Film, TV experts highlight global appeal of 'super IPs'

Film and television executives, professionals in the animation and gaming fields, industry experts, and academic representatives from home and abroad gathered at the 11th Annual Global Film Industry Value Chain Development Forum, which is part of the ongoing 27th Shanghai International Film Festival, held in Shanghai on June 15.

Organized by the Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (USC-SJTU) in collaboration with the Motion Picture Association of America, they discussed the construction of the film and television IP industry chain, and the new IP ecosystem of Chinese films, televisions, animations and games, exploring sustainable development pathways for China's film and television industry.

Ye Ning, senior vice-president of iQIYI, said the enormous potential of the Chinese film market lies in shaping "super IPs" with global appeal. He described super IPs as entities that evoke deep spiritual resonance and emotional value among audiences. He also stressed the importance of copyright protection and continuous operation for successful super IPs.

Several senior executives from film and television investment companies said the core values of film and television IPs lie in meeting people's spiritual needs after material consumption upgrade, with the commercial essence being payment for emotional resonance. They suggested the development of a comprehensive consumption ecosystem covering retail, cultural tourism, and other fields, integrating cultural values deeply in high-frequency scenarios.

Bennett Pozil, executive vice-president and head of corporate banking at the East West Bank, praised the international potential of Chinese films. He suggested that the Chinese IP industry chain adopt diversified strategies, actively embrace emerging channels, such as gaming, short videos, and e-commerce on social platforms, and build a broader network to penetrate the global consumption scenes to sustainably unleash IP values.

Aiming to build a platform for comprehensive exchange and cooperation across the film industry chain, the forum focused on topics such as the industrialization of Chinese films, digital technology, IP incubation, and the integration of industry, academia and research, to promote the integration of films with technology, cultural tourism, the internet, and other fields. Nearly 100 influential figures from the industry, including executives from Hollywood film companies, and renowned directors and producers, participated in the forum, making it one of the most influential events in the Shanghai International Film Festival dedicated to promoting Sino-US film industry dialogue.