From the People's Daily App.
This is Story in the Story.
Following the novel coronavirus outbreak, people across the country were advised to comply with home quarantine measures and avoid public events and social gatherings.
While Chinese across the country remained home during the outbreak, many found ways to make it a valuable or entertaining experience.
There were some who learned video and picture editing through online courses as developing such skills will be helpful in the future.
Media outlets reported on Chinese marathoners running around their furniture. One Xi'an man even claimed to have run 12,500 laps in his apartment.
Tai chi was one of the most popular activities.
Even China’s younger generation found a way to work out by using video games.
Yet despite technological obstacles, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made filming possible.
And AI identification and editing were used to process raw footage generated by those who created entertainment shows centered on them, thus improving production efficiency.
Today’s Story in the Story looks at how the Chinese kept themselves entertained at home during the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Zhou Shen. (Photo: People.com.cn)
Zhou Shen is probably the first Chinese celebrity singer who attended an acclaimed singing show by singing in his bedroom.
Like hundreds of millions of Chinese, Zhou was confined at home by the novel coronavirus outbreak. So during the third episode of "Singer," he was seen singing and watching his peers' performances from his apartment in Shanghai.
"It's so hard because I alone have to act as singer, cameraman, stylist, propman and light and sound technician," he said. "But the good thing is that I can lie down on my bed immediately after recording."
For Hu Shiyan, a big fan of TV shows, watching the show's ten singers, including Japanese singer Misia, pooling their renditions from studios or their homes in different cities is also a new experience.
The 24-year-old post-graduate student in Changsha is struggling with boredom after having stayed at home for a month. She was worried that her favorite show would also be suspended due to the epidemic.
"The TV show not only cures my boredom but sends positive energy through the music," said Hu, who was particularly impressed by the several songs dedicated to doctors and nurses.
Like "Singer," TV shows in China have opted for "cloud filming" amid the outbreak. Deprived of fancy stages, cheering audiences, and the bevies of helpful staff, celebrities in such shows have to record or live stream performances in different venues, often accompanied by basic instruments and simple props.
Two "cloud filming" episodes of "Singer" received over 148 million views.
The producing team of "Singer" said they conceived "cloud filming" to continue their show during the outbreak. Reconciliation of music and other configurations in different venues became their main challenges, said the show’s producer, Hong Xiao.
"We also need to make the performances look more live and prevent the leaking of video or audio resources," Hong said.
Liang Biying, a gold medal winner in tai chi at the 2019 World Wushu Championship, shares her short video clips online of her practicing tai chi during the ongoing epidemic. (Photo: China Daily)
Another "cloud filmed" TV show "Hey! What are you doing?" asks guests to share their life during the epidemic through Vlog and video calls.
"The show is not perfect in terms of content or technology, but we hope to help our audience ease their tension and discover the truth and beauty of life during the epidemic," said Liu Wei, the show's producer.
"Although the show's guests are usually comfortable in front of the camera, it is the first time that they have to complete shooting all by themselves," said Liu, whose team even shot a manual training for the hosts and guests to quickly become technicians, camera people, and directors.
"As the epidemic alleviates, our guests may be able to film outdoors in the near future," Liu said.
For many Chinese viewers, the survival of their favorite TV shows through "cloud filming" brings a precious antidote to boredom, as well as a sense of companionship and a "life-goes-on" feeling.
"I used to be busy with my work and seldom stay at home with my parents, but after being stuck at home for more than a month, I became a little uneasy," said Lin Jianyu, 31, from eastern China's Jiangsu Province. Inspired by the show, he began to learn to cook, work out at home and spend more time with his parents.
"It's like an old friend sharing the daily routine, gently saying, 'it's OK, we're all here with you. We can make it through this,'" commented one netizen on the show, "Hey! What are you doing?"
(Produced by Nancy Yan Xu, Lance Crayon, Brian Lowe and Da Hang. Music by: bensound.com. Text from China Daily.)