The Auteurism of Commercial Film Directors: Cao Baoping's Non-Artistic Film Work

Abstract

This paper takes the academic director Cao Baoping as its subject, analysing his unique auteurist expression in commercial filmmaking.
Rejecting the paradigm of pure art cinema detached from reality, Cao Baoping adheres to the creative philosophy of 'using commercial elements
to convey personal artistic pursuits', thereby achieving an auteurist breakthrough within the framework of the crime-thriller genre. Centring his
work on narrative, he skilfully employs star actors and visually stimulating scenes to enhance commercial appeal, whilst simultaneously portraying complex human nature with precision and focusing on universal social themes such as family relationships and the boundaries between good
and evil. Each work displays a distinct style, rejecting assembly-line production and establishing an authorial characteristic of "a unique style for
each work". Cao Baoping has found a precise balance between commerce and art; his rational creative thinking and ability to adapt to the market
provide an important reference for the integration of genre development and auteur expression in contemporary Chinese cinema.