Deciphering the Commercial Miracle: The Research on the Marketing and Distribution Process of Chinese Youth Films after 2010s

Abstract

Youth Films (qingchunpian), which are characterized by nostalgia and coming-to-age narratives, expanded its influence after 2010s in Chinese film market. The considerable profits of youth films derived from low budget and substantial box office returns. Compared to main melody films (zhuxuanlv) and traditional comedies which are supported by the government and own large amounts of budget, the commercial success of youth films is unique in Chinese film industry. Although there is existing research on the entire trend of Chinese film market and content analysis of youth films, the internal logic and marketization process remain opaque. Exploring the marketization process of youth films and the reasons of their success can help in understanding the new trend in Chinese film industry in which how films with low budget can live. Therefore, the research conducts an interview of industry insiders to visualize the backstory of distribution process. After demonstrating the interview and analyzing the existing statistical data, the research argues that three factors affecting success of youth films (and those new rising film genres in China) are: the time to release the film, the integration of marketing and distribution companies, and the use of IP (development of existing IP and marketizing IP through use of theme songs).