Evolutions in China Film Industry - Essay Example

? Evolutions in China Film Industry China’s film industry is one the fastest –growing movie market in the entire universe. The industry made an increase of 29% in its annual receipts in the year 2011, breaking the long set record of 2 billion dollars set some years back. Currently, China is ranked the second largest movie market while North America is taking the lead. Advanced technology is the last two decades has greatly enhanced China’s film making in greater ways. The film industry is a dynamic sector, compelling various film industries in different countries to adopt the most recent technologies to remain relevant as far as audience satisfactions are concerned (Blythe, 2008). The main objective and criteria in the advancements of movie technologies is to improve the quality and the ability of the audience to enjoy such films, either at the cinema among other media. This discourse is about the changes or improvements in the China’s film industry, as a result of advancements of technology in the last two decades. It involves the comparisons of some selected movies produced in the last two decades and those produced as recently as this year. China mainly ventures in three categories of movies namely commercial films, propaganda films as well as art films. The three categories undergo common film production procedures but differ in the main themes behind them. Commercial movies are meant to promote regional and international businesses and this includes adverts and promotes among others (Hetzel, 2008). Propaganda movies are those employing more fictions in other words, thoughts and actions beyond human capacity. This category is the most selling. It may also include animations and sci-fi depending on the technology applied. Art films or movies are those promoting Chinese art and skills like Ti-Chi, Judo and Tae-Kwando among others (Rojas, 2007). The irony is that Chinese art films are more common in the Western world than in the country itself. This could be due to the fact that Chinese do not appreciate their practices or culture while the Western part of the world does (Zhang, 2012). Advancement in movie technologies has seen the overall improvements in film production houses for the last two decades. Some of these technologies and invented in the country while others are adopted from Europe and North America among other parts of the world (Wilkins, 2009). China first employed the VHS tape technology as the main movie storage tools. Movies could be recorded in such tapes then distributed for sale. The technology was helpful although it had some limitations. The tapes and tee casings were cumbersome to carry around, more so during distribution. There not long lasting and their quality could be compromised by dust or damp environment. Movies were later recorded on the DVDs which came with several advantages. DVDs are light in weight hence easy to transport, easy to manage and produces quality images compared to those recorded on the tapes. DVD technology still plays a great role in the modern Chinese movie industry. The majority who cannot afford the Cinemas can simply walk to the movie stores located in almost corner of the country and pick the favorite movie in the DVDs (Pogue, 2012). The 2012 Chinese movie industry survey indicates that about 80% of the country’s film revenue was from the local consumption. However, the technology of DVDs came with some limitations, for instance, their quality is greatly compromised by electromagnetic waves among other radiations. A single scratch on the DVDs may create its way to the dust bin and only few and expensive DVDs can be re-written among other limitations. Then followed the BluRay technologies, which is far much better than the DVD technology but expensive. The modern generation in China accesses their favorite movies through the digital downloads. The movie industries have collaborated with various cloud companies so that the audience can download their favorite movies anytime and from any corner of the globe at a reasonable cost. This has been attributed by the advancement of communication technologies through tablets and smart phones among other portable communication gadgets. However, a majority of Chinese movie fans prefer the actual (tangible) collections of favorite movies then having them stored on home shelves. Introduction of Home Cinema in the country also boosted the industry’s performance (Jean, 2000). Home Cinema set up comprise of digital sound surround, large screen flat televisions (with the latest LED screen technologies) coupled with the internet and digital downloads streamlines. This enables the audience to enjoy favorite movies at the comfort of their living rooms. It is thought to be cheaper than seeking cinema tickets for a single movie can be watched by all family members unlike in the cinematic situation where each family member has to be paid for the tickets. China has invented a lot in the internet technologies making such downloads easier and faster. The production of more advanced entertainment appliances like 3D televisions and sound surround technology has also enhanced the success in the Chinese movie industry. The internet has played a great role in the modern Chinese movie industry. People in all parts of the universe can conduct online shopping for the Chinese movies at certain amounts. There are over a million blogs or websites trough which such can be accomplished. The internet provides a global platform for the promotions, preview, legal downloads and discussions among other aspects to promote the industry. Online sales make the largest contributions to the Chinese movie industry’s revenue (Thomke, 2006). Some of the Chinese latest movies are previewed through selected websites before the audience can give their opinions and such ideas incorporated in the final product. Chinese film industry esteems the audience than any other movie stakeholder compared to other national movie industries. It is predicted that China would one day overtake North America due to its hospitality to the local and international audience (Kieran, 2005). However, the internet is also a great set back to the industry. Majority resolve to illegal downloads, hence reduced revenue. The issue of piracy is also a great set back in the Chinese movie industry. The illegal downloads are recorded on DVDs then sold at more subsidized costs (Shipman, 2007). Although the Chinese government has played great roles to reduce or end the illegal act, piracy still remains a huge set back not only in China but other regions of the universe. Three dimensional technology is one of the latest film technologies applied in China. The technology is applied in Taichi, Don Quixote, Flying Swords of Dragon Gate and Painted Skin among others. These movies are categorized as the new generation films due to their quality pictures and other features. Majority of Chinese movies have the theme of Magic and acrobatics, hence movie producers had to employ the 3D technologies to improve their realism and comical values in such movies. Don Quixote (2010) was the first 3D film in the country. However, the movie’s rating was poor generating only about 32 million Yuan (Erick, 2007). China film industry had to conduct some film studies to improve its film technologies to match its competitors in the west. China later produced Flying swords of Dragon Gate as well as the Painted Skin: The Resurrection which had improved ratings compared to the previous 3D movie. This made the China film producers fully resolve on the technology. According to Shen Hongxiang, the director of Soulpower culture Media Co Ltd, China is still behind as far as the 3D technology is concerned, despite producing over 30 3D movies in 2011. He however applauds the technology for increasing film revenue by over 30 %. Avatar (2010) was ranked among the best 3D movies not only in China but in the global film arena. The movie generated over 1.4 billion Yuan, something not be forgotten any time soon. China later applied the technology in the Chinese Odyssey and Transformer 3 among others. Painted Skin: The Resurrection is thought to be the best 3D ever since, by breaking over 12 movie records in the country. The movie earned over 700 million Yuan, within a month. The company behind the invention of 3D movie technology, Real has partnered with Zhejiang Xingguang, a chain of Chinese movie theatres and the company intends to expand its capacity of 203 screens to about 500 screens some two years to come. China established its Film Virtual Stage, dubbed China Film Virtual Stage (CFVS). This has enabled advanced virtual shootings both in movies and local television programs. The technology was produced by a Chinese technology firm, Light craft Technology and enables pre-visualization so that relevant amendments or corrections can be made before the actual production, unlike in the past when movie producers relied on their own imaginations to make such corrections. Local television program's producers relying on the green-green technologies will be able to view both live actions as well as CGI Components during the shooting. The technology is also associated with real-time graphics, and this is good news to visual sightings. China had earlier tried to employ virtual set systems but this only worked well with the television programs but not movies. Lightcraft Technology manager, Eliot Mack urged Chinese movie producers to embrace the Previzion, CFVS technologies to bring the industry to the international standards. He categorically emphasized on the technology’s actual camera tracking, something that would never be realized by the green-green technologies. It is estimated that China would become the largest movie industry by the year 2015, should the technology be realized to its full core. However, some movie producers complain that the technology is expensive and may not register the kind of revenues realized in the year 2012. The application of large film formats has enabled the Chinese film industry compete with Hollywood among world best movie industries. China industry is known to have contracted Holly wood movie companies to render Vista-vision and ultra-Panavision technologies to enhance image quality in the larger screen and increased sound quality among other movie elements. The technology has also compelled the majority of Chinese movie fans resolve to home cinema. IMAX technology has also evolved from the early 60’s to the more advanced versions. IMAX technologies create quality movies with improved resolutions compared to the recent versions. It produces a 70 mm image format compared to the standard gauge which happens to be about 35 mm (Zhang, 2004). IMAX is used together with BluRay recording technology to produce more quality and appealing movies. However, it is thought China is still lagging behind as far as these technologies are concerned (Plaisance, 2008). The technology is only realized through special consultative arrangements from North America Movie industries. China would have to consider the IMAX technologies to beat its main competitors in North America and India according to its 2015 plans. Dolby technologies were first introduced in the Chinese film industry in 1980, and have evolved into the latest or current advanced version. The technology creates a sense of sound surround to enable variations of sound tracks according to the scenes or backgrounds. This includes the application of the sharper keys to the broadest keys according to the theme of the scene. Chinese film industry employs sharp sound in gestures or fast motions. ‘Pro logics’ was the initial version of the Dolby technologies and was followed by the twin digital channel (surround sound) technologies. This later evolved to the Jurrasic version which comprised of 5 channels of sharp sound and a single channel for the bass or rather broad sound. This produced quality crystal clear quality sound tracks. Dolby and dt technologies have worked together to enhance their movie qualities. The best selling Chinese movies like Avatar among others are known to have employed Dolby and dt technologies to create the 3D sound surround effects. Dolby has also cooperated with the BluRay as well as DVD technologies for more quality productions. The technology can also be used together with cloud technology to acquire some resourceful movie elements like images, soundtrack and quotes among others. Animation technologies have enhanced the creation of propaganda type of movies in China. It took China quite a time before producing an animated movie unlike its Hollywood competitor which had animated movie as early as 1995. Animated movies are known to be the best selling and the evidence is the 2012 Avatar which was ranked the best movie in the country. The animation technology was first applied in the Chinese film industry in the early 20th century, where the natives appreciated the application of the various factions to represent their martial art, however, the modern animation technologies had to replace the traditional ones to make it in the competitive movie market. Shanghai studio was the first Chinese movie industry to employ the western animation technologies in its productions (Davenport, 2005). By the end of 2004, Chinese could produce its own animation technologies and the technology companies greatly employed media software like Adobe flash and strong internet connections. It started with short movies posted on the YouTube to full movies. The production of Xiao Xiao was produced and posted on the internet, it drew serious attention and majority encouraged the company to produce more animated movies. CGI later enhanced the productions of Dragon Blade and The Legend of Lang among others. Technology advancements are associated with increased movie qualities with regards to image quality, size, sound tracks background set ups, reverse camera angles flashbacks and clarity among other movie elements. We are in a movie competitive generation that each movie industry must employ the top most secret skills to keep the audience attracted and entertained. China had to adopt some of the most known movie technologies invented in North America to remain relevant in the global movie arena. China hit a mark by the release of Avatar which employed the animation, 3D, Dolby and dt, and IMAX among others. China is believed to be the best movie industry in the entire globe some 2 years to come. It has also employed internet for promotions and downloads of its movies in the local and international market (Sawyer, 2007). The industry has over thousands of movie blogs and websites to enhance the business. Home cinemas which comprise of large quality LED screens, digital sound surround and digital download stream have also enhanced the growth of Chinese film industry. However, there is a school of thought that the advancement of the technology has replaced the Chinese movie industry which was considered educative and advocate for the national culture (Ebrey, 2009). The modern film technologies violate human value and dignity, for instance, the production of animated movies has greatly been criticized by several Chinese religious groups (Morris, 2001). They lament that altering the nature of God’s creation is not only evil but intimidating (Stewart, 2009). The use of internet in the industry has also encouraged illegal downloads and piracy. Advanced technology has made Chinese movie expensive and this is a great limitation to lower wage earners (Pennock, 2003). Furthermore, advanced movie technology is majorly associated with the literate society members, since it requires special knowledge to enjoy the 3D technologies among other technologies. Finally, there is a group of Chinese, who associate the advancements in the film industry with the western culture. Several Asian nations do not wish to be associated with the western culture calling it promiscuous and non-democratic, hence there is a societal class that has stuck and advocated for the traditional Chinese film technologies (Frost, 2000). Bibliography Blythe, J. 2008. Consumer Behaviour. New York: Cengage Learning. Davenport, T. 2005. The Attention Economy. London: Harvard Business Press. Ebrey, P. B. 2009. East Asia: A Cultural, Social, and Political History . New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Erick, K. 2007. Evolutions in China Media Technologies. New York: Wiley Press. Frost, C. 2000. Media Ethics and Self Regulation. New York: Longman. Hetzel, R. 2008. Monetary Policies. London: Cambridge University Press. Jean, C. 2000. Media ethics and Accountability System. Toronto: Transaction Publishing. Kieran, M. 2005. Media Ethics. USA: Routledge. Morris, H. 2001. Evolution is a Religion ? not Science. ICR Impact #332. Pennock, R. T. 2003. Creationism and Intelligent Design . 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