These Three Genres Unlikely to Thrive in China
On April 19, a panel on screenwriting took place at the 8th Beijing International Film Festival. The panel is centered around the development of genre films in China. Panelists point out that lack of screenwriting talents is an important reason why there are not many successful genre films yet. Sadly, the current situation in China is that screenwriters sometimes can’t receive the respect and recognition they deserve, which discourages people from entering this field. In addition, panelist Song Fangjin predicts that there are three genres that are unlikely to thrive in China due to the country’s social and cultural environment. The three genres are science fiction, superhero movie, and romantic drama that celebrates pure love. Read more on yiyuguancha
Chen Kaige Sued for Alleged Copyright Infringement
Recently, Chinese screenwriter Mr. Shi sued New Classics Media and filmmaker Chen Kaige for copyright infringement. Mr. Shi claimed that his movie script You Yu Bai Juyi (又遇白居易) was once forwarded to Chen Kaige. Later, he received response that Chen was not interested in directing it. However, when Mr. Shi saw Chen’s latest film Legend of the Demon Cat, he found that the film and his script had several similar elements. Cheng Kaige’s attorney claimed that Chen never read Mr. Shi’s script. He also said that Legend of the Demon Cat was based on the Japanese novel Samana Kukai, whose rights had been legally acquired by Chen Kaige. Read more on Mtime
China’s Growing Middle Class is the Blue Ocean for the Film Industry
At an industry forum at the Beijing International Film Festival, Le Chuang Entertainment (formerly known as Le Vision Pictures) CEO Zhang Zhao delivered a keynote speech on the upgrade of China’s film industry. Zhang Believes that the market for movies and related entertainment products will continue to grow in the next decade or so, as China’s middle class continues to expand, especially in third to fifth tier cities. He also says that it’s pointless to compare the path of the Chinese film industry with that of North America because of China’s huge population and the influence of Internet on today’s entertainment sector. Zhang, however, thinks that Chinese studios should learn from Disney in terms of long-term planning, branding, and merchandising, etc. Read more on entgroup.cn
Alibaba Pictures Launches Film Promotion Platform “Beacon”
On April 19, Alibaba’s Tao Piaopiao hosted a press conference during the 8th Beijing International Film Festival to announce the company’s strategic plans for the next three years as well as to launch its new platform “Beacon,” which provides analytics and technical support to studios and distributors to better promote their movies. Tao Piaopiao CEO Li Jie believes that blindly placing ads and fighting for more screen share are outdated approaches. With help of their data and analytics, studios and distributors will be able to accurately locate and reach the right audience for each film. Read more on Mtime
