Thursday, September 27, 2018 19 LIFE CHINA DAILY HONG KONG EDITION DRAMATIC TURNAROUND Adapted from a hit web novel, the Chinese fantasy drama Martial Universe is proving popular overseas despite meeting with a tepid response back home, Xu Fan reports.

s one of the latest Chinese fantasy tales to grab head­ lines overseas, Mar­ tial A Universe has aired in 18 countries and regions, and is due to make forays into more foreign markets, according to it's producers. Adapted from a popular online novel, the series fic­ tionalizes the coming­of­age story of a reluctant hero, Lin Dong. The mischievous yet talented teenager from a fall­ en martial arts family, acci­ dentally discovers he has magic powers which draws him into a series of adven­ tures. What unfolds not only changes his destiny, but also Another highlight of the rewrites the history of his fic­ series is the directorship of tional land. Zhang Li, who is known as The novel, Wu Dong Qian one of China’s top TV drama Kun (Martial Arts Reshapes directors thanks to hits like the World), was written and For the Sake of the Republic of published online in 2011 by China, and Ming Dynasty in renowned web novelist, Li 1566. Hu, who is better known by Martial Universe marks the his pseudonym Tiancan 61­year­old director’s shift Tudou, quickly garnering from serious historical­ around 32 million views themed dramas to fantasy within the space of a just few 19, and will be followed up by royal court, overseas audien­ stories. months. a second season of 20 epi­ ces tend to find Chinese fan­ Speaking about the deci­ As a mark of the novel’s sodes, which will debut on tasy tales easier to identify sion to leave his comfort zone, growing popularity overseas, Youku on Oct 11. with. Zhang Li says he wanted to the drama has been ranked Zhang Wei, chief producer “They‘re quite similar to convey the message that he’s ninth on the most­watched of the series and CEO of its superhero stories like Spider­ always willing to take on fresh lists, both for this week and production firm, Azure Media Man. The protagonists were challenges. this month on wuxia­ Corporation, says the first once ordinary people, but “Fantasy dramas require a world.com, the largest Chi­ season of Martial Universe they turn into extraordinary high degree imaginative nese­to­English translation initially opened in 18 coun­ heroes by chance. These thinking, something lacking platform in the world. tries and regions, including kinds of stories don’t require for most Chinese content Chinese pop idol Yang Malaysia, Brunei, the United audiences to have any specific makers,” he says. Yang, who has a following of States, Australia and New knowledge about Chinese his­ “When we talk about fanta­ 41 million fans on Sina Weibo, Zealand, as well as being tory,” explains Zhang. sy stories, domestic audiences headlines as the protagonist available to view on YouTube. The translators who creat­ are quick to compare home­ Lin who ends up as a power­ Although the series has ed the English subtitles for grown titles with slick inter­ ful martial arts hero by the received mixed reviews the series also worked hard to national productions like end of the story. The star­ domestically, it seems to have make sure the concepts Marvel’s superhero films,” studded cast also includes been met with a better recep­ Top left: Pop idol Yang Yang (left) and Chinese Bruneian singer­actor Wu Chun (right) star in the Chi­ behind the martial arts clans says the director. actress Zhang Tian’ai, Wang tion overseas, with Viki — a nese fantasy drama Martial Universe,which has aired in 18 countries and regions. Top right: A poster less confusing to Western “But to be honest, we have Likun and Chinese Bruneian US­headquartered site which for the fantasy drama. Above: Actress Zhang Tian’ai’s character has a bittersweet romance with Yang’s audiences, adds Zhang. yet to develop a mature proce­ singer­actor Wu Chun. mainly streams Asian dramas protagonist in Martial Universe. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY With its big budget, the dure and the right technology The first season of the dra­ — awarding it 8.7 points out of series involves a variety of to produce comparable epics ma, which runs for a total of ten and IMDb — a popular special effects sequences — but it’s a goal we can cer­ 40 episodes, aired on Shang­ online TV and movie data­ quickly. Before the screening, bution rights,” recalls Zhang, Unlike many palace­ and techniques to recreate tainly strive for,” he adds. hai­based Dragon TV and the base — giving it 8.3 points. some foreign buyers who adds that they plan to themed dramas, a popular the spectacles and magical Youku video­streaming plat­ “China’s film and televi­ approached us to ask about launch the series in South genre revolving around creatures depicted in the Contact the writer at form between Aug 7 and Sept sion markets are expanding securing the overseas distri­ Korea and Japan. intrigue and scheming in the novel. [email protected]

White Snake Online novelists rewrite the rules to slither of creating content for the screen

By XU FAN screen adaptation. into cinemas At the end of 2017, around a Imagine an online novel­ third of nearly 7,000 pieces of A still image from the new animated film White Snake, which was adapted from a Chinese folk tale ist’s regular life. popular online literature had about the love between a fairy snake and a scholar. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY Do you think they still sit been adapted into 1,195 films alone, late at night, in front of and 1,232 TV dramas, as well their computers with blood­ as 712 animated series, By LI YINGXUE the company chose to work shot eyes, frantically typing according to a report released [email protected] with Light Chaser because of away to meet their editors’ by the China Audio­video and their team’s spirit of crafts­ impending deadlines? That Digital Publishing Associa­ Co­directed by Huang Jiak­ manship when producing ani­ might be a bit outdated. tion during the conference. ang and Zhao Ji, the animated mated films, and since the During the 2nd China The report also shows that film White Snake — a Sino­US story of the white snake is Online Literature+ Confer­ China has 14 million online coproduction — is set for well­known in China. ence, an annual event to gath­ writers, with 47 percent of release on Dec 21. The film has been in produc­ er online companies and A poster of popular writer Xu Shengzhi’s new work, Fangwai: them making writing web White Snake is based on a tion for more than three years, writers, which was held in Xiaoshide Bamen, which fictionalizes the legends of martial art novels their full­time job. popular Chinese folk tale, in and is undergoing the final mid­September in Beijing, masters living in modern cities. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY The report also notes that which a white snake longing The release of White Snake is stages of postproduction work some industry insiders reveal more than 70 percent of these for a human existence turns announced in Beijing on Sept 22. before its introduction to cine­ that a change is taking shape. online writers are younger into a woman and marries a magoers in December. When China’s fast expand­ securities analyst, Xu, who’s ists nowadays. To write a nov­ than 30­years­old, while scholar named Xu Xian. Wang Wei, CEO of Light ing film and television indus­ better known by his pseudo­ el is completely different those who are younger than According to Zhao, the story that approaches the insecuri­ Chaser Animation, says mak­ tries are throwing their nym, Xu Gongzi Shengzhi, from penning a script. Sug­ 20­years­old account for just in the new animation takes ties that many young lovers ing animations is long and weight behind seeking good began to write fantasy tales gestions from these industry 10 percent. place before the white snake feel, like ‘what if I’m not like lonely work, and the produc­ stories, most of the top online inspired by Chinese philoso­ veterans can help ensure that “The film and television meets Xu at the West Lake in who you imagine me to be, will tion team is a young group. novelists are now “served” by phy and myth in 2010, accu­ the scenes can be visualized,” industries have purchased Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. you still love me?’ It’s very “For the past five years, a team of veterans to help mulating a huge fan base. says Gan Yang, general man­ many online novels, but it has “We created a love story for relatable,” explains Huang. since Light Chaser was found­ make it easier for their work Upon licensing the five­ ager of marketing with Net­ become more difficult to the white snake, as we wanted Coproduced by Beijing­ ed, we have created several to be adapted for films, TV book Fangwai franchise to Ease Literature & Comic. adapt them into successful to see what she had to go based Light Chaser Animation animations such as Little Door dramas or games — before the literature and comic sub­ The creative process will franchises as the audience’s through when she was young,” and Warner Bros, White Gods, and, for this one, we are they even put pen to paper. sidiary of internet giant Net­ also be documented online, tastes change quickly,” says Zhao. Snake is the second coproduc­ making a three­dimensional That’s how popular writer Ease, meetings with book in order to exchange ideas explains Gan. “We have never seen an ani­ tion between Warner Bros and animation,” says Wang. Xu Shengzhi’s new work editors, veterans of film and with Xu’s fans and to let the “A few years ago, film and mated version of the tale on a Chinese film production Huang says they have created Fangwai: Xiaoshide Bamen television production, as well creators know what kind of television companies would the big screen — the fantasy is company after The Meg, which about forty characters for the (An Exclusive World: The as the game development plotlines will be more appeal­ buy online novels which actually more suited to being reaped $500 million at the box animation, including four or Disappearing Eight Clans) sector, were arranged to help ing to the fanbase. attracts the most web traffic, an animation,” Zhao says. office worldwide, including five different forms of the white was released. The story fic­ Xu to build the fictional Gan says Chinese online lit­ but now they care more about Huang thinks the story is 1.05 billion yuan ($153 mil­ snake, from human to python. tionalizes the legends of mar­ world and its major charac­ erature has been developing whether or not it is an inter­ ideal for young people as it lion) in China. “We also designed a lovely pup­ tial arts masters to take place ters. for more than 20 years, gener­ esting tale,” echoes Yuan Ting, tells a story that discusses love Zhao Fang, president of py for the film to attract a teen­ in modern cities. “Such a model is popular ating millions of web writers IP cooperation director at and relationships. “It’s a story Warner Bros China, says that age audience,” says Huang. Previously working as a for established online novel­ and a lot of stories suitable for NetEase Literature & Comic.