The Federation of Animation Producers in Europe – which advocates a more prominent place for European animation in streamers’ offerings – has announced the membership of Estonia, Greece and Portugal. This brings the number of European member countries to 20 (incl. associate member UK).
At yesterday’s General Meeting in Annecy, the members of Animation in Europe elected their new Board of Directors for the next two years. Its composition reflects both the federation’s geographical diversity, with five different countries represented, and its animation production diversity, with three film producers and two series producers.
Philippe Alessandri (Watch Next Media/France) will continue to assume the role of president and will be supported by four vice-presidents: Moe Honan (Moetion Films/Ireland), Pablo Jordi (Pikkukala/Finlande), Ivan Agenjo (Peekaboo Animation/Spain) and Dirk Beinhold (Akkord Film Produktion/Germany).
During the General Assembly, Estonia, Greece, and Portugal became the latest additions to the federation’s membership. This expansion reflects the interest that European producers have in inter-country exchange of industry information and collective action at community level.
For a stronger presence of European animation in platform investment:
Following the 2018 vote on the European Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMS), which allows foreign media to be subject to investment obligations, the federation welcomes its implementation in 14 countries but calls for an increase in platform investments in European animation.
European animated films and series are performing well on the international market. In Germany, for example, a handful of family animation films, representing barely 5 per cent of film production, generate half of the feature film exports. In France, animated series account for nearly half of audiovisual revenues abroad, even though they only constitute about 10 per cent of the total volume of national production across all genres.
This undeniable international potential contrasts sharply with the very small number of European animated series and films commissioned by platforms, even though these platforms are investing heavily in the production of local dramas. This observation is shared by all member countries of the federation.
Buyers from American streaming platforms focus their investments on national dramas to attract new subscribers. Children’s content, perceived as more universal, is directed by the headquarters in Los Angeles which engage American studios.
In France, the situation, while similar, is slightly more positive due to a decree emphasising “diversity of genres” in the investment obligations of streaming platforms. Thus, Disney+, Netflix and Amazon have committed to supporting animation, but at levels that remain very low (from 0.56 per cent to 1.28 per cent of their annual turnover in France) compared to the place of animation in their catalogs. The majority of animation produced in France for these platforms is characterised by service provision, as seen in the case of the series Arcane.
A similar trend can be observed in Ireland, where service production is offered for series on American platforms. For instance, Netflix’s adaptation of the video game Cuphead is produced by Lighthouse Studios, based in Ireland.
The situation is not much better in Spain, with only two original productions for Netflix and one adult animation program Pobre Diablo for Max (Warner). The rest of Europe’s animation industry seems to profit even less from US streaming platforms. For example, not one single production has been commissioned by a streamer in countries such as Germany.
“We need to offer children, who make up over 10 per cent of the EU’s population, content created and produced in Europe. The introduction of an animation quota would ensure fair representation of European animation on platforms,” concluded Animation in Europe president Philippe Alessandri.
Animation in Europe wishes to underscore the crucial need for more comprehensive data collection by governments and regulatory authorities across Europe. This data will bolster the industry’s resilience in this challenging landscape, not just for survival, but to remain competitive. It is also essential to ensure that cultural and age diversity is thoughtfully accommodated. The association urges these entities to consistently monitor and share detailed data, such as demographics, viewership data, ratings and reviews, trending genres, subscriber growth, and more.
In light of these challenges, Animation in Europe calls on the European Union and EU member states to leverage the planned review of the AVMS Directive, set for no later than the end of 2025, to defend the position of European animation and promote a European editorial offering targeted at a young audience.