Singapore needs to loosen up, technologically. - CNA

Singapore may be keen to develop computer games and animated movies on its shores but frankly, the country is too tame for the typical digital media worker ?this according to a man who should know.

Its strait-laced image could stand in the way of the Republic becoming an interactive and digital
media hub, said Mr Peter Schwartz (picture), co-founder and chairman of the Global Business Network.

"The game development culture is a culture that is rather loose and wild, and Hollywood is the same," said Mr Schwartz, who was in town as a member of the Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council to discuss research and development proposals in strategic areas identified by Singapore.

He added: "If you are going to be in the business of developing entertainment media, you are going to have to deal with a fairly scruffy type of person. Singapore is not too good at dealing with scruffy people; you don't like people like that much around here.

"One of the challenges is: Are you going to be sufficiently tolerant of the kinds of creative people in these industries that often emerge in very creative societies?"

Apart from digital media, the National Research Foundation has decided to focus on Environmental and Water Technologies, and Biomedical Sciences.

Scientists may like Singapore, but it will be harder to get along with digital media workers, said Mr Schwartz, an aeronautical engineer and futurist who has worked on thrillers like Minority Report and Deep Impact. Some, he said, "have hair down to here and smell of pot".

So if the Singapore Government wants digital media to take off here, tolerance levels for this breed will have to change.

"I think technically Singapore is very well suited, socially it's very well suited," he said.

"All the things are right, but in this one dimension it has to be more tolerant. It's one thing if you are a great scientist to come here ?this is one of the best places to do science. It may not be one of the best places in the world to design very creative games ...

"That's going to be the biggest problem. It's not technology, it's not money, it's not opportunities, it's whether you can attract or retain the creative types who will create the great movies, the great games, the great television shows."

Once that is overcome, opportunities in digital media are boundless as the world moves from the generation that leans backwards (to watch TV) to the generation that leans forward (toward the computer screen).

Other than digital media, Mr Schwartz thinks that Singapore has a good chance to take on the global water industry. However, there is a need to come up with a viable business proposal.
"Will you just sell technology? Will you license interesting technology to the world? Or will you own and operate water and desalination plants all over the world?" he asked.

Noting that the need for clean fresh water around the world will only grow exponentially, Mr Schwartz said that the fieldis technologically ripe for Singapore to take advantage of, particularly as it scarcely poses any political threat.

"If you're think about it, we're paying more for water than gasoline," he said. "A bottle of Perrier costs more the equivalent in gasoline; it's pretty good business."

Of course, factors such as climate change could derail the best-laid R&D plans, he said.

"Imagine that Singapore gets hit with a typhoon 50 per cent bigger than Katrina. When the sea level is already a foot high, you are going to be building dykes around Singapore ... just like the Dutch," he said.

Mr Schwartz, a venture capitalist, also encouraged Singapore to overcome its obsession with success.

"It only wants to bet on winners," he said. "Well you can't because you don't know ... and if your range of risk is narrow, your range of success will also be narrow." - /sh, Courtesy of CNA.

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I always thought Consultants are full of bullshit, now I have a better view of them. Have to agree with the interviewee here, especially on the last paragraph. But will this gov’t listen ? yeah right.

So anyone thinking of getting into the multi-media industry, the advice is to “Get out of Singapore to find your limitless sky” and come back only as a foreign import to earn big bucks as a media consultant citing “foreign experience”, that is if you can still stand this stifling env’t.

The only thing that I’m puzzled about is the paragraph on “a typhoon 50 per cent bigger than Katrina ”. Not so sure about this leh. Always thought we are well-covered by our neighbors. But then, what do I know when I am not a typhoon expert.

:/