I’m in the UK having recently returned from attending the Cannes Film Festival, followed shortly thereafter by the Annecy International Animation Festival.  These two events, both in France, separated by just a few days, are the premiere festivals in the international calendar for live action and animation respectively. 

“Build it and they will come” seemingly reflects the mantra of many Asian cities and countries that feel by merely building a large infrastructure designed to house animation production, it will attract both foreign investment and foreign projects designated for the international marketplace which will, in turn, allow such city to become an “international animation destination hub.”  But who will use such facilities and how are governments going about the business of recruiting and bringing in new projects?

 

Once again taking this opportunity to write my blog on behalf of International Animation Consulting Group from 35,000 feet somewhere over the Indian Ocean as I return from a week in Sydney, where I was working with a local animation studio on their five-year strategic plan. 

Surprise, surprise - I’m not at 30,000 ft. as I write this latest blog but on a high-speed train, traveling from Moscow to St. Petersburg in Russia, as I make my journey back to the U.K. following a wonderful time attending the KROK International Animation Festival.  This unique festival, now in its nineteenth year, is held in alternate years between Ukraine and Russia and what makes it so unique is the location – it’s on a river cruise ship.  This year was the Moscow edition.  

When we left off last month, we were just getting ready to talk about where your revenues will come from.  If your project is a feature length film, your revenues will probably come from these sources in these amounts:

Cinema/Theatre	20% - 30%
Video Sales	35% - 45%
Television	23% - 30%
Ancillary	5%   - 10%

If your project is for television, the breakdown would look something like this:

 

The Jilin Animation Institute is an incredible undertaking. It’s now celebrating over ten years of operation.  The student base is over 10,500.  That’s NOT a typo.  10,500 students….the largest animation student enrollment in the world!  To support these students is a staff of 1,400 instructors, teachers, technicians and artists including a smattering of foreign nationals.  The institute is in the process of expanding its campus to accommodate up to 20,000 students within the next few years.

 

The ACE event is held annually and is sponsored by the Gwangju Metropolitan City. It consists of an International Forum, Licensing Plaza and a showcase for cultural content.  It’s an exhibition for all types of cultural content providers from all over the world. There’s Biz Matching, Screenings, and Conferences.

That’s the official line! 

Here’s the unofficial line………………Gwangju ACE Fair was developed to tap into the vast amount of animation business that’s flowing into China and, to a lesser extent, flowing into Seoul, South Korea. They want a piece of the Asian animation pie. The ACE Fair is expected to generate agreements between foreign studios and Korean studios, MOU’s (memos of understanding), and actual contracts. 

Surprise, surprise back at 30,000 ft flying from London to Los Angeles after a super quick trip to the UK and Ukraine.  Since my last communication, which was all about the KROK International Animation Festival, I have been back in the US.  A return home after thirteen months on the road.  I left my home in LA in September of 2011 for a two-month road trip.  That trip kept getting extended and extended.  Resulting into the longest period away from the US since I came to America from the United Kingdom after the release of Who Framed Roger Rabbit, nearly 25 years ago.