On the occasion of the Chinese New Year in 2022,
Amazon, JD.com, Dangdang and other platforms
Have released the 2021 book bestseller list,
The reporter synthesized the major lists and found:
The popularity of science fiction novels has not decreased, and the explosive products continue to be explosive,
Sci-fi works peripheral cultural and creative products are hot,
Science fiction original novel IP was competed by film and television companies
The amount of investment is often over 100 million...
Following the success of Liu Cixin's "The Wandering Earth", the world's science fiction masterpiece "Dune" has set off a science fiction fever. Many people who like to summarize the trend of the industry have thrown out the "first year theory", saying that this year is the first year of China's science fiction cultural creation. Whether it is the first year is still difficult to say, the reporter found that the audience of science fiction content is indeed increasing.
Some industry experts believe that under the sweep of science fiction fever for 5 consecutive years, coupled with the rise of the meta-universe concept last year, 2022 may really be as everyone expects: the first year of science fiction cultural creation is coming.
Liu Cixin
Chinese science fiction is at its best stage of development in history
As "The Wandering Earth" gradually cooled down after the hit, the sci-fi boom brought by the film only increased. The domestic science fiction suspense masterpiece "AI Trek", the contemporary neoclassical science fiction representative "Orphan of Mars", and the "hardcore" science fiction "Cloud Ball" and other three newcomer new works have performed brightly. While the domestic science fiction nova has risen in batches and broken the traditional circle culture, the science fiction industry chain is gradually moving towards perfection.
At the same time, science fiction literature and cultural and creative industries have developed into fields with rich meanings, which has become an important phenomenon that cannot be ignored. "With the breakthrough results in scientific and technological fields such as artificial intelligence, many topics that only science fiction fans in the past would care about have quickly entered the lives of ordinary people", and the niche industry type of Chinese science fiction is gradually moving towards the public's vision.
From 2016 to 2021, there are more and more original science fiction novels that can attract the world's attention, and the quality is constantly rising. The Chinese science fiction "worm" book series led by Liu Cixin is considered to be the first cannon to start The next year of science fiction in China, namely: Liu Cixin's "Devouring the Earth", Chinese science fiction master Wang Jinkang's "Hunting down the K Star" and "River of Time"; the publication of the long story "Earth Era I. Solar Crisis" by the local post-90s emerging science fiction writer Rainbow Gate series, so that the new generation has its own science fiction idol writers; and the female writer "Galaxy Award" winner's masterpiece "Sleeping Dolphin, Wake Up" in the first half of the morning is more concerned about artificial intelligence topics. Push the sci-fi reading fever to new heights.
In response to the hot topic of science fiction reading in recent years, Liu Cixin said: "Science fiction works are popular, and the more reliable reason that can be thought of is the operation of the market, but it is not only that, there are many factors here. However, it should be noted that from the long history of the development of Chinese science fiction, this cause is now in the best stage of development in history. ”
Poster of the sci-fi masterpiece Dune
Xu Shanshan, copyright editor of reader books, revealed to reporters that it is now more and more difficult to take the IP copyright of science fiction works, in the past year, the royalties have increased by 4-6 times, and some works have even increased by more than 10 times, just like this, everyone is also grabbing, and if you don't pay attention, the master's works will be taken away.
According to an industry insider, "In the nearly 10 years in the publishing industry, science fiction is the only continuously popular genre literature, a big cake that has not been divided, with a huge readership and strong purchasing power." ”
Wu Yan, a famous science fiction writer, also said that in recent years, Chinese science fiction is entering the public's field of vision from niche literature, and the readership has shown a multi-level development trend, from teenagers, to white-collar workers, to scientific workers, to social elites, and the scope has been expanding.
The science fiction cultural and creative industry chain is taking shape
In recent years, Chinese science fiction has maintained a steady upward trend from the number of publications to the quality of production, breaking the inherent circle culture of science fiction and pushing science fiction works to the public. What followed was the hot increase in the trading of science fiction copyright market and the gradual formation of the entire science fiction industry chain.
Shortly after the listing of "Orphans of Mars", the film and television rights were bought by Hou Xiaoqiang, the founder of Zhonghui Film and Television, who said that the project was "evaluated by the team overnight and passed unanimously." "AI Trek" it is reported that several film and television companies are in contact recently, and more netizens have issued their own cast list on the third Douban page to shout about the future film and television adaptation of "AI Trek"; Chen Jing of the Fengyun Society even compared "Cloud Ball" to the next "Three-Body Problem", and even shouted that the author "Pay attention not to make Liu Cixin's mistake, 100,000 will sell the film and television copyright of "Three-Body". After "The Wandering Earth", there are currently 15 science fiction movies that have announced the list of projects and creators. Films such as "Shanghai Fortress" directed by Teng Huatao, "Pioneer" by Zhang Xiaobei, "749 Bureau" by Lu Chuan, and "Tomorrow's Achievements" starring Gu Tianle and Liu Qingyun may be released this year. Mr. Lao She's "Cat City" has also been confirmed and adapted, and is supervised by Tian Zhuangzhuang.
Director Guo Fan once said: "Science fiction movies have a strong connection with the strength of the country. Liu Cixin also said very thoroughly: "Science fiction is a barometer of a country, the rise of science fiction literature when the British Empire is strong, the decline of the British Empire after the rise of the United States, the science fiction center moved to the United States." "Today, China plays a vital role in the world pattern, especially the emphasis on artificial intelligence-related fields at the national strategic level, which is of vital significance to the rise of the science fiction industry." Nowadays, from the "Science Fiction World" magazine to the Chongqing Publishing House, the People's Literature and other traditional publishing houses, to several large private publishing companies such as Grinding Iron, Readers, and New Classics, they have begun to excavate and cultivate outstanding new science fiction newcomers and new works, providing a steady stream of new energy for the source of copyright. Incubation platforms such as Tencent and iQiyi have also begun to develop science fiction works from animation and games. Coupled with the rise of domestic science fiction movies today, the entire science fiction industry chain has begun to take shape, and the future of the science fiction industry is full of infinite possibilities.
The hardcore of the science fiction cultural and creative industry broke the circle
Fantasy and scientificity are two significant features of science fiction cultural and creative products, and they provide a rich design source for the design of realistic products. The reporter checked the relevant information and found that with the science fiction fever, science fiction cultural and creative products are still growing exponentially under the epidemic. For example, Gravity Planet launched science fiction cultural and creative electronic products, which have sold nearly 100,000 units since they were listed, and their annual revenue has increased by 300% month-on-month.
Talking about the origin of the growth of science fiction cultural creation against the trend, industry experts believe that the result of the popularity of science fiction cultural and creative products is not only due to capital reasons, but also related to the production party's control of science fiction themes and the ability of consumers to digest science fiction concepts.
It is worth mentioning that the cultural creation around "The Wandering Earth": from a set of coasters of 99 yuan to a limited edition personnel carrier of 4999 yuan, the products are selling well around the world. These sci-fi cultural creation products are made of pure copper materials and carefully crafted, just as hardcore as movies. The reporter learned that behind this series of hard-core derivatives is the creativity and efforts of a cultural and creative enterprise from Hangzhou Jiande. This cultural and creative enterprise "incubated" from the listed sanitary ware company uses traditional copper handicrafts to create not only the product "The Wandering Earth", but also a large number of popular cultural elements such as Marvel series, Transformers, and Han Meilin's works, so that the copper culture that has been passed down for thousands of years is once again presented to young people through creativity.
Yu Guang, head of the science fiction cultural and creative enterprise, believes that the development of traditional culture needs the addition of these new science fiction IP.
He said: "His goal is to hope to dig deeper into the essence of traditional Chinese culture, but also to increase the intensity of exploring the current new themes, I hope that copper crafts are no longer synonymous with ancient, traditional, unpopular, and small audience, and hope that it can make more works that everyone likes in the innovation of many traditional and contemporary themes." This method has also helped the "copper master" to circle countless fans, and the number of fans has reached more than 400,000.
China's science fiction cultural and creative industry is full of infinite possibilities
In the new year, a group of incubation platforms with capital and strength began to develop corresponding science fiction literary creations in the fields of animation and games. Science fiction is a by-product of modernization and a cosmopolitan language that spans civilizations. The rise of Chinese science fiction at this moment represents China's response to modernization and its concern and imagination for the future of all mankind.
Guo Fan, director of the movie "The Wandering Earth", said in an interview earlier: Compared with the United States, the income of China's science fiction works mainly comes from book sales and box office, and the upward space for the development of cultural and creative products and secondary designs around science fiction is very huge.
According to incomplete statistics, as of now, China's pan-science fiction readers, viewers and science fiction fans have totaled nearly 90 million people, which is close to a quarter of the total population of the United States. As an emerging cultural and creative industry, China's science fiction works take science fiction as the core, and the relevant directions of film and television, books, animation, games, maker space, etc., once the industrial chain is perfected, the development potential is amazing.
Sci-fi "Galactic Empire" author Asimov
Science fiction cultural and creative products are science-based fantasy products, with a certain degree of advanced consciousness, science and fantasy are two significant characteristics. With its peculiar functions, mysterious technology and visually impactful shapes, science fiction cultural and creative products can always make the audience shoot the case. Today, with the development of science and technology, many science fiction ideas about products that were originally limited to science fiction novels and movies have begun to be combined with realistic products, and have been materialized into touchable cultural and creative products, and even the research and development of some products has broken through the bottleneck of technology and materials, and gradually entered people's daily lives and become an indispensable tool.
For example, headphones, now we feel that headphones are taken for granted, in fact, the idea of headphones began to appear as early as the novel "Fahrenheit 451" published in 1950; for example, video calls, the science fiction scene of video calls has appeared in the novel "Ralph 124C 41+" published in 1911.
"Pisces Dome Science Fiction World"
The tourism cultural and creative industry based on science fiction has also brought exciting news. Wang Min, vice president of the Pacific Asia Travel Association, said that the second generation of theme parks with miniature landscapes, new playgrounds, film and television cities, program performances, etc. as the main elements are based on science fiction literature and film and television works, and the "Pisces Dome Science Fiction World" we have created through work licensing and post-processing production, from visual and auditory to create a grand sensory experience for tourists, and show the charm of Chinese science fiction works in a way that is different from traditional forms. He also revealed that the "Pisces Dome Science Fiction World" will land in 10 cities across the country in the next 5 years.
Science fiction literary innovation opportunities Sound products bring new science fiction experiences
With the explosive growth of the mainland science fiction industry, science fiction cultural and creative products have ushered in new development opportunities. The industry has raised such a question: in addition to the science fiction cultural and creative products dominated by traditional publishing, movies, animation, games, etc., can audio dominated by "hearing" become a "new outlet"?
Recently, the famous domestic science fiction journal "Science Fiction World" launched the "Sound Science Fiction Magazine" business for the first time - based on the "Science Fiction World" and "Science Fiction World • Junior Edition" journals, through professional sound performances and sound effect packaging, the formation of radio dramas, voice reading, multi-person broadcasting and other sound products, to create a new model of science fiction cultural creation.
According to reports, "Compared with visually-led text, images, and video science fiction works, the advantages of auditory-led science fiction works are: First, 'single, linear' audio will continuously output the information flow, providing accurate attention for the audience; Secondly, it has the characteristics of companionship, does not require the audience's visual attention lock, and is suitable for the current 'multi-threaded, fragmented' digital culture consumption scenario. Combining the two, audio consumers don't have to focus too much and capture the key to the flow of information at the right time. ”
Compared with other themes, science fiction audio magazines have a more complex production process, one is that the "sound bed" will be used to lay the tone of the entire work in the creation, and then special sound effects will be produced according to specific needs to create the overall texture, including but not limited to mechanical, organic, cosmic sound effects and so on. Second, before the text is transformed into a sound work, it is necessary to convert the text script into a sound script, and the science fiction theme will be more changeable than the script of other themes, and the creator needs to open a larger 'brain hole' to build the science fiction world in the audio work.
Experts pointed out that under the background of the booming science fiction cultural industry, through more and more convenient hardware devices and audio reading as the core form, we will create a free, lightweight and high-quality science fiction cultural and creative product consumption experience for consumers; Provide producers with comprehensive, rich and accurate cultural and creative market demand information.
Raz, secretary general of the Sichuan Science Fiction Society and editor-in-chief of Science Fiction World magazine, said: "Audio magazine is to realize the multi-dimensionality of paper magazines, transmit words in the form of sound, create a 'parallel world' that is beyond two dimensions, give readers the beauty of hearing and synaesthesia, and awaken the intersection and connection of multiple senses when reading, which can be said to be a new reading experience." In recent years, the mainland audiobook market has maintained a growth rate of more than 30%. Audio reading, which can be applied to multiple scenes and fragmented time, is gradually affecting people's reading habits. ”
Text/Guangzhou Daily, New Flower City Reporter: Wu Bo
Photo/ Guangzhou Daily, Xinhuacheng reporter: Wu Bo
Video/Guangzhou Daily Xinhuacheng Reporter: Wu Bo
Correspondent: Xing Xiaoying
Guangzhou Daily New Flower City Editor: Li Yani