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China offers a great many potential business opportunities for Australian producers, but there are also many potential traps. What do you need to know before you start developing a co-production or making the most of your content?
April Ye has worked on co-productions in China for the past 14 years, mainly in facilitation production services for foreign filmmakers filming in China. These were primarily larger productions such as Skyfall. She has begun working this year for Film Finances China. She pointed out that China has been undergoing major changes in the past five years, particularly in the film industry. It was formerly major studios making films, but now “many ambassadors from outside of the industry want to come to China to make films.” One of the aims of Film Finances China is to provide that bridge. Part the business involves setting up an escrow account as part of their completion guarantee service, and with nine offices around the world, they know who the people are – it takes the guesswork out of things.
