Shooting: Locations Back in Demand
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2 | Friday, August 21, 2020 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY PAGE TWO SHOOTING: LOCATIONS BACK IN DEMAND LU PING / CHINA DAILY houses have welcomed the crews’ return. Zhejiang Daily reported that more than 90 percent of the Dongyang Qiyang Film and Television Equipment Rental Co’s gear has been hired by crews since the middle of last month usual due to the COVID-19 pandemic, amid increased demand. up and deliver meals for the online especially on preparing the script, Sun Qiyang, the company’s chair- food ordering platform Eleme. “This design, costumes, makeup and hair- man, said that since mid-March busi- way, I’m still a rider,” he said. styling, and are now rushing to start ness had gradually returned to the He plans to look for film or TV roles shooting in Hengdian as the film and level of previous years. In addition, in while continuing his delivery job. “I’ve TV industry recovers from the out- early March the company and some of been in Hengdian for months now, and break.” its competitors promised to provide the hard times will be over soon,” he Ma cited “superb” infrastructure, rental services for the lowest prices added. advanced technologies and favorable possible until the end of this year. The authorities in Dongyang have policies in Hengdian as the main rea- introduced a series of policies to sup- son for deciding to shoot in the town, High occupancy rate port the resumption of work in Heng- From page 1 adding that he hoped more locations Last month, the Changzheng Hotel, dian. industry, I believe the fittest will sur- could be provided and accommoda- which has more than 950 guestrooms Some 10 million yuan ($1.4 million) vive and quality will prevail.” At the end of February, Xiangshan tions improved. and caters solely to movie and TV has been allocated to subsidize venue To achieve its goal of becoming home Film and Television Town in Ningbo, However, as more crews arrive, the crews, had an occupancy rate of more and equipment rentals, along with the to the world’s most competitive film Zhejiang, was one of the first produc- shortage of extras has become a prob- than 85 percent, up from about 60 per- cost of accommodations. Taxes and and TV industry base, Hengdian Group tion bases to reopen. lem. cent in March. The hotel is a subsidiary fees have been cut or exempted for film began work on an industrial park in Hengdian World Studios, one of the Thousands are needed each day — of Hengdian World Studios. and TV production companies. July 2018. country’s biggest movie and TV pro- most of whom are good-looking, Qiu Liuying, the manager, said the Hengdian World Studios has offered With investment of 3 billion yuan duction centers, reopened five of its young, hard-working and have dreams hotel is currently home to seven film extras cost-of-living subsidies, with and a total floor area of 65.1 hectares, shooting locations on March 28, with of stardom. They act as corpses in war crews and seven doing preparatory some of these workers also being the venue will be home to 41 interna- more than 20 crews resuming work on scenes and play other supporting roles. work, adding that occupancy is a little employed by local factories. tional high-tech studios. productions, including the new TV Labeled hengpiao, or Hengdian drift- higher than in previous years. Another When producer Huang Jinmei The park will be divided into two series Legend of Fei starring Zhao Liy- ers, they travel long distances from two crews have booked rooms for next arrived in Hengdian in mid-April, the blocks, with one housing standard stu- ing and Wang Yibo. their hometowns for the chance to real- month. streets were empty, but since then, the dios, a shooting area for modern-day Work then resumed in quick succes- ize their dreams, but they seldom speak Huang Yan, deputy manager of the town has become a bustling center of scenes, a film and television service sion at Shanghai Film Park, Oriental lines or appear in credits. fast food center at Hengdian World activity. center, post production center and Movie Metropolis in Qingdao, Shan- There are more than 80,000 regis- Studios, said, “Our staff begin prepar- “In the film industry, as long as you hotels. The other block will be occu- dong province, and Bai Lu Yuan Studi- tered hengpiao, according to the Heng- ing lunchboxes as early as 6 am every can control the budget and provide pied solely by studios. os in Xi’an, Shaanxi province. dian World Studios Performer day and send them to more than 50 high-quality products, there must be The No 3 Studio will be the largest in On July 29, shooting began on the Association, including 6,000 to 8,000 shooting locations by noon.” The cen- room for you to survive,” Huang said. the world, covering 12,000 square online movie Shuiyue Jinghua, a pro- who remain in the town all year round. ter can cook food for more than 4,500 Producer Bao Mengmeng is hopeful meters. duction sponsored by Youku, the Zhou Fenglai, vice-president of lunchboxes every day. about the future. Xu Xiaoqin, deputy general manager streaming company owned by e-com- Hengdian World Studios Management Li Haishan, 27, an extra in Hengdian, In May, Xinhua News Agency quoted of Hengdian World Studios, said the merce giant Alibaba and Shanghai Services Co, said that with the outbreak said, “My father always hopes that I her as saying, “Although we are park is due to be completed by the end Films and Media Corp. The fantasy/ under control, extras can now apply to will return to my hometown and land a encountering more challenges, we can of 2023 and will be covered by the 5G romance drama is being filmed in the Hengdian authorities for actors’ steady job, but I insist on staying here spend more time polishing our scripts network. Hengdian and Shanghai. passes by using their health QR code to chase my dream.” and keeping good connections with big Its producer, Ma Zhanyou, said, “We and travel records. Li, who has often ridden horses in platforms. Cai Jingwen and Xinhua contributed to have spent more time and money than Local restaurants, hotels and guest- scenes, is using an electric bike to pick “In such hard times for the whole this story. Left: A television series is edited at Hengdian World Studios in Dongyang, Zhejiang province. Center: A show depicting prosperity during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) is staged in Hengdian. Right: A lighting artist works at Hengdian World Studios. PHOTOS BY XIAO DA / CHINA DAILY I join the audience as Hengdian resumes its role as a leading player evidence that life has returned to Scenic Area, one of the busiest parts I watched a performance of Bian- the theater, gave the performers Hengdian safe in the knowledge normal. of Hengdian. liang Yimeng, a vaudeville show thunderous applause. that it is not only well equipped as a Tourists have returned in num- Livestreaming hosts dressed in that vividly depicts prosperity dur- I also interviewed Chen Entao, center for film and TV production CAI JINGWEN bers in the past two months after traditional costume are shooting ing the Northern Song Dynasty who supervises hengpiao, or work, but is also a captivating sce- Reporter’s log production work was suspended vlogs, while food stalls are back in (960-1127) in what is now Kaifeng, extras, for film and TV work. nic spot and a place where dreams and the studios closed to the pub- business outside and inside the stu- Henan province, known in the past Chen said the extras are conscien- can be pursued. It clearly has a lic on Jan 27 due to the coronavi- dios. as Bianliang. I was fascinated by tious and never give up. Some bright future. n a visit to Hengdian rus pandemic. Witnessing this bustling activity, I the talented actors and the magnifi- have also taken part-time jobs as The town is one of the reasons World Studios in Zhe- Visitors are again flocking to realized that Hengdian, known as cent stage sets. food delivery workers during the the film and TV industry can be jiang province last watch dramas performed in the “China’s Hollywood”, had made a full Members of the audience, who COVID-19 pandemic. confident of recovering well from O week, I saw conclusive Guangzhou and Hong Kong Street recovery from the pandemic. had to observe social distancing in I returned from my day trip to the pandemic..