CATDOLL: "Donald Duck" Li Yang: Animation is still "fending for itself" in China

Speaking of Li Yang, a deputy to the National People's Congress and chairman of China Changan Animation Industry Group, you may not be familiar with him, but you must be familiar with his voice. He has dubbed Donald Duck and Sun Wukong in cartoons. During the two sessions, Li Yang accepted an exclusive interview with a reporter from Nandu and pointed out that animation is still "fending for itself" in China, and there is no successful case of animation bases. He suggested that the development of the animation industry be included in the government work report and a special steering committee be established at the State Council level.

Nandu: You proposed to include the development of the animation industry in the government work report. Should the animation industry have this weight?

Li Yang: The animation industry can solve employment problems, stimulate domestic demand, and increase tax revenue. In particular, it plays an irreplaceable role in turning national elements into public products and providing them to all mankind. Therefore, I suggest that the words "development of the animation industry" be added to the government work report.

Nandu: Why do we need central support?

Li Yang: This is a national industry. In many developed countries, such as the United States, Japan, and South Korea, the animation industry is one of the pillar industries of the national economy, and even accounts for 20% of GDP. In the United States, an animated film costs hundreds of millions of dollars and takes at least five years to produce. Avatar took 14 years. The investment is huge and the time is very long, but the economic benefits generated are also very good. This is the characteristic of this industry. Many Chinese people born in the 1990s today don’t know some big Hollywood stars, but young people know Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, and it’s been almost a hundred years.

Nandu: There don’t seem to be many excellent animation works produced in China in recent years?

Li Yang: The root cause is that the government does not pay enough attention and has not opened up the industrial chain. Disney is a virtuous cycle. Cartoons, amusement parks, and more than 40,000 derivative products can make endless profits by selling copyrights. Why doesn't China learn from it? Black Cat Sheriff, Calabash Brothers, and Journey to the West are deeply rooted in people's hearts, so why not use them to develop industries? There is no complete industrial chain, and there is no agency to manage this huge industry, except for the Ministry of Culture. For example, audio-visual and film and television are under the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television. They should be integrated as the supervisory and management agency of this industry, and a special steering committee should be established at the State Council level, such as the China Animation Industry Association, to coordinate all aspects.

Nandu: There are many animation industry bases in my country now?

Li Yang: They are all fake, and almost none of them have been successful. There is no successful case, and we can't even talk about the real animation industry. Some ignorant companies want land, but they don't have the ability, and the country doesn't support it. The country must take the lead to develop this industry. With so many administrative approvals and administrative supervision, most of the more than 10,000 TV series in China every year are rejected.

Nandu: Are there any problems with talent cultivation in the animation industry now?

Li Yang: There is no shortage of talent. There are people who can make high-quality animations and write good scripts. What is lacking is policies and management. Now the Chinese animation industry is left to fend for itself, with no leader and no unified integration of resources. Only by completely changing this disorderly situation can the Chinese animation industry be developed step by step.