In a bid to strengthen itspresence in Asia, Australian production and talent management company RGM hasopened a new Singapore office armed with a US$100m media financing facilityopen to international film producers.

RGM is looking to backmainly English-language projects with international potential.

'We are on the constantlookout for new materials. Through the Singapore facility, we hope to attractworld-class projects to Singapore and the region,' said co-executive chairmanDevesh Chetty.

Chetty helped RGM expandinto the packaging business in 2000 after forming a partnership with RGMfounder Robyn Gardiner.

Little Fishwhich stars Cate Blanchett, who RGM represents, is one of the projects that RGMalso helped package.

One Day in Rome is expected to be the first to go through the Singapore facility. Theromantic comedy about a wealthy American couple travelling in Rome is writtenby Mark Lamprell (Babe II Pig in theCity). The $40m picture, scheduled to start production by year-end, will be20% funded by RGM.

Other projects in thepipeline include Fearless Nadia basedon the true story of an Australian girl who became a stunt queen in Bollywood.The India-set picture is expected to reunite Indian director Shekhar Kapur withhis Elizabeth star Blanchett.

The Singapore facility willalso be used as a base for electronic entertainment. 'Mobile content is the newand emerging medium. It's important to cover the full spectrum of services,'said electronic entertainment head Stephen Clark.