Experts Discuss Cross-border Partnership along the Belt &
Road
|
From left: Forum moderator Peter Lam,
Vice President, Hong Kong Televisioners Association; Giovanni
Robbiano, Faculty Academy of Film & TV, Head of FAMU; Chen Bin,
Senior Vice President of DMG YinJi Film, Television, Entertainment
& Media Limited Company; Rezal Rahman, Chief Executive Officer,
Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios Sdn Bhd; and Vasily Korvyakov,
Partner, Veles Film (Russia) take part in the seminar. |
HONG KONG, Mar 16, 2016 - (ACN Newswire) - How can the
entertainment industry take advantage of the business opportunities
brought by China's Belt and Road Initiative? At the TV World 2016 -
International Forum held yesterday during the 20th edition of
FILMART, industry experts discussed the importance of the
Initiative to the cinema and TV industries, and predicted that
cross-border film partnerships would become a major trend.
Chen Bin, Senior Vice President of DMG YinJi Film, Television,
Entertainment & Media Ltd Co, said the Belt and Road Initiative
has brought the Belt and Road countries closer in terms of economic
development and cultural exchange, and helped Chinese cinema and TV
"go out" to the world. He said the unique culture and traditional
stories of the different countries provide a treasure trove for
filmmakers looking for ideas.
Rapid development of Chinese cinema and TV
Mr Chen said there are 32,000 cinema screens in the Chinese
mainland generating impressive box office returns. Mermaid,
directed by Hong Kong's Stephen Chow, has earned a record of Rmb 4
billion in box office sales in 2016. "China's box office is now on
par with North America's," said Mr Chen.
He pointed out that the TV industry in the mainland is also
undergoing rapid development. A recent TV series, Diamond Lover,
starring famous Korean singer Rain and Chinese actress Tiffany
Tang, recorded 10 billion views on the Internet. Anticipating
immense market opportunities, Mr Chen said his company plans to
bring together resources from different regions and elevate the
status of Chinese cinema and TV on the world stage, collaborating
in such areas as subject matter, filming technique, script
development and casting, and benefiting from the expertise of
overseas players through such partnerships.
Malaysia offers incentives to attract foreign production
Rezal A. Rahman, CEO of Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios Sdn Bhd,
said there are many locations suitable for film production in
Malaysia. He hopes that Malaysia, with its experience in supporting
foreign productions and production costs that are 10 per cent lower
than that of the Chinese mainland, will be the shooting location of
choice for more Chinese film and TV productions.
Mr Rahman said the Malaysian Government has been stepping up its
efforts to attract foreign entertainment investment, such as
offering a 30 per cent cash rebate on production costs for overseas
productions shooting on location in Malaysia. "The US TV series
Marco Polo, produced by Netflix, and Asia's Got Talent, the Asian
edition of the popular variety show, both chose Malaysia as their
filming location."
Touching stories that transcend borders
Vasily Korvyakov, Partner of Veles Media from Russia, pointed out
that, because of cultural differences, the preferences of the
audiences in different countries and the way they appreciate the
same subject matter could be quite diverse. This is why it is
important to achieve the right balance. "For a film to be well
received in different regions, it needs to be easy to understand,
and possible to be translated into different languages," he said,
adding that it can sometimes be difficult for production teams from
different countries to agree on how a particular story or character
should be portrayed.
But under the Belt and Road Initiative, Mr Korvyakov said the
interaction between the peoples of Russia and the mainland will
certainly become more frequent, setting the context for many
fascinating stories of love or deception, which will provide joint
productions with a wealth of inspiration. "We may not be able to
create epic productions, but we can tell stories that people from
different countries can all relate to," he said.
Progress through cross-border partnerships
Giovanni Robbiano, Head of FAMU International, the Film and TV
School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, Czech Republic,
said many of the students in his school came from the mainland,
India and other Asian countries, which helps to promote East-West
exchange. Some mainland students are participating in the Cannes
Film Festival. He also believes that joint productions will be the
trend, and hopes there will be more cross-border
collaborations.
Mr Robbiano said the mainland entertainment market is constantly
evolving and making breakthroughs via international collaborations.
"CCTV hired one of my students who speaks both Chinese and Russian
to produce a documentary on the Long March, hoping to tell the
story from a new perspective." He said the opening up of societies
has brought the cinema and TV industries of different countries
closer, promoting progress that everyone in the entertainment
business has been anticipating.
FILMART, which is a founding event of Entertainment Expo Hong Kong
(14 March - 4 April), concludes tomorrow (17 March). Its 20th
edition this year features some 800 exhibitors from 30 countries
and regions and is a key international marketplace for the industry
in Asia.
Fair Websites:
Entertainment Expo: http://www.eexpohk.com
FILMART: http://www.hktdc.com/hkfilmart
Photo Download: http://bit.ly/1QX1R41
Media Registration: Media representatives wishing to cover the
event may register on-site with their business cards and/or media
identification.
To view press releases in Chinese, please visit
http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/tc
About HKTDC
A statutory body established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade
Development Council (HKTDC) is the international marketing arm for
Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and services providers. With
more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese
mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing
business with China and throughout Asia. The HKTDC also organises
international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to
provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities
on the mainland and in overseas markets, while providing
information via trade publications, research reports and digital
channels including the media room. For more information, please
visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Google+, Twitter @hktdc,
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Source: HKTDC
Contact:
HKTDC
Communication and Public Affairs Department
Joe Kainz
Tel: +852 2584 4216
Email: joe.kainz@hktdc.org
Copyright 2016 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
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