Diplomatic Entertainment
Sino-U.S. co-productions and how Hollywood films are increasingly being ‘made in China.’
This past Tuesday, Feb. 7th, Aynne Kokas, a media studies professor at the University of Virginia, presented and discussed her research on relations between the U.S. and China in terms of Hollywood and film production at the University of Denver. The presentation shed light on the Chinese film market, why America is interested in it, and how they manage to get their films into China. Kokas’ talk touched on an entire world of Sino-U.S. relations that most people would never think about, but its existence is evident if one simply knows what to look for.
Kokas began the presentation with the trailer of Matt Damon’s most recent film, The Great Wall. The movie “follows an elite force making a valiant stand for humanity on the world’s most iconic structure,” as the film’s IMBD page states. Kokas, however, asked us to think beyond the epic glimpses of men fighting monsters and dramatic long shots of the ‘iconic structure’ itself, “How does Matt Damon get to the Great Wall in a pre-modern Chinese film?” She asked, “Let me tell you it’s not because the narrative makes a lot of sense.”
“There are still serious limitations to access for Hollywood studios trying to enter into the Chinese market.” Kokas explained that China has a “34 film quota” when it comes to imported movies. “Only 34 foreign films can legally be imported into the Chinese market per year.” She continued to explain that this quota has caused some Hollywood studios to instead opt to create co-productions with Chinese film studios. According to the China Film Co-production Corporation (CFCC)[1] “A Sino-foreign co-production, simply put, is a contractual arrangement between a foreign party and a Chinese party to conduct filming in China.” Films that are co-produced are treated as local films in the Chinese market, and therefore do not have to be imported.
“China has the largest theatrical distribution capacity in the world” and by 2018 is “slated to have the largest film market in the world,” Kokas stated. Therefore it is no surprise that large Hollywood studios are trying to tap into this market. However, the films that are created must go through a censorship review in order to be approved as a true co-production. “Chinese regulators at the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television review the story prior to production and have final cut approval for films… Co-production essentially turns Chinese regulators into the most influential stakeholder in the filmmaking process.” Kokas explained in an NBC article about The Great Wall. Because of this control that China has over content and production of films, “The Hollywood dream factory is [now] advancing the marketing interests of the Chinese communist party and the Chinese government” Kokas stated, “Thinking about culture as a platform through which to wage China’s peaceful rise is at the core of this collaborative investment… the Hollywood Dream Factory is ultimately converging with the Chinese Dream.” This means more films where major Hollywood stars are converging with shots of Shanghai or the Great Wall. Primarily on China’s terms, and with China’s ideals.
The 34 film quota expires this month, February 2017. Therefore these processes may significantly change in the coming months to years. However, there is no denying China is gaining more traction in the media market, and American film studios are the first to take advantage.
To learn more about Sino-U.S. co-productions click here
To learn more about Sino-U.S. relations in the media industry and Kokas’ research, purchase her book Hollywood Made in China
[1] http://www.chinahollywood.org/about-co-productions
Written Feb, 2017