schedule, "movies are concentrated together", but usually the theaters are "empty"? People's "screen time" is mostly occupied by short videos, and the "leisure competitiveness" of movies is obviously insufficient? ...On June 17, at the "Jinjue Film Forum - New Ecosystem of Film Distribution", well-known scholars and film industry representatives gathered together to "take the pulse" of the current situation of film distribution and seek "split distribution and precise distribution" Golden Key".
html How to produce 386,000 large screens more efficiently?
In 2023, there will be 14,000 commercial theaters nationwide with more than 86,000 screens. However, last year, 506 films were released in mainland China. In comparison, Hong Kong, China, has 63 theaters and 306 screens, showing 267 films. Japan had 3,600 screens last year and screened 1,232 films.
From this set of data, director Jia Zhangke said that as a creator, he saw a pair of contradictions - unsaturated supply and an idling screen. He compared the big screen to "cultivated land" and believed that the current "output per acre" is insufficient.
Data brought by Zhi Fina, a professor at the China Academy of Art, shows that compared with 2003, the mainland market's feature film output, number of screens, box office, and movie attendance will increase by 2.3 times, 43.88 times, 54.47 times, and 36.11 times respectively in 2023. However, in recent years, the problem of "wasted space" in theaters has become increasingly apparent. In 2023, the average attendance rate of mainland theaters will be only 9.5%, less than half of 2015. "The era of large-scale concentrated consumption is coming to an end, and branched distribution and refined distribution are imperative." Zhi Feina believes that the Chinese film industry's new round of integrity and innovation will increase supply, eliminate redundant production capacity, and reduce some ticket prices. , changing the account sharing ratio are all debatable potential areas.
Zhou Yong, manager of the distribution department of China Film Distribution Co., Ltd. Zhou Yong believes that theaters need to consider refined distribution. If the number of viewers in a single show is low, it will be difficult to cover theater operating costs. "We hope that all parties will not blindly pursue multiple films, but should use precise marketing methods to improve operating efficiency."
"In addition, for now, top films can lead the market development, but small and medium-cost films are more diverse and can fill the market Blank. A healthy industry needs a head, but the foundation formed by some small and medium-cost films also needs to be strengthened. "In Zhou Yong's view, in the trial stage of refined distribution and branched distribution, relevant policies are needed. Support and regulation, competent departments and associations must supervise to "ensure everyone's healthy development within the track."
"Talent is very important for distribution and screening, whether it is a theater chain or a distribution company." Qi Hai, resident vice president of the Guangdong Film Industry Association, believes that the film market needs excellent planners with open minds, well-informed information and sufficient resources. extensive. "To achieve this, a reward mechanism needs to be established to allow outstanding personnel to enter this field."
How to make the Chinese film market more attractive?
There is no doubt that Chinese audiences are increasingly fond of watching domestic films. According to the latest statistics from the National Film Administration, as of May 5, 2024, the total box office of the film market for the year exceeded 20 billion yuan, and the share of domestic films accounted for more than 80%. Some analysts believe that this on the one hand shows that my country's film creation and production are increasingly prosperous and have achieved both "quantity" and "quality"; on the other hand, it also shows that the aesthetic needs of Chinese audiences have changed.
In Jia Zhangke’s view, in recent years, domestic films have had an absolute advantage in the market, which is certainly our pride, but there are also hidden concerns, “If the number of international film screenings is getting smaller and smaller, what is our position in the entire international film landscape?”
Imagine that if our more than 86,000 big screens can accommodate more than 1,000 films, nearly one-half of which are international films, then our market attractiveness will also increase and we will attract outstanding film talents from various countries. High-quality movie resources.
In this regard, Zhi Fina also believes that we should have more cultural confidence and accept more films into our market. “Moreover, for Generation Z, there is also a need for imported films to supplement their needs to satisfy their various whims and personalized viewing needs."
Is the relationship between short videos and movies competitive or complementary?
" From the perspective of the competitiveness of audio-visual content, the average time viewers stay on short videos every day is 151 minutes, and on long videos is 113 minutes, but when watching movies in theaters The time is only 0.3 minutes. "In Zhi Feina's view, compared with short videos, the "leisure competitiveness" of movies is obviously seriously insufficient.
In the eyes of documentary director Takeuchi Liang, short videos can form a complementary relationship with movies. "Make short videos, short videos The cost of dramas is low, and many young creators are turning to these fields, including myself. " Takeuchi Ryo believes that for small and medium-sized film practitioners, they should not just make movies, but also learn to use short videos to promote themselves. "Documentaries and literary films have not attracted widespread attention because there are no big IPs. For example, Hayao Miyazaki's new film can still get a high box office even without publicity or trailers, because he is a big IP in his own right. But we can use short videos to promote the film, for example, we can slice it or make a short video version of the film to attract audiences into the theater.
Qi Hai also agreed with this. He believed that we should not only see the challenges brought by short videos to the film industry, but also see the benefits brought by the new media era. "For movies, it has opened up publicity channels , which in itself is the greatest help to the movie. "
Can differentiated services allow theaters to have their own fans?
On the forum, Takeuchi Ryo talked about his experience when he went to many theaters for road shows when " Farewell to the Yangtze River" was released in Japan. "I found that Japanese theaters are very unique. Almost every theater is different, with different styles and decorations, and the movies they play are also unique. Some theaters specialize in documentary films, and some specialize in Asian movies. "Many viewers didn't know about "Farewell to the Yangtze River" before coming to see it, but they are "fans of the theater." Just out of trust in the taste of this theater, they will "close their eyes" and buy tickets. The movie promotion is effortless at all. .
Therefore, Takeuchi Ryo proposed that Chinese theaters should also have their own fans, so that the audience no longer likes a certain movie, but "I like all the movies played in this theater."
This is the expectation. Zhi Fina agreed, but also expressed concern: “In our research, we found that many theaters in China do not have marketing departments. Many people working in theaters understand neither movies nor the audience. "Zhi Feina said, "Differentiated services must ultimately focus on 'people' and satisfy 'people' needs. Everyone is tired of eating "pre-prepared dishes", and moviegoers also want to experience the "hot pot atmosphere" in different theaters. "
Wu Feiyue, founder of Elephant Partner Pictures, believes that theater features can be combined with branch distribution. When commercial films are provided on weekends, "movie days" for different types of films may be set up from Monday to Thursday, so as to cultivate the theater itself The temperament allows the audience to get a movie that is "appetizing" at the agreed time and place.
Source: Xuhui, Shanghai
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