As a seasoned movie lover with decades of experiencing the ebb and flow of the animation industry, I find this year’s Cartoon Forum to be a breath of fresh air. The increased collaboration between public broadcasters is not just a lifeline for the struggling European animation market, but also a testament to the power of unity in an otherwise competitive landscape.
This year’s Cartoon Forum, held in Toulouse from September 16-19, has seen public broadcasters stepping into the limelight. With Europe’s animation industry currently grappling with a market squeeze due to significantly decreased streaming investment, and producers facing challenging conditions and limited opportunities, there’s been a shift in focus towards financial support from government sources.
In fact, all four candidates for Cartoon Forum’s Broadcaster of the Year award are public broadcasting stations: Arte (based in France and Germany), RTS (Switzerland), RTV (Slovenia), and 3Cat (Spain). For the second time, 15 members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) have collaborated for a co-development project, pooling their resources to finance two selected proposals.
The upcoming 35th edition of Cartoon Forum will also feature a gathering of ten extra broadcasters from Central and Eastern Europe, aimed at fostering further collaborations. This assembly seeks to establish a flexible domino market, where if one broadcaster purchases a show, others may swiftly follow the same pattern.
According to Annick Maes, the director of Cartoon Media, this is a clear indication from our broadcasting partners that they are strongly in favor of animation. It appears that they are backing us, seeking unity among us, and aiming to bolster the strength of our industry.
Maes explains that this aligns with the core principles of Cartoon Forum,” he says. “You see, 35 years ago, relationships between broadcasters and producers were often contentious. We stepped in to bridge that gap. Therefore, work like this holds great significance for us as it directly links to our roots.
Indeed, due to the market shrinking, there’s been a corresponding change in production style. Producers are adopting a more conservative approach, and Maes has observed an increase in special episodes and unique productions that could potentially serve as pilot episodes. For instance, he points to the Franco-Belgian special “A Lamb’s Stew” by La Cabane Productions and Thuristar as a clear example of this trend.
This specific design offers enhanced maneuverability, and under ideal circumstances, it could be fully developed within approximately 15 months according to Maes. Once completed, the success of its sales will pave the way for a sequel production.
This year’s attendance and project selection show a nearly equal distribution between men and women, with an increase in stories featuring female characters and viewpoints, indicating a growing number of female leaders across various roles, be it creative or productive. A brighter outlook and uplifting news can simply be found by checking this year’s score.
Approximately a quarter of this year’s selections originate from debutants, leading Maes to perceive a strong link between the influx of fresh talent and an uptick in productions catering to young adults and adults. “This new generation employs animation as a means to convey personal feelings and narrate their own stories,” she explains.
Over the past two years, particularly since 2019, there’s been a significant rise in the amount of projects targeted towards adults. Remarkably, this year alone, that figure has almost tripled.
Various organizations such as France Television, Arte, Belgium’s VRT and RTBF, as well as streaming platforms like Crunchyroll and ADN, have significantly contributed to this surge by providing financial support. On the other hand, broadcasters in Scandinavia have been relatively reluctant to embrace content targeted at older audiences.
With a variety of titles appealing more to an older audience such as “Marie Curie’s Great War,” “Mechozaurs: The Voice from Afar,” “Queerstory,” “The Broos,” “Tilt,” and “Ultra” showcased, the organizers of Cartoon Forum are eagerly anticipating the event to unfold. As Maes puts it, “We’re all so intrigued to find out who will be filling the rooms and what kind of outcomes we might see in three months from now.
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2024-09-18 10:16