The Third Way of Collaboration between U.S. and China Film Industry: Seizing more opportunities, Training plenty of talents.
Author: Bohan Gong
Bohan Gong is a Hollywood based producer with an extraordinary film producing experience and extensive academic background. As a leading producer, Bohan has delivered over 50 successful films from concept to reality, most recently he is known for producing Films such as “Hacksaw Ridge” – which won two academy awards, “American Made” starring Tom Cruise, “The King’s Daughter” starring Pierce Brosnan, “So Young” (which grossed over 118 million dollars, while the production budget was 6 million), “Birth of The Dragon”, five-time LAFA winner “Los Angeles Kidnapping”, “Shanghai Sojourners”, “Hot-Blooded Youth”, “So Young 2: So You’re Still Here”, “A Tip of Bottlebegr” and more.
Bohan Gong earned his BFA degree from Beijing Film Academy majoring in Film & TV Production Management and his Movie Production MFA degree from University of Miami. Bohan worked in Kylin Pictures and Legendary Entertainment, he has a strong understanding of the international film industry and the movies he makes are distributed worldwide successfully. His knowledge of the global business and different producing practices made him a uniquely renowned producer, whose films received commercial successes and plenty of film awards from the world’s top tier film festivals. Bohan was a member of the lead judge at Los Angeles Film Awards and Festigious International Film Festival, and the manager of judge team of Los Angeles Chinese Film Festival.
Most of U.S. and China collaboration films in the market are around two types, Capital investment and Co-Production. Capital investment collaboration film mean that Chinese investors invest the Hollywood film projects and share the profit from the “waterfall”, depends on the contract, sometimes Chinese investors will own the China region distribution right. Co-production collaboration film type is more completely, for example there are many requirements from SARFT (State Administration of radio, film, and TV), for example, Chinese citizen actors must be involved, part of film production must be shot in China, the script must be passed from Chinese censorship and more.
In the past few years, lots of people have been talking about the Chinese film industry growing up fast. It’s true. Some of Hollywood films’ Chinese Box are even more than U.S. domestic Box office. For Example: The Meg and Skyscraper.
The Meg is a U.S. and China co-production film which received US$ 525 million worldwide box office, 29% of the total gross box office from China region, 27% from U.S. Skyscraper starring by Dwayne Johnson, the film received the Chinese box office was 33% of total gross box office worldwide which was 11% more than U.S. box office.
However, both of those types’ film collaboration are built on the capital development of Chinese film market. Almost all of U.S. – China Co-production film projects are following the model that are 1. Hollywood (or American) film production crew lead the film production. 2. American-Chinese co-investment. 3. Most of main characters in the film starring by Hollywood (or American) actors, couple characters starring by Chinese movie stars. 4. Movie includes some locations in China. 5. Distribution companies are Hollywood main studios and in association with one or couple of Chinese film companies. Oversee the Chinese and American film industry history, Hollywood film industry has almost 100 years history, however technically Chinese commercial film industry just started from 2001 when China joined in WTO. Comparing with Hollywood film industry which has already built a complete and mature system, Chinese film industry is still young.
During the beginning of U.S – China film collaboration stage, the core goals should be targeted on, the first, achieving commercially success is the top one goal, when more and more U.S.- China collaboration films receive the commercial success, they will bring the strong confidence and encouragement to American and Chinese film companies, investors, filmmakers and even to the American and Chinese film industries. It is one of the most valuable power to continually push the U.S. – China film collaboration forward. The Second, using the Hollywood’s way to tell a story and using the Hollywood’s system to execute production, don’t ponderously combine Chinese culture into the film. For example, the co-production film named The Great Wall, the film tried to combine the Chinese culture into Hollywood storytelling and American values, result in failure, not only the audiences couldn’t see a good story, but also the film didn’t express a real Chinese culture.
Chinese box office has been increased from $ 2 billion in 2011 to $9.46 billion in 2018 and keeps increasing as 10% growth rate every year, however U.S./ Canada box office was stabilized in $11 billion around per year in the last 5 years. Chinese screen number is increased from 12118 in 2012 to 50776 in 2017 which has surpassed American Screen number in 2017. The “hardware” of Chinese film industry made an incredible development, however, the “software” of Chinese film industry is still behind Hollywood far away, such as the entertainment law, completion-bond system, production quality and more. However, only when Chinese film industry build up a strong both of “hardware” and “Software”, the U.S. – China film collaboration would be proper mature and success.
What’s the key element to develop the “software”? It is that training outstanding talents who have a rich experience in U.S. – China film collaboration. So, what is the key element for training talents? It is the opportunity. Opportunity of working in as more as possible U.S. – China film projects, building up the film talents’ professional skill and ability, learning Hollywood advantage film industry system through practices.
How to get more opportunities to practice? Working in the Capital investment and Co-Production type’s film projects are definitely valuable opportunities, but most of those films are the top tier projects in film industry, high budget, but low quantity.
However, except seizing the opportunities of Capital investment and Co-Production type’s film projects. There was the third way of collaboration between U.S. and China film industry appeared quietly and it didn’t be paid enough attention by American and Chinese filmmakers. Let’s me list three key characteristics for this way. First, Chinese films which target to Chinese Film Market. Second, American and Chinese talents involved and part of production in U.S. Third, Plenty of opportunities.
As the data shows, there were 970 Chinese theatrical films and 1900 network films (the films only are released on the OTT platforms) produced in 2017 and there were 827 film projects involved the filmmakers who had international film production experience. Like, Wolf Warriors 2, Chinatown Detective 2, Seeking Mr. Right, Hollywood Adventures, Operation Red Sea, American Dream in China, etc. Also, many Chinese popular TV series made the part of production in U.S. For example, Wonderful Life which is 45 episodes, The Way We Were which is 50 episodes TV series. Those data show, except the top tier U.S.– China film projects, there are still lots of opportunities offer to American and Chinese filmmakers.
For most of young filmmakers, when they are working in a top tier U.S.– China film project, they just like a screw in a huge machine. But sometime when they are involved into a medium budget film project, they may become the key members, they could stand in a totally different angle to oversee the whole project’s process. When those filmmakers frequently work with the team members who come from different countries and different film industry system. Those experience will not only improve their professional skill, but also become their valuable advantage and experience in U.S – China film collaboration.
Seizing more opportunities, training plenty of outstanding film talents. When more and more American and Chinese talents who have a rich U.S.- China collaboration films experience are involved into the co-production film projects, the collaboration between U.S -China Film Industry will be stronger and more successful.
