US exec: America-China co-prods winding down
A US film executive has said that a decline in co-production films made between US studios and China has come about partly through Hollywood losing interest in the country.
By Nick Goundry 18 Jun 2018
A US film executive has said a decline in co-production films made between US studios and China has come about partly through Hollywood losing interest in the country.
Ellen Eliasoph developed nine Chinese movies through Village Roadshow Pictures Asia and is now head of Perfect Village Entertainment in Beijing and Hong Kong.
Several key US-China co-productions have underperformed in recent years, including action drama The Great Wall that featured a multinational cast led by US star Matt Damon.
Eliasoph told the Hollywood Reporter that she believes China’s lack of interest in international stars and story elements is a factor.
“I've never really believed in co-productions,” Eliasoph told the outlet. “I just don't believe that there are enough films that will work in both markets.
“When we identify and start developing projects, we know from the very beginning what market they're for. Most of what we've done at Perfect Village to date – and most of what we did at Village Roadshow Pictures Asia – was squarely aimed at the Chinese domestic marketplace.”
She added that US and Chinese audiences have different social concerns affecting which movies resonate in each territory.
“Things that are edgy, new and fresh in Hollywood, like Deadpool or some of the horror titles, often can't get imported into China,” Eliasoph told the Hollywood Reporter.
“Some of the themes that are exciting vis-a-vis what Americans care about – such as cultural diversity and the challenges women face - don't resonate as strongly with the Chinese audience right now.”
Over the past ten years Hollywood studios have laboured through various attempts to form successful co-productions with China’s film industry as a way of bypassing the country’s strict quota on the number of foreign films that can be released domestically.
Starkly different working practices in China have proved a challenge for Hollywood studio productions in the past and have discouraged US executives from choosing the country as a filming location.
There are occasional exceptions such as the recent fantasy action sequel Pacific Rim Uprising that shot scenes at Wanda Studios in Qingdao.
American producers and filmmakers are increasingly changing strategies by getting involved with domestic Chinese production rather than trying to import US films.
See KFTV's production guide for more on filming in China.
Image: FreeImages.com/Gary Tamin
Several key US-China co-productions have underperformed in recent years, including action drama The Great Wall that featured a multinational cast led by US star Matt Damon.
Eliasoph told the Hollywood Reporter that she believes China’s lack of interest in international stars and story elements is a factor.
“I've never really believed in co-productions,” Eliasoph told the outlet. “I just don't believe that there are enough films that will work in both markets.
“When we identify and start developing projects, we know from the very beginning what market they're for. Most of what we've done at Perfect Village to date – and most of what we did at Village Roadshow Pictures Asia – was squarely aimed at the Chinese domestic marketplace.”
She added that US and Chinese audiences have different social concerns affecting which movies resonate in each territory.
“Things that are edgy, new and fresh in Hollywood, like Deadpool or some of the horror titles, often can't get imported into China,” Eliasoph told the Hollywood Reporter.
“Some of the themes that are exciting vis-a-vis what Americans care about – such as cultural diversity and the challenges women face - don't resonate as strongly with the Chinese audience right now.”
Over the past ten years Hollywood studios have laboured through various attempts to form successful co-productions with China’s film industry as a way of bypassing the country’s strict quota on the number of foreign films that can be released domestically.
Starkly different working practices in China have proved a challenge for Hollywood studio productions in the past and have discouraged US executives from choosing the country as a filming location.
There are occasional exceptions such as the recent fantasy action sequel Pacific Rim Uprising that shot scenes at Wanda Studios in Qingdao.
American producers and filmmakers are increasingly changing strategies by getting involved with domestic Chinese production rather than trying to import US films.
See KFTV's production guide for more on filming in China.
Image: FreeImages.com/Gary Tamin
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