Let the world remember Qingdao, not necessarily relying on local stories. Many stories passed by word of mouth can also be made into the IP of this city. For example, during the summer vacation this year, the success of the animated film "Nezha: The Devil Child" has made people understand that as long as there are good ways of expression, traditional Chinese stories can be more attractive than many foreign blockbusters. At the same time, this also allows us to see a movie "spark": "Fengshen Universe" may not be as popular as "Marvel Universe".
The river of years passes silently.
To the end of this month, Qingdao has been awarded the title of "Movie Capital" by UNESCO for two full years. On October 31, 2017, Qingdao became one of the 13 "Movie Capitals" of the United Nations Creative Cities Network and the first in China.
two years, more than 700 days. Qingdao, the "city born for movies," clearly engraved its own coordinates on the world film map. Whether in the hearts of the public or in the industry, a film and television business card is getting brighter and brighter.
However, if you benchmark against cities such as Hollywood, Cannes, Sydney, and Busan, you will find that Qingdao still has a long way to go.
At present, Qingdao, as the "movie capital", is facing two problems: First, how to perfectly show the entire movie world in Qingdao? Second, how to use movies to better show Qingdao to the world?
01
Qingdao makes a dream for the world
In 2019, as an important IP in Qingdao, the film rose to fame in the world of cinema.
At the beginning of this year, two phenomenal blockbusters, "Wandering Earth" and "Crazy Aliens" filmed at Oriental Movie Metropolis, achieved a total box office of over 6.8 billion yuan. So far, dozens of film and television works such as "The Great Wall", "Pacific Rim 2" and "The Wandering Earth" have been filmed here.
This makes Qingdao known to the film industry all over the world. Looking at the world, almost no one can deny that Qingdao has the best movie hardware facilities in the world.
Qingdao's leadership in the film field is prominently reflected in industrialization, which makes up for the shortcomings of the entire Chinese film industry in this regard. Previously, there have been many large-scale film and television bases in China, such as Hengdian Film and Television City, Shanghai Film and Television Park, Zhongshan Film and Television City, Changying Century City, Xiangshan Film and Television City, and Zhenbeibao Western Film and Television City. Movie studio. Although each has its own characteristics and complexity, the overall level of industrialization is not high and it is difficult to meet the shooting requirements of many modern movies. For example, Hengdian highlights the antique and sense of history; Xiangshan focuses on ecological characteristics, and Zhenbeibao focuses on primitive simplicity, primitive, rough, desolate, and folk characteristics.
And Qingdao's planning and construction standards just meet the needs of the industrialization of the world's film and television industry. Prior to this, Qingdao Oriental Movie Metropolis, with a total investment of 50 billion yuan, opened and operated, and 40 world-class studios have been put into use. It has the world's largest single-unit studio of 10,000 square meters and the world's only indoor and outdoor underwater studio. It is planned to construct the film and television location of Zangma Mountain, covering an area of 1,500 mu. Part of the first phase of the project has also been put into use in June this year.
As everyone knows, today's film industry pays particular attention to the later stage. Qingdao pays attention to the content of electric technology and fills up another shortcoming of Chinese film in digital post-production. Oriental Movie Metropolis has built a digital audio-visual center covering an area of nearly 20,000 square meters. In the past, virtual shooting has only appeared in foreign blockbusters such as "Avatar", "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" and "Top Player". It has been fully realized in Qingdao, which is second to none in China.
In this regard, Qingdao obviously has the basic conditions of a "world dream factory" and is also creating dreams for global movie audiences.
However, in order to perfectly show the entire movie world, in addition to hardware facilities and technology, other more elements are needed. The most important thing is talent. Needless to say, there is still a clear gap in talent echelon construction between Qingdao and Hollywood, Cannes, Sydney and other "movie capitals".
must solve the problem of talents. On the one hand, more high-end talents should be introduced, so as to give full play to the role of high-end facilities. If there is a shortage of high-end talents, some equipment worth tens of millions of dollars may become idle. For example, at a forum this year, Xie Ning, vice chairman of the China Film and Television Industry Alliance and Global President of Base FX, said that "Wandering Earth"’s surprise box office is behind the talents."Ischemia" crisis, "more and more people are beginning to think about the fact that there are few talents available in the post-film market, and the problem of inflated costs in cultivating talents has greatly reduced film profits and adverse development reactions in the industry."
On the other hand, in order to introduce and cultivate an international talent team, only a mature international talent team can provide good supporting services for the crews all over the world. For example, the shooting of international blockbusters is definitely inseparable from a high-level translation team, and translations cannot be brought from abroad. Whether Qingdao can provide a strong translation team is probably a question.
In addition, a larger-scale basic talent is also needed, that is, film blue collar, which is the cornerstone of the skyscraper "City of Movies". Shandong has a Lanxiang Technical School, which is well-known for training technicians. Qingdao also needs a "Lanxiang Technical School" in the film industry to cultivate high-level technical talents.
Of course, Qingdao is prepared for the talent issue. For example, the introduction of the Beijing Film Academy Modern Creative Media School, the Shanghai Theatre Academy Qingdao Branch, and the cooperation with Shandong Academy of Arts and Crafts, the establishment of Qingdao Film Industry Academy, and so on. Colleges and universities gather in Qingdao West Coast New District. While attracting and cultivating talents, it is more important to retain talents instead of flying to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Guangzhou. This is a problem that must be faced squarely at the moment and needs to be faced by all parties.
02
Let the world dream of Qingdao
It is not an exaggeration to say that Qingdao is "a city born for movies". Whether talking about temperament or tracing history, the fit between this city and the movie is visible to the naked eye.
In 1898, a German cinematographer filmed one of China's earliest documentaries in Qingdao; the 1907 Light and Shadow Club on Zhongshan Road is the earliest existing movie theater in China. The city features of "red tiles, green trees, blue sea and blue sky", and buildings of different styles from various countries make Qingdao a "natural studio".
Numerous film works are closely related to Qingdao. Old films such as "Peach Blossom", "Children of the Storm" and "Langtaosha" have been left in film history. The beauty of Qingdao has also appeared in many movie shots in the new century. For example, the Guest House and Xuejiadao Ferry are the filming locations for the movie "If You Are the One", where Ge You and Shu Qi are "if you just leave"; Zhongshan Road National Goods Crossing Bridge, Qingdao Museum, Yangkou Tunnel, etc., the movie "Tough Guy" was used here. Liu Ye "fouled two" along the way; Fushan Branch Road, Lijin Road, Taitung 8th Road and other places are the places where the movie "Ocean Paradise" was filmed. Jet Li and Gui Lunmei performed love here... Entering the 21st century, provided from the CCTV Movie Channel Program Center According to the data, nearly one-third of the film and television dramas produced in the mainland every year have been shot in Qingdao.
In addition, Qingdao has also cultivated a large number of film and television stars, such as Tang Guoqiang, Ni Ping, Song Jia, Xia Yu, Huang Xiaoming, Huang Bo, Bai Baihe, and so on.
These are all capitals for Qingdao to build a "city of film and television". The movie has long been integrated into the blood of this city.
However, there is an "embarrassment" that must be mentioned, that is, the Qingdao elements in many movies can only be seen by Qingdao people, and even some of us only feel familiar with each other, and foreigners do not know, let alone foreigners. Up. In other words, Qingdao has been "incognito" in many movies.
In most movies involving Qingdao, Qingdao is only used as a location, and the city itself is emptied. The storyline of the film did not form a real intersection with the city, nor did it penetrate into the city’s historical culture and spiritual life. Qingdao is only used as a background. Occasionally, there will be a landmark building in the shot, most of which are just floating lights. Therefore, after watching it, the audience will always remember only the characters and stories in the movie, but they are "insensitive" or "unfamiliar" to the city.
Of course, objectively speaking, this is not that the film party "has an opinion" on Qingdao, but a common habit in the industry. In filming, there is an invisible "urban ladder". Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Taiwan in China, and New York, London, Paris, and Tokyo in the world are regarded as the “first ladder”. In the context of globalization, the "first ladder" city is not just a place where the story takes place, but a collection of many factors such as politics, economy, culture, art, popularity, and security. Simply put, the same story, happening in different places, may bring different levels of attention. For example, the naming of the movies "Lost in Tokyo" and "New York, New York".
should say, includingMany domestic second-tier cities, including Qingdao, are regarded as the "second ladder", and then as the "back garden" of the "first ladder" cities by the director. Even if they appear in the movie, their names are erased. We can express our understanding of
, but we cannot always accept it passively. In fact, some "second ladder" cities have already achieved counterattacks through movies. For example, Harbin to "Fireworks in Daylight", Wuhan to "Life Show", Chongqing to "Crazy Stones", "Hot Pot Heroes", "Smell of Pepper", Nanjing to "Spring Breeze Intoxicated Night"-even some The small and medium-sized cities in the "third ladder" also leave deep memories for people. For example, Anshan is for "The Piano of Steel", and Ji'an is for "Sewing Machine Band"...
I have to mention here that this year's Spring Festival file "Wandering Earth" and "Crazy Aliens" are widely popular, and these two sci-fi blockbusters were born in Qingdao Oriental Movie Metropolis. Unfortunately, there is no obvious Qingdao element in the content of the two films. Just imagine, if you can intervene in advance, it might not be difficult for Qingdao to leave a name. This point should also be paid attention to in the future. How to highlight the Qingdao element in some movies with good box office and reputation is also a new topic.
Qingdao, as the "capital of film and television", should leave a name in more excellent films, so that the world can know Qingdao, remember Qingdao, and dream of Qingdao through films.
03
Tell the story of Qingdao to the world
To let Qingdao leave its name in excellent films, a good Qingdao story is needed.
"This is Exit 6 of Ximending, a place where everything can happen."-Through the movie "Exit 6", people can remember that tradition and modernity are mixed in Taipei. "
" is so big in Beijing, why can't it accommodate a little me! "——Through "Apple", I can experience the hardship and confusion of the "beijing drifters".
"If Meimei does not leave, maybe we will drink together as before, drifting on the Suzhou River together, and drifting to the sea. Maybe the sun will come out and the river will become very clear. I didn't lie, you will see. "——In "Suzhou River", you can see the background color of the city of Shanghai.
Obviously, we urgently need excellent stories about Qingdao and Qingdao people, and we need to know more about Qingdao, love Qingdao, and be a good screenwriter and go deep into life. Author. In terms of TV dramas, "Once Upon a Time in Qingdao" and "Da Ran Fang" are excellent representatives in this regard. The screenwriters represented by Lian Jian have also written many excellent TV scripts. In terms of movies, many years ago, Jet Li The starring "Chinese Hero" was once a good work about the history of Qingdao. Today, we are looking forward to more excellent movie scripts.
It should be mentioned that people across the country and the world should see more than " "Red tiles and green trees" old Qingdao, as well as new Qingdao, modern Qingdao. It is not only a century-old Qingdao, but also an ancient Qingdao that has been pushed up for a thousand years. For example, Laoshan is a cultural treasure house, with Faxian, Qiu Chuji, and Pu Songling. Cultural celebrities such as Langyatai and the Song Jinhai battle on the west coast, the "Fire Bull Array" in Pingdu, the five major families of Jimo, Kuang Yuan and Gao Fenghan in Jiaozhou, etc., are all named in the annals of history. They have great popularity and are very good. Movie theme.
Of course, let the world remember Qingdao, it does not have to rely on local stories. Many stories passed by word of mouth can also be made into the IP of this city. For example, during this summer vacation, the animated film "The Devil of Nezha" The success of "Children Coming to the World" has made people understand that as long as there are good ways of expression, traditional Chinese stories can be more attractive than many foreign blockbusters. At the same time, it also allows us to see a movie "spark": "Feng Shen universe "It may not be as popular as the "Marvel Universe."
In fact, the "Fengshen Trilogy", which represents the industrialization level of Chinese films, is being shot and produced in Oriental Film Capital. This series of films is directed by the well-known director Wu Ershan. Barry M. Osborne, the producer of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, also joined the team. Compared with the "Great Wall" that "borrowed a boat to go to sea", "The Trilogy of the Gods" is from the traditional culture. "Long" movies are obviously more worth looking forward to. I hope this will become a successful IP for Qingdao film.
04
Let Qingdao share the dream with the world
"As an important part of the construction of modern culture, modern electronic media such as movies have decisively changed the modern era. The relationship with tradition has changed the way people imagine themselves and the sad world. "writeThis is what Appadullai, who published the book "Globalization", said. The famous communication scholar Mike Luhan even bluntly said: "The medium is the extension of people."
In today's globalization, the film medium opens not only the window of social life and public space, but also personal experience and society. Development and life changes constitute a universal language in the connection of images. In every corner of the earth, many people who speak different languages may not have been to Qingdao, but they can get to know Qingdao and understand Qingdao through movies.
To make Qingdao share the dream with the world, it needs to be closely connected with the world economically, so that the film industry chain has a relationship with everyone. People in the industry know that film investment is huge, and most of them do not make money by box office alone, but if the brand is done well, it will be very valuable, and only the industry chain is long enough and complete enough to receive returns.
In fact, Oriental Movie Metropolis was positioned at the beginning of "film industrialized production + complete industrial chain supporting", and Qingdao West Coast New District is increasingly closely connected with movies. Lingshan Bay Film and Television Cultural Industry Zone is also focusing on introducing and cultivating major players in all links of the industrial chain, including film and television planning, investment, production, distribution, screening, and derivative development. In this regard, we might as well benchmark Busan, South Korea, as we have plenty of ready-made experience to learn.
Integrate film and television with cultural tourism. In the West Coast New District of Qingdao, film and television have been linked with parks, hotels, show venues, commerce and water parks. As long as you have your own successful IP, you have the conditions to try the Disney road.
timely and continuous subsidies to release policy dividends. Since 2017, Qingdao has established a special fund for the development of the film and television industry of Qingdao Oriental Film and Television with a total scale of RMB 5 billion, and will give up to 40% of the production cost for outstanding film and television works completed in Qingdao Lingshan Bay Film and Television Cultural Industry Zone. subsidy. You must know that this is currently the most favorable film support policy in the world. From this large-scale film and television support policy, we can see Qingdao's tolerance and determination for the development of the film and television industry. The industrial chain and policy tilt of Qingdao's entire industrial chain undoubtedly have a strong appeal to the entire world film industry.
In addition, make good use of the bridge role of Shandong stars, including Qingdao. For example, Huang Bo, Huang Xiaoming, Gong Li, etc., not only are well-known, they also have their own film and television companies, which are associated with a relatively complete industrial chain. Each of them is a bridge, and most of them are willing to do things for their hometown. Building on the basis of market cooperation and making full use of these bridges is also a shortcut to the center of the film and television industry.
Today, Qingdao is building an open, modern, dynamic and fashionable international metropolis. It should be noted that in this strategy, film is an important breakthrough. Especially in terms of "fashion", it may be one of the best breakthroughs. The development of the film and television industry is related to Qingdao's long-term development plan.
Looking at the world today, whether a country’s culture can "hot" depends on two basic points: one is the contribution and practical value of this culture in the development of human history; the other is the current international stage of the country and nation Status and influence. In fact, the same is true for cities. At present, China's influence on world politics, economy and culture is increasing. This is a manifestation of the rise of the country and the rejuvenation of the nation. In such a general situation, with the gradual establishment of the position of the "Capital of Film and Television" Qingdao in the world film industry, we have enough reason to believe that more and more people will see Qingdao, remember Qingdao, and fall in love with Qingdao. .
