2016年CRI China to Overtake US to Become World’s Largest Film Market

 

Most movie industry observers expect China will overtake the United States to become the world's largest film market, by revenue, by 2017.

Last year, box office revenue in China hit a record high of nearly 7 billion US dollars.

Greg Foster, CEO of IMAX Entertainment, says to some extent the Chinese market is the key to success for many US movies.

"The obsession¹ is that on a P&L when a green light committee at a studio is deciding to spend 200 million U.S. dollars to make a movie, whether it gets into China or not really often is the difference between success or failure."

Because of this, many in the North American movie market are taking a harder look at what needs to be done to become successful in China.

Lauren Selig, founder² of Shake and Bake Productions, says an increasing number of movies are being made specifically for the Chinese market.

"Out of the 10 conversations that I've had with producers or foreign sales agents in the last two weeks, six of them have said bring me a project for China, I need a project for China."

When it comes to tapping into the Chinese market, Selig says Hollywood needs to have a better understanding of what Chinese audiences want.

"We're used to making big bang movies, big tentpole films and hoping that when we lob them across the pond that China goes: 'Yay, we like it.' But it doesn't always work out that way and I think it's important for a producer or director or someone who's inclined to make movies for the Chinese market to have a good partner over there or good voices to give them advice on what to make."

At the same time, Chinese movie producers are also trying to create content which global audiences are more likely to relate to.

Le Vision Pictures is one of a growing number of Chinese film companies looking globally.

Le Vision CEO Zhang Zhao.

"My guess is in the next five years because of the Chinese market booming, you will see many more movies released in North American market. Reason, because you got backed up by this huge market."

Le Vision Pictures is behind the production of a film called "The Great Wall" starring Matt Damon and directed by Zhang Yimou.

It's due out later this year.

Chinese investment in the North American film sector³ has already gone beyond movies.

Dalian Wanda recently struck a deal to acquire a majority stake in US movie studio Legendary⁴ Entertainment.

It's going to be Wanda's second big purchase in the United States.

The company bought AMC, the second biggest theater chain in the United States, for more than 2.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2012.

For CRI, I'm Niu Honglin.

1 obsession   

n.困扰，无法摆脱的思想(或情感)

参考例句：

• I was suffering from obsession that my career would be ended.那时的我陷入了我的事业有可能就此终止的困扰当中。
• She would try to forget her obsession with Christopher.她会努力忘记对克里斯托弗的迷恋。

2 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

3 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

4 legendary   

adj.传奇（中）的，闻名遐迩的；n.传奇（文学）

参考例句：

• Legendary stories are passed down from parents to children.传奇故事是由父母传给孩子们的。
• Odysseus was a legendary Greek hero.奥狄修斯是传说中的希腊英雄。