Director James Cameron has recognized China's immense potential market for 3D films. With CPG's leading 3D technology, his new joint venture in Tianjin is poised to make a huge impact on China's movie market, and likely to equip Chinese films to compete on the global stage.
"Painted Skin II" was a 3D block-buster that hit China's domestic movie market this summer. It occupied the top screening times in cinemas all over the country for almost two months and raked in more than 700 million yuan at the box-office.
The 3D gauntlet was passed on from the film the "Flying Swords of Dragon Gate", another home-made 3D production last year. It seems that China's 3D movie market has a steadfast rule: winner takes all.
BI Chenggong, Playwright & Film Producer, says, "3D is more of a trump card for block-busters to win over more screening times from small budget films. At present, most cinemas in China can screen 3D films and they love to put as many 3D films on as possible, because 3D tickets are more expensive. That's the reason for the success of 'Painted Skin II' and 'Flying Swords of Dragon Gate'."
It seems quite certain that more and more 3D films will be plunging into China's movie market. And Cameron will not miss such a promising market. Even as far back as 2009 when "Avatar" hit global audiences, China was the top overseas box-office taker of that movie.
James Cameron, the director, says, "China is such a rich potential market that is growing so rapidly. The consumer base here really wants high quality and they perceive 3D the highest form of entertainment. So this is the natural place for us to be doing this."
But for China's domestic 3D companies, this may be bad news. However, maybe Cameron's well-known perfectionism could save them.
BI Chenggong says, "I think in the Chinese movie market, only those big-budget films are able to buy Cameron's technology. To them, cooperating with James Cameron can also help marketing. However in China, films like this only come up as five or six in a year. So Chinese 3D companies don't have to be too pessimistic about that."
Of course, 3D is not be a short-cut to success for any film. In fact, the rule of Chinese films' oversea sales is the opposite as it is at home.
China-made block-busters have been scarcely seen at international film festivals in recent years and sales have long been kept down. But small-budget films like "A Simple Life" are surprisingly successful outside China. For oversea audiences, fresh perspective and a good story may be more important than whether the film is 3D or not.
To help Chinese films shine on the global stage, Cameron has this advice.
James Cameron says, "I think co-production could be a way to do it. I think it can benefit everybody."
And that's what CPG China will do in the future.
Now China has been provided the access to world leading 3D technology. How to use it well, that's the question that remains for every Chinese film maker.