OTTAWA – Technology is making it easier to create animated programming, and adding multiple new distribution platforms, but as broadcasters told creators repeatedly during the second annual Television Animation Conference, none of that matters without strong characters and compelling, universal stories.
The two-day TAC was launched as part of the Ottawa International Animation Festival last year, a major new industry component for the fest, held Sept. 21-25.
“Something had to happen to make (OIAF) more relevant to the industry,” says Madeleine Lévesque, director, original production at Teletoon. “Young and new animators need to be linked to the industry, to go to the festival and to realize that Canada is a huge producer of animation…. (Focusing on) artistry is good, but if you’re creating animation, it’s for a certain audience.”
During pitching sessions, broadcasters reminded animators and producers to avoid talking about financing, merchandising and licensing and emphasize the appeal of their characters. “The concept needs to sell the show. The audience doesn’t necessarily know about those (ancillary) elements or how to assess them,” she says.
When a panel of broadcasters commented on a complicated pitch for Gumnutz, a series for 6 to 12-year-olds starring Australian animals, panellists made several other points. Nickelodeon’s Peter Gal suggested edgier, more distinct art while Corus’s Peter Moss added, “If the story feels traditional, which is not a bad thing, the look can’t be.”
Cartoon Network’s Heather Kenyon worried about overly complex storylines. “Story ideas need a beginning, middle and end and you need to tell this to broadcasters.”
Moss and Teletoon’s Sylvie Bélanger both spotlighted the danger in attributing ethnicity to characters if there’s no payoff. Everyone wants cultural diversity, but having a loud, mercurial Greek character is a pointless stereotype if it doesn’t advance the story.
International co-production also figured strongly at TAC. Teletoon and Britain’s ITV worked with co-producers Aardman Animation (Wallace and Gromit shorts) and Canada’s Decode Entertainment (Angela Anaconda) to develop the series Planet Sketch, a 50-50 treaty co-production just launched on Britain’s ITV and beginning Nov. 19 on Teletoon.
After ITV challenged companies two years ago to develop a rare creature, an animated sketch comedy series aimed at 7-11-year-old boys, Aardman’s Helen Brunsdon says they invited writers to create characters, refined the idea and presented to the network.
Aardman was already familiar with Decode’s work when it came to Canada searching for a co-producer; Decode producer Beth Stevenson, meantime, was familiar with sketch comedy because she’d worked at Kids in the Hall for three years, so the two companies made a good fit. Thanks to the Internet, she says, British and Canadian creative teams could exchange sequences online and provide feedback. Teletoon’s Levesque says although the co-producers are far apart and the series is “very labour-intensive, with both countries putting in financing and especially creative,” the end result is strong.
In the ongoing art/commerce debate, broadcasters continued to focus on the need for strong characters. In theory, if animators create personalities kids can relate to, they’ll have an audience for their art and everything linked to it – series, toys, etcetera – will sell. This process can be a fine balance. You need to hope for a big hit, like “the next Spongebob” but don’t copy an existing show; listen to what the broadcaster wants, but still fight for your creative; and follow your vision, but understand that, as PBS’s Linda Simensky noted, it’s easier if “the champions of ancillary areas at the broadcaster (such as licensing and merchandising) are excited about the show.”
Workshops and roundtables also helped participants figure out how “to get the animation from the page to the market,” says Lévesque, adding a writing workshop led by Ian Corlett (Being Ian, Rolie Polie Olie) was a great approach.
TAC also looked at digital distribution, such as creating character sequences exclusively for mobile phones, and many other “narrow-casting” opportunities.
Susan Tolusso is an Ottawa-based freelance writer.
