital comics, animation, and digital games. Under the digital comic category, winners will receive prize money of up to RM25,000 and six months to complete their project. Meanwhile, winners from the animation category will receive prize money of up to RM100,000 and eight months to complete their project. Digital game producers will receive up to RM100,000 and ten months to complete their project.
The creative digital industry in Malaysia is proving to be thriving with many successes in the production of animation technology, film and gaming. The Government through Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) has introduced various initiatives to help digital content designers realize their potential. As a result, a variety of local creative and digital animation content has made its name internationally.
Among the initiatives and programs regarding creative content and technology, other than Digital Content Creators Challenge (DC3), are:
- ‘Kre8tif’ Program: Kre8tif! is an initiative by the Malaysia Digital Economic Corporation (MDEC) under the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia (KKMM) aimed at developing the creative content industry in Malaysia.
- Level Up Program: Level-Up! is an initiative by Malaysia Digital Economic Corporation (MDEC) under the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia (KKMM). Level Up Malaysia is a leading communications hub for the development of the gaming industry in Malaysia and Southeast Asia.
- Digital Content Creators Challenge (DiCE): Digital Content Creators Challenge (DiCE), formerly known as Intellectual Property Creators Challenge (IPCC), is a platform for leveraging local talent in the creative field to be promoted and commercialized to international standards. In addition to awarding grants to develop winning projects, DiCE winners will also receive mentorship from experienced industry champions to help realise their ideas.
- Digital Content Fund: Digital Content Fund is a Malaysian Government allocation fund through the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) to assist companies and the production of local creative content in the development, production or other digital content in animation and gaming applications.
- MSC Malaysia Animation & Creative Content Center (MAC3): The production of high-quality digital content does not depend solely on the technical and creative skills of an individual or team. It requires access to advanced technology and a proactive business community. Malaysia Creative Content Center (MAC3) is a facility with complete access to all aspects of creative technology. It acts as a content production hub for small and medium-sized start-up companies. The conducive environment enables companies to collaborate more effectively with information sharing and experience in developing international digital content.
