新概念阅读：《变形金刚4》将在中国联合制作

　　In two moves that underscore how keen Hollywood is on the Chinese market, Paramount Pictures is planning to co-produce parts of 'Transformers 4' in China and it has tweaked its coming 'World War Z' in order to not offend censors there.

　　The Viacom Inc. movie studio said Tuesday that it has signed a cooperation agreement with state-owned China Movie Channel and video-on-demand service Jiaflix, headed by veteran Hollywood producer Sid Ganis. The deal calls for China Movie Channel to support production of 'Transformers 4' in China, including the selection of filming sites, casting of local actors and promotion.

　　It is the first time that China Movie Channel, the nation's largest film broadcaster, has worked with a Western studio on a production.

　　Parts of the movie, which begins production in two months, will be shot in China and are likely to be set there, said two people close to the production. It is scheduled to be released in June of 2014.

　　The deal doesn't necessarily mean 'Transformers 4' will be granted official co-production status. That designation, which gives a movie a greater share of box-office revenue than those imported under the state quota system, is typically granted only after a film is complete and viewed by government officials. Walt Disney Co.'s Marvel Studios worked with local Chinese firm DMG to shoot parts of 'Iron Man 3' there and include local actors and plot elements. But the companies ultimately nixed plans to apply for co-production status.

　　The partnership is the latest sign that studios are aggressively seeking to work with Chinese officials in order to make more money in the country, which surpassed Japan last year to become the planet's biggest source of box-office dollars outside the U.S.

　　A statement from Paramount said the arrangement had the blessing of Tong Gang, vice minister of the State Administration of Radio Film and Television. It said Mr. Tong discussed the deal with 'Transformers' director Michael Bay, producer Lorenzo DiBonaventura, Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore and Jiaflix executives.

　　Mr. Tong's public support indicates that people at high levels in the Communist government look favorably upon the deal.

　　Jiaflix is making a 'meaningful investment' into the budget of 'Transformers 4' on top of its work to arrange the partnership, said Marc Ganis, the firm's president and a cousin of Sid Ganis. In exchange it will receive a share of the movie's profits.

　　Past 'Transformers' movies have been popular in China. In 2011, 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' grossed about $145 million there, more than in any other country but the U.S.

　　Separately, seeking to avoid offending government censors in China, Paramount recently adjusted a plot point in its coming Brad Pitt thriller 'World War Z,' excising a reference to the nation as a possible source of a zombie outbreak, according to a person with knowledge of the change. That news was reported earlier by website TheWrap.com.

　　派拉蒙影业公司(Paramount Pictures)计划在中国联合制作《变形金刚4》(Transformers 4)的部分内容，另外，它还对即将上映的《僵尸世界大战》(World War Z)做了小幅调整，以免冒犯中国的审查人员。这两项举措凸显出好莱坞对中国市场的喜爱。

　　Reuters为避免冒犯中国政府审查人员，派拉蒙最近调整了由布拉德 皮特主演的《僵尸世界大战》中的一个情节点：删除了中国是僵尸大战一个可能爆发地的说法。这家维亚康姆(Viacom Inc.)旗下的电影公司周二说，它已经与国有中国电影频道(China Movie Channel)以及资深好莱坞制片人锡德 加尼斯(Sid Ganis)执掌的视频点播服务Jiaflix签署了合作协议。根据该协议，中国电影频道将支持《变形金刚4》在中国的制作工作，包括拍摄场地的选择、当地演员的参演和影片宣传活动。

　　这是中国电影频道首次与西方电影公司就电影制作开展合作。中国电影频道是中国最大的电影播放机构。

　　《变形金刚4》将在两个月后开拍。据了解该片制作工作的两位人士说，该片部分场景将在中国拍摄，背景可能设定在中国。影片按计划将于2014年6月上映。

　　这宗合作案并不一定意味着《变形金刚4》将获得正式的合拍片地位。相比按照政府制定的限额制度进口的影片，合拍片的票房分账更高。合拍片的地位通常是在影片拍摄制作完成并经过政府官员预审之后才会授予。华特-迪士尼公司(Walt Disney Co.)旗下的漫威影业(Marvel Studios)与中国当地公司DMG在中国合作拍摄了《钢铁侠3》(Iron Man 3)的部分内容，影片还有中国演员参演，情节中也有中国元素。但这两家公司最终放弃了申请合拍片地位的计划。

　　此次合作再次显示出电影公司积极寻求与中国官员合作，以便在中国赚更多的钱。中国去年超过日本，成为全球仅次于美国的第二大电影市场（按票房计算）。

　　派拉蒙在一份声明中说，这项安排受到了国家广电总局副局长童刚的支持。声明说，童刚与《变形金刚》导演贝(Michael Bay)、制片人博纳文图拉(Lorenzo DiBonaventura)、派拉蒙副董事长穆尔(Rob Moore)和Jiaflix的多位高管就这项合作案进行了讨论。

　　童刚的公开支持意味着中共高层看好这次合作。

　　Jiaflix总裁马克 加尼斯(Marc Ganis)说，除安排了影片制作方面的合作外，该公司还正在对《变形金刚4》的预算进行有意义的投资。马克 加尼斯是锡德 加尼斯的亲戚。作为交换条件，该公司将从影片的利润中分得一杯羹。

　　以往的变形金刚系列影片在中国很受欢迎。2011年，《变形金刚3》(Transformers: Dark of the Moon)在中国取得了约1.45亿美元的票房，创下美国以外的票房之最。

　　另外，据一位了解情况的人士说，为避免冒犯中国政府审查人员，派拉蒙最近调整了即将上映的由布拉德 皮特(Brad Pitt)主演的惊悚片《僵尸世界大战》中的一个情节点：删除了影片中提到中国是僵尸大战一个可能爆发地的说法。网站TheWrap.com早些时候报道了这一消息。


　　众所周知，在新概念英语中有些课文内容都是五花八门包罗万象，而新东方在线新概念组的小编也是秉承着这一理念为同学们搜罗各种新奇、新鲜事和大家一起分享学习。不知道首次与中国合作的《变形金刚4》会给我们带来什么样的视觉感官。