Writing for the Chinese/HK market?

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  • #16
    Re: Writing for the Chinese/HK market?

    Interesting discussion.

    Producers I've spoken to have expressed a lot of frustration about the unwritten rules rather than the written ones. The feeling they had was that SARFT didn't really say 'no' over the unwritten rules .. but everything just slowed down and they didn't really respond. Getting the real reason behind it was like pulling teeth.

    For example - Disney had major problems over the issue of 'kids not respecting teachers' in the Chinese version of 'High School Musical'.

    But nobody in SARFT would simply say that that was the problem .. it was always discussions over individual scenes. If they'd simply said "You may not have a scene which implies that a child does not respect a teacher" in the first meeting it would have been a *LOT* easier, instead of pulling teeth over individual scenes later.

    Here are my notes from last year's SPAA conference on Chinese Co-productions:

    http://bit.ly/ChineseFilmCoproductions

    Mac
    New blogposts:
    *Followup - Seeking Investors in all the wrong places
    *Preselling your film - Learning from the Experts
    *Getting your indie film onto iTunes
    *Case Study - Estimating Film profits

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    • #17
      Re: Writing for the Chinese/HK market?

      Originally posted by Mac H. View Post
      Interesting discussion.

      Producers I've spoken to have expressed a lot of frustration about the unwritten rules rather than the written ones. The feeling they had was that SARFT didn't really say 'no' over the unwritten rules .. but everything just slowed down and they didn't really respond. Getting the real reason behind it was like pulling teeth.

      For example - Disney had major problems over the issue of 'kids not respecting teachers' in the Chinese version of 'High School Musical'.

      But nobody in SARFT would simply say that that was the problem .. it was always discussions over individual scenes. If they'd simply said "You may not have a scene which implies that a child does not respect a teacher" in the first meeting it would have been a *LOT* easier, instead of pulling teeth over individual scenes later.

      Here are my notes from last year's SPAA conference on Chinese Co-productions:

      http://bit.ly/ChineseFilmCoproductions

      Mac
      Most of the censorship rules are both unwritten and constantly changing without notice. There have been many examples of scripts that have been approved for censorship only to have the censorship approval pulled in the middle of production without warning - it was the same script, only the time had changed.

      This is one of the ways the government reminds you who is in charge. It is also a way for bureaucrats to get a little palm greasing.

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      • #18
        Re: Writing for the Chinese/HK market?

        Here is a new article that might be of some interest: http://www.deadline.com/2012/04/brun...for-hollywood/
        Will
        Done Deal Pro
        www.donedealpro.com

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        • #19
          Re: Writing for the Chinese/HK market?

          Rather than trying to write for China, I think it's best to write for a "global" market. Write a film that is commercial, non-defamitory, historic, or effects or event driven, that transcends cultures, and you are far more likely to get into the China market that way. It's easier for Chinese officials to view a film and approve it, than get them to read a script and approve it. That leaves the conundrum of funding based on entrance to the Chinese market...

          China and California have a long history. There are large Asian communities in Los Angeles and San Francisco, which form a natural bridge to China. China and Hollywood working together is of great benefit to both, as is China and Silicon Valley. China can do things the US can't and the US can do things that China can't. China is trying and needs to increase domestic consumption, and making movies is a great way to do that. Hollywood is happy/trying to help China build a thriving media consuming population, but China and the US are each wary of (things) being taken advantage of, or moving too fast. The big agencies are already staffing offices in China and signing Chinese filmmakers. For them, having Chinese talent make films that would also play well in America is also potentially just as lucrative a cross-over.

          Getting into Chinese filmmaking is a slow process, much like them getting into American filmmaking is for Chinese filmmakers. It takes major/deep connections on both sides.

          For me, China does not change what kind of scripts I write. It never hurts to be aware of what might play well in China, of course. But I write what I would be interested in seeing on screen, and keep in mind as to which scripts have global "China" appeal, and which would not or don't. If it will have no appeal in China (or globally), that will change your budget and distribution plan.

          The studios know, if you can get a deal done with China, if there is cross-over appeal, there is big money to be made, and it's worth pursuing. Because China will eventually be a box-office market bigger than the US market in size and screens, they will be needing films. Distribution rights in China could easily fund a film like 'Iron Man 3', and thus cuts the upfront cost for studios.

          China is perfectly capable of writing it's own films. They don't need American screenwriters. China just needs movies, and Hollywood is far and away the world leader in movie making Arts and Sciences, and Hollywood knows how to get movies deals done, so the relationship with China is one of mutual benefit.
          Last edited by PoMoTy; 05-31-2012, 08:11 AM. Reason: Typo
          Postmodernism?

          http://www.juliantyler.com

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          • #20
            Re: Writing for the Chinese/HK market?

            Awesome thread.
            Being a screenwriter is not enough for a full creative life. ~ William Goldman

            homeslice

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