Disney ramps up creative expansion in Asia Pacific

MANILA, Philippines — To meet consumers’ growing demand  for local content, the Walt Disney Co. debuted yesterday an invitation-only exchange program that connects leading storytellers in Asia Pacific with top executives and creatives from Disney’s key brands and studios.

Created with the goal of sharing The Walt Disney Co.’s almost 100 years of world-class storytelling experience with content creators from across Asia Pacific,  the program, titled “The Creative Experience,” has given a select group of participants access to some of the company’s most influential names through a series of exclusive live panels that provide invaluable insights into the creative processes of Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Disney Live Action, 20th Century Studios, Searchlight Pictures, Pixar, Lucasfilm, National Geographic, Disney TV Studios, FX ABC and more.

“The Creative Experience aims to add further momentum to the creative growth in the region, as streaming continues to enhance local content production standards and storytelling excellence,” said Carol Choi, head of Asia Pacific Original Content Strategy, The Walt Disney Co.

“Asia Pacific  has world-class storytellers and talent with so much global potential, and we hope that this new program will become an invaluable part of creative development in the region, opening new doors of entertainment for the creative community,” Choi said.

The program’s first live panel featured a discussion on live-action content development between some of Disney’s most high-profile executives, including Disney Live Action president Sean Bailey, Searchlight Pictures president Matthew Greenfield and 20th Century Studios senior vice president Sarah Shepard.

A first-of-its-kind initiative, the program is part of The Walt Disney Co.’s continued commitment to  Asia Pacific, as the company continues to deepen its long-term collaborative relationships with the region’s creative community.

Last year at its first Asia Pacific Content Showcase, the company announced its creative ambition to greenlight over 50  originals from the region by 2023, and has since launched a growing slate of local language titles from South Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Greater China on its global streaming platform Disney+.

On Nov. 30, the company will be hosting the much anticipated Disney Content Showcase in Singapore, an exciting unveil of its theatrical and streaming slate for 2023, including a growing collection of Asia Pacific Originals on Disney+ and Disney+ Hotstar.