Eight teams take to the ATF stage in Singapore as part of the “Masters Meet Masters” pitching session. The pitch is the grand finale of a nine-month cross-border journey that involved Taiwanese creators, Korean mentors and international creative ambitions.

Eight standout teams from the final of the 2024 LEAP Co-Development Program: Variety Show project will pitch their innovative concepts at the upcoming Asia TV Forum (ATF) on 4 December 2024. This exclusive pitching session, titled “Masters Meet Masters”, will see the teams present their unique ideas for variety shows, following a rigorous nine-month development process.

From 50 to 8: The LEAP Journey The journey began in February 2024, when LEAP kicked off with over 100 participants across 50 teams. After an intensive selection process, eight teams emerged as the finalists. The programme, which ran to November, aimed to expose Taiwanese creators to industry veterans and global trends while helping them refine their concepts for international markets.

Workshops and Mentorship The participants first gathered in Taipei for a three-day workshop (10-12 April) led by nine experienced producers from Korea. Among the mentors were some of the biggest names in the industry, including Miyeon Kim ("Running Man"), Junghee Jang ("The Voice", "Shooting Stars"), Mingoo Ko ("Korea No. 1", "Siren: Survive the Island" / CEO of Studio Modak), InSoon Kim (EVP & head of content for Something Special), Jongyeon Jung ("Society Game", "The Genius"), and Sangho Shin ("Long Time No See", "Underdog Kids"). These seasoned professionals guided the teams through the process of developing engaging, market-ready formats.

After the Taipei workshop, 16 participants from eight teams were selected for phase two of the programme, which included a three-day intensive workshop in Seoul (17-19 June). Phase three saw each team paired with a Korean creator, who mentored them through a series of online sessions, with monthly check-ins for five consecutive months. The online phase was split into two parts: the first focusing on Creative Development (three months, three meetings), and the second on Packaging (two months, two meetings).

Final Pitching Session The culmination of this comprehensive development process will take place at the ATF in December, where each team will present their variety/reality show concept in a five-minute pitch followed by a five-minute Q&A session. The eight concepts represent a range of genres, including dating, competition, LGBT+, music, survival, food, game show, and fantasy.

Bridging Networks and Expanding Global Reach The goal of the LEAP programme is not only to develop high-quality variety and reality show formats but also to bridge networks, inspire creativity, and enable Taiwanese productions to reach global audiences, says AR Asia Productions’ chief executive, Anne Chan.

The initiative helps creators connect with top producers and commissioners, as well as providing exposure to potential buyers and sponsors, Chan adds.

The 2024 session will feature a panel of five to six industry experts and platform commissioners who will provide feedback on the projects and potentially open doors for future collaborations.

Each year, LEAP aims to foster innovation in Taiwan’s entertainment industry while promoting the country’s growing presence on the international stage. 

LEAP is a variety/reality show development initiative under the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), co-organised with Hong Kong-based regional production company, AR Asia Productions, and Something Special, a Seoul-based independent international format agency.

Brought to you by AR Asia Productions

▶ Published in ContentAsia December 2024 Magazine