Cultural professionals in China have provided valuable insights on how to enhance the country's film industry, building on the global success of the animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2 after it secured a position among the top seven films of all time worldwide.
The Tianfu Long Island Digital Cultural and Creative Park in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu, where most of the key companies involved in the production chain of Ne Zha 2 are located within a hundred meters, has attracted a constant stream of visitors since the film became an unprecedented smash hit.
Chengdu's success in the creation of Ne Zha 2 is inseparable from its cultivation of talents over the course of many years. Sichuan University, and University of Electronic Science and Technology of China have set up digital cultural and creative majors, providing a large number of professionals in the domestic animation industry.
At present, more than 100,000 people are employed in the film and television industry in Chengdu, while 220,000 students are studying film and television majors in the city. However, according to an industry insider, there is still a talent gap.
"We are short of professions such as animators and special effects artists. The explosive popularity of Ne Zha 2 has also shown everyone that the animation industry actually has a bright future. I think it is a great help to pool more talents in this industry," said Sun Lu, co-founder and CEO of Chengdu Qianniao Cultural Communication, which is responsible for art design for the hugest-grossing animated film worldwide.
As the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, and the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body, will kick off on March 5 and March 4, respectively, NPC deputy Shao Li and CPPCC member Fu Ruoqing shed light on how to fix the gap and enhance China's cultural appeal on the global stage.
"My suggestion is to encourage universities and film companies to establish closer cooperation, jointly formulate talent training programs, improve talent incentive mechanisms, commend and reward outstanding film talents and works, and provide more creative opportunities and financial support for young film talents," said Shao, a celebrated female Chinese author.
"So I think we need to continue to promote Chinese films abroad. That is, we need to create new films with an international perspective and a language system that is internationally understood. This allows audiences from different cultures to experience the values and understanding of new Oriental culture," said Fu, also chairman of the China Film Group Corporation.
They also believe the boom in the film market cannot rely solely on a few blockbuster films, stressing that more efforts should be made to further unleash the potential of film consumption and promote the healthier development of the film ecosystem through systematic policy innovation.
Creative professionals envision path forward for China's booming film industry
