2008-12-31

First Shanghai Animation Project Pitching Held with Entries of High Quality

On June 11th, the first Shanghai Animation Project Pitching was held in Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park. Ten cartoon creators from all over China attended the pitch and introduced their projects. This is also the first pitch earmarked for cartoon works. The Animation Project Pitching, co-hosted by the organizing committee of this year\'s Shanghai Television Festival, Shanghai Cultural Development Foundation and Shanghai Culture and Technology Creative Industry Base aims to build a platform for the Chinese original cartoons and investors to communicate and cooperate. Officially launched in March this year, the committee of the Shanghai Animation Project Pitching has received 109 works from all over China. Among the works, ten are nominated and 20 Best Projects are selected.

On Wednesday, creators of the ten entries gathered in Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park of Shanghai. Zhang Tianxiao, CEO of the Shanghai Fantasia Animation Co, Ltd heads the jury. Other members are Wang Jing, CEO of the Great Dreams Cartoon Cooperation, Li Jie, Director of the Planning Department of CCTV Cartoon; Li Haitao, Manager of the Product Research & Development Center of Disney Consumer Products in Greater China; Zhang Wenpei, Associate Managing Editor of the Jiangsu Children\'s Publishing House; French cartoon scholar Jean-pierre Pagliano and Vice Chairman of the Japan Cartoonist Association. With the support of state policies, Chinese cartoons have made remarkable progress. However, as a modern industry, to make further achievement, Chinese local cartoons have to learn operating patterns from the international market. Zhang Tianxiao is considered forerunner in this regard, early in 2004, with a two-minute-long trailer, he and the Shanghai Fantasia Animation Co, Ltd succeeded in signing contracts of advance payment of 40 million RMB. After that, the well-recognized cartoon “Shaolin Kids” was produced. Zhang Tianxiao said that the main purpose of this pitch is to promote the pattern of advance selling by trailer in Chinese cartoonists.

This years\' Shanghai Animation Project Pitching is similar to the Shanghai Film Project Pitch in last year\'s Shanghai International Film festival. However, presentations by the cartoonists in the pitch are far less attractive than the trailers they brought. Furthermore, their speeches focus far more on their work notions and ideals than the market and audience group which investors care most. The pitch, to the core, hopes to offer a platform for the cartoonists to talk about the latter, which Zhang Tianxiao set him as an example for the cartoonists by sharing his experience of how to introduce projects to investor in a simplified but efficient way in the morning of the day. Though held for the first time, the entries of the Shanghai Animation Pitch are of high quality and distinction. Among them, the "Kungfu Rabbit" from the Communication University of China is already popular with the netizens. "Haha" from the SMG is an extension of already-recognized brand to traditional cartoon product. "Injustice" from the Department of Digital Art and Design of Beijing University oozes Chinese traditional culture. “Elephant Baba” by the Mythic Flame Animation Studio of Chengdu, Sichuan has impressive stories, images outlook. The jury will select the Best Animation Creation, and the animation creation with the most market potential for investment with prize of 300,000 RMB for each. With the money, the winner can improve its work and take its sample to the Cannes Television Festival in October in France and NATPE 2008 Conference & Exhibition for commercial promotion.