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Original Articles

Global Distribution Networks, Local Exhibition Alliances: Hollywood's New Map in Hong Kong

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Pages 835-847 | Received 27 May 2013, Accepted 30 Jun 2014, Published online: 27 Aug 2014
 

Abstract

Shin V. K. W. and Chiu S. W. K. Global distribution networks, local exhibition alliances: Hollywood's new map in Hong Kong, Regional Studies. Hollywood firms dominate the international film industry through their distribution networks, but how did they develop these networks and how have the networks helped their movies penetrate overseas markets? This paper demonstrates how Hollywood expanded its global distribution networks and capitalized on its competitive advantages in the resilient Asian film market of Hong Kong – once deemed the ‘Hollywood of the East’. The case study illustrates how the institutional change in Hong Kong's film industry restructured the global–local nexus between Hollywood distributors and Hong Kong cinemas, thereby allowing Hollywood movies to crowd out local productions in the market.

Shin V. K. W. and Chiu S. W. K. 全球的发行网络,在地的展演联盟:好莱坞在香港的新地图,区域研究。好莱坞的企业,透过其发行网络,支配了国际的电影工业,但它们如何建立这些网络?这些网络又如何协助其电影渗透海外市场?本文证明好莱坞如何扩张其全球发行网络,并在曾享有 “东方好莱坞” 盛名的香港恢復中的亚洲电影市场中,有效利用其竞争优势。本案例研究描绘出香港电影工业的制度变革,如何再结构好莱坞发行商与香港电影院之间的全球—在地连结,并藉此让好莱坞电影得已在市场中排挤在地製片。

Shin V. K. W. et Chiu S. W. K. Les réseaux de distribution mondiaux, la coopération aux expositions locales: la nouvelle carte de Hollywood à Hong Kong, Regional Studies. Les entreprises situées à Hollywood dominent l'industrie cinématographique internationale par le biais de leurs réseaux de distribution. Comment ont-elles développé ces réseaux et de quelle manière ces derniers ont-ils aidé leurs films à prendre pied sur les marchés extérieurs? Cet article montre comment Hollywood a étendu ses réseaux de distribution mondiaux et a tiré profit de son avantage compétitif dans le marché asiatique vigoureux du film de Hong Kong – autrefois considéré le ‘Hollywood de l'Est’. L’étude de cas montre comment le changement institutionnel de l'industrie cinématographique à Hong Kong a restructuré le lien tant mondial que local entre les distributeurs de Hollwood et les cinémas à Hong Kong, ce qui a permis ainsi aux films hollywoodiens d’évincer les productions locales sur le marché.

Shin V. K. W. und Chiu S. W. K. Globale Vertriebsnetze, lokale Aufführungsbündnisse: Hollywoods neuer Plan in Hongkong, Regional Studies. Hollywood-Firmen dominieren die internationale Filmindustrie aufgrund ihrer Vertriebsnetze – doch wie haben sie diese Netze aufgebaut, und wie haben die Netze zur Penetration ihrer Filme in ausländischen Märkten beigetragen? In diesem Beitrag wird gezeigt, wie Hollywood seine globalen Vertriebsnetze expandierte und von den Wettbewerbsvorteilen im robusten asiatischen Filmmarkt von Hongkong – das einst als ‘Hollywood des Ostens’ galt – profitierte. Die Fallstudie illustriert, wie die institutionellen Veränderungen in der Filmindustrie von Hongkong die global-lokale Verbindung zwischen den Vertriebshändlern von Hollywood und den Kinos von Hongkong neu strukturierten und es dadurch Hollywood-Filmen erlaubten, lokale Produktionen vom Markt zu verdrängen.

Shin V. K. W. y Chiu S. W. K. Redes de distribución globales, alianzas de exhibición locales: el nuevo mapa de Hollywood en Hong Kong, Regional Studies. Las empresas de Hollywood dominan la industria cinematográfica internacional a través de sus redes de distribución, pero ¿cómo desarrollaban estas redes y cómo podían las películas penetrar en los mercados internacionales con tales redes? En este artículo demostramos el modo en que Hollywood expandía sus redes de distribución globales y, gracias a sus ventajas competitivas, se consolidaba en el resistente mercado asiático de Hong Kong, en su día considerado el ‘Hollywood del Este’. El estudio de caso ilustra cómo el cambio institucional en la industria cinematográfica de Hong Kong reestructuró el nexo global–local entre los distribuidores de Hollywood y los cines de Hong Kong, permitiendo por tanto que las películas de Hollywood desplazasen a las producciones locales en el mercado.

JEL classifications:

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to John Thompson, Christel Lane, Peter Webb, David Levin, and the anonymous reviewers and editors of Regional Studies for their insightful comments on earlier drafts of this paper.

Notes

1. According to the definition given by Hong Kong Motion Picture Industry Association Ltd (MPIA) (Citation2009), ‘Hong Kong movies’ refer to the films produced by any registered company in Hong Kong. Fifty per cent or above of the ‘listed effective post(s)’ in the movie should also be taken up by Hong Kong permanent residents. These posts include ‘film producer, director, script writer, actor or actress’. Movies that fulfil these criteria are regarded as ‘Hong Kong movies’. Foreign movies refer to non-local movies imported into Hong Kong from other places.

2. Booking rights refer to the right to control how often and how long a movie will be put on screen.

3. Exhibition blocks refer to the period in which each movie is screened.

4. In Hong Kong, a cinema in traditional settings has only one to two screen(s) or house(s) with more than 1000 seats installed in each cinema.

5. Interview with a senior executive of Golden Harvest, Hong Kong, October 2009.

6. Same data sources as .

7. Multiplex cinemas are different from the traditional cinemas described above. They are equipped with at least three screens or houses, with each house containing fewer than 1000 seats.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the Public Policy Research Centre, the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies.

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