Poster of hit TV drama "Nirvana in Fire". [Photo: mtime.com]

The Shanghai International Film and TV Festival is ongoing with the aim to promote the industry and enhance cooperation with the rest of the world.

It's also a showcase for many small and medium budget productions looking to sell their ideas further afield.

Among them, an increasing number of customized, exclusive and intellectual property TV series, which enjoy huge popularity in China, due to policy restrictions and changing viewer habits.

Shanghai this year, has become a focus for a whole host of TV series producers keen to show off their latest works, most of which are small and medium budget ones.

In 2015, the Chinese authorities issued a restriction that individual TV series can be broadcast on no more than two satellite TV stations, which has made it easier for major TV stations to obtain broadcast rights for hit TV series.

But, as a result of this concentration of resources, customized and exclusive dramas, which are broadcast on designated platforms, are gaining popularity.

Xie Juan, distribution manager with a film and television production company, says the market is beginning to show its potential.

"Now customized and exclusive plays are likely to gradually become a trend. Movie companies have many projects which involve client TV stations in the early planning stages, and there is close cooperation between them. So we are seeing more customized dramas."

Another trend is companies working with video websites to produce TV series.

Their joint productions have been welcomed by both TV stations and new media outlets with an increasing number of viewers choosing to watch series online, using their mobile devices instead of on TV.

So it comes as no surprise that Internet rights for many hit series are now much higher than the fees paid by TV stations.

However, Ma Zhongjun, the president of a media company, is cautioning against such bubbles in the market.

"I think there is a scarcity of good-quality material. So the prices will definitely go up. But why do we say there is a bubble? Those which are not good-quality are still being sold at the same prices. So it's up to both platforms and producers to take strict control of them. You should always choose the best-quality ones."

This year's Shanghai festival is also reflecting the boom in so-called intellectual property dramas, those adapted from original network novels, cartoons and video games, which already have a solid fan base.

Projects with popular IP or intellectual property, or popular formats are also attracting the attention of movie companies.

But Zhang Na, general manager of a film and television production company, believes getting an IP is only the first step.

"It's not difficult to buy an IP. But it's rather difficult to adapt an IP into an excellent good-quality script. You then need to select the right production and casting after adaption. So getting an IP is only a start."

It's estimated that intellectual property TV dramas now account for over half of the total market here in China.