How to start the animation industry

With the development of computer graphics technology in recent years, some domestic cartoon artists have begun to produce continuously played comic images on computers that are more dynamic than a single cartoon picture, thus beginning to be called It is "animation", that is, "a series of linked comics".

The animation industry takes "creativity" as its core, takes animation and comics as its forms of expression, and includes animation books, newspapers, movies, television, audio-visual products, stage plays and new animation based on modern information communication technology. An industry involving the development, production, publishing, broadcasting, performance and sales of animation direct products such as varieties, as well as the production and operation of derivative products such as clothing, toys, and electronic games related to animation images.

Animation, as a cultural product, has a variety of carriers or expression platforms. Taken together, the animation industry chain generally has four links, comics (books, newspapers and periodicals), animation (movies, television, audio-visual products) ) as well as stage plays and online animations. Comic creation is the foundation of the industry, film and television animation is the communication tool of the industry, animation stage drama is the extension and improvement of the industry, and online animation is the application of the industry under new technology conditions, which has a pulling and integrating effect. In addition, there is the development of peripheral products such as games and toys. These links are interdependent and pull each other. After decades of development, countries such as the United States and Japan have formed a complete industrial chain. Due to my country's late development and the impact of cognitive issues and administrative divisions, the animation industry has not yet formed a complete and good industrial chain. [Edit this paragraph] Current situation of my country’s animation industry The animation and game industry is an emerging cultural industry that has developed rapidly around the world in recent years. In 2005, the global output value of the animation industry exceeded US$500 billion, and it has become the largest industry or pillar industry in Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and South Korea. The reality currently faced by China's animation industry is that crises and opportunities exist at the same time. In April 2006, the General Office of the State Council forwarded the "Several Opinions on Promoting the Development of China's Animation Industry" issued by the Ministry of Finance and other departments, proposing a series of policies and measures to promote the development of China's animation industry.

China’s animation and game industry is in its infancy, but it is developing rapidly and has broad space. According to estimates from the China Animation and Animation Association, the total annual output value of China's animation and game industry was only 11.7 billion yuan three years ago. The current annual total output value is about 18 billion yuan, a considerable part of which is processing fees paid by foreign businessmen. A large number of "foreign animations" have occupied the Chinese animation market, causing the domestic animation market share to continue to lose. According to a domestic survey, among the most popular animation works among teenagers, Japanese and Korean animations account for 60%, European and American animations account for 29%, and original animations from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan account for only 11%. [Edit this paragraph] Domestic Animation Base The domestic animation industry first emerged in 2002, with Shanghai starting the earliest, and it is still at the leading level in the country. By the end of 2005, more than 20 provinces and cities across the country had proposed vigorously supporting the animation industry as an emerging industry.

Shanghai: The annual sales revenue of online games currently operating in Shanghai has exceeded 2 billion yuan, accounting for 70% of the national market share.

Beijing: Ten billion yuan to build animation base It is planned to invest 10 billion yuan in the city's Daxing District to build a new media industry base and achieve an output value of 10 to 20 billion yuan by 2010.

Dalian: To build an animation corridor, it is expected that within three years the number of employees will reach 5,000, the output value will exceed 500 million yuan, and it will develop towards a modern animation industry base with a complete industrial chain.

Shenzhen: Building a National Animation Industry Base Shenzhen City has proposed to build a national animation industry base. Currently, there are more than 50 animation companies and more than 1,000 employees, creating an output value of approximately 200 million yuan in the city every year.

Changsha: strongly promotes "three cats and one eagle". "Three Cats and One Eagle" refers to China's first profitable animation "Blue Cat" and Rainbow Cat and Bobcat founded by the "Father of Blue Cat". "One Eagle" refers to the Golden Eagle Cartoon Channel.

Hangzhou: Holding International Cartoon and Animation Festival Hangzhou has successfully held two international animation events - "China International Cartoon and Animation Festival". In 2008, it was completed with a planned area of ??no less than 1,500 acres and a total investment of 600 million yuan. China Cartoon City.

First, during production, we often worry about funding. The reason is very simple: lack of investment, the domestic market does not pay attention to animation, or lacks understanding of its commercial value. For example, a colleague of mine recently participated in a certain 30-episode animation. The original budget was 2.8 million, but it ended up being cut again and again. In the end, it was less than 40% of the planned funding. As a result, many low-level things that originally needed to be produced by professionals were completely reduced. Their crew was trying to figure out the production, which resulted in an extremely long production cycle. The entire production was completely focused on saving money.

Secondly, many plots cannot be produced. In fact, most of the animators in this era are themselves reading Japanese comics and online novels. In fact, everyone knows what plot is popular. But knowing is knowing, making is making. It can be said helplessly that those popular plots are not impossible to do, but they dare not be done. Because it is all a waste and cannot pass the review and approval at all. If the superiors have a strong conscience and are more tolerant, they will cut off the content again and again.

Third, art issues. There is no shortage of animation art talents. Many of Japan’s animations are produced by Chinese people who are working on the bottom level of art. There are even many such companies. Or an amateur art enthusiast. For example, in Gundam SEED, almost all the art is produced in China. So if we were given enough funds and our goal was to make a Japanese-style animation, it would be too easy. It's a pity that it's not a Japanese style, but a Chinese style. To be honest, the industry and even all Chinese animation fans still haven't figured it out yet. We don't have the money to hire people. Strictly speaking, I often think about exploding my brain for two to three thousand yuan. This may be unimaginable to outsiders!

Fourth, insufficient attention is paid to the script, or the soul of animation. Comics have not developed at all in China. Original animation scripts, unfortunately, there are no people in China who specialize in this industry. On the other hand, in Japan, there are a large number of such people who are just making a living. Scripts created by outsiders, or simply for the sake of rushing work, are produced with no content, no quality, and are restricted by policies. They are inherently deficient. In addition, they are restricted by domestic review methods, which makes it really difficult.

Fifth, everyone is talking about how the blue cat is rubbish. But everyone knows how much money Blue Cat earns and how much he invested. If I said that Blue Cat’s revenue can be compared to 200 times the total revenue of Chinese animation in the past 20 years, I don’t know if anyone would believe it. I don’t comment on this animation, but in China, you can only make money by doing this type of animation (including the production process). I don’t know if you believe it or not. If China makes Full Metal Panic (which I personally prefer), it can be made if someone invests, but I can guarantee that you will lose whatever you invest. No TV station will broadcast it, and no domestic distributor will buy it.

Sixth, I always say that Chinese animation workers are technically inferior to those of foreign countries. Perhaps China is not yet mature in terms of 3D technology, but in terms of 2D, I am certain that we are not lagging behind others at all. For a 25-minute animation, there are approximately 30,000 to 70,000 Japanese storyboards. Let's divide it by ten! Japanese animation, how many production staff are there, let’s divide it by 20! In terms of funding, it is estimated to be almost 100 yuan. The production cost of an OVA in Japan is about 40 million yuan. As for us, we burned incense for 500,000 yuan.