Industry

People:

Chu Tien-wen
Du Duzhi (Sound engineer)
Mark Lee Ping Bin
Wu Nianzhen (aka Wu Nien-jen)
Xiao Ye


Industry:

Censorship
CMPC




History of the industry:

Role of James Soong, a film buff high up in government: Reorganised the national film awards, the Golden Horse awards, encouraged Taiwan films entry in international competitions, updated film laws and tax reductions on ticket sales. [John A. Lent]

In early 1982 the GIO introduced a film law that reclassified cinema as a “cultural enterprise” rather than an “amusement enterprise’’ (comparable to bars, brothels, and dance halls). This change immediately upgraded cinema to a different, higher tier within government administration. Reduction of taxes and tariffs on film, as well as subsidy programs and relaxation of censorship were to be implemented; government was now obliged to assist rather than simply regulate film development. In addition, a two-tier classification system (restricted and general) would be implemented for the first time. This allowed a market differentiation in widening the scope of audience demographics in the hope of increasing film consumption. Second, the drop in preproduction censorship allowed a more efficient management of film production. Films could be made without submitting scripts to authorities.

In 1986, quotas limiting imported films, mainly US, are lifted. (Lent)

"With help from American and multinational investors, the KMT oversaw Taiwan's rapid passage to post-industrial society. Until martial law was lifted in 1987, prompting some democratic reforms, film production was strictly controlled by the government. Nonetheless, alongside officially promoted films, a commercial Taiwanese cinema flourished, producing films on Hong Kong models, and it was common for Hong Kong films to be shot in Taiwan" [Chaudhuri]




Key terms:

• Taiyu pian: low-budget, quickly made, often serialised Taiwanese-language films made for the majority of native Taiwanese speakers, many hundreds were made in the 1950s and '60s.
• 'Healthy realism' (jiankang xieshi zhuyi)
• New Taiwan Cinema

Resources:
http://www.academia.edu/4377262/A_Brief_History_of_Taiwan_Cinema