At the Hong Kong International Film and TV Market, Animotion Media Group general manager Julia Nikolaeva offered key insights into her company’s evolving content strategy. She spoke about India as a high-growth market, as well as the significance of AI and UGC (User Generated Content) in shaping the future of the animation industry.
Animotion, a UAE-based company, creates and produces animated films and series for family audiences. The group distributes content globally across TV, streaming platforms, and digital media.
In an interview with AnimationXpress at Filmart, Nikolaeva said India is a key emerging market for them. The company’s focus relies on building regional partnerships, and its vision is to connect content creators across Asia and the Middle East.
“Since the UAE and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)’s population comprises a large Indian diaspora, we are seeing a growth in partnerships and content coming from India,” Nikolaeva revealed. “In India too, there’s a growing appetite for diverse content.”
Elaborating on the company’s licensing and merchandising strategy, she emphasised, “Animotion embeds commercial thinking right from the earliest stages of development.”
The company has already established merchandising programmes across several of its IPs, such as Dinocity, Tina and Tony, and its flagship project, The Fixies.
In partnership with Beijing Kids Media, Animotion will work on a wide range of publishing initiatives based on The Fixies, including print and digital book series, gift editions, publishing-related merchandise, and other creative formats inspired by the animated series.
Edutainment vs entertainment: Finding the balance
Discussing content trends, Nikolaeva pointed out that demand often shifts between educational and entertainment-driven programming.
“I would say it comes in waves. Sometimes markets demand more edutainment because it’s approved by parents and teachers. In our catalogue, you’ll find projects like The Fixies, Question Club and Pincode that lean into that space. In fact, The Fixies has been featured on the global digital learning platform Discovery Education for many years.”
However, she added that there are also phases where buyers lean toward light-hearted, family-friendly comedy. “So we always try to keep a balance, even though historically our catalogue has been stronger in edutainment.”
Making an IP globally viable
Nikolaeva outlined a clear distinction between acquiring and developing IPs. For acquisitions, Animotion evaluates existing brand awareness, audience data, platform performance (such as YouTube analytics), and the presence of merchandising ecosystems.
On the other hand, if they are developing an IP, the approach is different, she said. “Firstly, we make sure the new IP does not compete with our existing catalogue. Secondly, we study market trends and demands across regions,” she explained. “But in the end, content is king. The story has to resonate with us.”
Music as an untapped revenue stream
A particularly interesting aspect of Animotion’s strategy is its focus on music and audio branding.
“Music in animation is underestimated, not just creatively but also as a monetisation stream,” Nikolaeva noted. “That’s why we launched our own label, Animation Music. We also act as a publisher and aggregator for third-party animation IPs.”
The company recently signed a music deal with Vlad & Niki, which is the highest-rated kids’ channel on YouTube. Under the agreement, Animotion has secured the publishing and neighbouring rights to all compositions featured across the brand’s video content.
Animotion also expanded its music footprint in Mena and China with the launch of first-ever Arabic and Chinese albums for The Fixies.
Beyond traditional animation soundtracks, the company is also tapping into the growing kids’ pop, children-friendly pop music space.
AI, UGC, and the future of storytelling
On the technology front, Animotion is actively experimenting with AI tools across production and distribution workflows.
“We use AI in various departments, including social media,” she revealed. “We are also doing AI-powered dubbing on Question Club.”
However, she stressed that AI is not replacing traditional creativity. Instead, it enhances it.
“We prefer starting with original ideas and sketches from real artists, and then using AI to build on that. If you rely entirely on AI from scratch, it becomes a mix of what already exists.”
UGC is also shaping how Animotion engages with audiences. “We observe how audiences interact with our characters, if they’re dancing or creating trends, that’s a signal for us to create more of that kind of content. But we don’t blindly follow; it’s about balance.”
At this year’s Hong Kong International Film and TV Market, Animotion’s priorities were clear: strengthening existing partnerships and expanding further into Asia.
Nikolaeva said, “We’re looking for co-production, co-investment, and distribution opportunities, and of course, inspiration.”
She closed with a strong message for Indian animation studios looking to collaborate. “We’re already working with some Indian studios on projects in development. What matters to us is a strong portfolio, proven experience, and a long-term vision.”
