Tokyo's TIFFCOM market outlines changes for 2011

Tokyo’s TIFFCOM contents market (Oct 24-26) has announced changes for its upcoming eighth edition.

With a focus on film, TV and animation contents sales the market itself will continue to be held at the Roppongi Hills Mori Tower venue, but with planned closer integration of seminars, screenings and market booths.

The layout adjustments aim to accommodate year-on-year increases in both exhibitors and attendees. Last year’s market saw a 4% increase in both numbers with 222 exhibitors and 21,095 visitors.

Additionally, the UniJapan Entertainment Forum (UEF) series of industry seminars, launched last year, will expand from three days to five, running Oct 24-28 in the same venue. The three to four daily sessions are set to be presented under an overriding theme. Tentative themes include international co-productions, technology, licensing and regional business. Related social functions will also be increased. UEF branched out with a seminar in Hong Kong earlier this year.

In an effort to consolidate, the Creative Market Tokyo (CMT) event will be moved from its early October slot in Tokyo’s Odaiba waterfront district to directly after TIFFCOM in Roppongi Hills, running October 27-28. CMT focuses on brand, character and digital contents licensing.

TIFFCOM director Mika Morishita explains the changes. “TIFFCOM’s purpose is to help sell completed contents while CMT promotes future creators. Perhaps there’s also an eco-minded aspect to the consolidation, too.”

TIFFCOM’s attendant film project market, Tokyo Project Gathering (TPG), will not go ahead this year in its previous form but an alternative event is in the works. “The name hasn’t been decided yet, but we also plan to co-establish a project development initiative within TIFFCOM and CMT,” said Morishita. Details will be announced in July.

Both the Tokyo International Film Festival (Oct 22-30), now in its 24th year, and TIFFCOM are the centerpieces of the Japan International Contents Festival (CoFesta), which brings together some 17 related film and media events under one umbrella.