ENG-2008 — Page 432

356 | Communications, the Media and Information Technology

Film Development Fund

The Film Development Fund (FDF) aims at providing financial support for projects conducive to the long-term development of the local film industry.

In July 2007, the Government injected $300 million into the FDF and expanded its scope to finance small-to-medium budget film productions. The expanded FDF aims to encourage more commercial investment in film productions, create a larger mass of film activity and more employment opportunities, and assist the film industry in revitalising and developing further. In 2008, seven film production financing projects involving total funding of $18.38 million, and 20 film-related projects involving total funding of $37.85 million, were approved.

Film Services Office

The Government set up a Film Services Office under the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority in April 1998 to provide support for the film industry by facilitating film production in Hong Kong and promoting Hong Kong films locally and abroad.

To facilitate location filming in Hong Kong, the office has obtained agreements from over 3 396 organisations, including government departments, on the use of their premises for location filming, and has published reference materials on locations for the industry. The office also provides a centralised service for assisting the film industry in matters of a more complicated nature such as location work that requires lane closures or special permits. In 2008, it dealt successfully with 492 such requests. The office acted as the co-ordinator in the vetting process for film industry parking applications, and processed 128 such applications during the year, all of which were approved. In 2008, the office also provided co-ordination services to process applications to use pedestrian precincts and to hire police for intermittent traffic control for location filming.

To promote Hong Kong films in the international market, the office assisted the overseas Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices to organise Hong Kong Film Festivals in major cities in the United States and Australia, and promoted Hong Kong as an ideal city for location filming at the global 'Locations Trade Show' 2008 held in April in Los Angeles in the United States. In 2008, 112 overseas film crews came to Hong Kong for location filming.

The office is also responsible for licensing special effects operators and issuing permits for the discharge of special effects materials for the film and entertainment industry. In 2008, it processed 2 000 such applications.

Film Classification System

Hong Kong adopts a three-tier film classification system: Category I (suitable for all ages); Category II, which is subdivided into Category IIA (not suitable for children) and Category IIB (not suitable for young people and children); and Category III (for people aged 18 and above only). The aim is to allow adults wide access to films while protecting young people under the age of 18 from exposure to potentially harmful materials. Category IIA and IIB classifications are advisory not governed