“中国电视剧《媳妇的美好时代》在坦桑尼亚热播,让坦桑尼亚老百姓了解到中国老百姓生活的酸甜苦辣。”近日,习近平主席在访问非洲国家坦桑尼亚时,提到了电视剧《媳妇的美好时代》,该剧也由于习主席的“提及”而再次受到网友热议。再加上前段时间《甄嬛传》杀入欧美市场,中国电视剧在海外的播出得到越来越多人的关注。记者了解到,其实不光这两部剧在国外大热,就像如今许多中国观众追美剧、韩剧和日剧一样,在国外播出的中国电视剧也有一大批的拥护者。
《媳妇的美好时代》前年就红遍非洲了
昨日,记者采访到该剧发行方华录百纳公司的相关工作人员曹小姐,她告诉记者,《媳妇的美好时代》的版权销售到亚洲和非洲的一些国家地区,“这部剧在中国台湾创下了收视率新高,在日本被追捧,还获得过东京国际电视节最佳电视剧奖。”
曹小姐告诉记者,该剧从2011年底就开始在非洲热播了,除了坦桑尼亚外,也在非洲的其他地区热播。“东非的首脑会议后都在热议这部剧,都谈论毛豆豆。不过《媳妇的美好时代》是被坦桑尼亚译制的第一部中国剧,自然关注度也非常高。”
曹小姐告诉记者,《媳妇的美好时代》的发行渠道是“文化交流”,“这是中国的一个‘走向非洲’的文化项目,《媳妇的美好时代》是代表优秀作品交流过去的。这是国家的行为,它是代表中国现代文化传播出去的,是原广电总局选择的剧目。”
曹小姐透露,除了《媳妇的美好时代》,这些年华录百纳有二三十部电视剧走向海外,包括《汉武大[微博]帝》《王贵与安娜》《双面胶》《金太郎的幸福生活》等等。“像《金太郎的幸福生活》将是缅甸第一部译制的中国剧,意义也很特殊。”
看中国电视剧,各地老外口味不一样
随着《媳妇的美好时代》在坦桑尼亚热播以及《甄嬛传》将在美国主流电视台播出,我们注意到,算上世界各地的电视台和网络平台,华语剧在全球各地,都有着一批忠实的观众。因为地区的不同,老外对于中国电视剧的喜好也不一样,欧美喜欢武侠剧、琼瑶剧;日本和韩国偏爱武侠剧或历史剧;东南亚则对偶像剧和武侠剧毫无抵抗力……
欧美
武侠剧、琼瑶剧是观众最爱
相对于美剧一周一集的“龟速”,还要苦等“冬休”,中国电视剧一股脑全部出完,博得了欧美粉丝的好感。虽然主流电视台引进中国电视剧的数量微乎其微,但是在网络上,欧美观众对中国电视剧的期待程度,绝对不亚于中国观众追踪美剧的心情。
古装剧是老外们的最爱。《步步惊心》《还珠格格》《甄嬛传》《仙剑奇侠传》《倾世皇妃》《天外飞仙》等以及金庸武侠剧的人气都很高。除了古装剧,琼瑶剧也有不少忠实的欧美粉丝,许多观众会被琼瑶剧里缠绵悱恻的感情感动得泪流满面。
日韩
武侠、历史剧形成强劲“中国风”
日本对中国电视剧的一大引进方向是深具中国特色的武侠剧。尤其是金庸同名小说改编的作品更是广受欢迎。日本引进中国电视剧的另一大方向是历史剧,《三国演义》《水浒传》《大明王朝》《孙子兵法》等也都拥有稳定的观众。
韩剧在中国大行其道,但是大家也许不知道,现在中国的电视剧也在韩国热播。《还珠格格》《情深深雨濛濛》《包青天》《步步惊心》《宫》等在韩国也有大批的粉丝。
东南亚
这里是华语剧最大的海外市场
当年《还珠格格》和《流星花园》热映的时候,东南亚的人几乎都在收看。《上海滩》《我和僵尸有个约会》《包青天》《孝庄秘史》《天外飞仙》《倚天屠龙记》《三国演义》《宰相刘罗锅》和《西游记》等等,在这些国家都有忠实的簇拥。
非洲
这里的市场“大到超出想象”
令业内吃惊的是,非洲市场“大到超出想象”,而且中国都市情感剧格外受宠。一些坦桑尼亚观众曾告诉中国记者,看这部中国电视剧没有理解障碍,而且中国家庭的情感纠葛、婆媳关系等与非洲家庭故事有相似之处。
上海广播电视台下属五岸传播有限公司总经理何小兰告诉记者,去年末,在原国家广电总局牵头下,包括中国国际电视总公司等联合到南非参加当地电视节,仅“五岸”一家收到的非洲各国“看剧意向”就有近20项。
市场探秘
“走出去”的很少,海外版权价格不高
虽然世界各地都有众多华语剧观众,但是真正作为文化输出,被国外电视台正规引进的华语剧数量还是偏少的。
华录百纳的曹小姐就告诉记者,就她对行业的了解,目前中国电视剧的出口数量还是偏低的,远远比不上欧美、日韩。
曹小姐告诉记者,销售海外版权的两种情况,一种是广电总局选中的,代表中国电视剧走向海外,进行文化交流的剧集;还有一种是通过代销商的,一般销售的是市场比较热衷的剧集,比如说传统强势的古装题材,不过这几年,反映中国当代生活的电视剧也渐渐受到欢迎。
曹小姐表示,之所以“走出去”的中国电视剧并不多,其主要原因还是中国电视剧在题材上的狭隘。“目前中国电视剧还没有形成自己的特色,许多题材并不太容易被国外认同。而且跟风雷同的情况太多,很多电视剧甚至电影都有抄袭、克隆的影子,这就造成了目前这一尴尬的现状。”
不仅如此,走出海外也并不意味着赚钱,曹小姐表示,“中国电视剧的海外版权普遍价格不高,更多的是在于社会效益,让海外认同你的东西,追求经济效益,是目前难以考虑的事情。”
Chinese TV series gaining popularity overseas
Chinese TV shows that depict young people's lives in modern society are crossing the cultural divide and attracting a growing set of global audiences。
One of the examples is the Chinese TV series "A Beautiful Daughter-in-law Era," a 36-episode light comedy about a modern Chinese couple。
The TV series was first aired in Shanghai in November 2009. It was dubbed in Swahili and broadcast in east African countries in 2011. Kenyan actress Josephine Moeni Waweru and actor Khamis Juma Swaleh were chosen to do voice dubbing for the two leading roles in the African version of the series。
Wang Liping, screenwriter of the TV series, said she had doubts as to whether African audiences would be able to connect with the TV series. However, to her relief, it has at least proven to be a success in Africa。
Tanzanians have said that they have been able to understand the series due to the emotional entanglement and personal relationships depicted in the show, as they resonate with African people as deeply as they do with the Chinese。
Kenyan Janet Nzomo said the tension between the show's mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law also exists in Kenya。
Kenyan people may be able to find ways to solve their personal problems by watching the series, she said。
"The overseas market is eager to know young Chinese people's state of mind in modern times," Wang said。
Although China is one of the world's most prolific producers of TV series, its series are not particularly popular overseas. The popularity of "A Beautiful Daughter-In-Law Era" may serve as an impetus for Chinese TV producers who are seeking to bring their work to other countries。
Chinese TV is typically limited to tales about ancient imperial life and kung fu in the global market, said He Xiaolan, president of the Shanghai-based WingsMedia。
"But in fact, foreign markets are calling for more stories that depict the real lives of young Chinese," He said。
Chinese TV shows with complicated storylines and historical settings are not popular among western audiences, as they prefer simpler stories about human nature, according to Cheng Chunli, a senior marketing director at the China International Television Corporation。
In recent years, some TV shows that focus on the lives of urban Chinese have achieved some success in the foreign market。
"Go Lala Go!," a TV series that details the adventures of a female office worker named Du Lala, has also started to reach global audiences. The series has been exported to Singapore, Malaysia, the United States and Canada。
The series' export price per episode is about 10,000 U.S. dollars, paralleled only by "The Legend of Bruce Lee," a biopic about the kung fu icon。
Exported series are typically "optimistic, modest and harmonious," according to He。
Wang said she will continue to focus on the lives and dreams of ordinary people in her work, as well as make her work more appealing to both domestic and international audiences。
"The Chinese dream will be more easily accepted by foreign audiences when it is manifested in small and touching stories," said Meng Jian, a professor at Fudan University。
(英文部分来源:Xinhua)