China: Movie Market of Tomorrow
Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO of DreamWorks Animation, chaired Walt Disney Pictures for 10 years. Kung Fu Panda 3 is Oriental DreamWorks’ first production as well as the first animation collaboration between China and the United States.
Reporter (R): The first Kung Fu Panda already combined the powers of Eastern culture and Hollywood filmmaking years ago, and received rave reviews. What do you consider the breakthroughs in Kung Fu Panda 3?
Katzenberg: We improved the texture in the details of every inch of grassland and each fragment of cloth. Also, every narrative element and figure has been perfectly integrated.
In Shanghai, 200 Chinese animators joined the American team working in Hollywood. Every day, they offered feedback to help make the story more authentic, not only with visuals but also originality and how people talk and express ideas. Mt. Qingcheng in Chengdu, Sichuan, is one example. In the eyes of foreign spectators, it’s just a small mountain. But I hope Chinese viewers observe clues about culture and values in the movie, which will bring them a feeling of intimacy.
R: Did you worry how much foreign culture American audiences would accept?
Katzenberg: Our movie is multilayered. Kids might not necessarily understand everything going on, but they can get tone, which makes them laugh anyway. Still, they might not accept as much as adults.
Po is nothing special; he is one of us. Every one of us has been trying to find who we are, or the best version of ourselves. So has Po. At the start, he tries to be something he’s not, but he eventually realizes that his dream is really just about being who he is, a concept everyone can get regardless of language, nationality, or cultural background.
We cheered and cried when we finished the movie: It works well in a bigger, more realistic world. This is why we be lieve animation is beautiful.
R: Did you expect the booming Chinese market today when you started making the first Kung Fu Panda in 2008?
Katzenberg: Frankly speaking, no, I didn’t. But I must admit it looked like a savvy move five years ago. That’s one reason I established ties with La Peikang, president of China Film Co., Ltd. to found Oriental DreamWorks a couple years ago.
At that time, we were fully aware that opportunities would pour into China over the next few years, and I guarantee that in five years, or maybe shorter, China will become the largest movie market in the world. It’s also possible that within 10 years, China’s market could grow bigger than the rest of the world combined.