Painting a rosy picture of future for cartoon sector
By Song Wenwei (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-09-28 08:56
CHANGZHOU, Jiangsu Province: China's cartoon industry is expected to see fast
growth in the next few years with more policy support, investment and
co-operation with other countries.
That was the message at the
2006 China Changzhou International Animation and Cartoon Art Forum held here
yesterday.
Taking part were government officials, experts and investors
from China, the Republic of Korea, the United States, Italy, France, Canada and
Japan.
China's animation and cartoon sector experienced a golden age in
the late 1950s and early 1960s.
However, for various reasons such as a
lack of funds and professionals, the industry has lagged behind those in other
countries. Its workers are now in a subcontractor situation for countries
like the United States and Japan, world leaders in the industry. The two produce
high-quality work and yield a total annual revenue of US$75 billion.
"One
of the major reasons for the present situation in China is the lack of funds,"
said Wang Hong, president of the Hunan Great Dreams Cartoon Media Co Ltd
(HGDCM), the largest animation and cartoon production firm in
China.
It has been reported that the financial input into animation in
China is just one hundredth of that in the US. Though government funds are
currently the main source of cash, private firms are being encouraged to invest
in the sector. Three local companies have invested 10 million yuan (US$1.25
million) respectively in the creation and production of cartoons.
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