How to start an animation business by John Bittleston & Copyright © MultiLink Asia Limited All rights reserved. The moral authority of the Author has been asserted.

Starting a business is fun, stimulating, tiring, frightening… But one of the most enjoyable things you can do in this world. To start any business you must know AND MUST HAVE WRITTEN DOWN all the following. If you do not, you will fail. Copyright © MultiLink Asia Limited. All rights reserved. The moral authority of the Author has been asserted.

Your own financial objectives “To make a lot of money” is NOT a financial objective, it is a wish. Only from your own financial objectives can you work out the financial objectives for your company. YOUR future financial needs determine the seriousness of your business. Copyright © MultiLink Asia Limited. All rights reserved. The moral authority of the Author has been asserted.

How much money you can raise… …to invest in the business; Most businesses that fail, do so because they are under-financed and don’t have the working capital to expand when they need to. Copyright © MultiLink Asia Limited. All rights reserved. The moral authority of the Author has been asserted.

Your strengths and weaknesses In which areas will you need to be ably supported and supplemented for example, Top creative people often need good accountants Clever animators often need good salesmen Great artists often need good presenters Amazing techies often need interpreters Copyright © MultiLink Asia Limited. All rights reserved. The moral authority of the Author has been asserted.

What you are planning to sell? Your product and its technology? Your market; who needs your service? The market segment you are targeting? Your competition; if your service is not being offered already, ask yourself why? Prices for your product; top quality, high price or standard quality, low price? Copyright © MultiLink Asia Limited. All rights reserved. The moral authority of the Author has been asserted.

Mission, Plan, Strategy, Tactics Mission: have a real one, not a pious one Plan: simple and visible at all times; change it when you have to Strategy: how you intend to fulfill the Plan; budgets/targets for (initially) the next three years Copyright © MultiLink Asia Limited. All rights reserved. The moral authority of the Author has been asserted.

Mission, Plan, Strategy, Tactics Expenses rise fast, income trickles in slowly; double your budgeted expenses and halve your budgeted income for the first two years Tactics: day-to-day tweaking the operation to take advantage of opportunities – news that can impact your business, information of potential business, changes in Government grants or terms and conditions Copyright © MultiLink Asia Limited. All rights reserved. The moral authority of the Author has been asserted.

To start an animation business you need all these things plus A well-trained background in animation; Know the basic software programs, (MAYA, 3D-Max, Z-BRUSH); You need hardware solutions and a knowledge of outsourcing resources Copyright © MultiLink Asia Limited. All rights reserved. The moral authority of the Author has been asserted.

To start an animation business you need all these things plus You need to have worked in a profitable animation unit and observed the successes and failures of management and those working in the business You need to understand the sources of work for the animation business commercial, creative, tv, games, film Copyright © MultiLink Asia Limited. All rights reserved. The moral authority of the Author has been asserted.

You need a good selling presence If you’ve never been trained to sell… learn now!!! You will be selling to everyone from the bank manager to the reluctant employee. From the Producers to the modelers. Copyright © MultiLink Asia Limited. All rights reserved. The moral authority of the Author has been asserted.

You need talent Where will you find the best talent? Schools? Competitors? Overseas? How will you engage it? Are you a skilled interviewer? If not, hire a pro How will you motivate your talent? Will you be the boss or will you be the mate? How will you reward and keep it? Pay? Involvement in the business? Bonus? Copyright © MultiLink Asia Limited. All rights reserved. The moral authority of the Author has been asserted.

You need hardware What resources do you need [a] at the outset? [b] as you grow? How will you pay for those resources? How will you amortize them? How and when will you replace them? [computers last a year, if you’re lucky] Copyright © MultiLink Asia Limited. All rights reserved. The moral authority of the Author has been asserted.

You need contacts Your first jobs will come from those who know you; Sharpen up your list of contacts renew old friends in the business, Get to know people working for the clients you can serve Copyright © MultiLink Asia Limited. All rights reserved. The moral authority of the Author has been asserted.

You need promotion Your initial promotion will be Public Relations. If you can budget for professional help, choose your company carefully. If you cannot afford PR, equip yourself to feed information to the media, get articles published about your business, the work you are doing/have done and the technologies you are importing or inventing. Everyone loves to be up with leader – make yourself a leader. Copyright © MultiLink Asia Limited. All rights reserved. The moral authority of the Author has been asserted.

You will need more promotion When you have it, a Reel of your work A Blog to show off your talents A Web site to demonstrate the soundness of the business Copyright © MultiLink Asia Limited. All rights reserved. The moral authority of the Author has been asserted.

You need to market your business Before, during and after the work you are doing. No good coming to the end of one job without having the next one lined up. However much sales help you get YOU market the business because it’s your business. If you don’t like marketing, don’t go into business. Copyright © MultiLink Asia Limited. All rights reserved. The moral authority of the Author has been asserted.

Case study - Small animation company Intense Animation Studio - Singapore. Began operations as a training facility in 2004 and has been creating original content animation properties since Primary work focus is TV commercials and character asset creation. Formed by Tony Sealy and Natra Mohsin Titles include: “11” and “The Travels of Wiglington and Wenks” Showreel

Case study - Medium sized animation company Millions of Tiny Robots - New York, U.S.A. Primary work focus is TV commercials, medical, print and character asset creation Formed by Jack Ehrbar, Andrew Weidenhammer and Albert Concepcion. Clients include: HBO, Victoria’s Secret, Pepsi, Eyeball NYC, Johnson & Johnson Showreel

Case study - Big animation company Pixar Animation Studio - California, U.S.A. Began operations as an R&D company owned by LucasFilm until bought by Steve Jobs for $10 million in Pixar pioneered the computer animation industry as we know it creating the first fully computer animated movie “Toy Story” and followed up with “A Bug’s Life”, “Toy Story 2”, “Monsters Inc”, “Finding Nemo”, The Incredibles”, “Cars” and now “Ratatouille”. Ratatouille trailer

If I do all this will I succeed? You’ll need the bit of luck, too. But if you follow this programme you stand a really good chance of success. Good luck! Intense Animation Studio Pte Ltd TerrificMentor Tony Sealy: John Bittleston: Copyright © MultiLink Asia Limited. All rights reserved. The moral authority of the Author has been asserted.

Please pick up 1.A sheet of contacts to help you start your business 2. A voucher to give you a discount on training programmes that can put you on the right track 3. A smile from all of us - you’ve been a wonderful audience Copyright © MultiLink Asia Limited. All rights reserved. The moral authority of the Author has been asserted.