Local animators encouraged to become entrepreneurs
Posted on April 11th, 2009
The animation industry is about to get a boost especially with the formation of the Animation Council of the Philippines (ACP). The group’s main focus is to encourage more animators to be more enterprising and set up their own studios.
Rowena E. Bagadion, newly-installed president of the organization said, “Animators are creative people. But oftentimes, we are not entrepreneurial enough.†She added that the “common perspective of animators is to become employed, whereas they can actually be the employer by setting up small animation studios or SMEs (small and medium enterprises).â€
The organization is planning to hold regular assemblies and forums to encourage members to set up their own studios, Bagadion said this will make access to funding easier. She also said that cooperatives can also drive down costs as members would have the benefits of shared software and equipments.
Presently, there are around 80 local animation studios in the country, the ACP is looking to double that number by next three years. Bagadion added that of the 10,000 or so local animators, over half just do freelance work.
“To help the industry, what we want is to project the image that we have many suppliers which companies can choose from,†Bagadion said. While she pushes for members to become entrepreneurs, she is also encouraging them to produce original materials. “The local animation industry is service-oriented. But to achieve growth, producing content is important as it establishes one’s brand,†she added.
Animation is also one of the industries being widely outsourced in the country, with the existence of talented and creative animators, it is not surprising at all. In the last four years, the industry has more than double its revenues to $110 million, from $52 million in 2004.
Michael Lim is confident that the industry would not be severely affected by the global economic crisis. “The industry will be affected but not much as the need for entertainment will be there even more in recessions,†he said. Lim is the deputy executive director of the ACP
That was an interesting article. Why don’t you try to have business at home, maybe an internet shop then do your work as an animator at home. Doing business at home while being an animator would really really double your profit.
well its really hard to find an animation job today, and some of the company usually get all the payment or all income… and what’s left for the struggling animators.. a little part of it… and how about those who wanted to be an animator but not that skilled and need to be trained?
well if their’s lucky enough they will be trained by one of the local studio here in the philippines, but whats the cost of it.. may be they wont get any allowance for a month?
how are they going to create or make one of a kind animation if they are starving to death? or
degraded by another higher ranked animators?
you see if you want to doubled the number of studio here in the philippine, well it easy to say that, but its really hard, specially if there’s a corrupt owner, president or employer that runs the studio…