ABU launches TV animation project

More than 40 animators and children’s program producers attended the ABU’s inaugural Animation Workshop and Co-development Meeting in Thailand.

The event from 28-31 May and hosted by Thai PBS in Bangkok originated from the ABU TV Market High-Level Forum in Kuala Lumpur in March, where the concept was developed through focus group discussions.

Organisers say animation is the dominant genre in children’s TV programs and the ABU Program Department decided to launch the workshop and co-development meeting to discover ABU members’ ability to produce quality local animation by collaboration with other members and the animation industry.

The workshop on the first two days dealt with how to develop attractive characters within a low budget, visual storytelling and how to pitch.

ABU Programme Producer Thomas Nam from EBS-Korea says participants included producers, directors, and graphic designers from broadcasters such as Thai PBS, NBT Thailand, TPT Thailand and MRTV4 Myanmar. Others were from independent animation studios in Thailand.

At a co-development meeting on the third day, 17 local animation projects were pitched to Thai PBS for discussion. Thai PBS picked up three animation projects on the spot and will choose one project for commissioning and co-development through their internal committee in a month. The final project will be co-developed with Thai PBS and support from the ABU Animation expert group. The ABU will also coordinate the final project to be pitched at the Asia Animation Summit in December.

Mr Nam says animation cannot usually be produced by a broadcaster’s in-house production team so collaboration with independent animation studios and other broadcasters is very important.

“ABU Animation is the platform for broadcasters who want to develop their ability in commissioning and producing animation,” he says.