When it comes to television series, China produces the most in the world. In 2010, it was 950. And the number has only grown. That’s what makes winning the Golden Eagle Award for Best TV Series so impressive. The biennal event wrapped up Sunday. Outstanding TV series awards went to 20 others. Still , industry veterans hold no illusions about originality.
Turn on the TV in China, and you’re likely to see scenes of Chinese people fighting Japanese invaders during the 1930s. Such shows have long dominated the small screen. This year’s Golden Eagle Award winner "Zhong Guo Di" is no exception. But Director Yan Jiangang says his work is different.
Yan Jiangang, director, said," The story is actually about a group of farmers in northeast China protecting their home from the invaders. It’s set in that period but it’s not really about the war. It’s about the awakening of the ordinary farmers, who at first fight for their home and later realize that they must fight for the country."
Yan Jiangang also took home the Golden Eagle for Best Director. He gives a lot of credit to the screenwriter.
Yan Jiangang said,"I’m lucky to have a great screenwriter. That’s why our work stands out. It’s normal that war-themed TV shows are kind of hot in our country, as the Chinese people value the history of fighting invaders and dictators very much. But I think the writers should try find new angles to tell stories of that period, and see things beyond the war scenes."
Another dominant genre is the period drama. Screenwriters have rich pickings from China’s thousands of years of history. Classics such as "A Dream of Red Mansions", "Romance of Three Kingdoms" are remade again and again. Viewers often find the works look too much alike.
Zhao Liang, producer, said,"To avoid similarity with others, we should write different stories according to the viewers’ tastes. China has hundreds of millions of viewers; it’s a huge market. For example, seniors may like ’A Dream of Red Mansions’, while the young people would find stories with more twists and turns interesting. The writers should bear that in mind."
The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television apparently agrees. It’s announced it will allocate 30 million yuan a year for for outstanding screenplays. SARFT also has a 5-year plan to train screenwriters and directors to hone their craft. And viewers are waiting to see if it will all pay off.