Generating original TV pilots + supporting a new wave of creative talent.

HOOQ, the largest video-on-demand service in South-East Asia, was looking for original TV pilot ideas to provide fresh local content to their subscribers.

In 2017 they launched the HOOQ Filmmakers Guild, an annual brief through our creative network for commercial directors, producers, script writers and filmmakers to submit compelling stories told through a series format.

It’s a ground-breaking initiative which gives a voice to emerging filmmakers and brings Asia’s edgiest stories to audiences hungry for good quality local shows.

We’re currently running our third series of the Filmmakers Guild, having already generated hundreds of creatively diverse ideas across eight key markets in Asia for the first two series.

A total of 11 pilots have been produced and streamed on the platform, with the most outstanding pilot each year commissioned into a full TV series.

Judging is completed by a panel of industry experts including actors and filmmakers, and based on three key factors: the relevance and potential appeal of the TV pilots to Asian audiences, demonstrable creativity in storytelling and a well told Asian story with an original point of view.

The first Filmmakers Guild led to the production and release of six original pilots, with Big3Media selected to turn their idea, Bhak, into a full series. The show sees two young filmmakers, sick of being pushed around by Bollywood, decide to take matters into their own hands. This leads to a vicious and hilarious roller coaster ride of frustration, passion, betrayal and love for Indian cinema. This episode went on to win the Grand Jury Prize for ‘Best TV Pilot’ at the Academy Award qualifier Rhode Island International Film Festival in 2018. You can check out the full series on HOOQ now.

The following year saw five pilots moved through to production, with Singaporean slapstick comedy She’s a Terrorist and I Love Her currently in production for a full series. It’s a dark comedy about a down-and-out man who enters a sham marriage for a quick payout, only to find that his wife is an extremist hell-bent on blowing everything up.

Click here to watch trailers for all of the winning pilots.