Film+Industry+CY


 * East Asian Film Industry **

**INTRODUCTION**
The film industry/business not only involves production of movies for entertainment; It also involves a country’s economy, politics, and most importantly international relations. In this project I have explored and researched the status of film industries in China, Japan, and Korea and how film industries in these nations have alleviated or posed complications in international relations. Rather than examining the unique cultural elements and film styles of each country, I have chosen to focus on the role of film industry in their economy and politics, and how it has acted as mirror to their relations with the rest of the world

__ **CHINA** __
Development of Chinese Film Industry (CY) And oh look... Chinese Film business has more than doubled in the recent years: box office receipts were well over $1.5 billion in 2010, and at this rate it is predicted that the growth sales might even reach $7 billion in about four years (Ryder). There has been financial limitations in production, and Chinese film industry has had some significant censorship problems. For example, in 2008 banning of films Lust, Cautious and Lost in Beijing sparked up discussions about the strict yet unclear system of censorship that the Censorship councils followed (“Censors lay down the law in China”). Although change in policy has allowed filmmakers to submit their script beforehand to be approved, this did not guarantee any chance that the final film will be allowed to be screened. Despite such obstacles Chinese film industry has managed to make a huge progress because the Chinese government has been making rigorous investment in the film industry. Since 2005 the Chinese government carried out infrastructure projects and as a result has put in place more than 6,000 screens (Ryder).

Although the Chinese film industry is growing rapidly it is refusing to open up to the foreign markets. Despite the fact that China has joined the World Trade Organization and WTO is pressuring China to open up its film market, China hasn’t budged. Only a handful of U.S. films enter the Chinese film market, and even these face difficulties in making profit. For instance, //Avatar// made $200 million in China however only 10-15% of the box-office receipts went to the studio (Ryder). Chinese film industry is growing, but foreign market access is still limited: it is definitely making the U.S. film market frustrated as ever. Will history repeat itself and something like this happen to the Chinese film industry?



Co-productions has been the major route that the U.S. film industry has taken to make inroads into the Chinese film market. Other efforts have been made to create opportunities for collaboration: Mike Medavoy, the producer of Black Swan is working with Beijing film promoter, and Christian Bale has recently agreed to take the leading role in a Chinese domestic film. But all this isnt enough to break through the Chinese film market. So far U.S. film market has taken a more marginal approach, but as the value of Chinese film industry continues to rise and come to stand side by side with Japanese and European film industry U.S. is sure to take a more demanding approach towards China. Already U.S. is listing the reasons why Chinese film industry needs them to overcome the limitations of Chinese film industry: it criticizes the lack of institutes for film study and film scripts that have heavily borrowed from Hollywood blockbuster. As of now there is one thing that can be surmised: either the Chinese film market will open themselves to the world or the world will open it up for them.

__ **JAPAN** __
In the 1980s Japan was known as the economic superpower, but in the 1990s or what many refer to as the “lost decades” Japan struggled through economic stagnation. However, it was also in the 1990s and onwards that we witnessed Japan’s rise of soft power. Unlike hard power (for example, military and economic power) that involves “coercion and payment” (Yasumoto), Soft power is an “attractional power” (Nye) driven by voluntary attraction towards for instance, a country’s cultural products. Although other cultural products such as manga, computer games, and anime contribute to Japan’s soft power, films also make significant contributions to the development of Japan’s soft power; Remaking license for Japanese films such as //Gojra// (//Godzilla//), //Dragon Ball//, //Janguru Taitei// (//Jungle Emperor// / //The Lion King//), The Ring were granted to U.S. film industries; Internationally recognized films by Takeshi Kitano, a renowned Japanese actor/director were also exported to foreign countries.
 * The “Cool Japan” and Film**

One may ask why the Japanese film industry’s contribution to the country’s rising soft power merits discussion, and why soft power itself is so emphasized. In the past Japan exercised great military aggressions towards neighboring countries and has acquired a “war-like” image. Even today the cruel abuses inflicted by the Japanese soldiers are still instilled into the minds of the older generations who have experienced the atrocities of WWII. These negative national images have plagued Japan when it came to international relations. Therefore rise in its soft power was seen as an opportunity to gain a more favorable national image that will in the long term aid Japan to increase the penetrability of its views to the world. Also considering how Japan’s hard power has been weakened through anti-war constitution and strict curbing of military build up, soft power carried a greater significance for Japan and served as a pacific mode of influencing other nations. Although soft power cannot compensate or replace Japan’s hard power, widespread acceptance and popularity of Japanese films will slowly ease Japan back into a smoother relationship with other nations.

__**KOREA**__
For nearly four decades Korea has kept a strict screen quota system[1] to protect its domestic film industry: In 1966 six Korean films needed to be screened and over ninety days of screening days were required. In 1973 domestic films were to be screened for more than a third of a year, and in 1985 domestic films were to be screened for more than 146 days with reciprocal screening of domestic and foreign films in cities of 300,000+ population size (“Screen Quota”). For many years Hollywood has been pressuring U.S. trade negotiators to reduce Korea’s screen quota so as to increase its distribution share in Korea, which has now become a significant market in East Asia. On July 1, 2006 the screen quota was reduced by half from 146 days to 73 days. Adjustment in Korea’s screen quota was one of the terms concluded in the bilateral free trade agreement with U.S. The change was met with strong protest from Korean film industries. The issue of screen quota is one that is complicated because it concerns myriad of factors, mainly economic and cultural, which often clash with each other. Those who are against the reduced domestic screening days argue that such measures will jeopardize the viability of Korean films. They also argue that film being a medium for a nation’s cultural identity should not be meddled. Others who are for the reduced domestic film screening days argue that the time is ripe for Korean films to compete with foreign films. Below we will see the arguments that were being made by both sides, and later examine what the current 2010 film industry data has showed us. [1] Screen Quota is a legislated policy that requires certain number of screening days for domestic films
 * Screen Quota Background Information**

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Despite the new changes in the screen quota system, in the year 2010 Korean film industry was able to secure a significant distribution market share. It has always been a “one-way flow of motion pictures from Hollywood to the rest of the world” (Kim 1), one-way flow of cultural products, and the Western world has been struggling hard to open up Korea’s film market under the banner of FTA. However, this one-way flow is a trend that Korean film industry must not succumb to, but override. In the 17, 18th century it was classic imperialism, but in 21st century it is cultural imperialism that we struggle against. One of the justifications for classic imperialism was the need for undeveloped nations to adapt technology or political system necessary to compete with other nations. But for cultural imperialism there can be no righteous justifications: culture is something that is unique to a nation that it cannot be said to be more developed or less developed than the other. Therefore Korea must not completely yield or succumb to foreign demands when it comes to the issue of screen quota and try to protect Korea’s cultural identity by protecting Korea’s screen quota system.

**CONCLUSION**
Film industries of these three nations have grown over the years, and with such significant growths there have been struggles with the foreign film market. In China and Korea there has been an evident struggle to protect domestic interests and put a stop to the advancing foreign film market. In the other hand the Japanese film industry has acted as an essential tool in strengthening Japan’s soft power and “rebranding” its country. In the field of film business/industry we have yet again witnessed the centuries old West vs. East competition, and how Asian countries such as Japan has succeeded in playing it to their advantage.

**Work Cited**

 * "Analysis of 2010 Korean Film Industry." //KOBIZ - Korean Film Biz Zone//. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 June 2011.
 * "Censors lay down the law in China - Asia, World - The Independent." //The Independent// . N.p., n.d. Web. 3 June 2011.
 * Edwards, Tim. "China bans Avatar to boost Confucius movie - but would he approve?” //The First Post// . N.p., n.d. Web. 5 June 2011.
 * Hiscock, Geoff . "'Soft power' part of balancing act - CNN." //CNN//. N.p., 1 Sept. 2006. Web. 3 June 2011.
 * Kohn, Eric. "How Japan’s Tragedies Are Affecting Its Film Industry." //indieWire//. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 June 2011.
 * "Korean Popular Culture: Big picture of the screen quota issue." //Korean Popular Culture//. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 June 2011.
 * "Kung Fu Panda Kicks up Controversy in China - NAM." //New America Media//. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 June 2011.
 * Ryder, Katherine. "China and Hollywood seek common ground in movies - Feb. 25, 2011." //CNN Money//. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 June 2011.
 * "Screen Quota." //Naver Encyclopedia//. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 June 2011.
 * Shim, Kwang-Hyun. "Pre-requisites to the Development of Korea's Film Industry and Screen Quota." //Film Industry//. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 June 2011.
 * Sung-jin, Yang. "Korean screen quota system in dispute - again." //Bilaterals//. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 June 2011.
 * "Top 10 Asian Remakes | Japan Cinema." //Japan Cinema//. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 June 2011.
 * Yasumoto, Seiko. "Impact on Soft Power of Cultural Mobility: Japan to East Asia." //UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television//. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 June 2011.
 * Zhang, Yingjin. "A Centennial Review of Chinese Cinema."//University of California, San Diego//. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 June 2011.

**Image Citation**

 * Lord Macartney Embassy To China 1793. 1793. "A Study of History"
 * Platt, John. The Signing of the Treaty of Nanking. 20 April 1846.
 * Japanese Film Remakes & 2010 Market Share by Country are linked