Hollywood Executive Highlights Dependence on China
A Hollywood executive who’s been involved in bridging American studios with the Chinese film market for nearly two decades believes the industry is currently too reliant on China. Chris Fenton, a seasoned producer known for his role in bringing films like Iron Man 3 to Chinese viewers, has voiced concerns about this dependence, which he explores in his 2020 book, *Feeding the Dragon*.
“We were at a crucial moment in building this relationship with a superpower, introducing products and services that had never really been marketed that way before in China,” Fenton shared. He mentioned that this collaboration lasted over a decade during what he calls the “glory days” of U.S.-China entertainment relations.
Gradually, Fenton realized this relationship wasn’t without consequences. He pointed out that American studios had begun making creative and business choices primarily to appease Chinese authorities. “We went to great lengths to allow both countries to benefit, with our domestic industry evolving to be more competitive,” he explained. “We even modified our content to align with the Chinese government’s narrative to secure market access.”
He cited the 2012 film *Looper*, originally set in France, as an example where locations were shifted to China to cater to Chinese audience preferences.
These kinds of compromises, he argued, have ultimately undermined Hollywood’s prominence. “Hollywood productions used to represent 50% to 80% of the market, but now it’s shrunk to less than 5%,” he noted. “While we’ve broadcasted the Chinese government’s message globally, we’ve also forfeited a significant market.” In 2019, Fenton began openly discussing the potential long-term impacts of Hollywood’s reliance on the Chinese market, looking for paths to improvement.
This concern led to the creation of his film *Bad Counselors*. A comedy made entirely in the U.S. featuring an all-American cast and crew, it’s a nostalgic take on summer camp experiences. Set to hit theaters from July 23 to 27 through Fathom Entertainment, the story follows two fraternity brothers pretending to be counselors as part of their community service sentence.
Around 1,200 Americans—ranging from actors to crew and vendors—worked on the film, according to Fenton. “We were committed to hiring Americans only,” he stated. “It was a really positive experience… In the end, I think we ended up with a fantastic movie.” Fenton believes that with Hollywood currently facing economic challenges, including layoffs and increased foreign competition, it’s essential to refocus on domestic production.
He emphasized the need for federal incentives to maintain film and television jobs in America, noting that the existing infrastructure and workforce are unmatched globally. “We’re just trying to level the playing field with other countries, which could help recover approximately 2.7 million jobs,” he concluded, referencing an estimated $25 trillion in wages tied to those jobs.
