A hundred flowers bloom in Chinese cinema

What should a film investor really invest in?

By Li Tingwei

Technology, especially artificial intelligence, has made this more urgent. AI will change filmmaking, lowering production costs and giving more people access to sophisticated creative tools.

I see this as an opportunity rather than a threat. If technology makes filmmaking easier, the truly scarce resource will be the ability to produce something meaningful.

AI can expand imagination but cannot replace the human experiences that give stories emotional truth. The more technology changes the tools of filmmaking, the more important it becomes for filmmakers to say something distinctive.

A film's value should not be measured only by box office returns. Successful films can create new possibilities in tourism, cultural products, live experiences and other forms of consumption.

One creative work can generate value many times over, connecting the screen with the wider economy and with people's everyday lives.

This is why I remain optimistic about the future of cinema. Audiences are becoming more discerning, and different kinds of films find their own audiences. The market need not be a race where only the biggest thrive.

As a film investor, I seek stories with enduring power, not just the next hit. The most valuable film may not be today's top grosser, but the one people will still discuss tomorrow.

The author is the deputy general manager of Bauhinia Film (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd. The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.