Star Studded Ambitions
Phoenix Waters Productions chooses Hong Kong as its Asian base for developing a wide array of content to engage local and global audiences.
I consider the work ethic and talent of Hong Kong people to be amongst the finest in the world.
The year 2020 shifted the way people spent most of their leisure hours, as extensive stay at home led to exponential demand for content consumable via online and streaming platforms. Phoenix Waters Productions meets those content demands with a focus on low budget, high concept and high quality stories for big and small screens. It specialises in original and adapted entertainment tackling socially relevant issues. In 2020, Phoenix Waters expanded from its home base in the UK to Hong Kong, with production partnerships in the US, South Korea and Japan.
Hong Kong is the cradle of Asian cinema
Bizhan Tong, Founder and CEO of Phoenix Waters Productions, feels that Hong Kong is a natural choice for expansion. “Hong Kong created some of the greatest films of the last century,” he said. “During its heyday from the mid-80s to the mid-90s Hong Kong films dominated the box office in East Asia and enjoyed a great reputation in the West. Its location makes it ideal for engaging with other territories within Asia, allowing international co-production opportunities. Its English/Cantonese hybrid means that as a British national, I can more easily navigate the city compared to neighbouring regions. Its continued status as a financial hub is one advantage, but a crucial factor for me is its talent: Hong Kong possesses a wealth of talent across all generations.”
Phoenix Waters has numerous projects under development in Hong Kong. These include a partnership with Asia Television (ATV) through its sister company AMM to use the studio’s facilities to create a wealth of content in Hong Kong for local and international audiences. Projects in the pipeline include thriller Lockdown, crime drama series Forensic Psychologist, a remake of award-winning drama The Escort, an Asian remake of Richard Linklater’s Tape, and zombie thriller Chungking Mansions. Meanwhile, drama series HK Love Story is a love letter to the city with its myths and legends seriously addressed. As for reality entertainment, there is cryptocurrency-based game show Blockchained!, singing competition Future Idol Wars, and dating show Love at First Sound.
Local narrative for global viewers
“My main purpose for coming to Hong Kong was to bring local stories to global audiences,” stated Tong. “I am keen for more viewers to experience the incredible talent which exists both in front of and behind the camera. There are many stories to be told in a picturesque, multi-layered city like Hong Kong that global audiences will enjoy through platforms such as Netflix. Our goal is to invest in larger productions and more international co-productions with global appeal to help revitalise the industry.”
To date, Phoenix Waters Productions retains a compact team in its Central office and ATV studio in Tai Po. “Our aim in the coming year is to increase our headcount using the revenue generated from our projects,” explained Tong. “I consider the work ethic and talent of Hong Kong people to be amongst the finest in the world. As an employer, I am delighted to engage with such dedicated, professional and talented individuals.”
Fast Facts
- Originating in the UK, Phoenix Waters Productions develops award-winning films, series and variety shows in partnership with AMM, the sister company of Asia Television for local and international audiences on the big and small screen
- Established in 2020, the Hong Kong office is its first outside of the UK and will soon expand its staff count to tackle its numerous projects currently in production
Further Reading
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