Company BBQ party! part 2

Tiny Island 🌴 is all about our people. It's the people that is what we have been fighting for. Wonderful time with our production partners from Fremantlemedia, Dan Clark Company and Shellhut Entertainment.

Company BBQ party!

Production meeting and fun with our production partners from Fremantlemedia, Dan Clark Company and Shellhut Entertainment.

 

Best gift ever by David Kwok

Yesterday we received a hand written letter from a 12 year kid from New Jersey, USA thanking us for producing Dream Defenders. She hopes that we can make more seasons in future. This is the most precious gift that we have ever received from making the series. It is more valuable than any awards we have ever received from the series. This is a reminder why we are in this business. I am so deeply touched and the feeling is nothing can ever replace in this world.

Marking New Chapter in China

Next Monday 12th June 2017, together with our major Chinese Partner, we will make an announcement at the coming 22nd Shanghai TV Festival 2017. This will mark our new chapter in China. Dream Defenders has come a long way. After reaching out worldwide in 80 countries, we are finally reaching our final and last destination. CHINA 🇨🇳 Thanks to our Chinese partner for this support. Else we will never come this far.

Recent Chinese Trade Show

At most western trade shows, you can arrange meetings in advance.

At a recent Chinese trade show that I went to (one of the largest trade, outsourcing & investment event for IP - tv/film, animation, games, comics, toys etc) if you are new, you have to work way harder. It's like you are a fan hunting for the autograph of the superstar. (Get the scan of his WeChat account so that you can get in touch with the top executive from the biggest companies. They hardly read their emails)
The best part of the game is you do not know who is the superstar. So you need to do your research. Try to find out which talk your superstar is attending. It could be a press conference of a series they have invested in etc. Or pay attention to the host at the event. Normally the VIP sit in front. They are part of the evaluation panelist for project being pitched. The host will announced who the VIP are. Once the event is over, you need to go straight to him asap as many will do the same. Or during networking, walk around, trying to hijack into others conversation.

At the one to one business matching, I was told that Chinese companies do not like to have a schedule of appointments every 30mins like what we used to do in Western market. So it is really like a market place. You walk from table to table to look for the buyer. (They will put a badge on the table) You do not know which company (buyer) is there at the table before hand. And the buyer is different in the morning and afternoon. So you need to walk around. When you see a good buyer, you need to circle around the table like a vulture. Once you see a vacancy, put your yourself on the seat immediately ha ha. Else someone else would.

If you are shy, you might end up going home empty handed. I felt uneasy at first. But there is no choice. In order to survive, one must seize every opportunity. Once you get the attention and interest, do your best as this is the only chance to impress them.

Coming to China is really a good training for survival.

Shared Link: DREAM DEFENDERS VR BY TINY ISLAND PRODUCTIONS, SINGAPORE

Dream Defenders, an original IP created by our partner, Tiny Island Productions, Singapore, has reached out to 80 countries around the world and broadcasted on five channels in USA alone. This year, Dream Defenders VR app was launched, allowing audiences to continue to explore the adventure in the show’s Dream Worlds.

To continue reading this article, click here!

China Market Intelligence on Animated Film 2017

This is what I gathered from my recent trips to China. I started going to China 2 to 3 years ago. (All numbers below is in USD.) 

Typical Animated Feature Film Budget is below USD$2M. Especially those animation coming from TV series. (This is on the safe side to recoup.) 

For those with budget close to 7M probably targeting at higher quality and aiming for a box office at least close to 60M. 

Those who dare to push the budget at 10M need to have past track record of box office beyond 100M like Monkey King: Hero is back. USD$153M 

Current there are about 100 animated films in China in production or raising funds. They are paying a lot of attention to IP and globalisation. How many will make it to the cinema, still a question. Guess the bubble will eventually burst. That is why opportunities is in the next 2 to 3 years.

Reference: 

40M to 60M is considered to be decent box office. Below this number means performance not too good. 

Potential box office is close to US. Which is close to USD$400M. 

In 2016 - there seems to be a chance to hit 40M to 60M 

In 2017 - the numbers seems to drop. Average about 6M 

E.g China Animated Films (Targeted China Market) Boonie Bears: Entangled Worlds - Box Office $76,630,780 (Has done well on tv series) 

GG Bond: Guarding - 

Box Office $6,503,093 

Foreign Animated Films (Probably requires huge marketing dollar) http://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/china/yearly/… 

Zootopia - Box Office $235,591,257 

Kung Fu Panda 3 - Box Office $154,304,371

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/china/yearly/… 

Sing - Box Office $31,379,920 

The LEGO Batman Movie - Box Office $6,372,757 

Kubo and the Two Strings - Box Office $6,114,589 

A lot of interest in Anime content. Tencent is investing a lot in such IP. 

Your Name did very well in China. Box Office $83,678,210 

Other potential investors include Alibaba Youku, Wanda, QiYi, Alpha etc

Most people feel safer to target at pre school content for feature. Which is very different approach in US. Most of these films are of lower quality and lower budget. It is tapping on their tv series publicity.

6 to 12 not easy as most kids are busy studying. 

They do have an interesting market where it is not easy to do it overseas. This is the youth market. From 13 to 26. Your IP should probably involve life style, music and computer games market. 

One unusual thing in China. I thought the stereoscopic 3d market is dead. There still seems to be a demand in Chinese Cinema. Until when, I do not know. For now, it still seems quite hot. Every movie must be in 3d.