Send us a text As the Cannes festival ends, we interviewed some key player regarding how the biggest film festival in the world impacts Chinese cinema. Featuring - Cao Liuying : Parallax Films - Sales Agent - Clément Magar : Fortissimo Films - General Manager - Qu Zhizheng : Director & Cinematographer To go further - Middle Earth episode #44 Does China still make indie films? Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré . If you have a China-themed cultural pr...
May 24, 2025•41 min
Send us a text Nostalgia isn’t just a feeling—it’s also a powerful selling tool. Right as China's GDP growth slows and the future feels uncertain, consumers are increasingly drawn to products and stories that evoke the past. Whether it’s retro snacks or hit TV shows reviving bygone eras, some are tapping into a deep emotional connection. Featuring - Chu Dandan: TWOC - former editor-in-chief - Yaling Jiang: Consultant - Haoyue : Film Producer To go further - Middle Earth episode #54 What is the f...
Apr 08, 2025•34 min
Send us a text In recent months, China’s box office has faced significant challenges, making a recent development all the more remarkable. Recently the animated film Ne Zha 2 has skyrocketed into the global box office top 10 in just one month. With currently over 1.9 billion in revenue, the film has achieved two groundbreaking milestones: - It’s the first non-English film to break into this elite category. - It’s now the highest-grossing animated film worldwide, surpassing Inside Out 2, the prev...
Feb 28, 2025•33 min
Send us a text It has been a crazy week following the non-TikTok ban and witnessing real 'positive energy' on both sides of the Pacific. How did over 1 million Americans flock to RedNote/小红书? What hurdles lie ahead for us, and are there any potential business opportunities for international content creators? Featuring - Jim Fields: Relay Video - CEO (小红书: Jim技术咨询) - Lucy Lv: Culture news reporter (IG-TT: nihaolucylv) - Wang Zichen: Policy Expert (www.pekingnology.com) To go further - Middle Eart...
Jan 22, 2025•1 hr
Send us a text When the Middle Earth Podcast started years ago, it was hard to find any feminist mainstream cultural products. But recently, movies like HER STORY (好东西) and LIKE A ROLLING STONE (出走的决心), along with female stand-up comedians and influencers, have been making their way into the mainstream. How did these success stories come to be? Featuring - Xiaotong Jiang: Kudos Comedy - Founder - Jiaxi Wang: Scriptwriter & Director - Hayley Zhao: TWOC - Journalist & Editor To go further ...
Jan 08, 2025•53 min
Send us a text Hello everyone, the Middle Earth Podcast will continue as we enter 2025, but I call on all of you dear listeners as I’m great need of freelance work (or a full time position, let’s dream !). In case you are in needs of a: - corpo video creator - podcast expert - researcher - film editor - freelance producer - or PR expert Here is my company presentation ( Link ) and we can also connect on Linkedin ( Link ), it would always be great to know more of you. Wishing you all in advance h...
Dec 24, 2024•2 min
Send us a text Episode gracefully passed over by Jiang Jiang (JJ) from the Inside the China Room podcast show in order to have a second window of distribution ;) Enjoy ! To go further - Middle Earth episode #72 Film Distribution: How to Succeed at China’s Box Office - Middle Earth episode #44 Does China still make indie films? Original message This week on Inside the China Room , Jiang Jiang (JJ) welcomes Annie Song (宋晓佳) , a young Chinese film producer and art director of 林象文化 Jungle Vision , a...
Dec 05, 2024•47 min
Send us a text Despite China's reputation for having difficulty selling cultural products due to local regulations and the audience's taste, some do manage to bridge the Chinese audience with international content. Where do such opportunities lie, and how has the Chinese audience evolved over the years? Featuring - Marion Bertagna: MB Projects - Founder & Director - Sun Wenxin (aka Yoyo): Global Concert Organizer To go further - Middle Earth episode #87 How local government & foundations...
Oct 08, 2024•41 min
Send us a text China's first AAA game Black Myth: Wukong certainly caught the world's attention for its production value, commercial success, and controversies. How did the creative team pull that off, and why was this game considered the "perfect package"? Featuring - Daniel Ahmad: Niko Partners - Director of Research & Insights - Lundy Lan: Video Game Technical Artist - Jesse Young: Independent Researcher To go further - Middle Earth trilogy about Chinese video games industry : #67 Creatin...
Sep 08, 2024•53 min
Send us a text Leaving Chinese Tier 1 cities that are often the heartbeat of cultural creation and where artists can find patreons, we met two creatives that leave in remote artists communities. Leveraging cheap rent and the artistic community around them, they offer a testimony to creatives' never ending resourcefulness. Featuring - Guo Xiadong : Film Producer (in Songzhuang - near Beijing) - Ryan LaBar : Artist (in Jingdezhen - Jiangxi province) To go further - Middle Earth episode #20 Making ...
Aug 08, 2024•50 min
Send us a text As any taxi driver in China would tell you, the country is safe on every level. But that must make "true crime" storytellers' lives difficult. Therefore, how can those entertainers of the dark world propose to Chinese audiences? Featuring - A Yi (阿乙) : Writer - Eric Changan : Content Creator - Wapi : Content Creator & Writer To go further - Middle Earth episode #95 Chinese Web Novels: The Hidden Golden Goose? - Middle Earth episode #92 How writers, bookstore owners, and printe...
Jul 08, 2024•51 min
Send us a text After 224 guests, 4,439 minutes of content and 1 pandemic we are shamelessly celebrating Midde Earth – China’s cultural industry Podcast 100th episode! In order to make it big I have summoned all my supportive friends living in Beijing and we are today at Chill Bar for a live event to have quick introspection about the show, and so much more. Featuring - Aladin Farré : Content Producer & Middle Earth Podcast Founder - Sara Huang : Scriptwriter and Translator - Sam Davies : TWO...
Jun 08, 2024•53 min
Send us a text As AI is creeping into our lives and our work, no industries are left out of it and certainly not China's cultural industry. But do using AI tools to create content is an easy path and what are the ethical issues attached to such practices? Featuring - Fan : AI Startup - CTO - Erik Luo : Technical AI artist - Liang Chouwa : Documentary Director To go further - Middle Earth episode #93 Invisible Summit: One Blind Person's Journey to 8,848 Meters - Middle Earth episode #84 Are NFTs ...
May 08, 2024•52 min
Send us a text 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 Jiang Yaling) With thanks to Yang Yaling of Following the y...
Apr 08, 2024•31 min
Send us a text 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 Perso...
Mar 08, 2024•39 min
Send us a text 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 - J...
Feb 08, 2024•49 min
Send us a text 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 episo...
Jan 08, 2024•39 min
Send us a text 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 ,...
Dec 08, 2023•40 min
Send us a text 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 e...
Oct 08, 2023•41 min
Send us a text 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 Ch...
Sep 22, 2023•45 min
Send us a text 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...
Sep 08, 2023•36 min
Send us a text 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: Int...
Aug 22, 2023•44 min
Send us a text 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 : Visua...
Aug 08, 2023•55 min
Send us a text 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...
Jul 22, 2023•41 min
Send us a text 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 episo...
Jul 08, 2023•47 min
Send us a text 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 b...
Jun 08, 2023•41 min
Send us a text 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 livestream...
May 08, 2023•40 min
Send us a text 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 Xiaohon...
Apr 22, 2023•43 min
Send us a text NFTS are legal to be bought in China, but reselling them is an all other matters. Yet a local scene of buyers and artists keeps growing, while some lost a great amount of money as they were hoping for a quick return on investment. How does the scene keep growing while local regulations are put into place? Featuring - Ellwood Chen : Digital Artist & Pills Labs Founder - Rory Mencin : Curator & Art Critic - Reva : Crypto artist To go further with Chinese art collectors - Mid...
Apr 08, 2023•41 min
Send us a text While China struggles to export its cultural abroad, neighbors like Korea and Japan seem immune to this problem. Apart from local regulations in art, what are the issues creators from China face when trying to take their cultural products abroad, and what are some products that actually became hits? Featuring - Li Jianbin: Beijing Inmost Media - Senior BD Director - Alex Taggart: Outdustry - Head of International - Vivian Ying: Film International Sales To go further - Middle Earth...
Mar 08, 2023•42 min
