Animation Talk @ Unity Secondary School

Sharing knowledge about the animation industry, local and international, trends and outlook. Interestingly, More students have heard of Ubisoft but cant name more than 2 franchises, while many haven't heard of ILM but know of Star Wars and Indiana Jones.

Happy 2018!

In 2007, when we first started Tiny Island, we only have one simple dream. We wanted to create a commercially sustainable environment that allow us to pursue our passion in animation.

With no money and little knowledge, I have busted 4 credit cards to start this journey. I started running a night class in Animation Production by renting a classroom from a local polytechnic. My first batch of graduates joined us in production who eventually become the departmental head of the company. At that time, I thought we will only last for 6 months. With blessings, from a 2000 sqft office, we grew to a 10,000 sqft office after a year. From a few freelancers to eventually a 120 man team.

For the last 10 years, it has been a roller coaster ride. It has been tough. We were on our own by bootstrapping. Not taking a single cent were taken from any investor. When the crew run out of job, I decided to create jobs for ourselves by investing all our years of savings of USD$5.2M to create our IP Dream Defenders. Many people thought we were insane. What has been seen as a mistake has eventually become a global IP that has been sold to 80 over countries. 5 platforms in the US. And eventually gotten DreamWorks to be our distributor. Now Dream Defenders is heading to China, becoming our first feature film.

A few years back, our local industry climate started to change. We were hit badly by 2 crisis that almost wipe us out entirely. I still recall that one of my ex staff told me to close down the company and find a job.

At times, I felt hopeless seeing some of our core people leaving one after another. I am forever grateful for those who stayed and fought really hard with the remaining team. Without this persistence, we will never able to turn the table around. Looking at the video brings back so many great memories and it wasn’t easy to hold back the tears.

The journey we have gone through isn’t about fame and money. It’s about a team of individuals coming together, going through thick and thin to build a dream they believe in. Many of us started as fresh grad, later got married, have kids and we grew old together. Tiny Island is all about this family culture we have built. Its this spirit that has made the company special which will last a life time. And all I hope for is a better living for our crew in the future.

For those who has been with us, I sincerely thank you for being part of this wonderful memory and journey. It’s you that has brought us to where we are. Without your support, we will never reach this 10th year.

2018 opens a new chapter. A new future. A new beginning. With the new passionate individuals joining us, together I know that we are going to make the difference.

From the Bottom of My Heart. A Big Thank you to those who has supported us.
Happy New Year 2018.

Entrepreneurship in Animation and IP Creation Master Class

This will probably be the LAST BATCH. After 1st Nov, the policy is going to change and it will not be easy for individuals. (I am not sure if we will run anymore) So if you are interested, please drop an email to admin@cgprotege.com by 20th Oct 2017. The course will start in Dec 2017.

After subsidy (SINGAPOREANS AND PR ONLY), you only pay $275 per part. If you are really interested and facing financial difficulties, let me know. I will help you.

How to Bring your IP from Ideas to Development? (Part 1)

How to Bring your IP from Development to Monetization? (Part 2)

BEACON - BEKRAF ANIMATION PRESS CONFERENCE 2017

Business Strategy in IP Creations. Industry sharing.

I always enjoy teaching in Indonesia. The people are so nice and warm, always hungry to learn. I can talk all day. Ha ha honoured to be the only foreign company invited to speak at the event.

Thank you friends from Bandung. Thanks for having me. I look forward for more opportunities to share with you.

BEACON - Tomorrow Is The Day!

For our friends in Bandung Indonesia. Tomorrow is the event. Look forward to see you.

BEACON BEKRAF ANIMATION CONFERENCE

Hello to our friends in Indonesia

BEACON

BEKRAF ANIMATION CONFERENCE

I have been invited by the Indonesia Govt Agency to give a talk on "Business Strategy in Developing IP"

Venue: Trans Luxury Hotel Bandung
Jln Jenderal Gatot Subroto 289, Bandung 40273, Indonesia

This Sat 26th August 2017

Time: 3pm to 5pm

Entrance is FREE

Shared Link: The 'Avengers' of Singapore's game development scene just secured funding

Singapore-based game developer BattleBrew Productions has raised an undisclosed funding from Harish Nim, CEO of Emerio Corp, an NTT-Docomo affiliated company. Emerio Corp is a Singapore-based IT services company while NTT-Docomo is Japan’s largest mobile operator. 

BattleBrew will use the newly-raised funding to finish development on its first game, a free-to-play mobile game for the iOS and Android platforms. 

Ian Gregory, Strategic Director of BattleBrew, did not disclose much details of the game, but told e27 that it was a mobile strategy game. 

Founded early this year, BattleBrew’s team is an ensemble of veteran game developers from Singapore. Three members on the team, Benjamin Chua, Louis Cua, and Greyson He have previously worked at Ubisoft, developing triple AAA titles such as the Assassin’s Creed series. 

Others had cut their teeth in other renowned gaming companies such as Gameloft and Garena (now known as Sea).

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To read more about this article, click here! 

Facebook Live Lecture on August 19th

I have been running a Facebook group for quite a while to help CEO/Founders/Producers of animation startup on IP Creations and Entrepreneurship in Animation. https://www.facebook.com/groups/EntreAnimation/ 

On the 19th August, Saturday this time. (9:30am Singapore time), I will be giving a Facebook Live Lecture on challenges faced and lessons learnt when starting out our own animation studio and also building your own IP at (Tiny Island facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/tinyislandproductions/). Hope you find it useful.

An announcement

We will be making an announcement for a major deal we have sealed this October at MIPCOM Cannes. This is a major chapter for our company as well as a new historical record for Singapore Animation Industry. It will secure our future for the next 12 years.

Things I learnt in my own journey. By David Kwok

The topic reminded me of something. Things I learnt in my own journey.

1) PERSISTENCY & RESILIENCE “No matter how hard others kick your butt. You must still remain in position." In Hokkien I call it "Pa Si Buoy Zhao spirit" - "打死不走的精神“

2) JUST DO IT Some words have to be erased from your dictionary. " Burn out, Don't know how to do, Cannot do" must all be removed. If you want to live, JUST DO IT. No time to think of anything else.

3) ADMIT YOUR FAILURE More than often we give excuses for our incompetency. I can't do it because I am not clever, I am not gifted, I am poor, I am not handsome blah blah blah .... Admit own's failure is important. Don't be embarrassed. Failure is ok. Making mistake is ok. No need excuses. Just reflect on why you fail and try to improve. Denying it will not make you learn. The more you fail. The better you will be.

4) DON'T JUST TALK. DO IT I meet people who "talk a lot but no action"

5) THINK THINK THINK BUT STILL NO ACTION! "Don't think until cow come home still no action!" The world will not wait for you. Analyse the situation. Ask yourself. What if you fail? That is all you need to ask. Can you still stand up and walk. If your answer is YES. Do it. Stop thinking anymore. The more you think. The more you are afraid and will not do it.

In our line, I meet many people going round and round in circles. Blame (Foreign talents) FT, blame govt, blame this blame that. Get Emo (emotional) said Burn out. No one will help you.

Like what Jack Ma said. Change yourself is easy. Change others is difficult. Blame here blame there is of no use.

If you cannot change others, change yourself.

If the situation do not change. And you cannot do anything about it. Adjust yourself to try another way to overcome the obstacles. Else you will remain stationary forever.

So to me "How do I build Grit in Kids?" Make them hungry. Use the situation to force their way out.

The problem we face now is many are not hungry. When Singapore face the next crisis, I am worry we might fall apart.

Our very first Online lecture on Entrepreneurship in Animation and IP Creations

We are now back for the live session from all technical and connection issue :) Thanks for waiting!

Animation Talk at St.Margaret Secondary School

From idea to sketch to 3D!

From idea to sketch to 3D! Learn to sculpt your fun and awesome ideas into 3D sculpture in our Zbrush for Designers Class with Charlie Kim our Modeling Guru behind some of your favorite blockbuster features! Apply Now seats filling fast!

Shared Link: One Animation’s ‘Insectibles’ Going Strong in Germany

Insectibles is shaping up to be the next big thing from CG studio One Animation (Oddbods), with the 3D HD animated series scoring top kids’ TV ratings in Germany. The show is a co-production with KiKA, Discovery and ZDF Enterprises. Despite stiff competition from shows on Nickelodeon, Super RTL and Disney, Insectibles came out on top of the charts in recent monthly figures for Q2 2017.

“We showed our faith in Insectibles when we took the decision to put the show in our highly popular 7pm daily slot. And our faith paid off, because now it’s one of the biggest shows in Germany, and the biggest kids’ show for the latest data available from April 2017.” said Sebastian Debertin, Head of Fiction, Acquisition & Co-Production for KiKA. “Undoubtedly two of the big pulls for the show are the cinema-quality 3D animation bringing the characters and storylines to life in a way we are used to in cinemas but which is not often seen on TV. Plus the ideas and adventures which the characters become embroiled in really engage the audience, boys and girls alike.”

Aimed at children aged 6- to 9-years old, Insectibles follows the adventures of a young boy named Zak, his whacky grandfather Gramps, and three bio-mechanically enhanced insects as they search to find pieces of the “Shrinkinator”: the crazy invention that shrunk our heroes before exploding during a failed testing phase. All the while they must evade the clutches of a maniacal Mosquito, her daughter, and a whole host of evil underlings.

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To continue reading this article, click here!

We are hiring!

As part of the expansion plan, Tiny Island is looking for experience character TD / rigger. Interested please send the link to your resume and showreel to http://tinyislandprod.wixsite.com/tinyisland/contact.

Career Talk at Hong Kah Secondary School

How To Bring Your IP from Ideas To Development

This is the entrepreneurship in Animation and IP creation master class we are running. It is supported by IMDA. After subsidy (SINGAPOREANS AND PR ONLY), you only pay $275 per part. If you are really interested and facing financial difficulty, let us know. We will help you. 

Part 1 is going to start in August. Let us know ASAP!

Read How To Bring Your IP from Ideas To Development (Part 1) 

Read How To Bring Your IP from Ideas To Development (Part 2) 

Shared Link: After Nonstop Games closed, its employees founded Mighty Bear Games; today it raised US$775K

Nonstop Games was a Singapore-based mobile games studio run by Finnish developers. Their hit game was strategy title Heroes of Honor. 

In 2014, it was acquired by Candy Crush maker King for about US$16 million. Two years later, Nonstop Games shuttered. 

But the journey for its employees did not end there. They pressed on, scouring the game development landscape for new compatriots to join their next adventure. Along the way, they recruited talents from renowned gaming studios such as Ubisoft, EA and LucasArts. 

With renewed vigour in their hearts and a hardy band of developers to boot, the Nonstop Games alumni roared back with a spanking new enterprise. 

They called it Mighty Bear Games. 

And today, Mighty Bear raised US$775,000 in a round led by Global Founders Capital, the venture capital arm of Rocket Internet. 

Mighty Bear will use the newly-raised financing to develop its new mobile MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game). Details of the game have not been disclosed. 

It is interesting to note that despite receiving offers from the US and Europe — two markets with long history of producing top rated games — the Nonstop Games alumni chose to, once again, base their gaming studio in Singapore. 

“One of the interesting developments we’ve seen is that Singapore-based studios are starting to gain traction with their own IP,” says co-founder and CEO Simon Davis, in an interview with e27.

To continue reading this article, click here. 

Shared Link: We are on kidscreen

Tiny Island Productions has joined forces with Shanghai Media Group (SMG) to develop a Chinese version of the Singapore-based studio’s sci-fi series Dream Defenders. 

The partnership will see SMG’s content distribution arm, WingsMedia, develop the series with Tiny Island by incorporating Chinese mythology and new characters into the re-imagined CGI series. 

Distributed by DreamWorks, the original Dream Defenders follows 14-year-old twins who are tasked with protecting the real world from nightmarish monsters after a magical portal is accidentally unlocked. 

To date, the series has been sold into 80 countries worldwide, including the US, where it recently made its Amazon Prime debut. US platforms Hulu, Discovery Family and Kabillion have also acquired the series. Internationally, Dream Defenders has aired in Europe on Planeta Junior and Super RTL, as well as in 19 Asian countries on DreamWorks TV.

To continue reading this article, click here! 

Shared Link: We are finally on Animation Magazine

A new partnership which aims to build “China’s equivalent of the Marvel Universe franchise” has been forged at the 23rd Shanghai TV Festival, with WingsMedia and Singapore’s Tiny Island Productions joining forces to build the “Starship MZ” brand. 

Last year, WingsMedia got the ball rolling with a sci-fi themed reality TV show, Starship MZ: 2049, which proved a national success. The expanded franchise will build on the show’s popularity, with Tiny Island coming onboard to create additional sci-fi content for Starship MZ which is inspired by its animated kids’ series, Dream Defenders. This will develop into fresh TV series, feature films, comics and more, adapted for the Chinese market. 

“By leveraging on WingsMedia’s vast experience and expertise, while tapping on China’s historical and rich legacy of art and culture, together we will bring China-made Science Fiction to the next level. ” said David Kwok, CEO of Tiny Island Prod. “We are very grateful to WingsMedia for this special opportunity.” 

Dream Defenders centers on twin siblings who use a supercomputer to zap into dreamworlds in order to protect the real world from nightmare monsters. The series has sold to 80 countries through DreamWorks, and screens on five platforms in the US alone — including Amazon Prime and Discovery Family. Other key international broadcasters include Super RTL, Planeta Junior and DreamWorks TV Asia in 19 countries.

To continue reading this article, click here!