28/06/2005

The Master on financing organised by Cartoon (the European animation film society) in Halle, Germany ended yesterday. The hundred participants from 19 countries took advantage of this meeting to discuss the new forms of financing related to mobile phones, to the internet and the new merchandising techniques. Producers must invent products which can be circulated on different types of media. A TV cartoon series can become a computer game, a video clip, and a ring tone or a mini-series for mobile phones,' says David Matamoros, Marketing manager of the Spanish production company Cromosoma. 'Animation products interest a mostly young public, so producers have to reach them where they are, that is, in front of the computer or hanging on their mobile phones. In the past thirty years, the means of consuming animation works have evolved a lot. Children grow up faster; at thirteen, they are almost adult. At eight or nine years old, they buy less games and consume a lot of audiovisual products, not so much TV (which is considered passive) as computer material. In Western countries, 20% of the children under 15 already own a mobile phone and 20% have a computer connected to the internet in their room.' The other fast-growing sector is the by-product industry. According to John Eastaff, Director of Target Entertainment, in the UK only, 'licensing' (books, T-shirts, gadgets, etc.) represented nearly two billion pounds in 2004. 70% of the purchases are made by mothers for their 4 to 7-year-old children.

The next Cartoon Forum, dedicated to full-length features, will take place in Potsdam in November.

(Translated from Italian)