To Search for a Sustainable UK-China Film Collaboration Model: Unlocking Issues Around Film Distribution Mechanisms
Lead Research Organisation:
CARDIFF UNIVERSITY
Department Name: Journalism Media and Cultural Studies
Abstract
This AHRC funded UK-China Creative Industries partnership development project enables academic partners working with film industry partners in the UK and China to develop mechanisms of distributing films in each other's country. Supported by key industry bodies and public-facing media companies, the partnership includes industrial survey, round-tables, in-depth discussions and analyses of practical examples.
The project team will design an online survey to be sent out by all partners to their contacts throughout February, March and April 2019, to gather initial data regarding challenges in film distribution faced by companies in both the UK and China. Two fieldwork trips to London and Shanghai will enable partners to visit selected companies and organisations after accessing the survey data to obtain further industrial intelligence. All data gathered will be used as research materials for academic partners to contribute to their research-backed solution initiatives, to be discussed with all industry partners at the workshop meetings. The meetings will be held at the end of each fieldwork trip. All activities are set out to enable knowledge transfer between the industry and academia, and vice versa. They also aim at discovering key underlying differences, and working towards engineering solutions that will ultimately increase the international trade of films between the UK and China.
A final digital report regarding the partnership development project will be distributed by all partners and made accessible to the public.
The project team will design an online survey to be sent out by all partners to their contacts throughout February, March and April 2019, to gather initial data regarding challenges in film distribution faced by companies in both the UK and China. Two fieldwork trips to London and Shanghai will enable partners to visit selected companies and organisations after accessing the survey data to obtain further industrial intelligence. All data gathered will be used as research materials for academic partners to contribute to their research-backed solution initiatives, to be discussed with all industry partners at the workshop meetings. The meetings will be held at the end of each fieldwork trip. All activities are set out to enable knowledge transfer between the industry and academia, and vice versa. They also aim at discovering key underlying differences, and working towards engineering solutions that will ultimately increase the international trade of films between the UK and China.
A final digital report regarding the partnership development project will be distributed by all partners and made accessible to the public.
Planned Impact
This project aims to develop a sustainable knowledge transfer oriented, research-industry collaboration platform where information around film trade between the UK and China is transparent, shared by both academic and industry partners on the project website. The partnership is a model which performs a research function to generate solutions driven consultancy with an interest to an aim to support the UK film industry's ongoing international trade with China.
Publications
Jordan J
(2022)
More Than a "Chinese Century": The Case of International Film Festival and Awards Macao
in Event Management
Jordan, J; H.M. Chan
(2022)
More Than a "Chinese Century": The Case of International Film Festival and Awards Macao
in Event Management
Summers T
(2022)
Worsening British views of China in 2020: evidence from public opinion, parliament, and the media.
in Asia Europe journal
| Title | Odyssey 2023 |
| Description | In its 3rd edition, UK based independent film festival Odyssey: a Chinese cinema season celebrates 'Global Sustainability' as its main theme this year. Responding to the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the festival programme will include 5 main strands comprising both online & offline screenings. They include "JOURNEY", "EQUALITY", "BIODIVERSITY", "ENVIRONMENT" and "URBAN DEVELOPMENT". 72 films, masterclasses, 10 discussion panels and exclusive Q&As. Odyssey is the biggest annual hybrid film festival in the UK, bridging curious audience with Greater China and overseas Chinese communities. |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | The first ever international film festival to engage with China specifically on the topic of "Global Sustainability". |
| URL | http://odysseychinesecinema.uk |
| Description | Main Findings from 2019: The following issues have been identified related to film distribution between the UK and China - In 2019, the UK has distributed more Chinese films than China has done for UK films - There are some flexibilities around China's import film quota system, but not many UK companies are aware of that. - There are several public organisations supporting UK films and their export to other countries, but these supports are not consistent, neither do they have enough expertise about markets outside the EU and US, such as China. - Audience in China do not have a clear idea about what a UK film should be, because a UK production is oftentimes a co-production by default (with the US or other EU countries). - Filmmakers on both sides are not confident about the UK-China Film Co-production Treaty, neither on the creative idea of a co-production. The biggest challenge faced is to have a good script, a narrative that will engage with the audience from both sides. - Most streaming platforms in China do not have an individual category to separate UK films to the European category. - It takes too long for a co-produced film to finish, with too high costs - There is a lack of comprehensive knowledge available in English about the Chinese film market in public - Communication barriers continue to be a problem to enable more traffics and collaboration There are several new commercial possibilities/opportunities related to the research topic: - To support a UK cinema chain brand to enter the Chinese market - To design a co-production development scheme to support first stage script development of future co-production, with partners Main Findings in 2020: - The UK cinema sector heavily depends on Hollywood in terms of programming for cinemas. This became a huge issues during the pandemic year, where many Studios were holding back their film releases. There was a period of time that the UK had very little new films to release or to plan ahead of cinema distribution. - In contrast, China recovers from COVID-19 quickly, leading the global industry. It's local box-office is not dominated by Hollywood but instead, its local productions. Therefore, while the studios are holding back films and it has caused a huge problem for the supply chain around the world, China was not affected as much as other countries, like the UK. - UK film distributor's releasing plan is closely tight to China's schedule, when a film was pulled from release at the beginning of the pandemic in China, the UK film distributor was not allowed to release the film in the UK. (Detective Chinatown 3) This is serious issue in particular for British film companies that rely on their business in releasing Chinese films in the UK. - British film 1917 received £69 million box-office in China. - British animation IP Oconauts's secured a theme park deal in Shanghai. The theme park was launched in December 2020. More findings can be found in our public report: "UK Films in China" 2020 - available for download on www.ukchinafilm.com |
| Exploitation Route | Outcomes in 2019: - All research and insights from the project are available to the public via the project's website: www.ukchinafilm.com. - Evidence is shared regularly via the PI's active commentary publication. - Although the funding is finished, the project is ongoing and the PI is constantly seeking further funding to sustain it. The website is being updated and manage voluntarily by the PI. Outcomes in 2020: - The PI registered the project as a non-profit organisation to continue its activities and seek expansion. - The UK-China Film Collab (UCFC, now a limited company by guarantee), supported the largest Charlie Chaplin retrospective in collaboration with Hainan International Film Festival. - UCFC launched its first edition of Future Talent Programme and recruited 8 members to work on their own projects that are in line with the organisation's founding missions. - UCFC have launched its subsidiary in Scotland, with activities planned in parallel and strategies to apply for public fundings in Scotland. - UCFC have published over 5 media commentary articles to share its latest findings and insight with a wider public. |
| Sectors | Creative Economy |
| URL | http://www.ukchianfilm.com |
| Description | SUMMARY FOR 2024 [added for 2024 Submission] While continuing the usual activities, the biggest achievement to date by the now NGO is to have broken a box-office record for a Chinese language film's re-release in the UK, LUST, CAUTION (2007). The film was released across 12 cities and it generated over 20,000 box-office with only a short period run. No other Chinese film's re-release has achieved this record to date. In the year of 2024, the UK-China Film Collab has become the most reputable partner for Chines counterparts to organise their film related activities in the UK. It has also become a trusted partner for Chinese counterparts for reciprocity. China has recently introduced/enforced a policy for mutual screenings. Which means that if British cinema wishes to be exhibited in China in different cities, organisation that wishes to conduct this exercise needs to demonstrate their track record to have showed or promoted Chinese-language films in the UK. Because of the NGO's track records to date, the organisation has become the one and only non-profit organisation that is eligible for promoting British films in China. In the year of 2024, the NGO has also registered its first trademark, Global Stage on Screen, which will provide a new platform for further engagement and potentially licencing. Another biggest impact that the project/now the NGO has received is that, its original Principal Investigator has been invited to join the Independent Cinema Office's board as a new trustee. New partners engaged (from China): Kendal Mountain Film Festival China Milu Park China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Fund Handle Climate Change Film Festival Inner Mongolian Film Distribution & Exhibition Association Looking China, Beijing Normal University University of Science and Technology Beijing Xi'an Technological University Shandong Normal University Beijing Film Academy Shanghai Film Distribution and Exhibition Association Jiuzhou Photography Association New partners engaged (from the UK): Everyman Cinemas Reel Cinemas Picturehouse Cinemas Independent Cinema Office Stork Pictures Ltd. Hong Kong Economic Trade Office London However, running a spin off NGO has proved to difficult, in particular the project failed to receive continuous funding from the UK part and have to rely on consultancy or collaboration from the Chines counterparts. A balance has been difficult to maintained in the interest of the UK when there is no further public funding is in place. The PI/director of the NGO has been doing one's best to continue the mission without any tangible support. SUMMARY FOR 2023 [added for 2023 Submission] 2023 made an interesting year for the now spin out NGO, UK-China Film Collab. We continue to gain more partners, and have also further our engagement with China. This year, we have supported our ongoing communication improvement, completed Odyssey: a Chinese cinema season in the UK (now the biggest of its kind in scale). Odyssey, the festival has now also received a support accreditation by the British Council as a formal endorsement. During the festival, the event has contributed to local cinemas and suppliers economically, by showing 72 films offline in 6 cities and online for a month. We also supported British film's circulation in China with marketing and promotion when they are released. Although at the moment, no organisation or department in the UK are in a position to support British cinema's promotion in China yet, we are committed to continue the advocacy, to raise an awareness. While all the British films circulation in China currently are either a private endeavour or supported by local governments such as Shanghai, we commit the same efforts to promote their presence among the Chinese audience as an non-profit gesture. More importantly, and specifically, we have successfully engaged with China via the medium of cinema on two particular topics: 1) the problems lack of support toward young people in Hong Kong - via a documentary film screening as part of the festival where constructive criticism via the film was received by official from the Hong Kong Government based in London; 2) China's committeemen to global sustainability. The theme of Odyssey 2023 is 'Global Sustainability', the first of its kind to engage with Greater China on this particular topic, via the medium of cinema. Something to be shared as a less serious narrative. The organisation also supported a campaign to drive audience back to cinemas in China when it was reopened at the end of 2022. It organised and operated 8 screenings in 8 different city of AVATAR 2 as a campaign, to encourage Chinese cinema to be confident about the opening-up, after a long and challenging lock-down. In addition to the above two achievement, the organisation's expertise has now been recognised by both the National Film & Television School and the London Film School. Both prestigious film schools have invited the organisation to deliver teaching and talks to their students, regarding how they can embrace opportunities in the Chinese market. The Malaysian Society, which members have attended some of the organisation's events, has now invited us to help and organise the first British Malaysian Film Festival, by transferring the experience and insights that we have developed in the past years. This is an honour and certainly a recognistion. In February 2022, as the director of UK-China Film Collab, I was invited by The King to attend a reception to celebrate the East and South East Asian communities and their contribution to the UK's society. I believe that makes a good conclusion of this year's report. We are committed to continue our acceptable and in my view, effective engagement with Greater China via the medium of film, multi directional, with an entrepreneurial spirit. SUMMARY FOR 2021 & 2022 [added for 2022 Submission] Following the year of 2020, the spin out NGO continues to thrive in its unique impact, engagement and advocacy. The organisation has now become the most active and distinctive NGO in its research and practice of film diplomacy, bridging the UK and Greater China. Its initial research findings have informed the organisation's ongoing management design, to search for the most efficient way to fill the gaps of knowledge. The non-academic impacts are evident, mainly across film distribution and exhibition, university's public engagement, international students in the UK, British filmmakers in China, relevant government bodies as well as other businesses & NGOs who are not necessarily engaged with the topic of film. To give some selected examples, the bodies who have benefited from the research project's initial findings as well as its later expertise transfer include: - The British Malaysian Society (Charity) - Television for the Environment (Charity) - Trinity CineAsia (Private) - Showcase Cinema (Private) - Picturehouse Cinemas (Private) - Prince Charles Cinema (Private) - Park Circus (Private) - Modern Films (Private) - OMA Cinema (Private, France) - Hugoeast (Private, China) - Cathay Play (Private, Singapore) - Broadway Cinematique (Private, Hong Kong SAR) - Golden Scene (Private, Hong Kong SAR) - Lumiere Pavilion (Private, China) - De Montfort University Confucius Institute (Engagement to reduce its public misunderstanding) Re-branded and re-launched a film festival in the UK, Odyssey: a Chinese cinema season, becoming the biggest festival of its kind in the UK to engage with Chinese cinema, cross country and online. From its original findings from 2019, 2 public reports have been published by the organisation, both reports are responses to the issues highlighted by the original project in 2019 and the gap of knowledge. Both reports are available to be downloaded publicly. - Hardwood, M. (2022), Special Report: An Investigation into the British Journalistic Coverage of the Best Performing Chinese Films in Mainland China Between 2012 and 2021 - Jackson, A. (2022), Special Report: 50 Ideas for Co-production between the UK, US & Greater China SUMMARY FOR 2020 [Added for the 2020 Submission] Since 2019, the project and later the NGO's findings have been published by multiple international media outlets, such as FOCUS (China-Britain Business Council), South China Morning Post, CGTN, The Conversation, The Diplomat and many more. In addition, the UK-China Film Collab, now a non-profit organisation as a spin out of the initial funded project, is the leading voice in advocating its missions. Its research, public engagement and R&D have gained attention from stakeholders such as DCMS, British Film Institute, British Council, Department for International Trade as well as private film companies in both the UK and China. UCFC's media commentary articles and reports have also been quoted by academics and students to support their research. |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Creative Economy,Education,Environment,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Government, Democracy and Justice,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections,Retail,Security and Diplomacy,Other |
| Impact Types | Cultural Societal Economic Policy & public services |
| Description | Academy of Film HKBU |
| Organisation | Hong Kong Baptist University |
| Country | Hong Kong |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | - Showcasing students films from Hong Kong via our annual film festival, Odyssey (now in its 3rd edition) - Promoting the selected student films to provide an alternative debate around Hong Kong in the public debate - Encouaring student filmmakers to participate in online discussion panels |
| Collaborator Contribution | - Providing student films to support our annual film festival, Odyssey - Gathering and sharing necessary materials to ensure the success of the exhibition - Supporting student filmmakers to participate in online discussion panels |
| Impact | A commentary written by a British intern Alexei Hampson, during locked down, supported by the Kickstarter Scheme "Generational disparities & polarised politics: Hong Kong student films" https://filmdialectic.com/2021/05/03/hong-kong-student-films/ |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Title | Global Stage on Screen |
| Description | Global Stage on Screen ™ is a new programme initiative registered by UK-China Film Collab, a special season to present Asian stage production recordings at cinemas across the UK and online. Trade Mark No: UK00004033562 Mark: Global Stage on Screen Owner: UK-China Film Collaboration Project Ltd Class(es): 41 |
| IP Reference | |
| Protection | Trade Mark |
| Year Protection Granted | 2024 |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | Currently N/A, no licensing or other development have occurred so far. |
| Company Name | Uk-China Film Collaboration Project Ltd |
| Description | The UK-China Film Collab is an NGO that aims to promote collaboration and discussion between the film industries of the UK and Greater China. |
| Year Established | 2020 |
| Impact | The main areas that we cover include co-production, distribution & exhibition, talent development and original project design. As a public facing organisation and facilitator, we are committed to knowledge transfer, dialogues building, communication improvement, R&D and policy advocacy. |
| Website | http://www.ukchinafilm.com/ |
| Company Name | Uk-China Film Collab (S) Limited |
| Description | |
| Year Established | 2020 |
| Impact | The main areas that we cover include co-production, distribution & exhibition, talent development and original project design. As a public facing organisation and facilitator, we are committed to knowledge transfer, dialogues building, communication improvement, R&D and policy advocacy. |
| Description | Britain in Shanghai 1937: Screening of The Eight Hundred + QA |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Eight Hundred (2020, dir. Guan Hu) is a Chinese epic war film about Japan's invasion in China in 1937 and the famous battle took place at the Sihang Warehouse. Professor Rana Mitter from the University of Oxford and Cedric Behrel from Trinity CineAsia (UK distributor) discuss the latest Chinese box-office hit epic war film. This podcast was curated by UK-China Film Collab (UCFC) and chaired by Dr Hiu Man Chan, Founder & Director of UCFC. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DwDPKn15gg |
| Description | Dancing in a Turbulent Time: Screening of Youth + Q&A |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Youth (2017, dir. Feng Xiaogang) is a Chinese film about the desire, ideal and struggle dancers in the military faced during the end of Cultural Revolution and the Sino-Vietnamese war. This is a recording of Dr Huang Xuelei (The University of Edinburgh)'s talk and discussion about Youth. The session was chaired by Dr Xiang Fan, Specialised Programme Lead Curator at UK-China Film Collab. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnTtS1YE2B8&t=3s |
| Description | Life Between Mainland and Hong Kong: Screening of The Crossing + Q&A |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Crossing (2018, dir. Bai Xue) was winner of the "Favourite Independent Film" category at the Guangzhou Student Film Festival in 2019. The Crossing follows Peipei, a schoolgirl who has taken to smuggling iPhones over the Hong Kong-Shenzhen border every day to earn money. The customs officials do not give her a second thought, due to of her school uniform and her innocent face, however, Peipei soon finds herself out of her depth. Inspired by the stories of "Cross Border Children", The Crossing is director Bai Xue's breakout feature film and expertly uses realism to portray the films narrative. Bai Xue uses this to epitomise the struggles faced by teenagers in an ever-changing and evolving China Bai Xue graduated of the prestigious Beijing Film Academy, she is recognised as a starlet of the next generation of Chinese filmmakers, before directing "The Crossing" Bai Xue also drew praise for directing short films. She won "Best New Director" Asian Film Critics Association Awards 2019. Curated by UK-China Film Collab (UCFC), this is a recording of the discussion with the director Bai Xue. The session was chaired by Curtis Weir, International Film Relations Negotiator at the UCFC. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eO1lyrkD5Lk&t=16s |