In recent years, with the widespread popularity of the Internet and the accelerated application of technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence, short video platforms have become a new hotspot in the era of mobile Internet. The live streaming industry has evolved from the 1.0 era, with cultural live streaming being highly acclaimed, driving a new transformation in the live streaming model. The "culturally-rich" live streaming ecosystem is actively being constructed.
At the same time, a new form of online audiovisual content, called micro-dramas, which are characterized by their short duration, compact plots, and flexibility akin to web series combined with the mobility of short videos, is thriving. In 2023, the explosively popular "Escape from the British Museum" and "Twenty-Nine" are both showcasing different innovative paths in content for current micro-dramas, demonstrating the immense potential for the future development of micro-dramas.
However, due to the low entry barrier of short video platforms, content creation has often exhibited non-professional characteristics, leading to homogenization and vulgarization in its rapid development. It is imperative to guide and regulate the professional innovation of content creation on these platforms.
Amidst this wave, many cultural institutions have also joined the live streaming trend. Live streaming rewards enhance the market-oriented income of cultural and artistic workers and units, improving their reliance on government funding. According to a previous report by China News Network, in April of last year, the Panjin Art Troupe began experimenting with live streaming. Their live broadcast brought together ethnic singing, pop singing, and classical singing, attracting a peak of one thousand viewers online for the first time. Currently, some actors earning around 3,000 CNY per month can receive over ten thousand CNY in reward income through live streaming.
During this year's National Two Sessions, The Paper (www.thepaper.cn) interviewed Zhang Yi Wu, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and a professor at Peking University's Department of Chinese Language and Literature. Zhang Yi Wu affirmed the positive significance of internet live streaming and micro-dramas in promoting the development of cultural industries. However, he also pointed out that the current state of internet formats has exposed many problems in development, especially in the nascent stage of micro-dramas, which require strengthened regulations and guidance.
He suggested that relevant departments should increase support and guidance for the development of micro-dramas, further improve related management mechanisms, strengthen supervision, and provide more support to stakeholders such as micro-drama enterprises, talents, and platforms. For the international development of micro-dramas, more convenient policies should be provided.
National Committee Member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and Professor at the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Peking University, Zhang Yi Wu, provides insights:
Development of Live Streaming Facilitates a Win-Win Situation for Cultural Communication and Development
The dialogue between Zhang Yi Wu and a reporter from The Paper (Pengpai News):
The development of live streaming has brought about a win-win situation for cultural communication and cultural development.
The Paper: Some argue that live streaming tips have become the "new tickets" in today's artistic life, reflecting the public's encouragement and recognition of cultural and artistic workers. It's a consumption model that better aligns with the public's habit of "paying after enjoying." How do you view this?
Zhang Yi Wu: Nowadays, live streaming has become an indispensable part of public cultural life, expanding the reach of high-quality content. Many excellent actors, inheritors of intangible cultural heritage, and professionals participate in live streaming activities, interacting effectively with the audience, thus promoting culture and allowing the entire society to experience the charm of culture and enjoy a rich cultural life.
Live streaming tips are indeed akin to the so-called "new tickets." Just as you need a ticket to watch a performance or visit a museum, the same principle applies to live streaming rooms. When the audience highly appreciates the talent and ability of the host, they are willing to encourage and express gratitude through tipping.
In reality, tipping is a win-win situation for both the host and the audience, fostering positive interaction. For the audience, it's about gaining knowledge and aesthetic pleasure, deriving meaningful experiences. Similarly, for the host, it's a great form of encouragement, effectively facilitating the dissemination of high-quality cultural content.
The Paper: Case studies of live streaming in cultural institutions show that tipping enhances the market income of cultural workers and improves their operational development by reducing reliance on government funding. How do you view the model of individuals and institutions using live streaming for profit?
Zhang Yi Wu: Currently, many cultural institutions still mainly rely on government financial support, but such support is limited. Many local theater groups, museums, and cultural centers with regional characteristics may not receive sufficient support.
These cultural institutions seek to enhance and improve their facilities to better serve the public, but there may still be funding gaps. Generating income through live streaming is a proactive approach that can help increase performance opportunities for the personnel within cultural institutions.
When a theater's performances are limited to the local audience, their reach is also limited, making it difficult for them to be seen by a national audience. However, these theaters often have many outstanding performers and rich cultural heritage. Such high-quality cultural resources require a larger platform. Internet live streaming platforms are now very mature, with standardized operations, and tipping mechanisms are relatively reasonable.
Audience tipping serves as both encouragement for performers and a source of income for local theaters, museums, and cultural centers. Public service by cultural institutions also requires income; only with income can there be positive interaction. The additional income generated by live streaming is crucial support for the sustainable development of cultural institutions, enabling cultural activities to continue sustainably.
Moreover, live streaming also contributes to the vitality of the cultural market, ensuring that it remains dynamic and providing a path for the healthy development of performers and entire theater groups.
The Paper: Opening tipping channels garners support from the audience, but realizing the effective empowerment of cultural and industrial sectors by digital media such as live streaming and short videos requires policy support. What specific recommendations do you have?
Zhang Yi Wu: Currently, digital transformation has had a profound impact on social life. New forms such as live streaming and short videos have far-reaching effects on the entire real economy's industrial chain and supply chain. Especially in selling cultural and creative products through live streaming, it not only brings profound changes to the real economy but also positively affects the cultural and creative industries and cultural institutions.
In terms of specific promotion measures, I believe we can start from the following aspects: Firstly, I suggest that cultural institutions explore diversified models, including live streaming, to better serve society. For example, actively conducting individual and group live streams, live stream competitions, etc.
Secondly, I suggest that cultural institutions incorporate live streaming practices into talent training and assessment systems, selecting a group of live streaming talents through assessments to form a communication matrix. By organizing offline performances, explanatory activities, etc., they can attract online fans of KOLs to consume culture offline.
Additionally, I recommend that cultural institutions, governments, internet platforms, and other parties jointly create cultural live streaming brands with local characteristics to promote the integration and development of culture and tourism industries.
The Paper: As knowledge producers, should university professors actively engage in live streaming to disseminate knowledge? Do you think it's appropriate for them to accept tipping during live streams? Are there conflicts between the logic of knowledge dissemination and traffic logic?
Zhang Yi Wu: As members of society, university professors need to fulfill their duties of educating students, conducting research, and serving society. However, many professionals and university professors are now entering the live streaming industry, interacting with the audience, and sharing professional knowledge and cutting-edge technology.
Regarding tipping, some people are opposed to it. Although we encourage altruistic contributions, I believe accepting tips is normal, just like regular ticket sales and salaries. As long as live streaming is conducted in accordance with the law and regulations, there will be no negative impact.
University professors have their expertise and are familiar with knowledge in their professional fields, enabling them to present it in a clear and understandable manner to the audience. This is a form of cultural and scientific dissemination and an effective means of knowledge dissemination, conducive to overall societal knowledge improvement.
The Rising Phenomenon of Micro Short Films
The rise of a cultural trend is actually a product of a common sentiment in society, reflecting the emotional structure of people in this era. How do you view the current trend of micro short films? What kind of emotional needs does it reflect in our era?
Zhang Yi Wu: Micro short films are currently experiencing significant development in two directions. On one hand, they are highly active domestically, with China's total box office revenue reaching over 500 billion CNY last year, while investment in micro short films has reached 40 billion CNY, attracting widespread attention from all sectors of society. On the other hand, they are also booming in the international market, becoming a new hotspot globally.
In fact, we can see that micro short films utilize the themes and creativity provided by Chinese online literature over the past decade. These themes and creativity have not only received great responses in China but also gained widespread popularity globally, including in developed countries like the United States. This indicates that its success is not accidental, but rather a result of social psychological factors, technological development, as well as the new opportunities and forms created by digital transformation. Genres like light-hearted comedies and nostalgic dramas are very relatable and resonate deeply with contemporary youth. And the dissemination of micro-short dramas through this new form of vertical screen has adapted to market demands, enhancing its own vitality while also attracting a wider audience.
Pengpai News: The revenue generated by movies and short dramas during this year's Spring Festival box office was 8 billion and 800 million CNY respectively. Although there is still a considerable gap in numbers, compared to the several billion or even tens of billions of investments in movies and traditional TV dramas, short dramas obviously have a higher cost-effectiveness. This low-cost, high-output industry naturally attracts a lot of attention from capital. What impact do you think the influx of capital will have on the development of micro-short dramas? Will micro-short dramas squeeze out or even replace the position of traditional TV dramas?
Zhang Yi Wu: After several years of development, it has been proven that micro-short dramas are very dynamic and vibrant. Their strong flexibility also determines their strong resource vitality in cultural creativity, which is why they have attracted a large amount of new capital. It is an industry with unlimited potential.
However, its growth rate is very fast, unlike movies which are relatively stable. Too much capital inflow will cause chaos and disorder. The phenomenon of homogenization will become more and more serious, and copyright and intellectual property rights will not be effectively protected. For capital, this is a very frightening thing because without a benign and orderly market, there will be a great risk of loss.
Of course, our relevant departments have also noticed these aspects. Some related industry regulations are being introduced one after another, and concentrated rectification is also underway, in order to keep the market active while also developing more standardizedly. At the same time, internet platforms also need to increase support for high-quality content and creators. Renowned directors like Stephen Chow and film companies have begun cooperation with platforms like TikTok for finely crafted short dramas, which helps the stable development of the micro-short drama industry.
The rapid growth of micro-short dramas will definitely bring fundamental changes to the future of the film and television industry. It can be seen that there are already quite a number of professionals in the film and television industry who are starting to value micro-short videos, and there are many professional actors both domestically and internationally who are entering the field of micro-short dramas. All of these prove that this field is vibrant and attractive, and its future development prospects are worth looking forward to.
Escaping the current dilemma and achieving sustained and healthy development of micro-short dramas
Pengpai News: Currently, the themes of micro-short dramas in the market are mainly centered around "Mary Sue" plots, refreshing plots, and rustic plots. Although more creators are joining in, micro-short dramas are still developing towards more reasonable scripts and better productions, but overall, they still remain in the realm of niche subcultures. How do you think micro-short dramas can find an innovative path and truly produce content with real significance?
Zhang Yi Wu: Currently, the biggest criticism of micro-short dramas is their quality. Some individual works may not even have correct values. So everyone hopes to provide positive guidance, establish corresponding regulatory mechanisms, and establish a reasonable award system.
Overall, micro-short dramas are in a stage of rising development. For example, during this year's Spring Festival, some micro-short dramas have already begun to gain popularity, generating good feedback and becoming the focus of discussion in society. However, the problem of homogenization is indeed quite serious, leading to audience aesthetic fatigue. Many micro-short dramas now cannot receive good market responses, and the quality of short dramas urgently needs to be improved. In fact, the traditional TV drama industry has also gone through similar stages, but now there are many high-quality TV dramas emerging, with high standards of creation and production.
In addition, we can organize exhibitions and screenings of micro-short dramas, fully utilizing the hot trend of domestic micro-short drama creation and promoting its localization.
Pengpai News: In January of this year, the State Administration of Radio and Television successively released and held the "Follow Micro-Short Dramas for Travel" creative plan and the "2024 Spring Festival Excellent Micro-Short Dramas Promotion Conference." What do you think the impact of such initiatives will be on the development of micro-short dramas? In the future, what other measures can be taken to continue promoting the healthy development of micro-short dramas?
Zhang Yi Wu: These activities are all very good and they promote the deep integration of short dramas and cultural tourism. They have important significance in promoting the development of cultural tourism by utilizing the advantages of storytelling in short dramas and promoting local characteristics.
Next, in order to promote the healthy development of micro-short dramas, I mainly have the following suggestions: First, increase support and guidance for the development of micro-short dramas. Relevant industry management departments should increase support for micro-short dramas, establish a mechanism for evaluating and selecting excellent micro-short dramas, such as setting up special awards for micro-short dramas and holding high-standard awards to reward outstanding works.
Second, further improve relevant management mechanisms and strengthen supervision. A dedicated agency can be established to promote the establishment of relevant industry associations and improve the long-term management mechanism. By continuously strengthening supervision and industry self-discipline, a sound management mechanism can be established regarding the industry and other aspects.
Third, pay attention to the creation mechanism of micro-short dramas and provide more support to related enterprises, talents, and platforms. For example, strengthen training and provide training for relevant practitioners of micro-short dramas, encourage the development of talents in the field of micro-short dramas.
Fourth, provide more incentives for the internationalization of micro-short dramas and support their overseas expansion.
I hope that government departments, platforms, and the public can all pay attention to and supervise the healthy development of micro-short dramas together, looking forward to more outstanding performances in the future.
