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The Chinese Film Industry: Features and Trends, 2010-2016

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The Chinese Film Industry: Features and Trends, 2010-2016 THE CHINESE FILM INDUSTRY: FEATURES AND TRENDS, 2010-2016 Jinuo Diao A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of PhD at the University of St Andrews 2020 Full metadata for this item is available in St Andrews Research Repository at: http://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/ Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/10023/19497 This item is protected by original copyright The Chinese Film Industry: Features and Trends, 2010-2016 Jinuo Diao This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at the University of St Andrews December 2019 Candidate's declaration I, Jinuo Diao, do hereby certify that this thesis, submitted for the degree of PhD, which is approximately 80,000 words in length, has been written by me, and that it is the record of work carried out by me, or principally by myself in collaboration with others as acknowledged, and that it has not been submitted in any previous application for any degree. I was admitted as a research student at the University of St Andrews in September 2015. I received funding from an organisation or institution and have acknowledged the funder(s) in the full text of my thesis. Date 18 December 2019 Signature of candidate Supervisor's declaration I hereby certify that the candidate has fulfilled the conditions of the Resolution and Regulations appropriate for the degree of PhD in the University of St Andrews and that the candidate is qualified to submit this thesis in application for that degree. Date 18 December 2019 Signature of supervisor Permission for publication In submitting this thesis to the University of St Andrews we understand that we are giving permission for it to be made available for use in accordance with the regulations of the University Library for the time being in force, subject to any copyright vested in the work not being affected thereby. We also understand, unless exempt by an award of an embargo as requested below, that the title and the abstract will be published, and that a copy of the work may be made and supplied to any bona fide library or research worker, that this thesis will be electronically accessible for personal or research use and that the library has the right to migrate this thesis into new electronic forms as required to ensure continued access to the thesis. I, Jinuo Diao, confirm that my thesis does not contain any third-party material that requires copyright clearance. The following is an agreed request by candidate and supervisor regarding the publication of this thesis: Printed copy No embargo on print copy. Electronic copy No embargo on electronic copy. Date 18 December 2019 Signature of candidate Date 18 December 2019 Signature of supervisor Underpinning Research Data or Digital Outputs Candidate's declaration I, Jinuo Diao, hereby certify that no requirements to deposit original research data or digital outputs apply to this thesis and that, where appropriate, secondary data used have been referenced in the full text of my thesis. Date 18 December 2019 Signature of candidate Abstract The thesis will analyse the evolution of the Chinese film industry between 2010 and 2016. During this period, the Chinese film industry experienced rapid development and underwent massive structural change and expansion. The years 2010 to 2016, also gave rise to a number of important events and phenomena within the Chinese film industry, including technological changes that impacted upon traditional entertainment practices, new Internet-driven innovations, an enormous influx of capital, generous government incentives and an overall explosion in media saturation and popularity. My research poses the following questions; what are the key features of the Chinese film industry between 2010 and 2016? What developments transpired within the Chinese film industry between the years 2010 and 2016 and how might we understand and rationalise these contemporary trends. This thesis adopts a political economy approach. It is the assertion of my research that developments within the Chinese film industry must be considered within the wider socio-economic and political context of contemporary China. This thesis provides a macro-level study of the contemporary Chinese film industry, with focus given to four key areas of research, namely policy, production, distribution and exhibition. These four study areas provide a fitting entry point to better understand the shifting dynamics of the Chinese film industry between 2010 and 2016. The intention of this thesis is to map out contemporary trends within the Chinese film industry. My research, aimed at both academics and industry insiders alike, adopts an industry perspective with the aim of both enriching further scholarship on Chinese cinema, while simultaneously serving as a source of knowledge and understanding for those working within the industry. It is hoped that this thesis will enhance further the academic studies on Chinese cinema by providing an industrial bedrock upon which additional analysis can be based, while also providing the industry with insight that will facilitate the continued health and sustainability of cinema in China. General acknowledgements This thesis has evolved over a period of nearly four years, embodying not only my own hard work and commitment but also the help and guidance of others. I would therefore like to express my deepest gratitude to all the people who assisted and supported me along this journey. First of all, I would like to thank my supervisor Professor Dina Iordanova, who provided valuable advice and guidance throughout the project. Professor Iordanova has been my mentor for many years, introducing me to the field of film industry studies. Her excellent research and noble personality has been a perpetual source of inspiration, and she has always encouraged me to set high standards for myself. She has always been a role model and an invaluable source of support and validation. I wish to sincerely thank Dr Philip Mann of the University of St Andrews for his generous help in copyediting my work. I am very grateful for his professionalism throughout. In addition, I was honoured to receive the 2018 Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-Financed Students Abroad, an honour presented by China Scholarship Council, which was a wonderful source of encouragement. Without such unwavering support, this thesis would never have been possible. Finally, I would like to thank my family for their love, patience, and support, which has sustained me throughout the project. My parents have supported my studies in the United Kingdom, my father, DIAO Chengmin, and mother, DONG Jie, have always encouraged me to aim high and believe in myself, they have given me so much without asking for anything in return. I am the luckiest person in the world to be loved by such wonderful parents. Funding This work was supported by the Institute for Global Cinema and Creative Cultures - IGCCC [waiver scholarship, 2015]. Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. List of Illustrations........................................................................................................................ iii Notes on Positioning of the Chinese Film Industry, Chinese Names, Currency Converter, and Film Titles ......................................................................................................................................... v PART 1 ....................................................................................................................................... 1 1. Introductory Chapter ............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Research Questions ................................................................................................................ 3 1.2 Choice of timeframe (2010 – 2016) ........................................................................................ 4 1.3 Significance of Research ......................................................................................................... 9 1.4 Challenges of the Research ................................................................................................... 13 1.5 Theoretical Framework ......................................................................................................... 13 1.6 Methodologies ...................................................................................................................... 17 1.7 Literature Review .................................................................................................................. 20 1.7.1 Policy Research .......................................................................................................... 25 1.7.2 Production Research ................................................................................................. 30 1.7.3 Distribution Research ................................................................................................ 34 1.7.4 Exhibition Research ................................................................................................... 39 1.8 Thesis Outline ....................................................................................................................... 41 2. Industrial Context ................................................................................................................ 43 2.1 The
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