Chinese film market shows potential, challenges
- By Zhang Rui
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E-mail China.org.cn, July 11, 2014
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| A poster of the robot blockbuster "Transformers: Age of Extinction." [CNS file photo] |
While "Transformers 4" is sweeping China’s market now, a Chinese comedy called "The Breakup Guru" also made an impressive performance since its debut on June 27. It has grossed 450 million yuan (US$72 million) under the huge pressure of "Transformers 4," which sends out a signal of hope.
"When it comes, it comes," said Deng Chao, the actor-turned-director of "The Breakup Guru." "We should see it this way -- Hollywood blockbusters can unite with China films to make this market even bigger."
China's radio, film and television industries reported revenues totaling 373.5 billion yuan (US$60.1 billion) in 2013, according to the annual report issued by the State General Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television Wednesday. Box office revenues hit 21.77 billion yuan in 2013, with domestic productions receiving 12.77 billion yuan, or 58.65 percent of the market share.
The report said domestic productions, which totaled 824 in 2013, were the dominant driving force for the increase of 4.7 billion yuan in ticket sales from the previous year.
"When the Chinese market fully opens, what will be destroyed will be the filmmakers who can only rely on luck, movie stars, old fame, and market manipulation,” famous Chinese director Gao Qunshu said. “But for those who made films according to film rules and aesthetics, and for the general production level of Chinese films, the opening will be the best thing that ever happened."
Filmko films chairman Wang Haifeng said he thought China's filmmakers knew more about how to produce the domestic stories better than foreigners could, while Xu Zheng, director and actor of Chinese blockbuster "Lost in Thailand," said at this year's Shanghai International Film Festival in June, "Film is a cultural product after all. I believe Chinese audiences would love to see their own stories in cinema. But the precondition is to tell the story in the best way."
As China catches up with Hollywood on the technology side, Laurel Films' president Fang Li thought the "China cards" Hollywood now plays are giving China's filmmakers a good chance to learn.
"Take 'Transformers 4' as an example. They need Chinese elements and Chinese collaborators. We can also learn their industry's production process and advanced technologies,” Fang said.
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