019: Heritage Stories - An IP GOLDMINE - The Asia-Hollywood Greenlight

20 Oct 019: Heritage Stories – An IP GOLDMINE

Posted at 13:45h in Finding Partners, Podcasts, Screenwriting by Caryn McCann 0 Comments

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VR Creator Carol Liu feels China has many untapped heritage stories. With a fresh spin – heritage stories can be an IP goldmine.

Carol talks about how she created a VR series around a misrepresented historical figure and gave it a revisionist twist. Using in-depth research and fresh ideas – her series is finding new audiences with heritage stories.

3 Key Points

WORK WITH CHINESE PARTNERS FOR AN IP GOLDMINE

First of all, it’s easy to get caught up in researching hundreds of companies on IMDB or reading the trades for months. A quick way to find a Chinese partner as mentioned by Carol is to look at who made the films you like and track those people down. Also, reach out to people who may know your targets and ask for an introduction.

READ THE CHINESE NEWS FOR HERITAGE STORY IDEAS

As a result, you need to vet your future partners and one meeting isn’t going to do it. You need to go to China. You also need to learn a little about China –especially if you’re developing stories for the China market. So besides staying up on the China film / TV news – you also need just to familiarize yourself with Chinese news in general and read what’s happening in Chinese society.

HERITAGE STORIES WITH A REVISIONIST TWIST?

Carol mentioned before the China market opened – fifth-generation Chinese directors make really powerful films. Then some of them tried to become too commercial and ended up losing their appeal. She also said some Chinese try to emulate Hollywood’s methods because they think – that’s how they’re going to make it big. She suggests Chinese think about what you already have within that’s already valuable and make it stand out.

Takeaways

IP GOLDMINE – SUBJECT MATTERS

Furthermore, Carol mentioned her VR series about Marie Antoinette and how it’s a revisionist look at history. She mentioned how some folks in France couldn’t understand why she was making it and said it’s in the past, it’s not important, it’s like a burden, etc.

But Carol feels this subject would be interesting to foreign audiences. She also mentioned Chinese may not be thrilled with another film on the Opium War for example since that was a humiliation and not a past the Chinese want to remember. It’s a bit of a tightrope.

If you’re exploring subjects for film or TV projects that encompass a sensitive period in history – maybe you need to dig deep into history and find a fresh point of view to add a revisionist look at something – to see something an old subject with fresh eyes. Also – you can see our podcast on making films in China – #10: Melanie Ansley: Dealing with the Unexpected in China Film.

IP IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN – HERITAGE STORIES – FIND YOUR GOLDMINE

books

Both Hollywood and Chinese studios are looking for material that will appeal to both markets. As I mentioned in my podcast – American studios routinely make lists of what IP in the public domain. Is there such a list in China? If anyone knows – please email me to let me know.

I googled Chinese IP copyright and discovered in China a published work enters the public domain after the life of the author plus 50 years basic rule in the U.S. is the life of the author plus 70 years. So basically any Chinese literature where the author died prior to 1968 (not that long ago) should have their IP in the public domain.

If this hasn’t been done yet – it would be a huge product for some government agency or maybe a private company to list IP in the public domain.

Then you have the best of both worlds in my opinion – Chinese heritage combined with perhaps a universal story structure or perhaps a revisionist twist.

… Just a thought.

Please leave a rating on Itunes so we can bring more great guests your way.

China Hollywood Greenlight Podcast – Episode #19

VR Creator, Carol Liu

HOST: Caryn McCann

Website: The China List – where Hollywood and China meet

Website: www.Chinahollywoodgreenlight.com

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