Malaysian Video Awards Festival (MVA)

At the MSC e-Village IAP meeting held from 5 - 6 April 2001, one of the proposed areas to be looked at is Skills Development, and a specific suggestion made was on the need to allow students' production an opportunity for public viewing. This would give the students some form of exposure to competition, potential recruitment and motivation to higher achievement.

It was at that meeting also where we found out about the Malaysian Video Awards Council, Established to introduce the Malaysian Video Awards, the only awards in this region to recognise and reward professionals and budding craftsmen in its pursuit of excellence.

The Malaysian Video Awards Council was established in 1994 to introduce the Malaysian Video Awards in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism under the auspices of the National Art Gallery.

In the past, the MVA was run by a Secretariat, which is based at the National Art Gallery and is manage by Council Member and Honorary Member, who are appointed by the Council Members to advise on the categories, panel of judges, and rules and regulations for the MVA.

Funded by voluntary contributions from the public and the industry, the MVA aims at creating awareness of the individual crafts involved in the film and video production industry and to encourage the industry in its development and pursuit of excellence. MVA, the first event ever of its kind in Malaysia and the region, and that to date, there is no other comprehensive recognition of the many professionals involved in the film and video production industry.

The Malaysian Video Awards Festival is organised on an annual basis. In line with promoting the quality of the craft in the film and video industry and to encourage and provide opportunities to the young to join the industry, the Festival provides an occasion where people within and outside the industry can meet, exchange ideas, and celebrate the achievements of the various craftsmen and their work. Finally, the filmmakers: the producers, directors, cinematographers, editors, and so on, will have the opportunity for their work to be judged by their peers and be recognised for their talent and successful execution. Aside from the annual awards, the Council also organises seminars, training, and exhibitions.
In the past years, more than 500 nominations were received and about 100 to 200 nominations are for Experimental Videos. A credible panel of judges from the industry has judges the MVA. Attached in Attachment 2 is a listing of the 5th MVA panel of judges.

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-	Recognise and reward the individual craftsmen.
-	Provide an incentive for greater creativity and professionalism.
-	Nurture a pool of local talents in order to bring Malaysia to the forefront of the international arena.
-	Set the standards for the various crafts involved in the film and video industry.
-	Recognise the individuals or companies who contribute significantly to the development of the craft.
-	Create awareness of the technical aspects involved in the industry to the general public.
-	Encourage the young to pursue careers in the individual specialized crafts
-	Conduct seminars and workshops by experts in the industry to educate and encourage young people to join the industry.
-	Hold video exhibitions of works from various parts of the world to expose the Malaysian public to the different professions and techniques of video and film production council members.