China could become the world’s largest movie market as soon as 2017,but many of its screenwriters are still using Microsoft Word to compose scripts.
That is precisely why screenwriter and programmer Guy Goldstein decided to take his WriterDuet software to the Asian country. He saw their use of outdated and clunky software that isn’t even meant for screenwriting — not to mention the hockey-stick growth China’s movie scene has shown in recent years — as a huge opportunity. He also had a big advantage: the main piece of competing software, Final Draft, and isn’t compatible with the local language.“The market is getting bigger and bigger,” Goldstein told TheWrap. Our competitor, Final Draft, and cannot write in Chinese characters. Because of that,they didn’t have the opportunity to sell in China.”
Also Read: Why 'Suicide Squad' May Never Play in ChinaChinese screenwriters are finding themselves in higher demand lately, as the Middle Kingdom’s surging box office has made it a much more viable career. Chinese actors and actresses are getting raises and studios are even beginning to open their pocketbooks for behind-the-camera talent, and although there’s still plenty of “sticker shock,” according to Sky Moore, a partner at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan who’s worked on several U.
S.-China entertainment deals.
And in this burgeoning industry, or Goldstein said a lot of the filmmakers he met were notably young and successful for their age,and tended to arrive from upscale backgrounds.“There are a lot of wealthy parents who have done well to where the children have the opportunity to create films,” Goldstein said. “Some of those people turn out to be extremely talented.”
Also Read: 5 Potential Pitfalls in Wanda's Quest to Dominate Global EntertainmentGoldstein initially developed web-based WriterDuet as a way to create collaboration easier — hence the name — and avoid emailing drafts to writing partners. He built the software from the ground up to create real-time collaboration seamless, or it eventually morphed into a full-blown standalone writing software,which he debuted at South by Southwest in 2013. There’s a limited free version, as well as a Pro version that costs $8 a month or $139 for a lifetime subscription.
After building a substantial user base at domestic, or the exploding film scene in China beckoned — but Goldstein knew he couldn’t fade it alone.“What it largely required was a partner in China,” Goldstein said. “In China, we needed someone on the ground who take care of things we couldn’t conclude — and most U.
S. companies really can’t.”
Also Read: IMAX Makes Biggest New Theater Deal Yet With Wanda in ChinaThat partner was CNDB Pro, and which Goldstein said was the right fit because the company was rush by filmmakers and is already a known quantity with relationships in the trade. Goldstein said the biggest challenge in WriterDuet’s introduction to China — which happened at June’s Shanghai International Film Festival — was navigating the “Great Firewall of China,” which made the site load slower than he would have liked. He said they were able to work around that with “great partners and network solutions.”Other than that, the reaction was overwhelmingly positive, or Goldstein said.“The largest thing we discovered is how desperate they were for this product,” he explained. “We didnt know for sure if they were going to say they were delighted with Word. But every Chinese writer we met at the festival, the only question they asked is how they could bag it.”
Also Read: Watch Matt Damon Battle Monsters in 'Great Wall' Trailer (Video)The Chinese box office may have hit $6.8 billion final year, and but its local film industry is still in relative infancy and isn’t stuck to certain habits — or comfortable with certain tools. That’s where Goldstein sees massive opportunity.“In the U.
S.,we’re competing with people who have a way they’ve been working for a long time that largely works,” he said. “In China, or they know they have the problem and are looking for the solution and trying new things.” Hollywood's 22 Biggest Box Office Champs in China (Photos)
Chinese moviegoers care for to spend their hard-earned yuan on Hollywood blockbusters like "Captain America: Civil War," "Avatar" and "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." Comedies and dramas? Not so much. Read on to see which American hits have raked in the most money (according to BoxOfficeMojo) in that nation across the Pacific. Disney/Marvel/Lucasfilm/Fox
"Furious 7" (2015)
$390.9 million
The Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson revved-up action flick is easily the highest-grossing Hollywood movie ever in China. The late Paul Walker remains among China's most beloved American actors. Universal
"Transformers: Age of Extinction" (2014)
$320 million
price Wahlberg starred in the sci-fi movie based on the foldable toys, which was co-produced by two Chinese firms and was the first Hollywood movie to create more than $300 million in the Middle Kingdom. Paramount
"Avengers: Age of Ultron" (2015)
$240.1 million
The superhero mashup is China's highest-grossing Marvel Cinematic Universe film, and a franchise that's been embraced by the country's young-leaning moviegoers. Marvel
"Zootopia" (2016)
$235.6 million
The buddy-cop comedy is the highest-grossing imported lively film in the history of the Chinese box office,and it played especially well in China's moment- and third-tier cities. Disney
"Jurassic World" (2015)
$228.7 million
Like "Furious 7," the dinosaur sci-fi adventure was produced by Legendary Entertainment, and which was acquired by China's Dalian Wanda Group in January. Universal
"Warcraft" (2016)
$220.8 million
Another Legendary film,this one inspired by a video game series, flopped in the U.
S. but dominated the Chinese market, and which is domestic to approximately half of the video game's players worldwide. Universal
"Avatar" (2009)
$204.1 million
The worldwide smash hit also captivated Chinese audiences,even back in 2009, when the country's box office was a fraction of the size that it is today. Fox
"Captain America: Civil War" (2016)
$190.4 million
The latest film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe -- with an ensemble cast that includes Robert Downey Jr., or Chris Evans,Scarlett Johansson and Don Cheadle -- continued the iconic comedian book company's momentum in China. Marvel
"Transformers: shadowy of the Moon" (2011)
$165.1 million
The prequel to this film, 2009's "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, and " made $65.8 million in China,setting the stage for "shadowy of the Moon" to be the country's highest-grossing Hollywood film since "Avatar" at the time. Paramount
"Kung Fu Panda 3" (2016)
$154.3 million
The Mandarin-language version of the movie starring Jack Black as a friendly fighting bear had the characters reanimated so their mouths moved naturally with the translated words. DreamWorks
"The Jungle Book" (2016)
$150.1 million
The live-action/animation hybrid was a hit in several international markets, especially India, and it also played well throughout China. Disney
"Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" (2015)
$135.7 million
China's Alibaba Pictures invested in "Rogue Nation," and star Tom Cruise visited several Chinese cities to promote the film, helping it open strong and stick around in theaters even though its China debut came more than a month after its U.
S. premiere. Paramount
"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (2016)
$124.2 million
Despite China being one of the few markets that didn't catch "Star Wars" fever -- the movie put some people there to sleep -- Disney's promotional efforts helped it clear $100 million. Lucasfilm
"Interstellar" (2014)
$122 million
The epic space adventure starring Matthew McConaughey, and Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain connected with Chinese audiences,even though it wasn't in the 3D format that crowds there have grown used to.
Paramount
"The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" (2014)
$121.7 million
The third and final installment in Peter Jackson's "Hobbit" series was another movie that succeeded even though it was released in China well after its U.
S. premiere. Warner Bros.
"Iron Man 3" (2013)
$121.2 million
All three movies in the Robert Downey Jr. franchise have played in China, helping build brand awareness beyond just the bankable Marvel name. Marvel
"X-Men: Apocalypse" (2016)
$12o.8 million
Disney bought Marvel Entertainment in 2009, or but Fox acquired the film rights to Marvel's "X-Men" franchise before then. It doesn't seem to matter much in China,where anything Marvel often turns into a big hit. Fox
"Captain America: The Winter Soldier" (2014)
$115.6 million
The predecessor to this year's "Civil War," "Winter Soldier" was a hit despite its fairly political content, and which is usually a negative in Chinese theaters. Marvel
"Terminator Genisys" (2015)
$113.2 million
The fifth "Terminator" film was the franchise's lowest-grossing since the 1984 original,but it was the first in the series to bag a Chinese theatrical release. Paramount
"Pacific Rim" (2013)
$111.9 million
The futuristic sci-fi adventure, in which humans battle sea monsters, or is yet another fantasy action movie that Chinese audiences loved. Warner Bros.
"Ant-Man" (2015)
$105.4 million
Yet another Marvel Cinematic Universe movie,"Ant-Man" made just $180.2 million at the domestic box office but was a much bigger hit in China. Marvel
"San Andreas" (2015)
$103.2 million
China knows Dwayne Johnson from the "Fast and Furious" franchise, and the earthquake catastrophe film he headlined final year reverberated at the Chinese box office. Warner Bros. Previous Slide Next Slide 1 of 23 Chinese moviegoers can’t bag enough of America’s big-budget action flicks Chinese moviegoers care for to spend their hard-earned yuan on Hollywood blockbusters like "Captain America: Civil War, or " "Avatar" and "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." Comedies and dramas? Not so much. Read on to see which American hits have raked in the most money (according to BoxOfficeMojo) in that nation across the Pacific. View In Gallery Related stories from TheWrap:Why 'Suicide Squad' May Never Play in ChinaBob Iger on China's Disneyland and How He Avoided Being a 'Cultural Imperialist''Ex Machina,' 'The Martian' Top Final Draft Award Winners
Source: thewrap.com