Guo Fan, the director of The Wandering Earth and Ning Hao have been thrown into the spotlight in the wake of their immensely popular sci-fi blockbusters. Now, the two directors seem to have taken a humble step backward to learn from their peers in Hollywood. This comes as China and the US launched an initiative to foster exchange among filmmakers between the two countries back in 2013. Culture Express caught up with these helmers to see what they have learned.

The Wandering Earth caused a sensation when it hit cinema screens at the Spring Festival. Director Guo Fan believes the film addressed a long-standing desire among domestic audiences, to see a Chinese-made science fiction movie.

GUO FAN FILM DIRECTOR "Demand is the fundamental value of literature and art. The Wandering Earth is following this rule."

Guo was among five Chinese directors who visited Paramount studios in Hollywood in 2014. They watched a VR edition of the movie Interstellar, talked with the executive producers of the Terminator series, toured properties departments, and discussed global promotion strategies.

For Ning Hao, the trip was life-changing.

NING HAO FILM DIRECTOR "It deeply impressed me, every detail, from the administration to the production, and the professionalism of every member of staff. And we experienced VR – it was rare at that time."

The trip to Paramount reshaped their understanding of film production – everything from adaptation to shooting, editing to distribution.

Chen Sicheng was writing the script for Detective Chinatown at the time of the visit. Witnessing first-hand the industrial production process operating in Hollywood, convinced him he wasn't ready to film there. So instead, he chose Bangkok. Bolstered by the film's success, and in the interests of producing a better commercial offering, he set Detective Chinatown 2, in New York.

CHEN SICHENG DIRECTOR "The first movie took 101 days to film, and the second one, 47 days, even though it was more complex. It's because Hollywood operates under a mature, industrial system."

Detective Chinatown 2 was the first Chinese movie to work with a US Labor Union. Making it taught Chen Sicheng a lot about what it means to be not only the director of a movie, but also a producer.

A film that received good reviews but did poorly at the box office, was Brotherhood of Blades. However, director Lu Yang felt that, based on what he had learned at Paramount, it was worth making a sequel.

This time, he secured more investment, upgraded the cast and improved the story structure.

RAO SHUGUANG, SECRETARY-GENERAL CHINA FILM ASSOCIATION "With more investment in a movie, it's possible to try a more industrial approach to production. Every professional group is part of the greater force. And this leads to an upgrading in terms of production and narrative, as well as the audio and visual effects."

The past five years have seen China's film market grow considerably more mature. These young directors, with their talent and passion, and by opening up new avenues for expressing their creativity, are becoming a major force in the country's burgeoning movie industry.