China offers subsidies and low costs to boost AI-driven film production
Film makers are flocking to Chinese cities such as Shenzhen, where the government provides cheap rent, living subsidies and computing support for AI-based movie studios.
Two years after establishing an AI film studio in Shenzhen, the founder reports a steady stream of invitations to move to other Chinese locales, reflecting the country's push to embed artificial intelligence in its economy. Beijing has set aside a substantial fund for AI audiovisual work, while Shanghai offers cloud-based models that lower costs and aid overseas distribution. The Chongqing district, a hub of the national film industry, provides producers with vouchers for shooting gear.
Filmmakers note that the price of creating short AI-generated videos has dropped to a few hundred yuan per minute, and a typical wedding scene that once cost tens of thousands of yuan can now be produced for about 1,400 yuan. Streaming platform iQIYI is granting subsidies for AI content, and the National Film Administration has licensed the first 90-minute AI-generated film, a sci-fi epic titled "Sanxingdui: Future Memories."
Why it matters
China's incentives could reshape global film production by making AI-generated movies cheaper and more accessible.
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