中文EN
Game-Based Animated Films Section Animation Forum Successfully Concluded: Review Glorious Journey and Enhance Cultural Self-Confidence

The 12th BJIFF Game-Based Animated Films Section Animation Forum was successfully concluded on the afternoon of August 17. This forum was guided by the BJIFF Organization Committee Office and the Publicity Department of Beijing Huairou District Committee of the Communist Party of China, hosted by the Beijing Huairou District Cultural Industry Development Promotion Center and Zhongxuan Cultural Media (Beijing) Co., Ltd., organized by Poly Digi-Entertainment. 

  
  Group photo of forum guests
The forum was carried out with the theme “Rising of Chinese Animation: The Glorious Journey and Cultural Self-Confidence”. Ma Hua, a professor of Animation School, Beijing Film Academy, served as the moderator and the panelists attending the round-table forum include: Chen Bo, Deputy Director of Shanghai Animation Film Studio, Yu Zhou, Co-founder of Light Chaser Animation, Cheng Haiming, producer and presenter of I Am What I Am, Gao Weihua, producer of Legend of Deification, Wang Shuang, creative producer and senior film planner, Song Lei, director of R&D Department of China Animation Comic Game Group. 
Chen Xiang, member of the Party Leadership Group and Vice President of Beijing Radio & Television Station and Deputy Secretary General of the BJIFF Organizing Committee delivered a speech. He said, “The 12th BJIFF Game-Based Animated Films Section reviewed the 100-year development of Chinese animation films and focused on the current situation of the booming market-oriented industry. Senior animation practitioners in China were invited to discuss the cultural confidence and future development of Chinese animation from traditional modern interpretation to the integration of Chinese aesthetics and animation as well as the development of animation technology.” 
  
  Chen Xiang, member of the Party Leadership Group and Vice President of Beijing Radio & Television Station and Deputy Secretary General of the BJIFF Organizing Committee
▍ Review 100-year animation dream for new journey with excellent works
Chen Bo, Deputy Director of Shanghai Animation Film Studio, delivered a keynote speech entitled Origin and Development of Chinese Animation. He shared and reviewed the creation of many classic works of Shanghai Animation Film Studio and emphasized, “Chinese animation has developed for almost 100 years with many artistic attempts and technical explorations. The two aspects, art and technology, in the animation industry are always worth researching and great efforts.” The success of every work is inseparable from a deep understanding and high respect for Chinese national culture. Some traditional Chinese elements, such as puppet, papercutting and ink painting, provide infinite imagination and inspiration for animation creation. 
  
  Chen Bo, Deputy Director of Shanghai Animation Film Studio
Yu Zhou, Co-founder of Light Chaser Animation, also delivered his keynote speech themed Innovative Development of Chinese animation—The Road in Pursuit of Light. He pointed out that Chinese animation has not only achieved remarkable results at the box office and word of mouth, but also achieved remarkable results overseas in the past years. He then emphasized that it is necessary to avoid homogenized creation and theme collision based on the reference and promotion of traditional Chinese culture. Then, he revealed the New Culture series and the first film Chang'an 30,000 Miles produced by Light Chaser Animation. "We look up to the flashy characters and classic works greatly respected for thousands of years in Chinese culture. On the basis of respecting history, we make use of the animated film with high artistic expression to tell their stories to modern youngsters at home, so as to inherit and demonstrate the confidence and power of Chinese culture in the modern era." 
  
  Yu Zhou, Co-founder of Light Chaser Animation
▍ Collect industry force and collide ideas for insights
After the keynote speeches, the summit round-table forum focused on some key topics for further discussions, such as how to regard the originality and adaptation of Chinese animation; how to fully explore the IP value of Chinese animation; how should the animation film and industry adjust the development model and preserve the industrial vitality under the situation of COVID-19 pandemic.
  
  Forum site
  
  Ma Hua, a professor of Animation School, Beijing Film Academy
Talking about the adaptation of traditional myths, Chen Bo said in his speech that the broad and profound Chinese civilization is the unique spiritual identity of Chinese nation, the foundation of modern Chinese literature and art, and the treasure of literary and artistic innovation. We need to excavate the essence of excellent traditional Chinese culture and combine the aesthetic spirit with contemporary aesthetics. 
  
  上海美术电影制片厂副厂长 陈波
Talking about the adaptation of traditional myths and folklore, Yu Zhou also shared the exploration by Light Chaser Animation from White Snake to New Gods: Yang Jian. He also emphasized that traditional stories should also have practical significance so as to find an emotional interface and resonance with modern audiences. 
  
  Yu Zhou, Co-founder of Light Chaser Animation
Cheng Haiming shared the creation of I Am What I Am in the discussion. He explained how to find the suitable theme and target audience step by step for an animation work with extremely short time limit and cost control. "Realistic theme is very risky. However, with a kind of ideal and belief, we hope to impress the audience with a completely original story and a brand-new theme, so that the audience can see the new hope of Chinese animation creation and the animation creators can have new creative space in a commercial context."
  
  Cheng Haiming, producer and presenter of I Am What I Am
Gao Weihua, producer of Legend of Deification, said that several popular animation films based on mythology have been adapted in a modern manner so as to present a new vitality to the works. Animation is an industry with high risk and high investment, so we should have more IP awareness during the creation, especially in the current market. We should create further spiritual and emotional connections with the audience. 
  
  Gao Weihua, producer of Legend of Deification
Wang Shuang, creative producer and senior film planner, said, “Emotion serves as the most important source of creation and the most valuable IP must have strong empathy and inclusiveness. Only finding such an emotional foundation can Chinese IP truly go to the world and break through cultural barriers. Chinese animation needs to explore new creative soil such as Chinese sci-fi and open up the diversified creations of Chinese animation with new themes and new types.” He also emphasized the artistic nature of animation and hoped to witness more innovations in the visual arts with diversified story themes, so as to explore the unique aesthetic system of Chinese animation in the new era. 
  
  Wang Shuang, creative producer and senior film planner
Song Lei, director of R&D Department of China Animation Comic Game Group, said, “There are two signs symbolizing the rise of Chinese animation. One is the brand. Only brand can reduce the decision-making time of the consumers and shorten the distance between the films and the audiences; the other is the successful mechanism for new works. We should improve the probability of market recognition through industrialization and processed management to reduce the risk of film production.” 
  
  Song Lei, director of R&D Department of China Animation Comic Game Group
Review the history and look forward to the future. After the fruitful roundtable dialogue, the trailer compilation of multiple animation films was screened on the site of the forum, such as Goodbye Monster, Yang Jian, Lin Mo, Shadow Diver, God with Three Eyes, RANBIWA and Monkey King: Flaming Mountain. With aesthetic characteristics of unique styles and excellent production, the films deeply impressed all the audience on the site and fully demonstrated the vigorous momentum of Chinese animation. 
The success of Game-Based Animated Films Section Theme Forum built a platform for Chinese animation practitioners and enterprises to conduct communication, cooperation and innovate development and brought more expectations on the rise of Chinese animation.