Middle Earth - China’s cultural industry podcast - 节目列表

Send us Fan MailLast year, as COVID-19 cases spiked around the world, many thought cinemas would die. China’s box office sales from the past few months tell a different story. The country’s film market broke several world records in 2021, selling roughly $1.2 billion in tickets. Although theaters in the U.S., which are the primary competitors of theaters in China, have been closed, more and more Chinese people continue to head to the movies. One of the secret weapons is the production of a “Chinese New Year film” for the whole family. Where do those films come from, and what is their winning recipe?FeaturingYe Qing | 叶青 : Culture Reporter at CGTNCheng Rui : Producer at Wanda StudiosMiddle 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 specific talent, please get in touch!Recommendations- The 1997 movie The Dream Factory (甲方乙方 jiǎfāng yǐfāng).- The 2002 movie Fat Choi Spirit (呖咕呖咕新年财 lìgū lìgū xīnnián cái).Answers to the quiz:- Detective Chinatown 2 made only 0.4% of its box office sales outside of China.- The 1981 movie In-Laws (喜盈门 xǐ yíngmén) sold 469 million tickets.  - The 2008 movie If You Are the One (非诚勿扰 fēichéng wùrǎo) shares the same name as the Jiangsu TV dating show. With thanks to Brenden Gonsalves  for graphic design & Sean Calvo for music support. 

Send us a text Last year, as COVID-19 cases spiked around the world, many thought cinemas would die. China’s box office sales from the past few months tell a different story. The country’s film market broke several world records in 2021, selling roughly $1.2 billion in tickets. Although theaters in the U.S., which are the primary competitors of theaters in China, have been closed, more and more Chinese people continue to head to the movies. One of the secret weapons is the production of a “Chinese New Year film” for the whole family. Where do those films come from, and what is their winning recipe? Featuring Ye Qing | 叶青 : Culture Reporter at CGTN Cheng Rui : Producer at Wanda Studios 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 specific talent, please get in touch! Recommendations - The 1997 movie The Dream Factory (甲方乙方 jiǎfāng yǐfāng). - The 2002 movie Fat Choi Spirit (呖咕呖咕新年财 lìgū lìgū xīnnián cái). Answers to the quiz: - Detective Chinatown 2 made only 0.4% of its box office sales outside of China. - The 1981 movie In-Laws (喜盈门 xǐ yíngmén) sold 469 million tickets. - The 2008 movie If You Are the One (非诚勿扰 fēichéng wùrǎo) shares the same name as the Jiangsu TV dating show. With thanks to Brenden Gonsalves for graphic design & Sean Calvo for music support.

Send us Fan MailA few years ago, the stand-up comedy scene in China was largely considered to be alternative culture, with few venues for comedians and patrons. This stands in stark contrast to today, with over 100 comedy clubs nationwide, even outside of major cities like Beijing and Shanghai. Format shows like Roast! (tùcáo dàhuì 吐槽大会) have pushed stand-up into the mainstream.  FeaturingAnney Liao : cofounder of Run Wild Comedy Club Beijing (玩脱喜剧)Jerry Kim : cofounder of Run Wild Comedy Club Beijing (玩脱喜剧)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 specific talent, please get in touch! Recommendations- The comedians Wùfàn 悟饭 and Xiǎo Lù 小鹿.With thanks to Brenden Gonsalves  for graphic design & Sean Calvo for music support. 

Send us a text A few years ago, the stand-up comedy scene in China was largely considered to be alternative culture, with few venues for comedians and patrons. This stands in stark contrast to today, with over 100 comedy clubs nationwide, even outside of major cities like Beijing and Shanghai. Format shows like Roast! (tùcáo dàhuì 吐槽大会) have pushed stand-up into the mainstream. Featuring Anney Liao : cofounder of Run Wild Comedy Club Beijing (玩脱喜剧) Jerry Kim : cofounder of Run Wild Comedy Club Beijing (玩脱喜剧) 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 specific talent, please get in touch! Recommendations - The comedians Wùfàn 悟饭 and Xiǎo Lù 小鹿. With thanks to Brenden Gonsalves for graphic design & Sean Calvo for music support.

Send us Fan MailChina’s cultural industry is not often the topic of a book. However, the newly released Red Creative: Culture and Modernity in China tackles questions about how the government sees its cultural industry and how the domestic cultural industry has evolved over time. The book’s authors, Dr. Justin O’Connor and Dr. Xin Gu, joined the show to discuss their findings and to reflect on cultural policy in China.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 specific talent, please get in touch! Recommendations- The music label Maybe Mars.- The movie Platform (2000).Quiz's answer- The first time the word culture (文化 wénhuà) appeared in China was in The Book of Changes (易经 yì jīng). - In 2018, the Chinese Ministry of Culture merged with the China National Tourism Agency to create the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.- According to the Global Soft Power Index, China is ranked fifth in the world.With thanks to Brenden Gonsalves  for graphic design & Sean Calvo for music support. 

Send us a text China’s cultural industry is not often the topic of a book. However, the newly released Red Creative: Culture and Modernity in China tackles questions about how the government sees its cultural industry and how the domestic cultural industry has evolved over time. The book’s authors, Dr. Justin O’Connor and Dr. Xin Gu, joined the show to discuss their findings and to reflect on cultural policy in China. 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 specific talent, please get in touch! Recommendations - The music label Maybe Mars. - The movie Platform (2000). Quiz's answer - The first time the word culture (文化 wénhuà) appeared in China was in The Book of Changes (易经 yì jīng). - In 2018, the Chinese Ministry of Culture merged with the China National Tourism Agency to create the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. - According to the Global Soft Power Index, China is ranked fifth in the world. With thanks to Brenden Gonsalves for graphic design & Sean Calvo for music support.

Send us Fan MailAs much as everyone would love to claim that they enjoy “highly refined” art and movies, many people enjoy the guilty pleasure of watching reality shows featuring celebrities making a fool of themselves. China has a lot of these shows, and they drive an infinite number of online debates and memes. These cultural products are a vibrant part of China's entertainment industry and also help push the sale of VIP memberships on a variety of internet platforms. Today's guests give an insider’s view of the industry, and explain the latest trends as well as who you should pitch your project to.FeaturingShirley Cheng : Chief Creative Officer & Partner at CNEXLuca Zhao : CEO of Dao MediaMiddle 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 specific talent, please get in touch! Recommendations- The show The Big Band (乐队的夏天 yuèduì de xiàtiān).- The show Let’s Go Time Traveler (咱们穿越吧 zánmen chuānyuè ba).With thanks to Brenden Gonsalves  for graphic design & Sean Calvo for music support. 

Send us a text As much as everyone would love to claim that they enjoy “highly refined” art and movies, many people enjoy the guilty pleasure of watching reality shows featuring celebrities making a fool of themselves. China has a lot of these shows, and they drive an infinite number of online debates and memes. These cultural products are a vibrant part of China's entertainment industry and also help push the sale of VIP memberships on a variety of internet platforms. Today's guests give an insider’s view of the industry, and explain the latest trends as well as who you should pitch your project to. Featuring Shirley Cheng : Chief Creative Officer & Partner at CNEX Luca Zhao : CEO of Dao Media 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 specific talent, please get in touch! Recommendations - The show The Big Band (乐队的夏天 yuèduì de xiàtiān). - The show Let’s Go Time Traveler (咱们穿越吧 zánmen chuānyuè ba). With thanks to Brenden Gonsalves for graphic design & Sean Calvo for music support.

Send us Fan MailZhang Shiwen 张释文, the head of entertainment and a partner at the law firm Huiye in Shanghai, talks about her latest book, Guidance and Compliance: The Way to China’s Entertainment Market. She delve into her research on intellectual property protection in China’s film, music, and television industries, and they also discuss a few case studies from her own work in China.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 specific talent, please get in touch! Link to previous episode- Episode 32 Intellectual property protection in China’s entertainment industryRecommendation- 7 lessons on social image re-branding in China from the Imperial Palace, by Kate Chernavina. With thanks to Brenden Gonsalves  for graphic design & Sean Calvo for music support. 

Send us a text Zhang Shiwen 张释文, the head of entertainment and a partner at the law firm Huiye in Shanghai, talks about her latest book, Guidance and Compliance: The Way to China’s Entertainment Market. She delve into her research on intellectual property protection in China’s film, music, and television industries, and they also discuss a few case studies from her own work in China. 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 specific talent, please get in touch! Link to previous episode - Episode 32 Intellectual property protection in China’s entertainment industry Recommendation - 7 lessons on social image re-branding in China from the Imperial Palace, by Kate Chernavina. With thanks to Brenden Gonsalves for graphic design & Sean Calvo for music support.

Send us Fan MailLong gone are the days when Chinese film directors could shoot their films and win awards abroad without complications back home. But even with stricter regulations regarding the shooting and distribution of films in China, some have not stopped creating unique stories for the big screen. Today's guests share their insights into the current scene of low-budget films and art-house movies coming from China.FeaturingCao Liuying : Co-Founder of Midnight Blur FilmsKarin Chien : Film Producer & Distributor at dGenerate FilmsJenny Wu : Indie Filmmaker & CuratorMiddle 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 specific talent, please get in touch! Recommendations- An Elephant Sitting Still 大象席地而坐 (2017)- Blind Massage 推拿 (2014) - Outcry and Whisper 呐喊与低语 (2020)Quiz's answer- According to China Daily, only 1.5% of screen time is given to indie films in their first screening week. - The China Independent Film Festival was shut down permanently in 2020 after 14 iterations.- The film director who goes by the surname Ceng (who used to be a farmer and a migrant worker) was arrested on the evening of his film premiere in 2016. He was not arrested for the content of the film, but because he was part of a gang fight in Chongqing in 2000 and had eluded the police for 16 years.With thanks to Brenden Gonsalves  for graphic design & Sean Calvo for music support. 

Send us a text Long gone are the days when Chinese film directors could shoot their films and win awards abroad without complications back home. But even with stricter regulations regarding the shooting and distribution of films in China, some have not stopped creating unique stories for the big screen. Today's guests share their insights into the current scene of low-budget films and art-house movies coming from China. Featuring Cao Liuying : Co-Founder of Midnight Blur Films Karin Chien : Film Producer & Distributor at dGenerate Films Jenny Wu : Indie Filmmaker & Curator 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 specific talent, please get in touch! Recommendations - An Elephant Sitting Still 大象席地而坐 (2017) - Blind Massage 推拿 (2014) - Outcry and Whisper 呐喊与低语 (2020) Quiz's answer - According to China Daily, only 1.5% of screen time is given to indie films in their first screening week. - The China Independent Film Festival was shut down permanently in 2020 after 14 iterations. - The film director who goes by the surname Ceng (who used to be a farmer and a migrant worker) was arrested on the evening of his film premiere in 2016. He was not arrested for the content of the film, but because he was part of a gang fight in Chongqing in 2000 and had eluded the police for 16 years. With thanks to Brenden Gonsalves for graphic design & Sean Calvo for music support.