Hengdian launches short drama shooting experience: when tourists enter the studio, film and television resources have new uses

Hengdian Film and Television City recently launched a short play shooting experience project. After choosing a story, changing into costumes, and listening to the director's narration, tourists can complete a short play segment of their own in a real scene.Lighting, photography, actors and post-editing form a compressed version of the production process, and the originally clearly divided on-set work is transformed into experience content for ordinary people.Since the summer, this kind of activity has attracted many tourists, and the short video obtained after the shooting has become a shareable souvenir of the trip.

The appeal of the on-set experience comes from the sense of participation.In traditional travel, tourists stand at the location and take photos, leaving behind a static picture; in short drama shooting, people wear the clothes of the characters, speak lines to the camera, and complete the moves under the director's prompts.Familiar scenes such as Along the River During the Qingming Festival and the Palaces and Gardens of the Ming and Qing Dynasties instantly have identities and tasks in the plot.Behind the 90-second short film still requires the cooperation of lighting, sound recording, dialogue and editing. Visitors can also more intuitively see the links in film and television production that are usually not easily noticed.

The project sets up different ways of participation.Personal experiences range from basic shooting to packages including makeup, and there are also more complete options for group shooting.Some people want to try costumed characters, some prefer urban plots, and some regard it as a joint performance during family or friends outings.For consumers, the objects of expenditure extend from tickets and photos to a character experience that can be looked back on; the scenic space also undertakes the functions of visiting and content production.

Hengdian has long gathered costume, scenery, extras, photography and executive teams, and the professional capabilities left behind by film and television production provide the basis for this kind of experience.Small crews can enter new service scenarios when there are no shooting tasks; directors and actors who are familiar with the studio process can also use their professional experience in shorter and more direct on-site interactions.After the service target changes, the work rhythm changes accordingly, but communication, scheduling and on-the-spot response in creation are still indispensable.

The short-series filming experience is also suitable for studios because it allows the location and story to build upon each other.A palace, a street, or a wine shop all have a sense of imagery in themselves, and visitors don’t have to build their imagination from scratch after entering.Short plays are good at explaining identities, conflicts and turning points within a limited time, which is perfect for the fragmented time during travel.At the end of the filming, tourists take away the background of the attraction and a small memory of their own participation in the narrative.

The gameplay of film, television, culture and tourism will continue to change.Whether the experience content can retain people for a long time depends on whether the script selection is rich, the makeup and shooting are meticulous, the film quality is stable, and it also depends on whether the staff can relax tourists who face the camera for the first time.Hengdian's attempt shows that studio resources can be used for new daily purposes beyond theaters and dramas.When filming becomes a participatory travel project, the distance between film and television production and the public is also narrowed.