Soft Money, Cold Cash: Money Shopping for Animated Feature Films — Part 2: Asian Territories
Japan Another fund for straight-to-DVD titles, also for individuals (with an investment as low as $460) and representing US$2.18 million, has been created by Rakuten Securities, the financial company for Rakuten Inc., which owns and operates Japan’s largest online shopping portal. Rakuten Ichiba, offers over six million items from more than 13,941 contracted retailers and service providers, an online bookstore, an online hotel reservation service and a mobile phone catalogue-shopping service.
For anime fans, it’s practically unbearable: Miyazaki’s Howl’s Moving Castle, Mamoru Oshii’s Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence and Akira director Katsuhiro Otomo’s US$22 million Steamboy, 10 years in the making.
Philippines
Recent legislation liberalizing the creation of film funds and the South Korean example has resulted in the creation of several new funds in Japan. For example, Kadokawa Pictures (a Kadokawa Group subsidiary) announced the creation of one of the first, Japan Film Fund (among the partners, Mizuho Bank and games company Konami), with US$32 million and hopes to raise up to US$180 million in the future. Nomura Trust & Banking and U.K. content provider Future Planet set up another fund for institutional investors with US$7.27 million. The Shochiku Fund, from Japan’s oldest film studio/distributor, also with Mizuho (where individuals can invest as little as US$900), was set up to produce five 2D and CGI animated films and TV projects per year.
The Philippines has no subsidies to speak of, but has a longstanding tradition of American-style animation, a well-developed infrastructure and North American investment. Philippines Animation Studio, Inc. (PASI), which recently went public, is reported to be preparing a raft of animation features.
Russia Founded in 1999 by one of Russia’s most successful live-action producers, Sergei Selyanov, CTB’s Melnitsa Animation in St. Petersburg started privately funded Little Longnose in 2000 and released it in 2003, the first animated feature produced in Russia in almost 40 years. The studio employs more than 100 people and not only does its own films but also subcontracts for 2D, 3D, cutouts, etc. for international partners. It has launched its own distribution company, Nashe Kino, with Neva Film, one of Russia’s largest dubbing/post-production facilities.
Argus International just released two other animated features the US$4 million Nutcracker and the Mouse King with Germany’s MC One studio, Russian animation’s largest international co-production to date, and the US$3.5 million Neznaika and Barrabass (25% funded by broadcaster Channel One and 50% state-funded.)
Alyesha Popovich and Tugarin the Snake, Melnitsa’s next feature, premiers on December 23, 2004 throughout Russia.
As part of a three-year plan, Russia abolished tax incentives because of abuses, but increased state funds for filmmaking 50% in 2003. This year’s budget is an estimated US$47.6 million. Cinema is high priority for the government, particularly children’s films.
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