A brief discussion on the creation of animation scripts

A brief discussion on the creation of animation scripts

Among China’s 1.3 billion population, there are 367 million adults, and conservatively calculated, there are 500 million animation fans or enthusiasts. The animation industry may be another major economic growth point after the IT industry. "Watch anime after IT" is well-founded. According to the animation product consumption market survey in the three major cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, the consumption of animation-related products by urban youths aged 14-35 has exceeded 10 billion yuan, which does not include the consumer group aged 0-13. Some analysts believe that China's animation market has a sales market of 100 billion, which is true. Therefore, the entire consumer market for animation products in China is quite considerable.

Facing such a large market, Chinese animation companies must adapt to the requirements of industry internationalization and marketization. The most important thing is to adjust the industrial structure, including, Technical structure, production structure, market structure, organizational structure, etc. Then I will analyze the Chinese animation market one by one based on the following three major items.

1. Organizational structure in an industrial internationalization and market-oriented environment

The development of China’s animation industry must follow a path that combines originality with outsourcing. The organizational structure of animation companies must be compatible with diversified operations and brand interaction platforms. It is meaningless to operate a single project; because of the high cost, only by building a diversified interactive platform can an intensive brand industry chain be generated and a market advantage integrating production, supply and sales be formed.

For example, diversified business and brand interaction industry platform design:

Original animation production---media film and television broadcast---extension product development

Media enterprises →Animation production company;

Media company →Cartoon, animation toy company;

Media company →Cultural market operation company; (publishing, training, etc.)

Media Enterprise → Cartoon animation market development enterprise; (derivatives include DIY mode brand monopoly)

Media enterprise → Game production enterprise;

Media enterprise → Other animation exhibitions, advertising, food, accessories, Clothing and other enterprises;

Of course, there are many innovative organizational structures. However, no matter what kind of organizational structure is used when investing in animation production, I personally believe that "content is king".

Good cartoon content can drive advertising and generate brand value. Only with good content and through emotional cognition and emotional resonance can consumption be stimulated. Only in this way can we have good ratings. Only with good ratings can we drive advertising revenue and build a brand image. In this way, the value chain of this brand product can be formed and enter the derivative product market operation and management to generate the maximum brand value and market value.

1. Analysis of the current situation of the animation market environment

⑴The current situation of the market environment of animation products

China’s animation market environment is also inseparable from China’s national conditions. As we all know , China's media and entertainment operate in a market environment without any noise culture. Because animation products are positioned as cultural products in China's product positioning.

In our country, for The opening up and reform of the cultural industry are the most lagging and conservative. This is because a movement that took place decades ago has affected several generations of Chinese people. The past must never be forgotten. The past is the guide for the future; as long as you are forty years old The above people have a habit of judging cultural products: they would rather go to the left than to the right. Therefore, there are many adults who have the power to approve and review animation products and position animation products as "children's animation". Products.

Until now, there are still many websites and media that list 'animation' content as children's channels and children's sections;

Therefore, there are people in their thirties and forties. It is a ridiculous and strange Chinese phenomenon that people like to watch children's channels and visit children's sections.

⑵ The current situation of the creative market environment for cartoon themes

At present, there are many problems in China's market behavior and mentality. It is filled with a kind of "floating" mentality. In the economic market, this kind of mentality is quite widespread. Everyone hopes to have a kind of "floating" thinking to achieve their goals quickly and become successful and rich quickly.

Therefore, knowing that the focus of innovation depends on creativity, many people and companies do not tap into their own innovative thinking and abilities, but instead plan and plagiarize other people's ideas. In this "impetuous" mentality , there is a general lack of integrity in China’s market transactions, which is a very common and natural behavior. (Of course, there are also reasons such as the lack of market laws and the low cost of integrity)

Therefore, Chinese animation Production and production activities are mostly closed and confidential. Therefore, some products cost a lot of money and a lot of investment to produce, and they cannot be compared with European, American, Japanese and Korean animation products. This is also because they are afraid of their own good. The creativity and topic selection were plagiarized, resulting in operating behaviors that were not in line with market rules.

Therefore, the creative market environment for animation topic selection in China is quite harsh.

⑶The current situation of the animation product trading market environment

Due to the general lack of market integrity, market transactions of animation products are difficult. I believe that animation products can be divided into the following in terms of the current operating procedures of Chinese animation companies:

Topic selection and creativity (project establishment), seeking funds or investments, animation production, product communication and marketing, derivative product operations and other aspects.

Among these links, the most important thing is topic planning and creativity. The market environment in this link is not very optimistic. Many animation production companies only collect topic ideas and will not have other ideas. trading behavior. They believe that as long as they have a good idea, the film will be half successful.

In fact, the creativity of animation products runs through the entire animation script and animation products. This is One of the reasons why the current level of cartoons produced by Chinese animation companies is low and there is no market operation for derivative products.

2. Analysis of the current operating situation of animation production companies

⑴Operation model of animation companies< /p>

* Dozens of computers + dozens of animation production staff; (some of them are training students)

* Recruiting several animation screenwriters and writers;

*Seek state and other financial support;

*Broadcast on well-known TV stations;

*Feed a group of bosses who are stuck in their ways;

*Man-made It greatly amplifies the behavioral capabilities of enterprises and individuals, and they think about how to become bigger and stronger before they even start;

*Money trapping movement: first pick a creative name, make several creative plans, and obtain relevant Leaders support, and then money will roll in!

*Considers that plagiarizing other people’s ideas is one of the natural operations of China’s current animation companies;

*Does not pay attention to innovative thinking. and creative talents;

　⑵Animation enterprise production and operation model

　①Self-sufficient style;

Animation production enterprises, regardless of their size, believe that they must have scripts Creation, screenwriting, animation production, marketing, and other talents.

② Floating operation;

Immediate benefits are greater than long-term benefits; as long as you find investment, compare quality with purpose, purpose Put it first;

③Standing on one's own laurels;

Always think that one's own ideas are the best, and cannot listen to the advice of others. They do not operate according to the laws of the market. Such "burning" "Money" behavior will bring a vicious circle to China's animation companies.

⑶ Animation company business model

① Working behind closed doors;

Pay high prices and hire well-known companies Script writers and directors choose topics and ideas that they like, and then, without conducting detailed market research and audience market tests, they easily produce dozens to a hundred episodes.

Finally, the ratings of the broadcast are If the rate is not good, other reasons will be found.

②Money earning model;

It is not about putting the innovation and creative quality of animation first, but about how to make money. Put it first.

③ Short-sighted behavior:

If you want to do your job well, you must first sharpen your tools; an enterprise’s market operation behavior should be how to enhance market competitiveness And cultivate professional quality. Only in this way can we gain a foothold and compete in an industry. However, China's current animation production companies regard imitation as one of the most important strategies for corporate competition. They regard imitation and plagiarism as creativity.

3. Analysis of the Current Situation of the Animation Script Trading Market

⑴ Current Situation of Animation Script Creation

Animation production companies mainly create internally and invite famous artists to create;

The awareness of independent innovation in the animation script market is insufficient;

The level of script creation is poor; there are many imitation creations;

⑵ The current situation of animation script writing

Script creation .There are many writers, but the writing level is generally low. Most young creators are young and lack creative skills and experience.

Script writing, especially animation script writing, is so professional and standardized.

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There are many imaginative works and creativity with similar themes, magic, and baselessness.

⑶ Current status of animation script trading

The integrity of the animation script trading market is lacking; plagiarism of script ideas is common. The best situation is to pay part of the deposit and there will be no follow-up. Only And a few can complete the entire transaction. The transaction price is low; thus, skilled authors are reluctant to engage in animation script creation;

2. Analysis of animation scripts and animation industry market environment

Animation scripts are an important link in the animation industry chain. The "interactive and complementary" relationship between various links in the animation industry chain is the effective transmission relationship of "value". The industrial chain of animation products is: from the consumer psychology, purchasing motivations, and behaviors of the market audience, and the broadcast requirements of the market's mainstream media, and the costs of our animation companies, the main channels of products, secondary channels, publishing distributors, and film and television distribution This is the "industry chain" awareness of the animation industry by linking the profit margin strategies of manufacturers, brand licensors, brand licensees and enterprises with national policies, corporate funds, market talents, broadcast platforms, market environment, etc. The valuable original "animation scripts" are the source of this industry chain and "brand extension" and bring huge commercial value.

Therefore, in the topic selection and creation of animation scripts, we must pay attention to the following connotations in script creation:

1. Commerciality

First of all, cartoons are a commodity and a cultural commodity. Secondly, it is entertainment and art. Its main appeal function, first of all, is to meet the entertainment needs of the audience. At this point, the first thing we need to do is:

Understand consumers’ consumption psychology and motivation;

The audience’s points of interest and excitement;

2. Innovation points of the script

Main channel target audience;

Sub-channel target audience;

Derived product target customer group;

3. Systematic planning

The main purpose of capital investment is to maximize investment returns. The huge benefits of investment in China's animation industry exist in the downstream channels of the industry chain (book publishing, audio-visual product publishing, intellectual product rights income) and derivative products. This is particularly important in the current market environment where animation and cartoons are cheap and free in China.

If the commercial animation film produced with huge investment cannot support an industrial chain for its brand, under China's current market environment, it can be concluded that this investment will be lost!

Therefore, this requires our animation companies to establish a "system" in the early stage of planning a commercial cartoon, that is, the topic selection, creativity, and script creation period of the animation script. "Planning" product production and operation concepts. The connotation of "Ito System Planning" refers to: commercial animation scripts and scripts are by no means just a script for a simple cartoon, but an animation enterprise, the beginning of a project! And the script creation and script creation process also determine It is not an isolated, simple writing process. Essentially, it is a project planning process.

In the specific consciousness of script creation, as a script writer, you must be fully aware that investment and costs include preliminary market research, planning costs, production costs, distribution costs, intellectual property plans, and brand operation costs. Waiting for market planning, expansion costs, etc.

This requires script creators to fully consider the above-mentioned cost-reducing creative methods and techniques in the script creation process. From the perspective of topic selection, we must consider the risk of investment, the acceptance of the target audience, the innovation of the subject matter, and the demands of mainstream media and various interest groups in the industry chain. Through innovation, investment cycle, payback cycle, market benefits, etc.

As a screenwriter, you should have an awareness of increasing revenue, reducing expenditure, and project feasibility from the creative stage of topic selection. These links include: TV, Internet, books, audio and video, advertising, mobile phones, audio, cartoon images, brands and derivative products, such as: toys, clothing, daily necessities, entertainment supplies, cultural supplies, food, etc.

3. Brand interaction and collaboration

The difference between Chinese animation companies and Japanese, Korean, European and American animation companies lies in the early market target planning.

I believe that when a company determines the establishment and demonstration of a cartoon production, it should conduct comprehensive planning based on script creation and the value of the project, market goals, derivative market planning, etc. The project leader, screenwriter, script creation team leader and related project operators will make comprehensive arrangements for the creation, production, distribution and derivative products of the cartoon project. Set a directional target value system. This also standardizes the creative direction and procedures of the script to a certain extent. In this way, it will add unlimited commercial value and connotation to script creation.

In actual operation, the second step of cartoons is publishing, and the most ideal product of comic books is cartoons. The directions and next goals of the two seem to be unified and contradictory to each other. In fact, if we incorporate them into a project planning plan, this problem will be easily solved. Cartoons, comic books, book publishing, and cartoon production are not isolated. They should all be the beginning and beginning of a market project in the animation industry.

For example, after we completed the script creation for a cartoon film project, according to the plot of the script, during the production process and under the concept of project brand building, we set it as: hand-drawn version of book comics; Computer version of four-frame comics; cartoon version, etc. This lays the foundation for product interaction for the next step: book publishing.

Therefore, we say that the source of starting an animation project is the animation script. This project starts when the script is selected, creatively and created. The branding process for this project began. At the same time, we implemented the brand concept of this project into the market brand concept of subsequent derivative products. This kind of project goal collaboration and product brand interaction can be formed. In subsequent product production and market operations, appropriate outsourcing models can be considered. ;