China's 'Hollywood' making screen dreams a reality

Dressed in the flowing regalia of a Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) imperial consort, Pan Yuanyuan leveled a dramatic accusation of adultery at her palace rival — and burst out laughing.

The university teacher from Hengyang, Hunan province, had traveled to Hengdian World Studios in Zhejiang province to recreate a favorite scene from a television period drama. Delivering the lines on camera, however, proved more daunting than watching from her living room.

"Don't laugh," the director gently coached. "You're here to take down your rival."

After several takes, Pan found her rhythm. Filming wrapped in about 40 minutes. When she sent the edited clip to her family, her mother's reaction was immediate: "Can I do that, too?"

At Hengdian — the world's largest film and television production base, often dubbed China's Hollywood — that appetite for a starring role is fueling a business model: personalized micro-drama production packages that not only sell screen dreams to everyday tourists, but also drive consumption across local hotels, restaurants and attractions.

For 388 yuan ($57), an entry-level package covers costumes, makeup, props, on-set direction, shooting and post-production editing. Backed by professional directors and nonplayer characters (NPCs) playing supporting roles, shoots take less than an hour, with a finished, social-media-ready vertical video delivered within two and a half hours.

The service marks an evolution in tourist expectations.

"Our team began shooting microfilms for visitors back in 2011, establishing a dedicated culturaltourism company in 2015," said Zhang Jinquan, a director with Hengdian World Studios' microfilm unit. "But this summer, the business experienced an unprecedented boom. We now offer 30 to 40 scripts. On peak days, a single director might handle 20 short productions, with one customer sliding into the makeup chair the moment another steps onto the set."

The creative format has evolved alongside consumer viewing habits.

Lyu Hongxia, a screenwriter at Hengdian, noted that visitors previously favored slower, atmospheric productions running roughly 10 minutes. Today, driven by short-video platforms, visitors demand fast-paced, emotionally intense scenes lasting 90 seconds to two minutes.

"Many tourists arrive with a specific objective: they just want to deliver that one famous, viral line," Lyu told China Youth Daily.

The appeal has expanded well beyond younger demographics. In one instance, a Beijing family booked an imperial matriarch role for a relative celebrating her 70th birthday.

Older travelers are also driving demand for horizontal, widescreen group micro-films, according to Ma Qianyi, a publicity representative for the studio's micro-film team. Typically designed for tour groups of 20 to 25 people, seniors account for roughly 60 percent of participants in this format, which yields five — to eight-minute productions. Re-enactments of acclaimed imperial palace intrigues, such as the 2011 television hit Empresses in the Palace, remain the most sought-after scripts.

The trend has likewise crossed borders. Zhang's team has directed visitors from Malaysia, Singapore, and South Korea, many of whom were inspired to visit after watching Chinese costume dramas online.

Wu Liyun, a professor at the China Academy of Culture and Tourism at Beijing International Studies University, noted that the trend satisfies distinct psychological needs for consumers, particularly older demographics.

"Screen-based dramas are brought into the physical world," Wu said. "For seniors, it offers an avenue to fulfill lifelong artistic ambitions, creates emotional value at modest cost, and provides rich, shareable content that fosters connection among peers."

Hengdian is extending this performative atmosphere into the broader hospitality sector. Some local hotels now check guests in as cast members, leaving production call sheets on beds instead of welcome letters.

Throughout their stay, guests can earn token "acting fees" by taking part in daytime interactive challenges across the scenic areas, which can later be redeemed for hotel amenities and specialized turndown services. In the evenings, room service is often delivered by staff dressed in period costumes such as imperial palace attendants, who deliver nightcaps or herbal foot soaks while remaining strictly in character.

This seamless blend of film production and hospitality transforms the entire trip into an ongoing roleplay, encouraging visitors to extend their stays and spend more on-site.

This creative diversification arrives amid structural shifts in the film industry. According to data reported by China Central Television, domestic commercial shortdrama productions at Hengdian moderated in the first quarter of the year, temporarily freeing up production facilities, sets and technical crews. Tourist shoots have helped bridge that gap, redeploying idle assets into consumer-facing entertainment.

Xu Hong, dean of the College of Tourism and Service Management at Nankai University, pointed out that scenic assets incur depreciation whether cameras roll or not. If experiential tourism projects generate revenue to cover variable costs, they make a sound economic contribution to production bases.

However, Xu cautioned other destinations against blindly replicating the model. Hengdian's competitive edge relies on decades of built-in infrastructure, iconic intellectual property, and seasoned technical crews. Other regions, she noted, would be better served designing interactive experiences around distinct local cultural assets and folklore.

To sustain momentum once novelty fades, operators must diversify their repertoires, Wu added, emphasizing the need for stricter production standards, varied scripts tailored to intergenerational travelers, and vigilance regarding intellectual property rights when parodying mainstream television shows.