Renting East Asian Culture: Regional Network of Hong Kong Film Industry
Creation of Media Spectacles as “Must-See” Film That Help Market Local Film to Domestic and Overseas Audiences
Development of the strategy
In the past, Hong Kong film industry used a little funding invested on promotion of local films, usually did with less than 5 per cent of budget which only spent on designing trailers, posters and newspapers only. After adopted Hollywood-style ‘high concept’ filmmaking, that is the blockbuster formula of heavy promotion around a few high-budget films rather than the classical studio era’s assembly line mode of production. (Wyatt, 1994) They realized their success are based on the complete script, detailed budget plans, and cross-media promotions. Hong Kong film industry started to invest more on the local and regional media promotion campaigns before and after releasing the film to public, so as to raise film’s popularity, and lead domestic and overseas audiences considered their film as a “must-see” film.
Infernal Affairs Series is one of the model of blockbusters. It became the unprecedented film that put on heavy promotion to make it as an "event film". “Rayns notes that the promotion for the film suggested that audiences should see the film if they loved Hong Kong!” (Leon, H. & Leung, W.F., 2008) Successfully, Infernal Affairs Series totally grossed over HK$110,202,213 at the box office throughout the world, in which Infernal Affairs I generated HK$55,057,176. Especially during the SARS period, the film industry was continuously declining, therefore, Infernal Affairs Series was preceived as the life saver of Hong Kong film industry. The remaking rights were sold to Warner Brothers for $1.75 million through Brad Pitt's production company and remade as The Departed. (Leon, H. & Leung, W.F., 2008) It proved how successful the Infernal Affairs is. We may futher analyze how Infernal Affairs utilized the functions of media spectacles so as to achieve this accomplishment.
Infernal Affairs was first released before Christmas 2002, then followed by timely DVD and VCD issues for the Chinese New Year holidays in 2003. Following the success, Media Asia immediately planned a prequel and a sequel that appeared in 2003. (Leon, H. & Leung, W.F., 2008)
Infernal Affairs is a series of three Hong Kong crime-thriller film produced by Media Asia conglomerate. It directed by Andrew Lau Wai-Keung(劉偉強) and Alan Mak Siu-fai(麥兆輝). Many famous casts such as Andy Lau Tak-wah(劉德華), Tony Leung Chiu-wai(梁朝偉), Anthony Wong Chau-sang(黃秋生), Eric Tsang Chi-wai(曾志偉) and Shawn Yue Man-lok(余文樂) participated in the film production and aroused more public awareness. Awards at 40th Golden Horse Awards and 22nd Hong Kong Film Awards recognized its success and it was acclaimed as Best Film in 2002.
Infernal Affairs - Released on 12 Dec 2002
Infernal Affairs II - Released on 1 Oct 2003
Infernal Affairs III - Released on 12 Dec 2003
－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－
Reference:
Leon, H. & Leung, W. F. (2008). East Asian Cinemas: Exploring Transnational Connections on Film. Infernal Affairs and Kung Fu Hustle: Panacea, Placebo and Hong Kong Cinema. London: I.B. Tauris & Co Ltd. p.71-80
Wyatt, J. (1994). High Concept: Movies and Marketing in Hollywood. Austin: University of Texas Press