Super Zoo

North America Huashi Film Distribution Company. Before this, Suming had never even heard of this film company. Compared to the big eight distributors in North America, Huashi Film Industry was completely unknown. After looking it up online, Suming discovered that the company did have some substance. In terms of size and investment, Hua Shi Company couldn't compare with the Big Eight of North America, nor even approach the status of an average domestic film company. But Hua Shi's main business wasn't film production, it was the only company specializing in the overseas distribution of Chinese-language films, especially in the North American market, where it had a certain degree of renown. Suming roughly estimated that over the past five years, more than 30% of Mandarin-language films were distributed in North America through this company's channels. "Not bad, our company acts as a middleman, pushing Chinese-language films into the North American market. You can think of our company as a film brokerage, providing a full range of overseas distribution services, but of course, the brokerage fees are very high." The negotiator sent by Huashi was a middle-aged man named Cai Liming, who served as an assistant to the department manager at Huashi Company. "Now we're not talking about the cost yet." Suming smiled, "Mr. Cai, I'm curious, why would Huashi come to me? Not to hide anything from you, we've talked with several companies, and they don't look favorably upon distributing Animal City overseas." "To be honest, neither do we at Huashi." Cai Liming adjusted his glasses and said candidly, "Or to put it this way, the prospects for Chinese-language films in the North American market don't have a distinction of being favorable or not, because the result is the same." "Destined to flop?" Suming laughed. "I can't say one hundred percent, but a poor box office is a high-probability event. Last year, Huashi distributed 25 Chinese-language films in North America. Together, these films shared 85% of the domestic box office, but in the North American market, they made a total of only two million US dollars." said Cai Liming. "So your company..." Suming didn't finish his sentence before he realized he had been mistaken. He wanted to ask, with such little revenue, why still do it? But upon reflection, from Huashi's perspective, they were in the brokerage business; whether they earned more or less, the work had to be done. Just like a real estate mogul with a multibillion-dollar empire wouldn't ask a small vendor making only a few hundred thousand why they still do it. It's their job. Perhaps understanding what Suming was getting at, Cai Liming smiled, "Any movie that surpasses one hundred million in domestic box office, or is directed by a major director, we usually discuss overseas distribution partnership, as that's our line of work. Terror Animal City is no exception." When Suming heard this, he felt somewhat disappointed inside. At first, he thought them sought after, but from what Cai Liming said, it was purely routine. "How influential is your company in overseas theaters?" Suming asked. "Rest assured, we have contacts with numerous theaters in North America, and which theaters specifically can be detailed in the contract. However, there's one thing that I must clarify in advance; this movie will likely only be previewed in one or two cities initially. If the box office is good, it will be quickly released in other major cities. Otherwise, it gets no further chances. This is also the usual practice for the distribution of Chinese-language films in North America. Additionally, we don't just distribute to theaters; we also do DVDs and online streaming, though, of course, if the theatrical performance is poor, these two won't bring in much either," said Cai Liming. Hearing this, Suming suddenly understood clear and simple: so many domestic blockbusters that astonished with their box office numbers could make only a few tens of thousands in North America, and this had to do with the model. In China, regardless of quality, a blockbuster is screened in every major theater at least for a week; with so many cinemas and screenings, even if the audience feels cheated after one viewing, the cumulative box office can still be staggering. In North America, having a few cinemas in one city means an even smaller scale than domestic limited screenings, and once word of mouth and box office go south, the movie's lifecycle screeches to halt—there's no chance even for a scam. "Yes, the North American market is more ruthless, especially towards Chinese-language films, which have always been out of favor, with hardly any element of luck involved," Cai Liming confirmed with a nod. Though not a single good word was spoken, Suming felt that this Cai Liming gave him a much better impression than the previous Pantala. Doing business with Pantela made one feel anxious about being sold some 'product,' even if there was no deceit and he was sincere; but after chatting with Cai Liming for a while, it felt more like two people were discussing objectively how to do something properly. Suming checked the time; there was nothing important today, and he wasn't in a hurry. He refilled Cai Liming's cup and asked, "Based on your experience, why do our big movies not make it in North America?" "Thank you." Cai Liming touched the rim of his teacup, nodded in thanks, then thought for a moment and said, "North America is quite harsh on Chinese-language movies, that's one reason, or let's say, the main superficial reason. But fundamentally, I personally believe there are two reasons." Suming nodded, looking at him to continue. "First, it's simply a matter of differing worldviews, an overly discussed topic. The cultural clash between East and West is objectively there; the West follows universal values and many think Eastern values are outdated, not accepted by Westerners. I don't agree with this point. The West holds traditional Eastern cultures, especially Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist cultures, in high esteem. It's just that most of our films don't capture the essence of these cultures and end up confusing viewers. Take, for example, the film a while back…" Cai Liming stopped there, laughed, and took a sip from his cup. Being in the same industry, it wasn't suitable for him to speak ill of others behind their backs, but Suming already understood; Cai Liming was referring to the movie 'Monk Comes Down the Mountain.' Suming ventured, "So, movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero, to us, don't seem profound, but they succeed because they clearly express their intended meaning." "Exactly," laughed Cai Liming nodding, "Going for obfuscation doesn't play well with foreigners. Thought has to be shown through a reasonable story that people can understand, not a bunch of nonsensical, hole-ridden scenes to prove the director's depth. In my view, if a movie isn't understandable by a normal adult, it says more about the director's incompetence." "I completely agree. And the second reason?" "Different consumer groups, right? The primary movie-goers in North America are middle-class with some economic strength. In Huaxia, the middle class are reluctant to spend or lack leisure time; young people are the mainstay of the movie audience, which leads to differences in taste." Cai Liming subtly steered the conversation back, "From this point of view, maybe, I mean, maybe, Terror Animal City might have some box office potential in North America." "Alright, Mr. Cai, let's discuss the distribution matters," Suming said.