ROUND TABLE «INNOVATION AND FUTURE OF SPANISH ANIMATION: FROM THE PIXEL TO THE PUBLIC»

The main actors of the animation industry met today at the Imprenta Municipal-Artes Libro de Madrid in the Round Table “Innovation and future of Spanish animation: from the pixel to the public” an event that has served as a meeting point to debate the current situation and the future of animation in Spain, the image that is projected abroad, how teleworking and virtuality have affected the industry, the role from institutions, schools, the public, television and producers; new creative and technological trends or new consumption models.

This round table, framed within the exhibition “Animación.es: a story in an exhibition”, has been organized by DIBOOS, Spanish Association of animation and vfx production companies, in its task of developing and promoting the animation and special effects sector in Spain.

In the round table, moderated by Francisco José Marín, director of the Municipal Printing Office-Arts Book of Madrid, all the participants agreed on the promising future of Spanish animation and the high training and prestige of our professionals, but also that the animation sector in Spain needs a boost that allows you to show and develop your full potential.

So, Tito Rodriguez, Director of Marketing Policies of the ICAA (an entity dependent on the Ministry of Culture) pointed out that to give a definitive boost to animation in addition to the support from Public Entities through subsidies, it is necessary to generate and care for an ecosystem where the sector can reach to be self-sufficient, a point on which he agreed Nathalie Martínez (member of Equality of DIBOOS and producer) who stressed the importance of working and delving into the issue of tax incentives to attract private investment and how the future of production involves diversity, both in the format and in the way to produce.

For your part Alesia Di Giacomo, Head of Business Development for Children's Content at RTVE, stated that his commitment from TVE is to produce animation products, also emphasizing the need to turn the animation sector into an attractive business for potential investors. Emilio Lujan, director of ESDIP School of Art and main collaborator in this Round Table, emphasized the importance of training in the development of the animation sector in Spain, being optimistic about the future, being a fundamental aspect to be able to show all the potential and quality of Spanish animation.

At the same time Beatriz Bartholomew, producer of Next Lab explained the need to encourage new technologies in production, since it is a sector where flexibility in all areas is going to be the norm, while Abraham Lopez Guerrero, winner of the Goya 2021 for Best Animated Short Film, wanted to point out that despite the undoubted potential of Spanish animation, it is necessary for the sector to finish consolidating, making it essential to get out of the ghetto, since in the end it is all about telling stories, whether in the whatever format.

For your part Victor Monigote, winner of the 2021 Goya for Best Animated Film for The hen Turuleca, stated that the important thing in animation is “telling good stories. The format and technology I use each time will be given to me by fate or a new way I have discovered.” He also intervened Samuel Viñolo, Curator of the exhibition “Animación.es: a history in an exhibition” highlighting that Spanish animation has never had such diversity and richness both in the technical and creative aspects. The vision of the media was present through Irene Jimenez, responsible for the Audiovisual 451 portal, which stressed the need for production companies to incorporate professionals from all fields and work more on the commercial part of animation proposals.

This Round Table has been possible due to the invaluable collaboration of ESDIP Escuela de Arte and the Municipal Printing Arts of the Book, the sponsorship of Simple Cloud and the collaboration of the teams of The hen Turuleca, of Blue & Malone, Impossible Cases and the ABC Museum.