Since the 1980s, the Hong Kong television industry, dominated by TVB, has dominated the Chinese-speaking market with its unique regional cultural characteristics and trendy ideas. At that time, the thriving scene was difficult to reproduce in recent years, and it was replaced by Korean dramas, mainland dramas, and American dramas. Many viewers were heartbroken: "What happened to our favorite Hong Kong dramas?" ”
However, this year's situation has turned around, the "A House of Friends" premiered in June, first came out on top and received a 32-point rating; the "Walled Heroes" that landed in the summer file was a double rating of word of mouth, and has become the champion of this year's ratings so far; the self-made drama "Margaret and David Mung Bean" launched by "New Taiwan" Viu TV has become a clear stream, so that fans have expressed that they have seen the new hope that Hong Kong dramas can compete with American dramas.
Why are Hong Kong dramas in decline? Is there a chance to regain its glory? The Beijing News reporter exclusively interviewed Hong Kong TVB producers Fang Junzhao, Wen Weihong, well-known screenwriter Ma Yan, actor Chen Farong and experts who study Hong Kong opera to discuss the current situation of Hong Kong drama development industry.
Traced back
Thirty years of glory, 2007 faded
Since the 1980s, Hong Kong dramas and Hong Kong films have become popular on the mainland, and have deeply influenced a generation. From the 1990s to the early 21st century, Hong Kong dramas have become the mainstream TV dramas in China, the audience is not only huge, the age group is also widely distributed, whether it is a watertight and fascinating plot, running dragon sets but also with superb acting skills, have become the audience's pursuit of the "heart".
In the view of He Yan, a TV drama industry research expert and well-known screenwriter, after the blow of the financial crisis and the decline of the film market, since the millennium, Hong Kong dramas have already had signs of slow decline, for example, after the broadcast of "Criminal Investigation File 4" starring Gu Tianle and Xuan Xuan, the highly respected criminal investigation dramas have also entered a negative period. However, in the following years, Hong Kong dramas also had small climaxes. In 2004, "Golden Branch Desire", known as the ancestor of "Palace Fighting Drama", blew up the "Golden Branch Fever" in both the land and hong Kong. The "Forensic Pioneers" series, which premiered since 2006, also made the audience shine with wonderful reasoning and solid acting skills.
He Yan pointed out that the real turning point of "Hong Kong drama loneliness" should be 2007 and 2008, in which TVB spent a lot of money to produce two works, "Years and Years" and "Pearls", but the ratings were not satisfactory. "In other words, the investment is very bad, causing wireless to be afraid of the big investment." The decline of Hong Kong dramas is obvious to all, and some critics lamented, "For a while, I even felt that TVB was gone." In recent years, tvb's rating base is decreasing year by year, and the gradual decline in the appreciation index and recognition rate of Locally produced TV shows by Hong Kong citizens also reflects the gradual decline of "Hong Kong dramas" to a certain extent.
1 Why did Hong Kong drama decline?
The same blue dress, worn by actors from different episodes. This is a world away from the mainland filming drama often a knife of 8 million.
The broadcast time difference of 16 years is "Difficult Brother" and "Rush to the Clouds 2", the male protagonists are Wu Zhenyu, and they are wearing the same costume.
In addition to the external reasons for objective social and economic development, the changes in the television industry in recent years and all the "stubborn diseases" of Hong Kong dramas themselves have also become the problem.
"One big family" lacks competition, and the plot is old-fashioned and has no breakthrough
You can't escape the police, the law, and the business war
TV dramas are the embodiment of lifestyle, He Yan pointed out, "In the 80s and 90s of the last century, Hong Kong dramas let mainlanders understand life in Hong Kong that they were not familiar with. With the development of the economy, the living standards of the mainland have gradually become closer to Hong Kong, and the sense of curiosity and admiration for Hong Kong has not gone back. "In the changing tide, Hong Kong films are still aiming at old-fashioned themes, nothing more than police bandits, legal affairs and business wars, which inevitably make the audience have aesthetic fatigue and the audience is gradually niche." For example, although the ratings of "Ghost with You OT" are the "king" of Hong Kong dramas last year, they are also urban fast food full of "routines", which satisfies local audiences, but it is difficult to knock on the door of the mainland market.
Low-cost production is difficult to satisfy the audience's appetite
A costume worn for decades
"Small cost, big return" has always been a feature of Hong Kong drama production, TVB internal staff revealed to reporters, "wireless filming has always been very economical, costumes worn for decades." This is at odds with today's market and audience needs. He Yan explained: "Mainland TV dramas are now very happy to invest, invest hundreds of millions of dollars at every turn, coupled with small fresh meat, luxurious special effects are easy to seize the market, these huge investments are basically unrealistic for Hong Kong, like many Hong Kong costume dramas still use the set of 20 years ago, the audience's vision can not stand it at all." ”
The salary is low, and the actor and producer "go north" to seek gold
There is no comparison with the mainland film remuneration
TVB artists, directors, screenwriters pay and income is seriously imbalanced, "north" development has become a trend, many in TVB "many years of daughter-in-law to become a wife" artists, such as Hu Xing'er, Lin Feng, Xu Zishan, etc. have taken advantage of the doubling of their value to slip away. "The inability to retain people is a problem of internal mechanisms, low salaries, low salaries, high commissions, and the salaries of mainland artists are not comparable at all, resulting in the backbone of the strength 'leaving home', and the same is true for gold-medal screenwriters and producers." He Yan said that today's TVB personnel are seriously faulted, most of the drama is still the old drama bone, Qi Qiyi, Mei Xiaoqing and other gold medal producers left also made TVB seriously injured. In addition, the infighting at the top level has also led to the dissolution of employees.
Ma Yan said frankly that TVB is difficult to replicate the "star-making" ability of that year, "With the gradual reduction of the audience group, the stars that come out are only a little repercussive in the local area, and it can be said that it is basically impossible to create a national idol." ”
Mainland dramas are booming, and Korean and American dramas are impacting
New ideas are hard to break through
In the past, mainland dramas were relatively closed, but now the vision of Hong Kong dramas is not broad enough. With the gradual increase in the types of mainland dramas, and the production has embarked on the road of "big dramas", there is no shortage of good dramas every year. The audience's choice is becoming more and more diversified, Hong Kong dramas are no longer the object of imitation of mainland dramas, and many Hong Kong dramas have become followers of American dramas.
In the face of market competition, TVB is self-contained, Ma Yan revealed that the restrictions on the production of TV dramas in Hong Kong are not less than those in the mainland, "After 2000, the number of complaints about TV dramas increased, complaints were directly linked to salary, many production teams turned to conservative dramas and themes, innovative opinions were not adopted, and new ideas were killed." He said that a series and an idea need to go through several levels, which is why the series can't keep up with the trend.
Do not pay attention to the Internet, new media and other means of communication
TVB seems to have forgotten this piece
"Hong Kong is not as dependent on the Internet as the mainland is, and its contact with the Internet is not close." In He Yan's view, Hong Kong dramas seem to be unable to play some mechanisms in the mainland television industry, and at the same time do not pay attention to the promotion of multiple media in the mainland, "Nowadays, Hong Kong dramas are difficult to broadcast on mainland TELEVISION stations or portals, losing a large number of 'passers-by audiences', in addition, TVB does not seem to attach importance to the promotion of new media and self-media, and when countless viewers are attracted by online dramas, TVB seems to have forgotten this piece." ”
2 What changes are Hong Kong dramas making?
In the face of embarrassment, for the past two years, TVB has sought to transform. Hong Kong TV, which once emerged in previous years, and now VIU TV, have changed the pattern of Hong Kong's TELEVISION industry to a certain extent, bringing competitive pressure and innovation momentum to TVB. Can the recent hot dramas indicate that Hong Kong dramas have revived again?
Scenes and themes change
"Margaret and David Mung Bean" takes a small fresh route
"This year's episode ratings are good because of the renewed focus on quality, and the shooting scenes are different from the previous model, and many of them are filmed on real-life." In addition, there are also innovations in the theme, such as the recent "Margaret and David Mung Bean", which takes a small and fresh route that is very different from the tradition of Hong Kong opera.
He Yan pointed out that Hong Kong opera has always had a very strong foundation, with countless classic IP under its hands, the basic production level is still there, focusing on traditional production advantages and adaptability, and increasing investment in the excavation of classic IP is the only way for Hong Kong drama to regroup.
Push new people and try to "retain people"
Not everyone wants to go out and get gold
TVB is also aware of this serious problem, TVB executive producer Wen Weihong said: "It is very normal and very healthy to replace the generation, and now we are also increasing the training of young actors. For example, the new actors used in "Walled Heroes" are very recognized. "Because many artists and TVB take the contract system cooperation as the first, it is difficult to easily leave the nest to shoot movies. Actor Wu Lanmo (supporting role of "Perfect Renegade") said, "For the new generation of Hong Kong artists, the existing competitiveness is not as great as before, and various reasons such as not understanding the situation in the mainland and poor language communication will limit their development in the mainland, while TVB is more like an umbrella and more conducive to their own talents." ”
Many experts pointed out that TVB is time to patch some rigidities and loopholes in the employment mechanism, evolve the training mechanism for actors, sign contracts, and strengthen friendly relations with artists, "Not being able to retain people has always been a crisis for TVB, you can try to change the relationship with actors, not every Hong Kong artist wants to go out for gold, after all, Hong Kong is their hinterland." ”
Open markets to attract foreign aid
The lack of investment can be solved by the outside world
Nowadays, the strengthening of Hong Kong dramas with external cooperation and the gradual strengthening of audience interaction is also a change, for example, "Margaret and David Mung Bean" has changed the system of "shooting while broadcasting", no longer blindly studio shooting, one-time shooting, but through the network test version to collect audience feedback, and then adjust the TV series. In addition, Wu Lanmo has also served as the screenwriter of "Old Watch, Hello", she said that TVB is also aware of the lack of competitiveness, will "send" some scripts, cooperation with external resources; Wen Weihong said that TVB also tried to cooperate with the mainland in terms of network, so that the series can reach different levels of audiences, such as "Apostle Walker" has achieved high playback.
TVB can try to open the entire TV market, can communicate with the mainland market with its own production methods and platforms, and exchange actors is also a method that can be tried. Ma Yan believes that "the hard wounds in investment can be solved by opening up the market to the outside world and attracting funds." At the same time, experts believe that Hong Kong dramas should use more common language, actors, and production teams to adapt to market changes.
3 Did Hong Kong dramas fight back?
Hong Kong actor Chen Farong: Recently completed the filming of a TVB Taiwan celebration drama, found that many people in the past went back to filming, at present, the reputation of Hong Kong dramas is back, the momentum is good, I think the "counterattack" should mainly start from the genre, because the audience tastes are different. As for external competition, TV dramas in each place have their own characteristics, and they should maintain their original characteristics and then diversify them, not to follow the same things as wind beats.
Screenwriter Ma Yan: Hong Kong dramas have the possibility of counterattack, but it is still too early, there are still many problems that need to be changed, there are many problems accumulated internally, and the prospects are not optimistic. Hong Kong's local dramas are also exploring whether they can be integrated with the domestic market, in recent years, TVB also has the idea of competing with the outside market, if you increase the production and investment in the drama, the theme of the breakthrough, may be able to change the decline.
TV drama industry research expert He Yan: In the past 20 years, I think it is basically impossible for Hong Kong dramas to return to the golden age of dramas such as "Genesis", and most of the well-received TV dramas today are still based on "local flavor", and the overall thinking is relatively rigid, and it is impossible to fully cater to the mainland market and achieve real market opening. Coupled with the large reduction in the channels for broadcasting Hong Kong dramas in the mainland, it is difficult to return to the crowded alleys.
■ Counter-attack cases
A House of Friends
The picture shows "A House of Friends", Ouyang Zhenhua has his own sense of joy.
Before filming, producer Fang Junzhao locked the role of "Lord of a House" on Ouyang Zhenhua, "This must have a comedic feeling, and at the same time can press the field, Ouyang Zhenhua absolutely can." In the case of determining that Ouyang Zhenhua has a schedule, the script gradually took shape, and the actors of the two "old ghosts", he chose Roland and Hu Feng, who are familiar to the audience, "Even if they play ghosts, the audience will not be afraid, and can increase the wider audience base."
Fang Junzhao said that he did not expect the drama to explode, and that success depended on a solid script and on the actors. He Yan said that the ratings of comedy have always been relatively secure, and "A House of Friends" won with a rare "ghost" theme.
"A House of Friends" also pays attention to the authenticity of the set, "collected a lot of information, set the scene took almost a week." In addition, attach importance to the sense of substitution, "has always been based on the audience's position to set up all aspects of the series, the feeling of shooting can not be too derailed from reality." ”
Walled Heroes
The picture shows the "Walled Hero" starring Hu Dingxin, showing the real kung fu of the long-lost hard bridge hard horse.
Due to the "able to fight" characteristics of Chen Zhanpeng and Hu Dingxin, the quality of the performance is also very high, and Wen Weihong decided from the beginning that they would play the leading role. In addition, he deliberately selected some actors with personal characteristics but not excavated, "such as Wu Jiale, no one ever thought he could play a role, but the effect was very good, it was time to tap into the ability of some performers who were not noticed by the audience." In Ma Yan's view, the theme of "Walled Hero" allows the audience to see the "hard kung fu" TV series that has not been seen for many years.
Wen Weihong does not agree with the blind use of special effects, nor does he think that "real fight" will be outdated, ""Walled Hero" let the audience see that the actors are really fighting, we used the least double, the least computer technology, and practiced the real sense of kung fu, so that the audience can feel the sincerity of the series. ”