It strikes me as odd that, amid all the hand wringing and hair pulling over the perceived problems in the anime industry, we don't have a definitive thread to explain how and why anime production committees are formed to produce animated work in Japan.
To be sure, it wasn't until a few years ago that I became just vaguely aware of the process — and it seems that I'm not alone in this regard. Most of us have only the foggiest view of the various economic realities that both enable and limit the industry in its current state.
This lack of information often leads to a great deal of misunderstanding among anime fans, I feel. We're brimming with ideas for changing and energising what we perceive to be an industry in stagnation, but unless we actually know the processes by which anime is produced — the industry's value chain — I wonder about the extent to which any of our ideas are realistic.
Case in point: It seems ridiculously obvious to many of us that, by tapping a larger international market via the Internet, anime producers could cut out the middlemen — that is, the production committees — and earn revenue directly.
So, why isn't anyone doing so? The answer, I feel, is more than just a matter of costs and economies of scale. Could it not also be cultural, a matter of aspirations? Being a big hit online is not the same as being a big hit on TV or the silver screen. The "visibility" and recognition you'd get is qualitatively different. But, in order to get onto TV and cinemas, producers have to work with the various stakeholders who control these means of distribution.
And, voila, committees are formed.
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So, those of you who are knowledgeable about this sector — or better yet, if you actually work in it — do share what you know.
For example, I have an old friend who is the producer of his own animation studio in Singapore. Granted, the industry here is vastly different in terms of size, scale and talent from that of Japan's. Nonetheless, his experience provides insight into the way the system works, not just in Singapore or Japan, but internationally.
I imagine that those who study animation, or even media/film studies in general, would be able to share even more? If you can, please do. Much thanks in advance.
============
To put the larger question into a smaller, easier-to-understand perspective, pretend that you're Tadayasu, Daigoro and Hideaki, three Tokyo hommies who want to start an independent anime studio.
What are the resources they'd need, and what are the hoops they'd have to jump through before they get to make and distribute their anime?
To be sure, it wasn't until a few years ago that I became just vaguely aware of the process — and it seems that I'm not alone in this regard. Most of us have only the foggiest view of the various economic realities that both enable and limit the industry in its current state.
This lack of information often leads to a great deal of misunderstanding among anime fans, I feel. We're brimming with ideas for changing and energising what we perceive to be an industry in stagnation, but unless we actually know the processes by which anime is produced — the industry's value chain — I wonder about the extent to which any of our ideas are realistic.
Case in point: It seems ridiculously obvious to many of us that, by tapping a larger international market via the Internet, anime producers could cut out the middlemen — that is, the production committees — and earn revenue directly.
So, why isn't anyone doing so? The answer, I feel, is more than just a matter of costs and economies of scale. Could it not also be cultural, a matter of aspirations? Being a big hit online is not the same as being a big hit on TV or the silver screen. The "visibility" and recognition you'd get is qualitatively different. But, in order to get onto TV and cinemas, producers have to work with the various stakeholders who control these means of distribution.
And, voila, committees are formed.
============
So, those of you who are knowledgeable about this sector — or better yet, if you actually work in it — do share what you know.
For example, I have an old friend who is the producer of his own animation studio in Singapore. Granted, the industry here is vastly different in terms of size, scale and talent from that of Japan's. Nonetheless, his experience provides insight into the way the system works, not just in Singapore or Japan, but internationally.
I imagine that those who study animation, or even media/film studies in general, would be able to share even more? If you can, please do. Much thanks in advance.
============
To put the larger question into a smaller, easier-to-understand perspective, pretend that you're Tadayasu, Daigoro and Hideaki, three Tokyo hommies who want to start an independent anime studio.
What are the resources they'd need, and what are the hoops they'd have to jump through before they get to make and distribute their anime?