KEY GOALS
Producing and coordinating All Local Resources for Foreign Producers of TV Commercials, Feature Films and TV Series. Capitalizing on Unique Locations, Favourable Exchange Rates and Established Production Infrastructure.
HOW IT STARTED
Don Balfour
Phenix Films Asia
May 2002
Phenix Films Asia germinated in the ashes of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, when Panavision, the company I then worked for, decided to abandon its Asian operations. The first Phenix company registered during 1998 in Singapore was initially denied the use of the Phenix name by Singapore government authorities. With a certain disregard for bureaucracy I wrote to the government and pleaded my case for the use of this mythical creature and it's name. Our logo was included with the letter to illustrate how the fire of the Asian financial crisis enveloped the Phenix creature within a filmic theme. The image wonderfully symbolizes the beauty and mystery of filmmaking as well as our business beginnings.
Quite unexpectedly the letter convinced a normally immovable Singapore bureaucracy to alter its position and the first Phenix company was officially born.
The Phenix logo was designed in Jakarta with the guiding hand of my friend, the late Bibin Kartadjoemena of Sammys Films Services Indonesia.
People often ask me, "why did you spell it (Phenix) wrong?"
My answer is always the same;
"If you have studied etymology and you can find me a 3,000 year old Egyptian who spells it your way then I will make the change."