China’s Biggest Film Studio Now Letting Tourists Film Their Own Short Dramas For Just S$41

It's no secret the growing use of artificial intelligence is changing the TV and film industry, with China’s entertainment scene feeling a serious impact.

Now, China’s Hengdian World Studios, the world’s largest film and TV studio, is trying out a new way to attract visitors and keep business going as AI continues to reshape the industry. 

Hengdian was previously a popular tourist spot where visitors could explore sets from their favourite dramas. The attraction covers 30 sq km and has more than 100 studios, with sets showcasing 5,000 years of Chinese history.

The studios are now shifting their focus from attracting drama fans to giving visitors a taste of what it’s like to be an actor, with tourists getting the chance to star in their very own short dramas. 

If you’ve ever wanted to be the main character in your own story, well, this might just be your chance.

The experience starts at 218 yuan (S$41) for an hour of acting, or 388 yuan (S$74) with make-up and styling included. Group packages are also available at 3,800 yuan (S$720) and 12,000 yuan (S$2,275), for families and companies planning team-building activities.

One Hengdian studio shared that a young mother commissioned 17 short dramas starring herself over six months, calling the experience both entertaining and therapeutic.

According to reports, the stories tourists choose are often all about living out their fantasies, from getting revenge on the arrogant character to discovering they’re secretly powerful. A director described it as a way for visitors to get some “emotional value” from the experience.

The programme is part of a growing trend in China’s tourism scene, where visitors can take part in interactive experiences. It also gives Hengdian a way to adapt as AI affects showbiz.

The short drama boom brought plenty of work to Hengdian last year, with more than 4,000 crew members employed as the industry grew 237 per cent compared to the previous year, according to China National Radio.

But things changed quickly. In the first quarter of this year, 95 per cent of the 128,000 newly released short dramas were reportedly made using AI.

The rise of AI has also left many people who depend on Hengdian for work facing unemployment. Known as heng piao, or “people who float in Hengdian”, they rely on the studio for jobs.

One short drama director said he had filmed just two dramas so far this year, a big drop from previous years. But the new tourist programme is giving some directors more work, with one saying he can now produce up to 20 short dramas in a day.

Netizens seem to love the idea, with one calling it “a tour in [their] daydreams”, while others joked about finally getting their chance to enter showbiz.

So… would you try this the next time you’re in China?

Photos: Yonhap News, CGTN/VCG, wenxuecity.com