At the booth, Jiang Zhiqiang talked to Lu Xiaoran about the Hong Kong cinema system back then.

Because of the recent Wanda and Huayi, people are a little worried...

Jiang Zhiqiang is worried that he will also fall into Huayi's situation?

In the 80s of the last century, the cinema system became the economic pillar of the Hong Kong film industry: Shaw Brothers, Golden Harvest, and Golden Princess!

Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest can produce and sell their own films, and other independent production companies can only be recruited by theaters and rely on them to provide funds to shoot films.

Princess Jin was an independent cinema chain at the beginning, and if she wanted to get a stable source of films, she had to fund Xinyicheng, Yongjia, and even later Tsui Hark Film Studio, Li Xiuxian's Universal Pictures, so that she was qualified to challenge the two major cinema chains of Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest.

Later, Run Run Shaw judged the situation and resolutely stopped making films, subleasing his cinema chain to Debao, successfully avoiding the Hong Kong film slump that broke out ten years later.

Previously, the movies produced by Debao had been scheduled to be released in Golden Harvest Cinemas, but after many prime schedules and screenings were squeezed out by authentic Golden Harvest productions, the boss Pan Disheng finally decided to establish his own cinema business.

Soon, the Shaw Brothers Cinema Line was changed to the Debao Cinema Line, and the Hong Kong Chinese film market was still dominated by these three major cinema chains - until 1988, a new Bao Cinema Line appeared, which not only disrupted the overall pattern of Hong Kong films, but also became an important foreshadowing of Hong Kong films' "prosperity and decline".

The founders of Xinbao Cinema Line, Chen Rongmei and Feng Bingzhong, were originally partners of Lei Juekun Golden Princess Cinema Line, and they saw that the Hong Kong film market was booming - the box office in other cities far exceeded Hong Kong's local revenue, and Southeast Asia, Taiwan, South Korea and other places were willing to invest in Hong Kong films to make greater profits, but because the three major cinema chains dominated the Hong Kong film industry at that time, although foreign capital could occasionally shoot Hong Kong films, they could not get the prime time of the cinema chain and the starring role of popular movie stars.

In view of this, Chen and Feng decided to set up a separate Xinbao independent of the three major cinema chains, and specifically acted as an "intermediary" between foreign capital and Hong Kong independent production companies.

After the establishment of the Xinbao Cinema Line, in 1988 alone, the number of Hong Kong-made films released surged to more than 110, 30 more than in 1987.

Since then, the golden age of Hong Kong filmmakers making money has begun, and jokes such as Liu Shisan, Zheng Jiu, Wang Qi, and Zhang Yida have also been reported one after another.

In fact, don't say that Andy Lau, Zheng Yuling, Wang Guxian, Maggie Cheung, these movie stars, even the behind-the-scenes photography, martial arts, lighting, and props were all in three or four sets of dramas, and everyone made money crazy...

Objectively speaking, with one more new cinema line, the demand for film sources will naturally rise, and the total box office will also increase significantly.

With the opportunity for low-budget small productions to be released in theaters, the phenomenon of overfilming has become more serious.

By 1992, the annual output of Hong Kong films had exceeded 200, but the number of audiences entering the theater was 19 million fewer than in 1988.

In addition, due to the increase in cinema chains and abundant foreign investment, Hong Kong's independent production companies have just been prompted to declare their independence, and they no longer need to be satellite companies that are dependent on the three major cinema chains: for example, Sammo Hung and Xu Guanwen under Golden Harvest have switched to Xinbao;

In the long run, the three major cinema chains have gradually become disheartened!

Debao gave up running the cinema chain in 1991 – it was taken over by Yonggao and stopped making films two years later;

In 1993, the Golden Princess Cinema Line ceased to operate the theatrical distribution and production business, and its cinemas were taken over by Chan Wing-mei and reorganized into Jinsheng, forming a sister dual cinema chain with Xinbao.

In 93, there was a scuffle in the Hong Kong film market, including Jiale - Golden Harvest's cinema chains, Jinsheng, Xinbao, Yonggao, and Dongfang's five major Chinese cinema chains, which seemed to be lively, but in fact they were weak, and they had long ceased to be the leading position of the economic pillar of the Hong Kong film industry.

Because the investors of the film have changed from the previous studios to the eight major film companies from Taiwan!

……

"Later, I know, the eight major film companies discussed with the Hong Kong Film and Film Association, but failed to negotiate, simply, Taiwanese film companies reduced investment, and at the same time introduced a large number of Hollywood films, after 97, it will be difficult for Hong Kong films to occupy the Taiwan market!"

“… Yes, do you think this situation is very similar to the current mainland?"

Lu Xiaoran shook her head: "No..."

Jiang Zhiqiang: "How do you say it?"

"Times are different, our audience now sees the world's sophisticated production, and gradually develops their own aesthetics, shoddy things may be able to deceive for a while, but they will definitely not become popular. ”

“… So you don't do fresh meat movies and IP movies?"

Lu Xiaoran smiled: "... IP is a good thing, but it depends on who does it, and the fresh meat is forgotten..."

For a movie, if you put too much emphasis on fresh meat, it is easy to ignore the elements outside the fan economy in the movie, such as the professionalism of the director and actors, and the logic of the movie itself!

"The so-called small fresh meat movie is actually the most widespread way to monetize idols, and the movies created in this way have no technical threshold and can be quickly copied, which is a de-technical tendency and is not beneficial to the film industry. Even if you put on the name of a big IP, it doesn't make sense!"

"This kind of movie is popular for a year at most, and those who invest first can make a little profit, and the project that only started production this year will definitely be at a loss!"

Jiang Zhiqiang nodded: "... I can see it too!"

He then asked, "I'm curious. ”

"Curious about what?"

"Where did you choose the director?"

Lu Xiaoran did not answer this question directly, but sighed: "... We are also short of directors now, and if we are at full capacity, Orange can make at least 50 films a year..."

The scarcity of directors is something that is often talked about in Chinese films nowadays, there are about 700 films on the theater a year, deducting some movies with three-day tours in theaters and imported films, basically 300 relatively mature directors are needed...

There is a big gap in the market!

This is also the reason why so many cross-border 'directors' can mix well.

"Every time Orange releases a movie, it can push a new director..."

"Not a newcomer, they are all directors with mature directing experience, you see that he is a rookie director, in fact, he has already made a few online dramas, or followed the director to survive several movies!"

“… Web series?"

"It's a TV series..."

Jiang Zhiqiang shut up...

His talent pool is basically related to Hong Kong, after all, his roots are in Hong Kong - now, Hong Kong's largest cinema chain, Broadway Cinema Line, has three sub-brands: Broadway, Palace and AMC, and the management behind it is Analogue Film Co., Ltd.

He is interested in the mainland...

Not very familiar!

Otherwise, it would not have been wasted for so many years, "Su Qier", "The Great Pursuit", and "Golden Age" were all invested by Anle Film and Television, until the outbreak of "Monster Hunt", which washed away the losses of so many years!

He... I haven't made a TV series!

……

Lu Xiaoran still respects Jiang Zhiqiang very much, one of the two heroes of the resurrection of the mainland film market in the new millennium, with immeasurable merits, how many filmmakers have been fed!

Without Jiang Zhiqiang, can "Hero" be sold overseas?

If Zhang Weipin was so awesome, he wouldn't have left Ah Mou, and the whole new crown would come to a standstill!

"I still don't understand how Monster Hunt sold so well..."

"On the one hand, the market is good, on the other hand, the shooting is really good, the audience likes it, and they have never seen this type of movie. ”

"How do you do it now?"

“…”

Lu Xiaoran was a little confused, he originally wanted to ask Jiang Zhiqiang about his experience in distribution and publicity, why did it turn around?