Exploring The Sustainable Development Of British Animation Industry

The US and Japanese animation attracts tremendous attention from the audience and professionals for moving fast in animation globalization. While the once prosperous European animation has been eclipsed. Based upon British Animation Industry, the thesis focuses on analyzing the multinational cooperation cases of Aardman, and drawing on lessons for the sustainable development of entire British animation. British government and social organizations have long been providing political, financial and educational support, creating a favorable national environment for British animations. In the animation globalization, however, British animation gradually declined due to its excess emphasis on artistic content and neglect of business operation. Under such circumstances, British animation studios should cooperation with foreign companies to balance artistic and commercial preferences, thus achieving sustainable development.Upon collecting information about Aardman on behalf of British animation industry, we could easily come to some conclusion as below. First, Aardman was firmly entrenched in narrow communication to elites, delayed the issuing time and lost many audience; while Dreamwork was ambitious in mass communication to the public and also monopolized the market operation. The incompatible principles and conflicts led to an earlier termination of cooperation. Second, in the later cooperation with Sony Picture, Aardman proactively participated in mutual communication and business operation with Sony giving Aardman enough freedom in production. The combination ensures a long-term development between both parties. From the case study, British animation should leverage its advantages such as talents nurturing system and properly maintaining British style, while also pay attention to market development, international integration and technology diversification. In the end, China could also learn from the experience in its animation transition.Compared with former research, this thesis is trying to be somewhat innovative. In the global background, the thesis analyzes the specific cases of international animation cooperation with a perspective of the integration between artistic content and commercial operation. The case study opens a window for the development of British animation, and also offers an external viewpoint for animation scholars to understand British cultural creative industry.