【一起来读书吧 Bookclub】 7月24日,我们想和大家一起线上共读Patrick McGee 的热销作品 Apple in China。 这本书细致讲述了苹果如何在中国建立起现代史上最复杂、最高效的制造与供应链体系之一,也讲述了中国如何成为世界上最有价值公司的关键支柱。 作者 Patrick McGee 将在活动最后 30 分钟加入我们,回答大家的问题;问答部分使用英文。 读书会链接:https://luma.com/buwyzrkk On April 18, we’ll be reading Patrick McGee’s bestselling book Apple in China together online. The book offers a detailed account of how Apple built one of the most complex and efficient manufacturing and supply chain systems in modern history in China. It also tells the story of how China became a crucial pillar of the world’s most valuable company. Author Patrick McGee will join us for the final 30 minutes of the event to answer questions. The Q&A session will be conducted in English. Book club link: https://luma.com/buwyzrkk 【聊了什么 The What】 先婚后爱、霸道总裁、带球跑、半人半兽但只对女主温柔的狼人。是这些土得掉渣、狗血又cheap的关键词,让短剧走进了美国中西部家庭主妇的内心。短剧,可能是中国最成功的文化出海产品之一。 这一期我们请来了海外短剧前从业者木薯,从片场第一线聊聊:短剧为什么能从中国一路拍到美国?它到底是影视工业、网文改编,还是一种披着内容外衣的科技产品?当导演、演员、制片、平台都在给数据和算法打工,谁才是真正的创作者? 我们也聊到了短剧背后,复杂且动荡的影视行业:好莱坞罢工,意外成就了短剧。怀揣梦想的电影学院中国留学生,从“毕业即失业”变成“毕业即进组”。霸总、狼人、先婚后爱和带球跑背后,代表着怎样的感情观与创伤?以及让我们不停上头的AI水果短剧,可能是短剧的未来吗? 短剧像一颗高剂量、裹着糖衣的短效止痛片。它精准诊断了普通人最难以启齿的欲望和痛苦,但却无法进行治疗。它只是在最关键的地方停下来,然后让你付费看下一集。 Contract marriage-to-love, domineering CEOs, secret babies, and half-human, half-beast werewolves who are gentle only to the female lead. These cheesy, melodramatic, low-budget tropes are what brought short dramas into the hearts of housewives across the American Midwest. Short dramas may be one of China’s most successful cultural exports. In this episode, we are joined by Mushu, a former practitioner in the overseas short drama industry. From the front lines of the set, we talk about how short dramas made their way from China to the U.S.; whether they are a product of the film and television industry, an adaptation of web fiction, or a tech product disguised as content; and when directors, actors, producers, and platforms are all working for data and algorithms, who actually gets to be called the creator? We also talked about the complicated and turbulent film and television industry behind short dramas: how the Hollywood strikes unexpectedly helped short dramas take off; how Chinese film school students with big dreams went from “graduating into unemployment” to “graduating straight onto a set”; what kinds of ideas about love and trauma lie behind domineering CEOs, werewolves, contract marriage-to-love, and secret babies; and whether the endlessly addictive AI fruit dramas might be the future of short dramas. Short dramas are like a high-dose, sugar-coated, short-acting painkiller. They diagnose ordinary people’s most unspeakable desires and pain with precision, but they cannot actually treat them. Instead, they stop at the most crucial moment, and ask you to pay for the next episode. 【时间轴 The When】 05:23 嘉宾木薯:从2022年开始参与海外短剧制作的前从业者 10:04 商业体系的收益,独立制作的剧组:短剧片场的奇怪混合体 14:06 短剧演技差,真的能怪演员吗? 17:18 数据告诉平台:下跪、扇巴掌和付费欲望之间的关系 23:50 短剧给了谁机会?中国影视留学生的“毕业即就业” 27:18 好莱坞萧条、演员罢工,和短剧片场的起飞 33:16 中国式连轴转遇到美国劳工保护:“我们通常都这么干” 38:02 和美国演员合作:网红、表演梦和生存压力 41:13 爆款演员:短剧也在复制明星工业 44:30 谁在看海外短剧?Midwest housewife与心理补偿 47:53 先婚后爱、狼人、带球跑:短剧套路背后的情感需求 56:19 AI进入短剧:编剧工资减半,工作量反而变大 01:02:51 为什么水果能演出真人拍不了的drama? 01:12:33 为什么离开短剧行业?“我发现我很久没有抬头看天空了” 05:23 Mushu: a former short drama practitioner who began working in the industry in 2022 10:04 The profits of a commercial system, the crew of an indie production: the strange hybrid that is the short drama set 14:06 Can we really blame the actors for bad acting in short dramas? 17:18 Data tells platforms what connects kneeling, slapping, and the desire to pay 23:50 Who did short dramas create opportunities for? Chinese film students and the shift from “graduating into unemployment” to “graduating into work” 27:18 Hollywood’s downturn, the actors’ strike, and the rise of the short drama set 33:16 China’s round-the-clock production pace meets American labor protections: “This is just how we usually do things” 38:02 Working with American actors: non-union labor, influencers, acting dreams, and the pressure to survive 41:13 Breakout actors: short dramas are also replicating the star-making machine 44:30 Who watches overseas short dramas? The Midwest housewife and psychological compensation 47:53 Contract marriage-to-love, werewolves, and secret babies: the emotional needs behind short drama tropes 56:19 AI enters short dramas: writers’ pay is cut in half, but their workload gets heavier 01:02:51 Why can fruit act out drama that real people can’t? 01:12:33 Why leave the short drama industry? “I realized I hadn’t looked up at the sky in a long time.” 【拓展链接 The Links】 MIT科技评论:中国短剧如何成为AI制片厂 复制中国“流量密码”,90秒短剧正霸屏美国 【我们是谁 Who We Are】 新新人类是一档由几个与互联网一起长大的新生代科技记者主持的播客,致力于站在中美交汇点上,解读全球科技潮流与人文的交织。 马修:一个网瘾晚期的全职养猫人 一闻:一个对地铁比手机更上瘾的记者 嘉宾: 木薯:前北美短剧从业者 【支持我们 Please Support Us】 如果喜欢这期节目并愿意支持我们: 海外用户:patreon.com/c/pixelperfect_xxrl 海内用户:afdian.com/a/pixelperfectpod 商务合作邮箱:baihua.pod@gmail.com If you like our show and want to support us, please consider the following: Those Abroad: patreon.com/c/pixelperfect_xxrl Those in China: afdian.com/a/pixelperfectpod Business Inquiries Email: baihua.pod@gmail.com