A Hollywood executive who spent nearly two decades helping American studios break into China’s film market now says the industry has become too dependent on Beijing. Chris Fenton, a veteran producer, believes that Hollywood should place greater emphasis on domestic production at a time when the industry is facing economic pressures, layoffs, and foreign incentives to bring film projects overseas.

A New Approach

Fenton’s latest movie, ‘Bad Counselors,’ is a comedy produced entirely in the United States, with an all-American cast and crew. The film, which arrives in theaters July 23-27, follows two fraternity brothers who pose as counselors at a Christian summer camp while completing court-ordered community service. Fenton said the production employed roughly 1,200 Americans, from actors and writers to crew members and vendors.

Fenton began to realize the cost of Hollywood’s relationship with China, saying that U.S. studios were making creative and business decisions to satisfy Chinese authorities, which ended up boosting their film industry and spreading their messaging around the world. He argued that these compromises ultimately failed to preserve Hollywood’s standing in China, with the market now consisting of less than 5% Hollywood titles.

A Call to Action

Fenton is advocating for federal incentives to keep film and television jobs in America, arguing that the country’s existing infrastructure and workforce are already the best in the world. He believes that by supporting domestic production, the industry can bring back approximately 2.7 million jobs and generate a quarter of a trillion dollars in wages.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.