EXCLUSIVE: Canada’s Racial Equity Screen Office (RESO) and leading Korean drama producer SLL are teaming up to launch an accelerator program to encourage co-production between Canadian and Asian producers.
The Canada-Asia Pacific Co-Production Accelerator (CAPCA) will take place over 12 weeks, both virtually and in person, culminating in a field week at SLL’s Seoul studios and a showcase at East by Northwest (EXNW) 2025.
CAPCA will select a group of 4-8 Canadian writers and producers to take part in the program, through which they’ll be equipped with the knowledge, networks and access required to break into the Asia-Pacific co-production space.
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The program’s curriculum will be based on case studies of both adaptations and original IP. Faculty leads are industry co-production veterans Janice Chua (Crazy Rich Asians, Taiwan Crime Stories, The Crossing) and Third Culture Content’s Sean Dulake (Dramaworld).
CAPCA was born out of conversations at EXNW 2024 in Vancouver, where Canadian and Korean executives identified the need for a dedicated initiative to more meaningfully foster co-productions. The program is funded by Canada Media Fund’s (CMF) Sector Development Program and aligns with Canada’s broader aims to increase cultural and economic ties with the Indo-Pacific region.
SLL (previously known as Studio LuluLala), owned by Korea’s JoongAng Group, is one of the country’s leading drama producer-distributors, with credits including The World Of The Married, a remake of BBC series Doctor Foster; Sky Castle and Reborn Rich. The studio has also produced series for Netflix including Hellbound and All Of Us Are Dead.
Joonsuh Park, CEO of SLL Production Division, said: “Korea has become a global powerhouse in scripted content, and international co-productions are the next frontier. We hadn’t ever had an opportunity to work with Canada as a co-production partner until EXNW, but the level of talent and opportunity we saw, especially those from diverse backgrounds, convinced us that the time is now. CAPCA is about building real, long-term creative and business relationships between our industries.”
RESO Executive Director and CAPCA program lead Hanna Cho said: “CAPCA is a game-changer for Canadian producers looking to break into Asia. With the industry at a crossroads, this initiative ensures that racialized Canadian creators have a seat at the table in one of the world’s most dynamic content markets. It’s about building relationships that last beyond one deal, fostering a pipeline of co-productions that expand what Canadian content can be.”
Applications for the first edition of CAPCA open on February 12, 2025.
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