http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2013-03/09/content_16294337.htm
Chinese movie stars have demonstrated their entrepreneurial
spirit by operating their independent or affiliated workshops and going beyond
a simple star turn in front of the camera.
While the debate rages on whether a movie project should be
director-oriented or producer-oriented, Chinese stars are becoming more
dexterous in handling both sides of the camera. Some, like Xu Zheng, have taken
on the role of the director, with great success, and more are appearing in the
credits of the lower-profile but no less crucial producer.
It may not be an exaggeration that China's movie
and television industries - its scripted entertainment - look poised to be
star-driven. One sign of the power shift is the mushrooming of so-called
"star workshops".
In the old days, a star performer, no matter how big, must
be an employee of a State-owned studio or theater company. Just as in Hollywood's studio era,
movie stars were assigned roles and were occasionally loaned to other studios.
Nowadays, unbeknownst to the public, many of them still belong to State-owned
entities, but only nominally. Ge You is still counted as a member of a
performing troupe affiliated with the National Trade Union, and he fulfilled
his duty by headlining a stage comedy, which, mainly due to his star wattage,
played to sold-out houses in a countrywide tour.
Normally, they pay a token "management" fee to the
company in exchange for the standard package of benefits, which is negligible
to them, plus the sense of security of being part of something backed by the
State.
In the past two decades, talent agencies have sprung up in China, often as
a subsidiary of a large production or distribution company. Standalone agencies
such as the Chinese branch of CAA have not fared well because their most
valuable service -putting together various resources into a package - is not in
demand in China.
Chinese movie studios would not go out and buy such a package. There are only a
limited number of studios and they control more resources than agencies. People
want to be closer to the power center rather than going through a third party
that cannot make the crucial decisions.
The same dynamic now applies to the stars and their
affiliated studios, mostly privately owned and representing the most energetic
of the business. As fame and power accrue to stars, they demand more creative
and management control over their projects. They do not want to be treated the
way they are in a State-owned studio. A few years ago, some of them began to
establish workshops that allow them to operate with more independence.
Such an operation essentially turns an ad hoc entourage into
a more formal business. The agent, the manager, the publicist, the chauffeur,
the accountant, among others, can now work in tandem and with the single
purpose of promoting the career of their boss. Some even have staffers who sift
cyberspace and confront anyone who dares badmouth their employer. Such
image-shaping efforts can be heavy-handed and backfire, but most of the time
they create a positive environment - some deceptively so - that can impress
potential audiences and investors.
However, studio-affiliated star workshops can run into
conflicts of interest. When a plum role comes up and the studio that will
produce it has two equally well-known stars, it does not matter whether they
have their own workshops. The one not offered the role will be offended.
Unless that project is made possible by one of the stars.
In China,
there is so much hot money chasing film and TV projects that investors tend to
be ignorant of generally accepted practices of the industry. The less they know
about the inner workings of the business, the more they'll be focused on the
things they know - and they know how big a star is.
That makes the Chinese system fundamentally different from
that of Hollywood.
Because most investors in China
cannot tell a great story or a quality script from a mundane one, all they do
is throw money at known quantities, and that has been driving up star salaries
at an utterly insane pace. Much more so than Hollywood
- even though salaries for Chinese stars still lag behind those for Hollywood A-listers.
It also makes it possible for China's top entertainers to
completely sever ties with large studios, State-owned or private, and become
the masters of their houses. They are now not only their own agents, but can
even represent other talents. They can spearhead projects in addition to
headlining them. Huang Xiaoming turned around a dead project, which became An
Inaccurate Memoir. It would not have been possible without his involvement, as
the director is a young man with little clout and the studio that produced it
was half-hearted about it.
However, star workshops rarely include funding for their
movies or TV drama series. Their expertise is to play matchmaker between those
looking for projects and those who need finance. Some even assume roles
exclusively behind the scenes, producing the projects without starring in them.
Many also cover their overhead expenses by having people with deeper pockets
either sharing an equity or sponsoring the workshop.
Stars tend to cite the limited shelf life of an acting
career as the main reason for the move. "Every year brings a new crop of
young actors. An ordinary actor is a commodity, just like some vegetables at a
farmers market," says Huang Xiaoming, one of the leading actors of his
generation. Now, he can have scripts tailor-made for him. As a matter of fact,
some superstars participate in drama series with their own writers and
directors, essentially cementing their function as the driving force that makes
or breaks a project.
Therefore, it is more an offensive than a defensive move on
the part of celebrities who want to give full play to their artistic or
business potential. Some of the workshops are virtual mini-studios with the
capacity to conceive, develop and produce feature films or TV shows. Others
branch out into related businesses. For example, Ren Quan's operation includes
the production of live events, complete with food catering. Alec Su has
extended into book publishing.
While most such workshops employ half a dozen to a dozen
people, Fan Bingbing's has a staff of over 30, reputedly the largest of its
kind. When it posted a for-hire ad for one position in late 2012, more than
1,000 applicants sent in resumes. The compensation and benefits are
commensurate with the market, but the star allure is uniquely its own.
According to one insider who asks for anonymity, Fan's
operation could be having an annual turnover of 100 million yuan ($16 million)
or more. Accurate figures are hard to obtain, though. Forbes lists Fan as the
third-highest earner for 2012 among all Chinese-language entertainers, with 101
million yuan in income. But Fan once explained that her income is counted as
that of her workshop.
The rise of star power has parallels in Hollywood. But charm alone is not enough to
take the place of foresight and acumen, which George Clooney has displayed in
abundance. By producing pictures like Syriana, Michael Clayton, The Ides of
March and Argo, the latest Oscar winner for Best Picture, and writing and
directing Good Night, and Good Luck, he has proven to be as powerful a force
behind the screen as on screen. That kind of talent takes more than experience,
connections and fame. It takes genius.
It remains to be seen whether marquee names in China can
parlay their newfound wealth and influence into the Clooney-caliber luster of a
far-ranging career.
Contact the writer at raymondzhou@chinadaily.com.cn.