The “Give Me Five” team.
CAA China and Production Firm Give Me Five to Launch New Fund
On April 26, CAA China and Chinese film and TV production company Give Me Five (五元文化) officially entered a deal to jointly launch a new script development fund. Give Me Five was founded in 2015 by Chinese producer Wu Bai and media veteran Mali Lingshan. Wu Bai is a client of CAA and has produced several hit TV series, such as Evil Minds, Old Cinderella, and Unforgiven. Last year, Give Me Five became a rising star for producing hit detective drama series Day and Night, which was acquired by Netflix to stream internationally. Read more on ifeng.com
Peppa Pig is Banned by Popular Short-video App Douyin
Recently, a document titled Protocol for Douyin Community has been circulated on the internet. According to this document, six topics, including hit British cartoon character Peppa Pig, are prohibited by the short-video platform. As of now, Douyin hasn’t responded to media’s requests for explanation. Peppa Pig gained huge popularity in China after its debut on CCTV in 2015. Recently, a two-line rhyme that juxtaposes Peppa Pig and gangster brought the cartoon character to new viral heights. Meanwhile, China’s media regulator has stepped up its crackdown on China’s video apps lately, demanding content hosting platforms to get rid of vulgar and inappropriate content. Many speculates that Douyin is afraid that some Peppa Pig-inspired memes, jokes, and short videos will get the platform into trouble. Read more on Sohu
Jia Yueting Plans to Sell Le Vision Entertainment to Cash Out
A recent business document reveals that LeEco‘s former CEO Jia Yueting is planning to sell Le Holdings’ entire stake in Le Vision Entertainment, which was formerly known as Dichotomy Creative Group and later acquired by Le Holdings. The document also reveals that Le Vision Entertainment is valued at $300 million. Dichotomy Creative Group was founded by Hollywood executive Adam Goodman, who later became the President of Le Vision Entertainment. Le Holdings didn’t respond to request for comment. Read more on entgroup.cn
China’s Film Bureau Responds to Questions Surround Box Office of ‘Us and Them’
Romantic drama film Us and Them, which opened on Saturday in Chinese theaters, has been dominating China’s May Day holiday box office. However, the movie’s record breaking box office earnings have also been questioned due to abnormal number of ticket refunds. According to local media, China’s Film Bureau has conducted initial review of the film’s box office data, and talked to related parties. The film bureau also stressed that if any box office fraud was found, the party behind the fraud would surely be punished. Although many speculate that ticketing platform Maoyan was selling refundable tickets to boost the presale numbers, further investigation is needed to reach a conclusion. Read more on Sohu
