How China’s Film Industry Changed Due to The Pandemic
The film industry has been affected severely by the pandemic. Like Hollywood, it is also true for China’s film industry. The movie industry is very popular in China and during weekends the movie theatres used to be packed.
But after the pandemic the theatres shut down, movie production stopped and the whole industry came to a halt. Here are some ways China’s film industry has changed due to the pandemic.
Online events
Film events now take place both offline and online. The Beijing Film festival held in August last year was showcased online as well to meet the demands of the audiences. Online exhibitions are now more prominent, and people got used to them.
This way it is possible to maintain social distance and avoid any contamination of the virus.
Theatres affected
Movie theatres in China were closed for many months. From August 2020, the theatres were open but there are some rules they need to follow. Initially, the number of people to be permitted in a cinema hall was limited to 30% of the full capacity.
Later, it was increased to 50%. This means that the theatres will earn much less revenue now as fewer people will be attending the cinema. Also, a new release stays on screen for only 17 days instead of the 70 days window period.
Another challenge they face is from the distributors. Many film distributors have made a scheme that the theatres had to pay an amount equal to 3.5% of the annual box office amount of the previous year to start screening the new film. For small theatres, it is very difficult to pay such a big amount upfront.
Government subsidy
The production of many movies had to stop mid-production due to the pandemic. Now as people started to work again, there is not enough funds to complete the movie. The government is providing subsidies to the producers of small and medium-sized movies so that they can continue making movies.
Streaming platforms
Streaming platforms are now used for releasing movies. People feel more comfortable watching movies on these platforms now. The online distribution cost is much lower compared to the theatre distribution cost.
Making a movie in this pandemic situation has become very difficult. To make a movie you need a lot of people. Just to prepare an actor for the shot you need someone for makeup, a hairdresser, and other staff. They need to work in close proximity. This has become a challenge in the current situation.
Filmmakers must choose locations carefully and try to shoot indoors wherever possible with smaller crews to reduce the chances of spreading the virus. We hope that things will become normal again soon after the vaccines are available.
Soon the theatres will be as crowded as before, and the movie industry will continue to make more revenue.
