What Stage are Chinese Animation Companies on?

With ten-year’s development , what stage are Chinese Animation companies on?

Recently, Tencent launched as many as 104 new films and their sequel in the 2021 animation press conference, which was called “crazy” by the audience of animation before the live broadcast. In addition to the release of work information and production schedule, the release sheet also revealed another information — several animation companies that have long cooperated with Tencent Video have already established their own content production moats.

Several special bright eye of companies, including Xuanji Technology，which is produced “Doula Continent”, Motion Magic, the producer of “Fights Break Sphere”  Shanghai Foch Film and TV Culture Investment Co.,Ltd has nine film and television animation projects as well as B.C MAY PICTURES, the producer of “The Grandmother of demonic cultivation” and “Lord of the Mysteries”. Colored-Pencil Animation Design has launched 9 works (one-adaption and 8-original developed) The reason that these animation companies are able to be recognized by the audience is not only because the animation stories are attractive enough, but also because of the sufficient resources provided by the platform, as well as the production mode of each company to show their animation content with their own characteristics.

From the era of planned economy to the present, the pioneering path of domestic animation can be said to be a trail of hardships. Released in 2012,”100,000 Bad Jokes” is regarded as a typical work in the early development of domestic network animation in the industry. During the past 10 years, several representative companies have gradually settled in the domestic network animation market with gen Z young people as the main audience. These companies incudes those develop the original stories as well as provide service to the oversees clients. They have not only accumulated experience in content production, but also gradually established their own animation brand.

In general, these animation companies have the following three characteristics.

Forming animation production system.

The companies set up the Producer-oriented mode, same as that in the world market. It establishes a clear boundary between creation and market demand.

Foch， Motion Magic, Xuanji and Colored-Pencil all take this mode which they can produce multiple projects from Tencent and from other platforms at the same time.

The constant pursuit of stories and technology.

With intensive project schedule and full production capacity, the animation production companies have been pursuing to produce convincing stories for the audience, and to ensure production efficiency while improving the picture effect through technical updates.

Be bold and participate in copyright investment.

Compared with mature foreign animation markets, China’s local animation industry does not have a long development history, but it also gives various  opportunities to try, including 2D animation, 3D rendered 2D animation, new production mode, etc.

Presently Chinese animation companies continuous produce the projects from the platform but also creation their own brand. They are on the way to establish the brand with high quality.. The market value of animation works is getting higher and higher, and the cultural value is getting wider and wider. Animation works that can influence a generation and form cultural symbols.

Translation/Editing:CGGE editors