http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200203/cmselect/cmcumeds/667/667we31.htm

Memorandum submitted by Animation Network 

IS THERE A BRITISH FILM INDUSTRY? THE ROLE OF THE SHORT ANIMATED FILM WITHIN THE BRITISH FILM INDUSTRY

Animation Network is a group from the independent animated film sector. Its membership includes directors, producers, academics and film critics. It was formed because of the growing concern with the decline of the British Animation Industry, and in particular with the drastic reduction in both public funding and finance from Television Companies for the short animated film.

A SUCCESS STORY

Over the last 25 years the British animated short film has enjoyed an amazing success. Britain has been considered throughout the world as the leading nation in this particular art form. In 1990, 1993 and 1996 Nick Park won the Oscar for his short films, Creature Comforts, The Wrong Trousers and A Close Shave. In 1991 Daniel Greaves’s film Manipulation also won the Oscar, followed by Alison Snowden and David Fine’s short Bob’s Birthday in 1995 and Michael Dudok de Witt’sFather and Daughter in 2001.

The Oscar is the most publicised industry film award, but it is by no means the only one. Throughout the 80s and 90s independent and cutting-edge British Animation picked up awards in festival after festival and films were purchased and screened by major international broadcasters. Each year film-goers and buyers world-wide waited to see what the new British animation films would bring, and as a result students from all over the world flocked in to study at the centres of British animation excellence: The Royal College of Art, The National Film School, Newport College of Art and Design, The Surrey Institute of Art and Design, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, University of Teesside amongst others, not only enhancing the British reputation, but also ensuring significant financial resources for higher education institutions, the backbone of Britain’s future.

One of the main reasons for this success was the unique financial support and artistic freedom that independent animation in Britain had been given throughout the last two decades. Both Channel 4 and the BBC Animation Unit in Bristol produced innovative and exciting work. State funding through the Arts Council and the British Film Institute also played their parts in fostering and supporting work that was both original and had popular appeal.

This success brought with it other benefits:

—  Internationally successful films provided work for numerous film professionals, including scriptwriters, animators, sound designers, etc.

“The ’80s and ’90s were golden years for British Animation with high profile festivals such as Annecy, Stuttgart, Hiroshima and Zagreb regularly giving their top awards to British films. Our ability to make challenging, innovative and artistic films made it the most successful sector in International Short film distribution”

Kevin Franklin Festivals and Events Manager, Films and Television Department British Council

—  It supplied a steady flow of talent for the advertising industry.

“The Man with the Beautiful Eyes, which I completed in 2000 went on in the same year to win the BAFTA for Best Short Animation. The film was also instrumental in winning for my production company Sherbet the current British campaign for Persil, for which I have so far directed over 20 spots and two campaigns for the USA: Vanguard and Einstein Bros, Bagel Co. Obviously I would not have been able to make these short films if I had not received the funding and therefore would have been less likely to have achieved the same level of success as a commercials director.”

Johnathan Hodgson, Director Sherbet Films:

—  It enabled film-makers and writers to try out their talents before moving on to feature length films and TV series.

For example: The Quay Brothers, Nick Park, An Vrombaut, Candy Guard, Sarah Kennedy, David Fine and Alison Snowden, Daniel Greaves, Mark Baker and Neville Astley:

“Support for the short animated film is the bedrock for a highly valued and successful animation film industry. Where would Aardman be today if they didn’t get support for their early short work? Our short generated 52 half hours which employed many people throughout the world, including the UK, of course”.

David Fine, Producer/Director Snowden Fine Productions:

—  It created a sense of vitality and success, which fed across into other areas of film-making.

Nick Park’s runaway success with Wallace and Gromit illustrated how the depiction of British culture could have universal appeal.

—   It contributed to economic growth, cultural development and inner city regeneration (many of the small animation studios were located in the more run-down parts of the city)

“The sums of money that are required to underpin a vibrant independent animation sector are relatively small. Modest investment in the past has delivered incredible value for money in terms of job creation, financial leverage, and the impact on other sub-sectors of the knowledge economy”.

Terence Dimmick. Cultural Industries Development Agency—Tower Hamlets:

—  It was instrumental to the increased interest in animation world-wide and the consequent proliferation of new international animation film festivals.

There are now over 150 film festivals throughout the world either devoted to or showcasing animation:

—  The short animation film became recognised as an art form in its own right.

“Animation is quite simply, the most important art form of the 21st century. It has sustained its `popularity’ with audiences of all ages and tastes, while remaining `progressive’ and `experimental’. It is omnipresent everywhere from mobile phones to advertising to feature films, but if the wellspring of creative talent in the independent sector is not properly funded and supported, the success of British animators and `animation’ as an art form in its own right, will obviously fall into decline. This must not happen”

Professor Paul Wells, Head of the Media Portfolio, University of Teesside, Author on Animation.

Another by-product of this success was that number of colleges providing training in animation grew at an enormous rate. There are now 127 animation and new media courses producing over 5,000 students per year.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Two years ago a number of structural changes were made both to television’s support of the short animated film and to the state funding of this sector. Channel 4 closed down its department dedicated to animation and the Arts Council of England Lottery Film Department was transformed into the Film Council. The consequences of these changes have adversely affected the short animated film for the following reasons.

Although Channel 4 still has three schemes for animation shorts: The A-I-R scheme for recent college graduates; animate! for more experimental work and the Mesh scheme for cutting-edge digital and interactive animation their budget for short animation has reduced by £500,000, 50% of their animation budget. This figure does not include any possible match funding.

The Arts Council of England Lottery Film Department had an open submission for films of all lengths and budgets. The films made during this period reflected the diversity of opinion in the make up of the panel, and consequently were healthily diverse in approach themselves.

“A diversity of people selecting projects is particularly important at a time when the process is becoming more centralised and more funding partnerships are being set up. The fewer the agencies involved, the less room there is for a range of approaches and the greater the risk that those film-makers unable to conform to certain criteria will be prevented from working.”

In Short: A Guide to Short Film-making in the Digital Age, Eileen Elsey and Andrew Kelly, 2003.

Most productions were co-financed and this worked well and in its short run the scheme produced many award winning animated shorts, for example The Queen’s Monastery (Emma Calder, 1998), The Ancient Mariner (Paul Bush, 1998), Transit(Piet Kroon, 1997), War Game (Dave Unwin, 2001), Home Road Movie (Robert Bradbrook 2001), The Invasion (Phil Mulloy, 2001). This was positive for animation, as it built on the success of C4’s animation department and encouraged other broadcasters to come forward with small amounts of money to contribute as co-productions.

In the restructuring of the Film Council the short animated film has no apparent slot or application path. The average budget of a five-minute animation is £50,000: film-makers cannot apply to The Digital Shorts slot unless their budget is £10,000 or less. Short animated films cannot apply to the New Cinema Fund, as they are not feature length. None of the other short film initiatives are sufficient sources of finance or designed to encompass animation.

We are convinced as animators and producers that it is an oversight on the part of the Film Council that short animation “has slipped through the net”. One major problem with the remit of the Film Council is that it does not recognise animation as a separate form of film-making. This seems to be an anomaly as it does recognise Comedy (Comedy Shorts) as a separate genre within live action.

The Film Council and its selection process are lacking clarity. The New Cinema Fund states on its web site that it will only finance feature length theatrical films. Yet one animated film—Ape by Rory Bresnihan—has managed to secure £150,000 towards a twenty-six minute short and there is no information available from the Film Council how it was allocated under the New Cinema Fund. However this exception is a good precedent and we would hope that the Film Council will now advertise the fact that animators can apply to the New Cinema Fund for animated films that are not feature length.

THE CONSEQUENCES

The present lack of support has meant that the global reputation and audience that British Animation has built, is now in danger of being completely destroyed. The following effects are already noticeable.

—  The number of British animated films in competition at film festivals is declining.

—  Although the number of animation students leaving university is increasing, there are now fewer ways of continuing to make animated films.

—  Successful film-makers are finding it impossible to continue working to defend and ensure Britain’s international reputation.

—  Many established studios and businesses are closing down. The trained workforce is leaving the industry creating a skills shortage for any future projects.

—  There is a serious talent exodus to the USA and other countries, where young creative talents are absorbed into commercial productions.

“[…] it is largely within the ranks of British independent animation that the wellspring of innovation in styles, techniques and content resides. The thriving vitality of this sector has been crucial to sustaining the reputation of British animation in general.”

“Some Observations on Education and Contemporary British Animation”, Andrew Darley, 1997

A SOLUTION

To reverse this process of decline it is vitally important that the Film Council recognises the role that the independent animation sector plays in British film culture. And the increased emphasis on collaborations inherent in developments in EU and international funding bodies means that by providing seed funding, Britain can secure additional funds for such projects.

The Film Council should:

—  Allocate appropriate financial support to the new talented animators now leaving our universities.

—  Contribute significantly to funding the work of the already established “names” in animation.

This can be done with relatively small amounts of money, yet the cultural returns on any investment would be enormous.

CONCLUSION

The last 20 years has revealed and confirmed that there is an abundance of talent within the British independent animation sector, and that this “British Animation Renaissance” continues to inspire and influence film-makers throughout the world. The Film Council should both celebrate this fact and build on its legacy.

If there is to be any restructuring of the Film Council, we would ask that space be found for a more broadly based concept of film-making, and that within this more diverse approach animation be given the respect and support it deserves. Most importantly it should be adequately funded to ensure that the “Renaissance” does not become finite and an historical regret for filmgoers, scholars and others interested in this dynamic, cultural moving art form.

 3 March 2003