US-China film and TV expo to be held in November

The third annual US-China Film and Television Industry Expo will be held in Los Angeles in November, it was announced on Tuesday.

Last year, the expo attracted 30 Chinese companies, and led to discussions about 100 film coproductions and 60 scripts. Eight films, including sci-fi and animation, were finalized.

This year, discussions on online TV series will also be included, according to Zuo Hong, who is in charge of the expo.

The event was launched after the two countries signed an agreement to boost bilateral exchanges in the humanities sector.

When the expo was launched in 2014, most attendees were independent film studios, but at last year's expo six major Hollywood film studios began cooperation with China.

"There are two criteria for a coproduction," says Miao Xiaotian, managing director of China Film Co-production Corporation. "One is that the film has to have some Chinese elements, and the crew should have filmmakers from both countries.

"It's OK for a foreign director to shoot a local story in China, but we will encourage a mixed crew to bring different cultures together."

Feng Wei, who is in charge of the Greater China area for The Motion Picture Association of America, expects the cooperation to upgrade the industry chain in China.

"In China, the box office contributes about 80 to 90 percent of income for film companies, while in the US, more than 80 percent comes from derivatives and distribution. In today's booming film market in China, it is not that meaningful to chase only high ticket sales, so a more developed business model is very important."

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