"Sports-loving people will not suffer from depression. When they are unhappy, they just play another ball game." "Sports people with goals never feel alone." "The arrival of 5G era provides more possibilities for video creation in China. I believe that more grassroots artists will be born in the future." 

The second online sharing session of the 16th Beijing International Sports Film Week (BISFW) started at 10 am on August 15 and three guests interpreted the “Contribution of Sports Video to the Development of Sports in China” with insightful remarks.

The three guests were Wang Yong, senior reporter of Xinhua News Agency; Ma Jian, renowned basketball commentator; and Ma Wei, member of the Beijing International Film Festival Film Selection Committee.

Wang Yong, a witness and contributor to the development of China's sports industry, started from Xinhua News Agency's news reports on the Chinese Mountaineering Team climbing to the summit of Mount Qomolangma 30 years ago, and analyzed difference between reports of that era with the recent news coverage of scaling the Mount Qomolangma, showing changes brought to sports by the development of videos.

Wang said that decades ago, coverage and dissemination of the development of sports in China relied on reportage by the print media such as reportage. Today's high-definition visual images present real-time coverage to audiences. In the 5G era, the upgrading of video technology will bring more possibilities and surprises to China’s sports industry; the popularization of smart phones may make the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics a video event that everyone can participate in.

Ma Jian is a professional sportsman who has been shooting videos and teaching people to play basketball through TikTok. In the session, he explained the relationship between sports videos and the development of the sports industry in China from the perspective of a professional.

Ma Jian said that sports films and videos are establishing a complete sports industry chain relying on content segmentation, and that materials for producing these contents are continuously provided by participants in competitive sports. Compared with foreign sports movies, he hoped China’s sports movies can be more multi-faceted, do not aim too high but discuss real-life down-to-earth stories and narrate the relationship between sports movies and people's real lives from a greater depth and dimension. At the same time, sports videos should also take on the function of providing sports venues guides, medical consultation and other supporting services for the public, and further promote the development of China's sports industry. "This is also the new requirement of the times for sports people and relevant professionals."

As a sports-loving film worker, Ma Wei started with the famous sports film The Drive to Win in the 1980s, and moved on to modern sports films such as The Climbers that was popular last year, and the upcoming Leap. Ma Wei said that movies and sports are similar, and both have uncertain endings. It’s this dynamic charm that attracts more audiences. In the short video era, the role of movies or videos as sports media will undoubtedly be further highlighted. The development of Chinese culture also requires the support of sports.

"Sports movies have a large market in China, and there is also room for improvement. Their development is closely related to the development of sports videos." Ma Wei looked forward to seeing more filmmakers engage in sports themes and spread the Chinese sports story well.

The last sharing session of the film week would be broadcast on major video platforms from 10:00 am to 10:30 am on August 16 with the theme "Role of Sports in Fighting the Covid-19 Pandemic".