Middle Earth - China’s cultural industry podcast
130 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 12 ratingsYour source of insight into China's culture industry: Hear from people creating and producing content in the world's second biggest cultural market. Hosted by Aladin Farré, and presented by The World of Chinese magazine.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
#27 Building Wanda Studios in Qingdao
February 11, 2020 21:30 - 42 minutes - 29 MBDalian Wanda Group, led by billionaire Wáng Jiànlín 王建林, invested heavily in China's movie industry over the past decade. In 2014, at the cost of $8 billion, Wanda Studios Qingdao was founded. This move was aimed at establishing a dynamic supply chain that would be able to facilitate the creation of entire films, from production to distribution. After debt issues forced Wanda to sell its majority stake in the venture to Sunac, another Chinese property developer, the studios were rebranded as...
#26 China’s soft power in Africa
January 21, 2020 22:09 - 1 hour - 41.8 MBHow do the Chinese government and companies engage with the public in Africa? Nillah Nyakoa (journalist at China Radio International), Eric Olander (managing editor of The China Africa Project), and Maria Repnikova (assistant professor of global communications) join host Aladin Farré to explore the different ways China sells, and fails to sell, its story to an entire continent. Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions. If you have a China-themed cultural project like shooting your ...
#25 How to publish a book in China
January 07, 2020 21:05 - 41 minutes - 28.5 MBProfessor Federico Castigliano is the author of Flâneur: The Art of Wandering the Streets of Paris, which was published in English and Chinese by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in 2018. he talks about the process of writing and publishing a book in China and how it compares with the process in Europe and the U.S. Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project like shooting your next documentary or look for a ...
#24 Dealing with the diaspora: Catering to Chinese clients abroad
December 20, 2019 21:19 - 43 minutes - 29.8 MBThis week on Middle Earth, Aladin and his guests take a look at the film production industry in Europe. Li Boyan and William Wang, both industry professionals working and living in France, help provide some insight. They reflect on what they’ve experienced over their years shooting and producing film projects and advertisements, describe what it’s like working as middlemen for Chinese clients who come to France (a majority of which they are able to procure through WeChat), and share their th...
#24 Dealing with the diaspora: Catering to Chinese clients abroad
December 20, 2019 21:19 - 43 minutes - 29.8 MBThis week on Middle Earth, Aladin and his guests take a look at the film production industry in Europe. Li Boyan and William Wang, both industry professionals working and living in France, help provide some insight. They reflect on what they’ve experienced over their years shooting and producing film projects and advertisements, describe what it’s like working as middlemen for Chinese clients who come to France (a majority of which they are able to procure through WeChat), and share their th...
#23 Running FIRST: The International Film Festival
November 26, 2019 21:47 - 43 minutes - 29.7 MBSong Wen, founder of the FIRST International Film Festival, discusses the history of one of China’s most promising festivals for the visual arts. Once in danger of being shut down by the authorities in Beijing, the festival has found a new home in China’s west — the provincial capital of Qinghai Province, Xining. This year, hundreds of films were screened to more than 30,000 audience members, and 19 budding directors emerged from a highly selective process to pitch their films to China’s fil...
#22 Screenwriting for Chinese audiences
November 05, 2019 20:24 - 1 hour - 42.8 MBWhat is it like to work as a storyteller in the Chinese film and TV industry? What is the relationship between producers and scriptwriters? How can one write a story that will resonate with Chinese audiences, and what is the market looking for? This podcast, recorded live at the The SLab in Beijing, explores these questions and the trials and tribulations of writing for the big screen. Featuring: Cai Jinru | 薄荷菜 : Screenwriter Jordan DeFazio : Screenwriter & Lecturer at the Beijing Film A...
#21 The Truth About Truth Telling: Documentaries in China
October 15, 2019 23:11 - 38 minutes - 26.3 MBRuby Chen, one of the founding members of the Hong Kong–based China Next (CNEX), tells the story of their nonprofit, which is aimed at promoting and producing Chinese documentaries. She describes her work in identifying and cultivating promising Chinese documentary filmmakers, the challenges and advantages these filmmakers are faced with, and how younger artists are taking novel approaches to creating and sharing their films with the help of new technology and ideas in the 21st century. Fe...
#20 Making a Metropolis: Contemporary Chinese Architecture and Urban Planning
October 01, 2019 21:22 - 55 minutes - 38.5 MBThe pace of urbanization in contemporary China is nothing short of dizzying. Seventy years ago, at the time of the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, 80% of the population were farmers based in rural areas. Now, over 60% of all Chinese citizens live in cities of various sizes, and it is projected that by 2030, the number of urban dwellers will exceed 1 billion. As one would expect, the challenges that these dynamics pose to Chinese architects and urban planners are staggering. ...
#19 From Broadway to Beijing: Western Theater in the Middle Kingdom
September 17, 2019 20:26 - 31 minutes - 21.4 MBLured by a potentially large and lucrative market, major theater productions are increasingly making the jump from the bright lights of Broadway or the West End to the less familiar but no less lively avenues by the Bund or the Second Ring Road. Yet, according to Gaultier Létourneau-Ross, director of operations at a Canadian company that assists foreign theater troupes seeking to perform in China, much remains to be worked out in terms of effectively producing these types of international pr...
#18 It Pays to Play: The Economy that Runs on Whimsy
September 03, 2019 19:06 - 53 minutes - 37 MBChildren’s entertainment is a growing industry in China, with many opportunities for flexible and innovative creators to produce marketable content. Prospects are particularly bright for those working at the intersection of children’s entertainment and education, which has long been an important source of revenue in a country where 93 percent of families pay out-of-pocket for tuition and related fees, according to a 2017 HSBC study. On this episode we discuss the economics of children’s ente...
#17 Artful Entrepreneurs: Running a Cultural Venue in Beijing
August 21, 2019 20:46 - 21 minutes - 15 MBThis week on the Middle Earth Podcast, Aladin sits down over a pint with Sun Yao (孙遥), the proprietor of his favorite local cultural venue-cum-cafe, to talk about the business end of the cultural industry in China. Like the owners of many niche bars and cafes across China, Sun seeks to turn a profit at his hutong establishment, Camera Stylo, by screening films, hosting live events, and otherwise trying to make art pay. A film buff and dedicated entrepreneur, Sun shares his four years of ex...
#16 Metacast: A Podcast Episode about Podcasts
July 31, 2019 14:07 - 59 minutes - 40.9 MBPodcasting is rapidly becoming the next boom industry in China, with approximately 80 million daily downloads of podcasts and a projected audience of 486 million total. When it comes to putting a number on the industry, however, things get less clear. Some estimate that China’s podcast industry is worth upward of $7 billion, citing a report by China’s State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film, and Television. However, this figure is likely somewhat off the mark — the $7 billion...
#15 Center stage in China: Live Performances Today
July 16, 2019 19:32 - 52 minutes - 36.1 MBLive art is one of the few mediums that hasn’t been radically transformed by the digital age. No screen is yet able to capture the magic of in-person performance, be it a comedy show, theater, or even Peking opera. The live performance scene is particularly vibrant in contemporary Beijing, where comedy and theater offerings are as diverse as they are popular. In this episode, Aladin interviews some of Beijing’s emerging live performers to discuss what happens on the stage — and behind the sc...
#14 Art from the edges: LGBT and feminist contributions to contemporary Chinese art
July 08, 2019 21:57 - 56 minutes - 38.9 MBVoices from China’s large but marginalized LGBTQ and feminist communities are increasingly making themselves heard in contemporary culture. In particular, artists and activists from these groups are creating content around the idea of “nontraditional love,” which is resonating strongly even with mainstream Chinese audiences. So how have the stories of creators from historically silenced and censored groups found footholds in contemporary culture? Featuring Qin Sachi : Manager, Transgender R...
#13 Crowded clubs and fancy festivals: The live music industry in China
June 18, 2019 21:54 - 40 minutes - 28.2 MBClubs and live performances featuring international music started taking off in China in the 1980s. Initially, the scene was very focused on foreign diplomats, journalists, and students who rented out restaurants and other spaces on the weekends. Gradually, as policies governing public radio broadcasts underwent reforms that allowed the performance of international music, a broader audience had access to the genre. Fast-forward to the present day: There is no shortage of music festivals, clu...
#12 Dealing with cultural differences in the workplace
June 04, 2019 21:24 - 51 minutes - 35.6 MBThe stark cultural differences between China and the West are frequently identified as key barriers in productive professional exchanges. However, the mechanisms by which people can actually improve their cultural understanding — or “cultural literacy” — are less clear. How can professionals in China and the West bridge gaps in understanding ensuring that business can sail smoothly? Featuring Vincent Vierron : Director Beatrix Frisch : General Manager at Mackevision Joey Wang : Scriptwr...
#11 China's culture going global
May 28, 2019 20:25 - 52 minutes - 36 MBChina has found success in exporting domestic technology and consumer goods. However, its culture exportation has not achieved the same success. The language barrier may be an issue, yet South Korean and Japanese films and music have managed to overcome it and found success in exporting cultural products like video games, anime, and movies. So what gives? On this episode of the Middle Earth Podcast, the guests discuss the recent successes and failures of China’s culture going abroad. This ep...
#11 - China's culture going global
May 28, 2019 20:25 - 52 minutes - 36 MBChina has found success in exporting domestic technology and consumer goods. However, its culture exportation has not achieved the same success. The language barrier may be an issue, yet South Korean and Japanese films and music have managed to overcome it and found success in exporting cultural products like video games, anime, and movies. So what gives? On this episode of the Middle Earth Podcast, the guests discuss the recent successes and failures of China’s culture going abroad. This ep...
#11 - China's culture going global | 中国文化世界化
May 28, 2019 20:25 - 52 minutes - 35.9 MBChina has found success in exporting domestic technology and consumer goods. However, its culture exportation has not achieved the same success. The language barrier may be an issue, yet South Korean and Japanese films and music have managed to overcome it and found success in exporting cultural products like video games, anime, and movies. So what gives? On this episode of the Middle Earth Podcast, the guests discuss the recent successes and failures of China’s culture going abroad. ...
#10 Ten years of selling science programming in China
May 22, 2019 17:21 - 18 minutes - 12.7 MBBefore the Beijing Olympics, foreign media groups seeking to sell or co-produce science-themed media content in China had a difficult time finding partners. Paul Lewis, an independent producer and former president of Discovery Channel Canada, was nevertheless able to co-produce two science programs in partnership with Chinese state media outlets: "Daily Planet Goes to China" and "Factory Made/Made in China". In this episode, Paul discusses how rapidly the Chinese media landscape has evolved,...
#09 China’s growing VR industry
May 07, 2019 19:30 - 47 minutes - 33 MBVirtual reality (VR) is a new medium that many a technology guru has predicted will revolutionize cinema—or would, if it weren’t for the pesky problem (among others) that VR interface still requires the viewer to wear what essentially amounts to a “head box.” Nevertheless, VR markets around the world are slowly but surely expanding. Many of the major film festivals (Sundance, Venice, and Cannes, to name a few) now feature a special VR section. Overall the industry is indeed growing—especiall...
#08 How to Make a Movie in 14 Days
April 23, 2019 19:19 - 45 minutes - 31 MBMaking a feature film can be a long and painful process — especially when you’re shooting an indie film in below-freezing conditions 16 hours per day for 14 days. But that is exactly what the creative team behind "The Last Sunrise" (最后的日出) was able to do, and along the way, they generated useful insight into China’s science-fiction movie scene and the realities of filmmaking in China on a shoestring budget. Featuring Wen Ren | 任文 : Director | 导演 Elly Li| 李昳青: Producer, Co-writer | 制片人，编...
#07 Modern-day Chinese fortune-telling
April 16, 2019 19:39 - 19 minutes - 13.4 MBIn case traveling to the nearest Chinese temple may be a bit inconvenient, modern-day Chinese astrologers still have you covered — inevitably, there’s an app for that! In this episode, astrologer Wen Jun explains how she works, the kinds of clients who seek her out, the differences between Chinese and Western astrology, and other aspects of fortune-telling in the modern age. 通过一个app了解占星的艺术世界上最古老的工作已经可以在网络上进行了。文君，一个占星师，她解释了一些问题包括她如何在网络上进行工作，她的客人，以及东西方关于占星的不同之处。 Featuring Wen Jun | 文君 : Ast...
#06 Comparing Chinese and Western documentaries
April 04, 2019 19:46 - 39 minutes - 27.1 MBWhen prodded to think about documentaries at all, most people imagine features films that are shown in festivals and cinemas. What this picture misses is the fact that the majority of documentary filmmakers make their living producing documentaries for television. Does this mean that documentarians in China are all but guaranteed to make money in the country, with its billion-strong audience? 当我们谈论纪录片的时候，很多人会想到在节日和电影院放映的故事片。但实际上，大多数纪录片制作人都是以电视纪录片为生的。中国的亿万眼球能给他们带来财富和名誉吗？ Featuring Steven ...
#05 Video Games with Chinese Characteristics
March 19, 2019 21:37 - 43 minutes - 29.8 MBChina’s video-game industry is a hugely popular business in a nation where over half the population regularly plays. In 2015, the size of the video-game market in China officially surpassed that of the U.S., making the Chinese video-game industry the biggest and most profitable in the world. Featuring Ava Deng - translation manager Ava’s email Sebastien Francois : Overseas Operations Manager Max Wang : Narrative Designer Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by ...
#04 Movie co-production in China
March 12, 2019 21:41 - 45 minutes - 31.1 MBUntil the 1990s, Hollywood movies were making the vast majority of their revenue in English-speaking countries. Nowadays, these countries comprise only half the market. The main reason for the change is the appearance of new markets, including the most important one of all: China. What problems do foreign film professionals and their teams face while vying to tap into the Chinese market? How do cultural disparities and regulations fit into the equation? What is the current lay of the land in...
#03 Case Study: China’s soft power with Anthony Kuhn
March 05, 2019 22:34 - 15 minutes - 11.1 MBAnthony Kuhn, who works at NPR, has been working on how China is using its soft power, and that’s actually one of the main reasons the Middle Earth podcast started: to investigate how politics and culture can be linked. The culture of a country doesn't come out of thin air. Rather, there is a political and business side to it. Featuring Anthony Kuhn : Journalist | 记者 Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project...
#02 How does China’s advertisement market work? (Part 2 of "China's internet and creation")
February 26, 2019 22:12 - 49 minutes - 34.2 MBThis is the second part of a two-part series about how the internet changed the way to consume and create content. Last time, the panel comprised people who earn a living by creating only on the Chinese internet, but today we meet the other side of the fence, the more “capitalistic” one: those who make, sell, or deal with advertisements. Featuring Kenneth Cheung : Data and Branding Consultant Tera Fang : Fashion Influencer Eloi Gerard : CEO and founder of CrowsNest Middle Earth is made b...
#01 How to be internet famous in China (Part 1 of "China's internet and creation")
February 15, 2019 18:26 - 46 minutes - 32.2 MBChina has only 55% internet penetration, but almost every person online is using a smartphone, therefore a lot of phone-optimized content (video, news, silly applications to make your selfies look beautiful) is created every day. As of this month of recording, October 2018, Bytedance, the Chinese company owning news aggregator Toutiao and short video app Douyin/Tik-tok, is now THE most valuable startup in the world, more than Uber or Baidu. 虽然中国只有55％的互联网普及率，但几乎每个网民都使用智能手机，因此每天都产生大量内容（视频，新闻...