Starting Your Own Animation Studio?

How do you start an animation studio? Well, it is difficult to pin down the most reliable steps in building an animation studio. But one thing I know, in order for a studio to grow, it needs to engage in original content activities.

I have been posting several messages in the web with the purpose of looking for "pinoy" original content animation studios. And at the moment, I only found three namely Mind Tap Studios of the Asia Pacific College in Magallanes, Enrick Geronia's Indio Genome Project and Tuldok Animation. So, given that these are the studios I got so far, I will begin my article by giving my impression with regards to the said studios.

Mind Tap Studios is a unique creative and technical institution. It is a working studio that has a modest amount of clients who consistently make use of the creative and technical functions of the studio. Its operation does not rely on donations or private contributions rather its operation is sustained by its own revenues.

Besides providing technical and creative support to its clients, the studio is engage in original content animation as reflected by its animation arm "Mobytoons". This engagement created a natural need to put up animation programs that will develop individuals who will eventually participate in original content projects and activities.

Checking their website, Mind Tap is further developing new programs for other media platforms like digital photography, web designing and original content comic book development. I see these programs as pioneering steps toward original content development and management for animation, comic book, wed design and even digital photography.

I met Enrick Geronia in a foreign animation studio based in Makati. I was managing the creative department and Enrick was part of the production line. To be honest, we do not share certain views with regards to Philippine Animation but we do share a common vision with regards to original content development and management. In fact, I did a freelance story editing work with him under his maverick enterprise called Indio Genome Project that was a modular unit of a foreign animation studio.

Enrick Geronia's Animation Studio reflects the character of the person behind it. In a nutshell, Enrick's studio can be summarized into one sentence. "Imagine Che Guevarra handling an animation studio in the midst of heavy gunfire".

I encountered, through the web, Tuldok Animation Studio when one of the studio's core member e-mailed me with regards to the animation pre-production seminar that I plan to conduct this coming summer 2008. Tuldok Animation Studio is a direct opposite of the previous animation studios that I mentioned above. The studio is a conglomerate of individuals working in educational institutions engage in multimedia programs and animation workers. In their website, they are clearly soliciting private contributions and public donations. And if my memory serves me right, their studio is a non-profit group affiliated with the NCCA which happens to be a government agency under the Office of the President (correct me if I am wrong).

The said three original content animation studios are inspiring in the sense that they all are working for the establishment of original pinoy animation. Though each may use a different tactic in achieving a common goal, still, their collective courage to go against the flow is admirable.

In an "animation scene" dominated by sell outs and animation services, I hope that by writing about these studios, others will be brave enough to venture out the confines of animation outsourcing. I know that there are a lot of original content studios out there. So please, if you want me to write about your studio, just send me your website so that I can check it out.

You can also read the article at http://bravenewworld2004.multiply.com/journal/item/11/Starting_Your_Own_Animation_Studio