Summary of the Chinese Film Industry’s Policy Environment 2007, Penske Business Media, New York, N. Y.
This article talks about the policy of Chinese film industry, which provided by government. Reform and opening up have brought about great changes for China’s film industry. In order to deepen film industry and establish new mode of it, the government and the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) has released a series of policies.
The first major one is joint production policy. The Chinese government believes the diversity of world culture will benefit to Chinese film industry. So they are willing to cooperate with filmmakers from all countries. There are three ways of joint production policy, which are co-production, assisted production and entrusted production.
The second policy is film import policy. The basic principles of this policy are high quality, high intellectual and artistic merit, and excellent technologies. Depending on those principles, the Chinese government importing more than 20 foreign films per year. It is important component of cultural exchange. The third one is theater investment policy. Foreign capital is able to build, renovate, and operate movie theaters, with a maximum share of 49%. The last one is film distribution policy. The entry barrier has been lowered by government, because of the developing needs of promoting the domestic films market, and encouraging private enterprises to contribute the distribution and sales.
Wu, X. 1992, The Chinese film industry since 1977, University of Oregon.
The author mainly comprehensively analyses the Chinese film industry connecting with Chinese policy and economy. In chapter1 the author clearly sates the Chinese film history. After the Lumiere Brothers formally exhibited movies in Paris, on 11 August 1896, Shanghai, saw its first films. In that time, the Chinese people saw the most of films in foreigner’s various rented fairgrounds and teahouse.
The first commercial movie theater Permanent Movie Theater was built in 1908 by a Spaniard. This theater was the symbol of the emerging Chinese film industry. However, actually the film industry of China almost controlled by foreigners, some Chinese people failed in attempting to participate in it. The first Chinese film, Diniunshan. was shot by Fengta Photography Shop with a French camera and German raw film in 1905 in Beijing. The first co-production mod of Chinese film happened in 1912, when In 1912, two Americans, Essler and Lehrmann, bought the Asia Film Company, they invited two Chinese, Zhang Shichuan and Zheng Zhengqiu to make films together. However, this cooperation was interrupted by World War I. Generally, due to the lack of extensive investment and complex technology during 1896 to 1914, the development of Chinese film industry was so slow.
Reference
China Focus: Chinese film industry slumps after opening up to Hollywood 2012, woodside.
Development issues as Chinese film industry booms: official 2015, Woodside.
Summary of the Chinese Film Industry’s Policy Environment 2007, Penske Business Media, New York, N. Y.
Wu, X. 1992, The Chinese film industry since 1977, University of Oregon.