- #98 How has China's pro-wrestling scene changed (with Following the yuan)
Before Covid, WWE and UFC were key to push the envelope of MMA in China, now, independent promotion companies like Middle Kingdom Wrestling are left to pick up the momentum. Featuring - Adrian Gomez: Middle Kingdom Wrestling - Founder To go further - Middle Earth episode #65 China’s winter sports market : How to get 300 million snow enthusiasts? - Middle Earth episode#51 Pop Mart : How to Make an Addictive Toy (featuring Yang Yaling) With thanks to Yang Yaling of Following the yuan for co-producing the episode and Middle Kingdom Wrestling for poster’s picture. Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project, like shooting your next documentary, or are looking for a specific talent, please get in touch! Chinese speaker? Follow our Bilibili account 阿拉丁_说电影
- #97 China’s (high-end) fashion industry
With a forecast revenue of 370 billion USD in 2024 market size, roughly three times the size of the US market and Europe, China's apparel market is home to up and coming fashion brands as well as big brands buying up international competitors. What can insiders share from that industry? Featuring - Li Boyan: Fashion Photographer - Lucrezia Seu: Plush Consulting - Founder - CK Zhang : 张本赛含之 SAIANZI - Founder To go further - Middle Earth episode #93 Invisible Summit: One Blind Person’s Journey to 8,848 Meters - Middle Earth episode #24 Dealing with the diaspora: Catering to Chinese clients abroad - Talking Shop, article by Emily Conrad for The World of Chinese Magazine - Turning the Tide, article by He Yingzi - Vintage Values, article by Hatty Liu Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project like shooting your next film or look for a specific talent, please get in touch! Chinese speaker? Follow our Bilibili account 阿拉丁_说电影 With thanks to Ren Jiayin for production assistant, Sean Calvo for music support and Lucrezia Seu for poster picture.
- #96 How Chinese micro-series are trying to reach international audiences
Potentially succeeding where Quibi failed, several Chinese apps (DramaBox, Reelshort) alongside others (Pocket FM, Good Novel) are pushing for 1-minute episodes of micro-series. Often depicted as being of trashy quality, they do seem to attract some eyeballs. Yet, what are the creative conditions to produce such Fifty Shades-esque stories, and is the market where we think it is? Featuring - Jack Li: Scriptwriter - Anaïs Clément : Actress and Theatre Maker - Yang Tingting: TWOC - Journalist To go further - Middle Earth episode #59 China micro-series’s boom - Middle Earth episode #08 How to Make a Movie in 14 Days - High Stakes in Short Takes: China’s Booming Micro-Drama Business, article by Yang Tingting - the international micro-series "The Double Life of My Billionaire Husband" - the chinese micro-series 《我在八零年代当后妈》 Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project like shooting your next film or look for a specific talent, please get in touch! Chinese speaker? Follow our Bilibili account 阿拉丁_说电影 With thanks to Sean Calvo for music support. The World of Chinese Magazine A magazine about Chinese society, culture, history, arts, language, and more. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
- #95 Chinese Web Novels: The Hidden Golden Goose? (Publishing industry - part 2)
Started as a grassroots movement in the early Chinese internet, web novels slowly became a powerhouse of China’s cultural industry by producing powerful IPs. How did this industry came to be? Featuring - Tage : Author - Wei Xiaoma : IP Licensing Manager - Yang Zeyi : Technology Reporter To go further - Middle Earth episode #92 How writers, bookstore owners, and printers survive in China’s publishing industry - Middle Earth episode #69 The Seducing Power of IPs - Middle Earth episode #90 Women in China’s Cultural Industries - Middle Earth episode #79 Exploring Wuxia (think "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") - Bitter No More: How Young Chinese Became Obsessed With TCM, article by Shao Yefan - China is reinventing the way the world reads, article by Yang Zeyi Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project like shooting your next film or look for a specific talent, please get in touch! Chinese speaker? Follow our Bilibili account 阿拉丁_说电影 With thanks to Ren Jiayin for production assistant, Li Muyuan for voice over and Sean Calvo for music support. The World of Chinese Magazine A magazine about Chinese society, culture, history, arts, language, and more. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
- #94 Traditional Chinese Medicine – The Needling Truth
With a 800 billion yuan market size and 1/5 of the doctor’s workforce, TCM is a force to be reckoned with in China. How did the field keeps reinventing itself and why does Chinese youth gets more attracted by it? Featuring - Martin Eriksson : TCM doctor - ShaoYefan (邵叶凡) : TWOC - freelancer - Wu Yanmin : Ori-Bio - Co-founder To go further - Middle Earth episode #82 Understanding China’s national park & scenic areas - Bitter No More: How Young Chinese Became Obsessed With TCM, article by Shao Yefan Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project like shooting your next film or look for a specific talent, please get in touch! Chinese speaker? Follow our Bilibili account 阿拉丁_说电影 With thanks to Ren Jiayin for production assistant, Wu Daozhi for fact-checking, Kian2018 for picture illustration and Sean Calvo for music support. The World of Chinese Magazine A magazine about Chinese society, culture, history, arts, language, and more. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
- #93 Invisible Summit: One Blind Person's Journey to 8,848 Meters
New documentary Invisible Summit 《看不见的顶峰》tells the epic story of how Zhang Hong became the first blind Asian person to climb the world’s tallest mountain. On this podcast, director Fan Lixin (LAST TRAIN HOME) discusses how he filmed Zhang’s extraordinary journey and what he learned during the making of the movie. Featuring - Fan Lixin (范立欣): Documentary Director - Liu Yuan (刘元): Producer To go further - Middle Earth episode #78 Revving Up China’s New Biker Culture - Middle Earth episode #72 Film Distribution: How to Succeed at China’s Box Office How to support the film? - Tell your friends living in China to buy a ticket for the week-end of the 27th of October - Find the film on 猫眼 app and click on 想看 - And if you know an international TV commissioner that could be interested by the film, let's be in touch ;) Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project like shooting your next film or look for a specific talent, please get in touch! Chinese speaker? Follow our Bilibili account 阿拉丁_说电影 With thanks to Sean Calvo for music support. The World of Chinese Magazine A magazine about Chinese society, culture, history, arts, language, and more. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
- #92 How writers, bookstore owners, and printers survive in China’s publishing industry (Publishing industry - part 1)
China’s book market is the second largest in the world, with people reading around 6 billion books a year. But how easy is it for small publishers, bookstores, and writers to get a piece of this pie? And how are digital alternatives to physical books impacting writers and small businesses and writers? Featuring - Chen Qiufan (陈楸帆): Writer & Futurist - Liu Jue: TWOC – Managing editor - Li Suwan (李苏皖): Maziren Bookstore (码字人书店) - Owner To go further - Middle Earth episode #95 Chinese Web Novels: The Hidden Golden Goose? - Middle Earth episode #91 How to Publish a Magazine for 100 Issues - Middle Earth episode #25 How to publish a book in China - "The Dark Room Problem" short story written by Chen Qiufan (陈楸帆) and published by The World of Chinese Magazine - How China’s Small-Town Bookstores Innovate to Survive, article by by The World of Chinese Magazine - Bookish Dreams: The fantasy of owning an independent bookstore lingers for China’s idealists, article by by The World of Chinese Magazine Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project like shooting your next documentary or look for a specific talent, please get in touch! Chinese speaker? Follow our Bilibili account 阿拉丁_说电影 With thanks to Sean Calvo for music support. The World of Chinese Magazine A magazine about Chinese society, culture, history, arts, language, and more. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
- A new show!【票房指南09】《封神第一部》中国电影终于打造出自己的指环王了吗?
Not sure if you could stand my broken Chinese, but I started a new show regarding China's latest box office called 票房指南 as a part of an ongoing effort to become a true 网红... The Middle Earth Podcast will return next week. Links Subscribe to 票房指南 on podcast app 小宇宙 : Link Subscribe to 票房指南 on social media Bilibili : Link 原本担心这会是一部古装特效烂片,看过后却成为今年暑期的一大惊喜。 但是,《封神第一部》还有哪些地方可以改进?号称30亿预算的封神三部曲能实现盈利吗? 涉及到的电影: 《阿修罗》2018年 《指环王》2001-2003年 《蜘蛛巢城》1957年 《七武士》1954年
- #91 How to Publish a Magazine for 100 Issues
It's not every day that a magazine publishes its 100th issue—but Middle Earth's distributor, The World of Chinese, has reached this important milestone after 17 years of publication. We want to look at how an English-language magazine based in Beijing sustains itself and evolves into a multimedia platform (including podcasts) for human-centered stories from China. Featuring - Hatty Liu: TWOC - Former managing editor 2019-2023 - Liu Jue: TWOC - co-managing editor - Doug Hughes: International education expert Buy your ticket for The World of Chinese's 100th issue event in Beijing on the 31th of August : https://yoopay.cn/event/89241330 Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project like shooting your next documentary or look for a specific talent, please get in touch! Chinese speaker? Follow our Bilibili account 阿拉丁_说电影 With thanks to Sean Calvo for music support.
- #90 Women in China’s Cultural Industries
Women perform up to 50 percent of the jobs in China's cultural industries, but are they getting equal opportunities and compensation as men? In this episode, guests from the world of film, TV, visual arts, and journalism discuss the barriers female leaders and employees still face in their industries, and the benefits of more gender diversity in the workplace. Featuring - Li Muyuan : Gushi FM - Producer - Hatty Liu : Journalist & Former TWOC Managing Editor - Luka Yang : Visual Artist & Filmmaker To Go Further - "Women’s Work" article by The World of Chinese Magazine - "Getting Rights Wrong" article by The World of Chinese Magazine - "Hidden Harassment" article by The World of Chinese Magazine Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project, like shooting your next documentary or looking for a specific talent, please get in touch! Chinese speaker? Follow our Bilibili account 阿拉丁_说电影 With thanks to Sean Calvo for music support. The World of Chinese Magazine A magazine about Chinese society, culture, history, arts, language, and more. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
- #89 Georges Berne: 4 decades of lighting design accross the world (Winland Art Podcast)
Today I plug in a new show that I'm working on where we interviewed Georges Berne, a true master in the art of lighting design who worked on the Mona Lisa. Today, he reflects on his long career and shares his thoughts on his work. Winland Art Podcast Architecture is solidified art, and art is the soul of architecture. Created by the Carte Blanche art team from in Beijing, Winland Art Podcast show focuses on the global art stage. In our show we discuss the challenges faced by those working in the art field with a focus on hot issues in the art world such as cross-cultural creation and China’s current art world scene. The Carte Blanche space was founded in 2019 and is located at Winland IFC, 7 Finance Street, Beijing. Subscribe to the Winland Art Podcast wherever you listen to your podcast or at : https://podcast.winlandcorp.com To know more Website: https://winlandcenter.com/en/here WeChat Account: 英蓝集团 Winland Instagram: @WinlandCorp
- #88 Is Anyone Tipping China's Content Creators?
A billion internet users means a lot of followers for some content creators in China. But with ad revenue dropping China’s economy is slowing down, are tips and patrons a viable alternative for creators? Featuring - Lulu | 璐璐 : LHH Speak Easy ( 璐璐的英文小酒馆 ) - Founder - Luigi Liu : BtoZ-Movie - Founder To go further - "Career Fans" article by The World of Chinese Magazine - Middle Earth episode #87 How local government & foundations sponsor culture in China - Middle Earth episode #50 Xiaohongshu : Marrying content and e-commerce - Middle Earth episode #29 Online KOL marketing in China Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project like shooting your next documentary or look for a specific talent, please get in touch! Chinese speaker? Follow our Bilibili account 阿拉丁_说电影 With thanks to Sean Calvo for music support. The World of Chinese Magazine A magazine about Chinese society, culture, history, arts, language, and more. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
- #87 How local government & foundations sponsor culture in China
Culture is expensive, and China makes no exception to that. Without the support of public and private entities, many artists could not create anything or be overly commercial. After getting through the regulations hurdle, what kind of art are supported by the big companies and local governments? Featuring - Yilin Chen : Winland Group - Art Project Director - Elie Rosenberg : Impromptu - Co-Founder - He Xin : former real estate consultant To go further - "Dream Factory" article by The World of Chinese Magazine - Middle Earth episode #36 Transforming a Chinese movie studio - Middle Earth episode #60 The Golden Age of China's Museums? - Middle Earth episode #82 Understanding China’s national park & scenic areas Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project like shooting your next documentary or look for a specific talent, please get in touch! Chinese speaker? Follow our Bilibili account 阿拉丁_说电影 With thanks to Ren Jiayin for production assistant, Sean Calvo for music support, Eleven Labs for the AI voice and Leeluv for the poster picture. The World of Chinese Magazine A magazine about Chinese society, culture, history, arts, language, and more. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
- #86 Surviving the cutthroat world of e-commerce in China, with Dr Lin Zhang author of "The Labor of Reinvention"
For a decade or more, rural Chinese have been setting up online stores in their homes, hoping to make a living through e-commerce rather than factory work or farming. But any easy money there was in online selling is beginning to dry up. Village neighbors have been pitted against each other in competition for customers, unscrupulous merchants copy products and images from competitors with impunity, while rural residents also struggle to keep up with evolving trends like livestreaming. For over 10 years Dr Lin Zhang followed several of these rural entrepreneurs and their families, culminating in her latest book The Labor of Reinvention - Entrepreneurship in the New Chinese Digital Economy. Featuring - Dr Lin Zhang : University of New Hampshire Professor, author of The Labor of Reinvention - Entrepreneurship in the New Chinese Digital Economy Where to buy the book - The Labor of Reinvention, published by Columbia University Press https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-labor-of-reinvention/9780231551298 To go further - Middle Earth episode #01 How to be internet famous in China (Part 1 of "China's internet and creation") - Middle Earth episode #29 Online KOL marketing in China Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project like shooting your next documentary or look for a specific talent, please get in touch! Chinese speaker? Follow our Bilibili account 阿拉丁_说电影 With thanks to Sean Calvo for music support.
- #85 How “patriotic influencers” gain millions of fans in China
As China becomes more assertive on the global stage with its diplomacy and state media, “patriotic KOLs” have appeared on domestic Chinese social media platforms, influencing the political opinions of their millions of fans. But how do KOLs craft their message to be successful, and who’s paying their bills? Featuring - Fang Kecheng : The Chinese University of Hong Kong - Assistant Professor - Miro Li : Double V. Consulting - Founder To go further - Middle Earth episode #50 Xiaohongshu : Marrying content and e-commerce - Nikkei Asia's article : China’s online nationalist army - 孤烟暮蝉 (Guyanmuchan ) on Weibo - 心医林霖 (xīnyīlínlín) on Bilibili - 周小平 (Zhou Xiaoping), WeChat ID : 平局 - 占豪 (Zhan Hao), WeChat ID : 占豪 - 北美留学生观察, WeChat ID : 北美留学生观察 Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project like shooting your next documentary or look for a specific talent, please get in touch! Chinese speaker? Follow our Bilibili account 阿拉丁_说电影 With thanks to Wen Jiayin for production assistance, episode's picture by maono闪克 and Sean Calvo for music support. The World of Chinese Magazine A magazine about Chinese society, culture, history, arts, language, and more. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.