Dropping overseas sales
As China's domestic film market revenue doubled since 2010, its overseas sales dropped dramatically, according to the 2012 Annual Report on the international distribution of Chinese movies, released by Beijing Normal University.
The report calculated an income of around one billion yuan from overseas sales of 75 Chinese movies to more than 80 countries and regions, a surprising 48 percent drop from around two billion yuan in 2011.
The report pointed out, from its survey of more than 1,000 overseas interviewees, that most foreigners still only know about the kung fu movies. More than half of them said Chinese films lack logic, are hard to understand and need better scripts and translations.
Shortcut to markets
"It [the introduction of Chinese films to a Western audience] can be done in a number of ways and a big part of it is marketing," Ganis says. "I have been working on offering more Chinese films for American audiences. We have to help them get used to it."
"It is a process and it takes time. We just have to be patient."
He recently watched a Chinese film, which hasn't been released yet in China, about the problems young adults face in Beijing and friendships among a group of young people. He is not releasing the name for now.
"That is very universal and totally acceptable by an American audience. They can relate to the same problems," Ganis says. "This is the kind of films I ask producers to pursue for Western distribution."
The desire for collaboration comes from both countries, as Hollywood studios see it a shortcut to the Chinese market and Chinese companies hope it will pave their way to the US market, where foreign films traditionally don't do well.
Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, said earlier that a co-production would be US studios' new strategy to appeal to the international, and in particular, the Chinese market.
A qualified co-production must satisfy Chinese government standards, including at least one third of investment from China and some Chinese actors in lead roles, among other requirements.
Qualified films mean the US partner's share of profits rises from 25 to 43 percent.
Growing interest
Many famous film directors have expressed interest in working with China. Luc Besson said he had been working on a collaboration between China and France.
Oliver Stone told Shanghai Daily he had been writing a love story between East and West and hoped to direct it.
Collaboration goes beyond making a film together.
Walt Disney Co is spending almost US$4 billion on a Disneyland theme park in Shanghai while a Dreamworks Animation partnership will build Oriental Dreamworks in Shanghai, planning a US$3.1 billion entertainment zone.
Dalian Wanda Group, China's leading commercial real estate developer and a major film distributor in China, acquired the second-largest US cinema chain AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc last year, becoming the world's biggest owner of movie theaters.
A hemophiliac and his 'treasures'
Feedback
RSS
