Cartoon Movie 2009: A New Home

Cartoon Movie's 11th edition moved from its home in Germany to Lyon, France, bringing a new focus on videogames and a record number of participants.

Cartoon Movie moved to a new venue and a new country this year, logging a record attendance and putting a new priority on links with the videogame industry. After 10 years in the historic home of German film at the Babelsberg Studios in Potsdam, the event switched this year to France's second city, Lyon.

While Babelsberg was best known for production of cinema classics such as Metropolis and The Blue Angel, Lyon also has a place in the history of cinema as the city where the Lumiere Brothers invented the cinematograph. In more recent years, however, its media of choice has centered on videogame production.

Cartoon Movie was set up to ease the production of European animation feature films by encouraging co-production between European countries and accelerating the financing and distribution process. Films are presented to an audience of investors, distributors and producers at various stages of development. This year a total of 51 projects were on show with a total budget of €370 million -- seven completed movies, 10 in production, 16 in development and 18 in concept.

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Animating the cartoon industry

Innovation and cooperation will continue to be the driving force for China's animation industry in the future, said Wang Yansheng, deputy director of China's International Cultural Exchange Center.

Many experts and scholars echoed the view at a forum on animation and cartoon industry held during 2008 China (Changzhou) International Animation Art Festival that opened on Saturday and will run until October 5.

Over the past few years, China's animation and cartoon industry has witnessed rapid development with application of new technology and resources. Many animation and cartoon companies have sprung up across the country, producing thousands of cartoon programs every year.

"But what we lack most is the power of imagination and innovation, which are indispensable in creating animation works," Wang said.

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Korea's Animation Industry Maturing

With a growing number of Korean animated characters gaining international fame, Korea is becoming one of the leading countries in animation. More companies are getting the chance to enter lucrative foreign markets.

"Pororo the Little Penguin" is what children are all hyped up about, both in Korea and abroad. Its creators have already exported content currently being aired in ten countries outside Korea. As for the reasons behind the country's fast growing animation market, the company says it is due to a major shift in production.

On Wednesday one of Asia's biggest animation festivals lifted its curtains in Seoul. The event was originally established to promote the Korean animation and cartoon industry, as well as to provide a platform for local talent. But now it has grown into a world-renowned festival featuring the latest trends in animated films and works of artists from around the globe.

Korea's animation industry is gaining support from the government as it realizes just how large profits from successful animated characters and their subsequent licensing can be. The Seoul Metropolitan government says it plans to expand an animation support fund to W100 billion (US$1=W1,044) by 2010.

Source : http://english.chosun.com/