Screen Digest, a London-based information analysis organization, published a report this past fall they regarded as an annual measuring stick for the production of television animation in primary markets around the globe. Although the United States continues to sit at the top of the world community in terms of dollars spent/budgeted, the U.S. is no longer top dog in terms of total hours produced. Citing the increasingly cyclical nature of TV animation in the States as part of the reason for its subsidence into second, and the increased governmental support of independent production in Canada as fuel for its growth to number one, Screen Digest reasons for the annual output of animation, by country, based on 2008 numbers.
"Canada has emerged ahead of the U.S. and France as the most prolific source of animation for television," Screen Digest's research indicates; Canada produces more content with substantially smaller budget (than the U.S.). Creating content for typically youth-oriented audiences has naturally toughed with the number of budget cuts among public broadcasters worldwide, while additionally, varying licensing initiatives across international borders have witnessed their fair share of industry instability over the past ten months.
Canada produced a reported 382 hours of animation for television on a budget of approximately EUR 181 million (USD $265+ million). Canadian studios on the list of key contributors included Nelvana (Toronto, ON), Cookie Jar (Toronto, ON), and Bardel Entertainment (Vancouver, BC), among others. In second place, the United States reportedly animated 330 hours of programming under a more substantial budget of EUR 256 million (USD $375-380 million); adding up the numbers, this means that Canada created about +15% more animation for TV, with -30% less finances.
Continuing, Canada's hours produced and budget from the previous year did however decrease from 2007 (405 hrs, USD $285 million). Animation in the United States decreased from 2007 as well, then outputting roughly 350 hours. Nelvana's studio has averaged the most hours of TV animation produced over the past three years, at 67.
Elsewhere for Canada, Cookie Jar (44), who manages Strawberry Shortcake and Johnny Test; Studio B Prods. (31), which produces Kid vs. Kat; DECODE Ent. (30), a producer of Martha Speaks and Franny's Feet; Bardel Ent. (28), whose work includes Chaotic and Zeke's Pad; and Fresh Animation (18), creator of 6teen and Stoked, follow suit. From the U.S., Disney and Nickelodeon Animation Studios placed second and third (respectively), averaging 50 and 47 hours produced annually (respectively), when averaged over the past three years.
France, according to the Screen Digest report (entitled, "The Global Animation Industry"), has seen absolutely zero change in annual budgeting (USD $240 million) while also witnessing a decrease in hours produced from 2006 (395 hrs), 2007 (310 hrs), and last year (260 hrs). France is the largest producer of animation in Europe, according to Screen Digest, third globally. The UK (180 hrs) saw a significant rise in production and financing last year, after suffering from a significant and far-reaching drought, ultimately overtaking Italy (110) as fourth globally in hours of animation. Italy's budget and output decreased dramatically from 2007-2008; finances slipped approximately -40% (down to USD $75 million), and hours a decrease of roughly -32% (down from 160 hrs).
The budget and hours produced by the remaining top eight countries -- Spain, Australia, Germany -- are markedly smaller than those espoused by the U.S. and Canada, yet scale slightly better when juxtaposed with those nations with larger output. Screen Digest cites a more flexible culture of indie animation as one of multiple variables integral to an expansive creative environment for territories beyond North America. Australia has seen progressive growth over the past three years, Germany little change, and Spain more fluctuation, with a slight decrease in 2008. (For perspective then, consider how these three countries' budget and animation production each register at best roughly one-seventh and one-fourth of the budget and hours, respectively, dedicated exclusively to TV animation production as compared to the United States.)
The top cartoon producers in Germany, TV-Loonland and BKN International, each averaged 36 hours of animation for television over the past three years, according to Screen Digest. Each company has an impressively diverse catalogue, the most recent additions no doubt include TV-Loonland's clever manga/anime-designed and modeled comedy My Life Me, and the 2011-scheduled adventure animation Joshua Blake: The Agency from BKN Int'l. Additional Europe-based animation companies ranking in Screen Digest's top twenty include Paris, France/ U.S. media group MoonScoop (Ava Riko Teo, Tara Duncan); Barcelona, Spain-based animation group BRB Internacional (Iron Kid, Backkom); Italy's Rainbow, S.p.A. (Huntik: Secrets & Seekers); Paris-based Futurikon (Captain Biceps, Lucy on the Moon); and others.
(Sources/Notes: Screen Digest; CNC (France); Worldscreen.com; figures are approximate, derived from graphs (c) Screen Digest)