During the recent TIFFCOM 2023, Italian co-producers were brought on board for the animated feature “The Violinist,” which later won the prestigious top prize at this year’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival. This revelation came from Ervin Han, Singaporean filmmaker and co-founder of Robot Playground Media, during a panel discussion at the Tokyo market.
Highlighting International Co-Productions
Han shared his insights at the session titled “Anime’s New Frontier: Structuring & Financing International Co-Productions,” emphasizing the benefits of engaging overseas partners early in the production process. He noted that careful consideration of financing, deal structures, and rights management from development through release is essential for successful anime collaborations. The panel was moderated by Kawano Masao, program manager at Into Global.
Developing ‘The Violinist’
As co-director and producer of “The Violinist,” Han reflected on the decade-long journey of the film, which tells a story of friendship over ten years. Han recounted that the film itself took an entire decade from conception to completion. “With different roles in my projects, I find promotion is even more challenging than production,” he stated.
Insights from Industry Leaders
Ilan Urroz, CEO of France’s Foliascope, contributed to the discussion by acknowledging that co-production is not a novel concept. He highlighted the significance of platform partnerships, pointing to France’s investment mandates for streaming services, which require platforms operating in the country to reinvest a certain percentage of their revenue into original film and audiovisual productions. Urroz specified that under these regulations, streamers must allocate at least 20% of their earnings in France to such projects, increasing to 25% for services that offer films within 12 months after their theatrical release, applicable to animation as well.
He cited major platforms like Netflix, Disney+, Crunchyroll, Prime Video, and HBO Max as significant players within the French market.
The Role of Talent in Co-Productions
Echoing Han’s sentiments, Sakurai Taiki, CEO of Salamander Inc., emphasized the importance of talent and partnerships, drawing from his extensive experience in the anime industry. “Partners are the key to success,” he asserted, reinforcing the idea that collaboration is vital in this space.
Finding the Right Partners
When pressed on how to effectively find co-production partners, Urroz advised attendees to “Be creative, and don’t forget that every project is also a journey of a group of people.” This perspective emphasizes the collaborative spirit necessary for fostering successful international animation projects.
