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New high-tech film studio planned for Pudong cultural zone, Shanghai

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Shanghai Expo Culture Park Sasaki

A new high-tech film studio is planned for Pudong.  The Pudong International Film and Television Industry Park will aim to boost the Shanghai cultural zone and the Chinese film industry.

The new International film base will be built as part of the Shanghai International Tourism and Resorts Zone, reports Shine. It will include a high-tech film studio and the hope is that it will provide a potent incubator for the local movie industry, as well as a platform for film distribution and exchange.

The blueprint shows that an annual government fund of 100 million yuan (US$15.6 million) is being set aside to bolster the burgeoning Pudong film industry.

A series of subsidies and favourable policies are on offer to industry professionals, in the hopes they will open offices and studios in the new cultural zone. A one-stop service centre is also planned, offering tailor-made services to moviemakers.

The news comes hot on the heels of announcements that Pudong’s East Bund is set to become a key cultural hub, with a cluster of new venues.

BAFTA to open Shanghai office in the new zone

Pudong’s administrative committee has been reported to have reached an agreement with the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to site its Shanghai representative office in the new hub. It also plans to host film festivals and promote new directing talent.

“What we do globally is put passion into creating great opportunities for new film talents,” said Tim Hunter, director of Learning and New Talents at BAFTA. “We will set side approaches for Chinese talents this time. We will connect Chinese film newcomers with British skills and counterparts that might work in the future.”

Hunter says he has been impressed by the strong government support for the local film industry. “It’s a wild strategy, and it brings me more confidence and determination,” he said. “We look forward to the following cooperation.”

An exciting new zone

Shanghai Planetarium design by Ennead architects

The former Expo site is already home to some of the country’s top recreational venues. The Mercedes-Benz Arena has already found a home here and new landmarks such as the Shanghai Planetarium, will soon be completed.

A cluster of digital media companies have already set up shop in Zhangjiang. These include the Yuewen Group, China’s largest online publishing house. The Jinqiao area is hosting China’s largest video industry cluster, backed by mammoth corporations such as China Mobile.

Waigaoqiao hopes to become the world’s largest bonded art hub, with an entire industry chain stretching from warehousing through logistics to exhibitions and trading.

The proposed movie base would allow the final piece of the jigsaw to be put in place, crowning Pudong as a true cultural highland.

Pudong positive despite rumbles in China’s movie industry

Pudong’s arts and culture industries generated 105.6 billion yuan (US$16.5 million) in 2017 and, on paper, China’s film industry could not be in a better position. However, the high levels of risk and the rise of internet giants such as Alibaba are making Chinese studios consider their growth strategy very carefully.

Nonetheless, the mood at The Belt and Road Film Week was buoyant. The film week, held as part of the 2018 Shanghai International Film Festival, took place June 16th – 20th at the Shanghai International Tourism and Resorts Zone. Alliances were formed amongst 31 film institutions from 29 countries and regions with members promising to work together and screen one another’s films.

“It’s like expanding our networking,” said Fu Wenxia, one of the festival’s organizing committee. “In this network, we will achieve multi-party cooperation.”

Disney movies, including Avengers: Infinity War and Coco debuted at the Shanghai International Tourism and Resorts Zone.

Images: SasakiEnnead

https://www.shine.cn/news/metro/1806227013/

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Rachel Reed

Rachel Read

Rachel is co-founder and FD of blooloop. She has a degree in engineering from Cambridge University, is a Chartered Accountant and has a certificate in Sustainability Leadership and Corporate Responsibility from London Business School. Rachel oversees our news, events and sustainability.

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