Science Fiction Industry Observation | Comparison of Urban Technological Strength Behind the Science Fiction Film and Television Industry - Shenzhen vs San Francisco
1. Concept and origin of science fiction film and television technology industry
The science fiction film and television technology industry refers to an emerging sector that leverages scientific spirit and imaginative culture as its core, backed by technological innovation and industrialized film and television production. It utilizes scientific narratives, audiovisual experiences, and immersive settings as its medium to provide services in technology dissemination and cultural consumption. Its origins can be traced back to the late 19th century, when filmmakers began experimenting with special effects to depict science fiction themes, such as Georges Méliès' "A Trip to the Moon" (1902). This industry gradually emerged alongside the development of science fiction literature and films. Its defining characteristic is the integration of scientific principles, technological methods, and artistic expression to create imaginative and innovative film and television works. These works not only satisfy people's curiosity and exploration of the future world but also inspire reflection on real-world issues and foster identification and inheritance of scientific culture. With the advancements and continuous innovations in emerging technologies like digital technology, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality, this industry has evolved into more diverse, multifaceted, and cross-disciplinary formats and models.
2. Current Development of Science Fiction Film and Television in San Francisco
When it comes to the science fiction film and television industry, San Francisco cannot be ignored. As one of the most important science fiction film and television bases in the United States and even globally, San Francisco boasts world-renowned film and television production centers and technological innovation hubs such as Hollywood and Silicon Valley. It has nurtured classic science fiction films like "Star Wars," "Jurassic Park," and "The Matrix," and has also cultivated renowned science fiction directors like George Lucas, Spielberg, and James Cameron. San Francisco is also the venue for the world's largest science fiction literary awards, the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award, attracting numerous science fiction writers and enthusiasts.
The science fiction film and television industry has become a significant sector for technology dissemination and cultural consumption. According to data, the film industry in San Francisco has supported the creative economy in the United States. In 2020, the US film industry supported 2.4 million jobs, paid $186 billion in wages, and involved over 122,000 enterprises.
3、 How can the technology industry empower the science fiction film and television industry
From the perspective of the technology industry, San Francisco is the core city of the San Francisco Bay Area, forming a multi-core structure with cities such as Silicon Valley and Oakland, forming a diverse and complementary industrial structure. It has world-class universities and research institutions, such as the University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University, attracting high-tech talents and enterprises from around the world and forming a high-tech industrial cluster. Its developed venture capital system and innovative management and operation mechanism provide sufficient financial support and conversion channels for technological innovation, while also driving the rapid development of science fiction film and television technology industry. Firstly, the technology industry provides more advanced technological means and tools for science fiction film and television, such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, digital special effects, etc., making science fiction film and television more realistic and stunning. Secondly, the technology industry provides richer creativity and inspiration for science fiction films, such as future societies, extraterrestrial civilizations, superpowers, etc., making science fiction films more diverse and innovative. Third, the technology industry provides a broader market and audience for science fiction film and television, such as Internet platforms, social media, online watching, etc., making science fiction film and television more popular and spread.
4、 The new label of science fiction film and television industry in Shenzhen, known as the "Film and Television Technology Innovation Center"
As one of the most dynamic and innovative cities in China, Shenzhen is the core city of the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area. It shares similarities with San Francisco in terms of industrial patterns such as technological innovation, research institutes, source innovation, and technology talent. Shenzhen not only has global well-known high-tech and Internet enterprises such as Huawei, Tencent, ZTE, Dajiang, BYD, etc., but also has formed "20+8" strategic new industries and future industrial clusters covering new generation electronic information, high-end manufacturing equipment, biomedicine and health, digital and fashion, marine economy, etc. It has a very solid industrial foundation and application scenarios for source innovation, technological creation, and creative development both nationally and globally. According to the "China Urban Science Fiction Index Report", Shenzhen ranks third in the country and has a good industrial foundation.
Industry research: Keji collaborates with "Science Fiction World" to release the "2019 China Urban Science Fiction Index Report"
It is worth mentioning that Shenzhen is also the region with the highest concentration of science fiction film and television post production special effects, prop manufacturing and other enterprises. Shenzhen special effects enterprises, Shenzhen manufacturing and Shenzhen talents have participated in the production of many well-known science fiction films at home and abroad, such as "Pirates of the Caribbean", "The Wandering Earth", "Tomorrow's War" and so on. In the science fiction film and television industry, the label of Shenzhen as the "Film and Television Technology Innovation Center" is prominent. As Guo Fan, Vice Chairman of the Beijing Film Association and director of "The Wandering Earth," mentioned in an interview at the 2023 Film Industry High Quality Development Forum, "almost all advanced technologies for film production come from Guangdong and Shenzhen.
Shenzhen's accumulation in science fiction film and television goes far beyond technological achievements and advancements, and its operational model and content are also refreshing. Firstly, Shenzhen is the first city in China to promote the development of science fiction industry through special funds, such as the establishment of the SCIENCE & FANTASY GROWTH FOUNDATION. Over the years, it has hosted various science fiction related professional events and competitions, such as the "Morning Star Cup" Original Science Fiction Competition, China Science Fiction Conference, Shenzhen Science Fiction Week, City Science Fiction Index, Sino French Science Fiction Art Masters Exhibition, Verne Plan, Science Fiction TALK, etc. Every year, a continuous stream of new science fiction writers are born in Shenzhen, and a continuous stream of science fiction literary works emerge from the "Morning Star Cup" original science fiction competition. The Science and Human Imagination Research Center of Southern University of Science and Technology explores the forefront of science fiction education and has collaborated with Shenzhen University to produce the original science fiction philosophical drama "Cloud Body".
Shenzhen University of Science and Technology and Southern University of Science and Technology jointly present the premiere of the science fiction drama "Cloud Body", with an explosive quality of science fiction core
Shenzhen is an ideal city that can transform excellent science fiction literature and art works into breathtaking science fiction movies and TV shows, and even create future black and hard technology based on science fiction inspiration.
5、 Similarities and Differences in the Science Fiction Film and Television Industry between San Francisco and Shenzhen
San Francisco and Shenzhen are both important development areas for the science fiction film and television technology industry. The two cities have their own advantages and characteristics in this field, as well as certain differences and competition. San Francisco is one of the cultural and creative centers in the United States, with numerous science fiction writers, directors, producers, and actors, as well as rich science fiction cultural resources and activities. San Francisco is also one of the core cities of Silicon Valley, gathering the world's most advanced technology companies and innovative talents, providing strong technological support and innovation momentum for science fiction film and television.
Shenzhen is a cutting-edge city in China's reform and opening up, and one of the important engines of scientific and technological innovation in China. It has a large number of high-tech enterprises and research and development institutions, providing rich technological applications and services for science fiction film and television. Shenzhen is also one of the important bases for China's science and technology cultural industry. In recent years, it has actively promoted the development of science fiction industry, introduced a series of supportive policies, held multiple science fiction forums, competitions and other activities, and cultivated a group of excellent science fiction works and talents.
6、 Thoughts on the Future Development of Cities
The urban development of Shenzhen is constantly catching up with the pace of science fiction, with more and more new content of science fiction culture emerging, thriving the science fiction industry, and forming a good interaction with technological innovation, empowering both directions.
The industrial foundation and regional positioning of Shenzhen are similar to those of San Francisco, both of which are technology driven innovative cities with many high-tech enterprises and talents. To some extent, San Francisco's development path in the science fiction film and television technology industry provides insights for Shenzhen to shape a national "science fiction film and television technology innovation center". Firstly, relying on its high-tech industrial cluster and industrial chain advantages, Shenzhen can quickly and massively provide science fiction film and television with a full industry chain and systematic technological industrialization content, such as advanced filming equipment, special effects post production, virtual shooting algorithms, and special equipment manufacturing. Forming a "Shenzhen version solution" for the science fiction film and television technology industry, with filming taking place in different locations and technical processing in the industrial landscape of Shenzhen. Just as Los Angeles in the San Francisco Bay Area is mostly filmed in Los Angeles for science fiction films, the entire industry chain for post production of science fiction films is handled in San Francisco.
Secondly, as the most core creative capital of the Bay Area, Shenzhen has gathered a group of dynamic creative engineers, which can fully mobilize the level of creative talent and creativity, and form a batch of innovative content from the source of science fiction film and television. Establish a system for cultivating creative talents, establish a complete talent incubation system from science popularization education, technology education to scientific creation, and lay the foundation for Shenzhen to become the future city of the country and even the world.
Finally, as the city of the future, Shenzhen should seize the opportunity of innovative expression in science fiction film and television to promote its urban identity and shape a new competitive landscape. It is necessary to combine the characteristics and charm of Shenzhen city to create high-quality science fiction film and television content that conforms to the spirit of the times and national strategies, reflects Chinese values, inherits Chinese culture, showcases Chinese innovation, disseminates scientific ideas, and enhances the spirit of scientists. Suggestions can be made to enhance Shenzhen's position in future technological innovation by strengthening the following four aspects:
1. Build a science fiction film and television industry base, form an industrial cluster effect and science fiction industry characteristics, attract science fiction film and television works and production work to land, strengthen the creation and production level of science fiction film and television, improve the quality and reputation of science fiction film and television, produce science fiction film and television works with Chinese characteristics and international standards, gradually become a technological highland of the domestic film and television industry, and create a "science fiction" business card for cities in the fields of science and technology and culture;
2. Strengthen the technological research and innovation capabilities of science fiction film and television, cultivate talents in the science fiction film and television industry, master core special effects technology and platform tools, strengthen talent cultivation through the establishment of film and television professional courses and science fiction open courses, and use them for the film and television industry;
3. Strengthen the market development and promotion of science fiction film and television, utilize various channels and platforms to expand the audience of science fiction film and television, and increase the discourse power in the field of science fiction film and television through the establishment of large-scale events such as film and television technology exhibitions and science fiction film and television venture capital conferences;
4. Strengthen international exchanges and cooperation in science fiction film and television, learn from advanced foreign experiences and practices, participate in international activities and projects, enhance the international status and reputation of Chinese science fiction film and television, and expand the international influence of science fiction culture by establishing international science fiction film festivals or setting up international science fiction film exhibitions during Shenzhen Science Fiction Week.