CHINADAILY THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 2014 lifefilm 19 Finding the right balance Co­productions with China are of great interest to Hollywood, thanks to the country’s booming film market. But in reality, not everything goes according to the script. Liu Wei reports. n alliance forms for the film,”she says. their agreements with Chinese between a “This is one of the reasons partners. robot and a why Paramount Pictures, the Co­productions used to be food chain production company of the perceived as an effective way famous for Transformer movies, was keen to tap the Chinese market, duck necks on firming up the alliance.” where box­office receipts rose Amight not seem like the most The studio has also incorpo­ to 20 billion yuan ($3.2 billion) likely combination. But in Hol­ rated some Chinese elements in 2013. This year, the revenue lywood, nothing is impossible. in Transformers 4, with an eye has so far reached 10 billion Zhouheiya, a Chinese fast on the growing audience in yuan, a 30 percent increase food chain known for their sig­ China. Some of the fight scenes over the same period last year. nature spicy duck necks, is between the Autobots and the But it is not easy to be offi­ teaming up with Transform­ Decepticons (main characters cially licensed as a co­produc­ ers 4, the highly anticipated in the movie) were filmed in tion. Hollywood summer block­ Wulong, Chongqing. Popular Since late 2010, SAPPRFT buster, for a comprehensive Chinese actress Li Bingbing has tightened its control on promotion campaign. plays a prominent role in the the licensing of co­produc­ “Snacks and films are a per­ movie with Mark Wahlberg tions. fectfit,muchlikebeerandfoot­ and four rising Chinese actors “A completely US story, ball,”saysAnnieLi,presidentof selected from a national TV some Chinese money, a few Reach Glory Communications, reality show. Chinese faces and some Chi­ a leading entertainment mar­ China Movie Channel, a TV nese elements — these kind of keting company in China. channel affiliated to the State­ films are not real co­produc­ Mark Wahlberg plays Cade Yeager and Nicola Peltz plays Tessa in Paramount Pictures’ Transformer 4. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY “Zhouheiya will benefit run China Film Group, has tions,” Zhang Pimin, the immensely from the associa­ helped Paramount with pro­ former deputy chief of the ducer and managing director flop, and very few actually are ment in a project can also be projects now.” tion with a movie franchise duction­related work and will SAPPRFT, said in 2012. of Reach Glory says that very hits. It is difficult to cite suc­ effective co­productions.” The company helped TCL that has grossed over $2.7 bil­ also distribute the film in Chi­ Zhang had reiterated that in few films that adhere to the cessful instances of a co­pro­ Product placement is a appear in The Avengers in 2011 lion across the world.” na. However,the film is still not an officially acknowledged guidelines for co­productions duction that has captivated more popular approach. and Blue Moon, the domestic Reach Glory, which handles an official co­production. co­production, at least one­ are appreciated by Chinese or both audiences, experts say. In Sony’s latest Spider­Man liquid soap, in The Smurfs 2. the collaboration between third of the lead cast should be international audiences. But Hollywood studios cer­ film, Chinese white spirits But its most recent case, the Zhouheiya and Transformers Protecting the market Chinese, the story should have “Most of the usual proto­ tainly do not want to ignore brand Jiannanchun’s bottle co­promotion of milk brand 4, also undertook the success­ China prudently protects its Chinese elements and there types are about foreign mis­ the great potential in the Chi­ and logo are displayed promi­ Mengniu and Rio 2, is a multi­ ful product placement cam­ filmmarket.Everyyear,only34 should be Chinese investors. sionaries going to China or nese film industry, while Chi­ nently on a billboard in New layer cooperation that paign of Chinese television foreign films can be imported According to Chinese film pilotsinWorldWarII—Iknow nese filmmakers are eager and York City’s Times Square. Chi­ involves games on mobile makerTCLinthepopularmov­ on revenue­sharing basis for producer Qiu Yan, in the at least three projects on that, creative enough to find diver­ nese milk brand Yili and cloth­ phones and tablets, and ie Iron Man 3. theatrical release. Foreign stu­ absence of a proper rating sys­ or stories about Pearl S. Buck, sified alternative methods to ing brand Meters/Bonwe were on­site campaigns to win film According to Li, the alliance dios get no more than 25 per­ tem in China, filmmakers have the American writer who lived realize collaborations with featured in the earlier Trans­ tickets. betweenZhouheiyaandTrans­ cent of the box office receipts. to make sure that an audience in China,”he says. Hollywood. formers film. The milk’s name “It has been widely formers 4 includes cinema However, a co­produced aged from 4 to 80 can see the “People expect that a co­pro­ “Today co­production is not was even mentioned in a con­ acknowledged that China will advertisements and viral vid­ film acknowledged by the top content they produce. duction is an easy subject that a legal term,”says Chinese film versation. soon replace the US as the big­ eos,andthedecorationofsome regulator, the State Adminis­ “On top of that, co­produc­ embodies Chinese stories and producer Wang Fan, who is “To have your product gest film market in the world,” Zhouheiya stores with a Trans­ tration of Press, Publication, tions have to have organically universal values. Putting these making a film with an interna­ appear in the film for seconds, Wang says. former theme. Radio, Film and TV, is treated integrated Chinese elements in elements together does not tional cast and crew. that’s the simplest co­opera­ “Chinese people are sensi­ “Zhouheiya has 400 stores in as a domestic film and thus the story.It takes a long time to necessarilymeanitisasuccess­ “For me it could be in vari­ tion now,” says Wang Yifei, tive to any Chinese element in communities, airports, train exempt from the quota sys­ get a script approved. Very ful film.” ous forms. The teamwork of president of Herun Media, a a Hollywood blockbuster.” stations and other major loca­ tem. often, investors are not that the cast and crew, the co­de­ leading branded content crea­ tions across China, which will Foreign studios, as a result, patient.” Hunting for a hit velopment of stories, product tive platform. “Clients are Contact the writer at work as easy promotion plat­ can share the revenue as per Ben Ji, a veteran film pro­ Most official co­productions placement or the co­invest­ looking for more complicated [email protected] chengdureport Pandas, hotpot and more in Chengdu By Li Yu Dujiang Weir in Dujiangyan is the ngdui Tombs of the Han Dynasty (206 and Yang Cheng oldest functioning water-control proj- BC-AD 220), in the eastern suburbs of ect in the world and is about 59 kilome- Changsha, are believed to have been Chengdu’s rich culture and abun- ters west of Chengdu. made in Chengdu. dant history makes it a tourism magnet The weir has stood for nearly 2,300 The city is also known as the home- in Southwest China. years and diverts water to irrigate near- town of Shu embroidery and the birth- A trip to the city allows foreign visi- ly 70,000 hectares of farmland, which place of China’s embroidery culture. tors to learn about Chinese culture, contributes almost one-third of the Chinese people view tea drinking history and philosophy through its province’s total grain output. not just as a daily habit but as an inter- many cultural resources. The weir survived the Wenchuan est and art. Since the start of the 72-hour visa- Earthquake unscathed in 2008. Tea culture in China is believed to free policy last year Chengdu has The old dam’s longevity can mainly have started in Sichuan and several attracted even more visitors and inves- be attributed to a schedule of annual ancient Chinese poems make reference tors. repairs, which date back to the Han to drinking tea in Chengdu. Xinjin, an The city is best known for the panda dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), and tell the area in Chengdu was said to have the as it is home to the Chengdu Research story of the hard work and foresight of earliest trade of tea in the province. Base of Giant Panda Breeding. local people. Throughout history a number of Another popular place to explore Chinese great poets have lived in the area’s history is the Temple of Mar- Chengdu, including Li Bai, Du Fu, quis Wu Museum, also known as the Cen Sen, Wei Zhuang, Lu You and Fan Wuhou Shrine. Chengda. The landmark honors Zhuge Liang Shu state is an ancient region around (AD181–234), who is recognized as Chengdu and an old saying goes – “All ProviDeD to China Daily 72-hour visa-free the greatest and most accomplished poets under heaven have come to Shu A glance at the Dujiangyan scenery area. Dujiangyan is world’s oldest water control project. strategist of his era – the Three King- land.” doms period (AD220-280). Many pandas born and raised at the Zhuge has become synonymous Relaxed lifestyle base are sent to foreign countries as with intelligence and strategy in Chi- The Fortune Global Forum was held national gifts so the city is also known nese culture and visitors can get a bet- in Chengdu last year, partly due to the for its hospitality and diplomatic cul- ter understanding of Chinese culture city’s fast economic growth and ample ture.