Rather than being freelancers or employees, animators under communism might learn and work in a unified academy system where they are adopted by famous directors and screenwriters, and gain more independence in their work as they develop their own artistic character. The most experienced staff would take full artistic responsibility for new anime they want to produce, but be aided by outside communist party members who free them of any organisational or managerial work that might come up, as well as by guaranteed rights such as local (or even inhouse) accommodation, food, and childcare.
This centralised method of production could guarantee a seasonal lineup that is both balanced and popular, and provide a way to defuse and clear out animators’ schedules. Instead of the current standard of 80 (!) new shows and movies, there would be less than a dozen flagship projects coming out each season, supplemented by short-form expos, themed anthologies, as well as commissions by other public entities. This would massively reduce the menial work to which animators are currently subjected, and open up time they can use to rest, enjoy leisure, study, become accustomed to new technology, and develop their own style.
The budget for anime would no longer be obtained by the sale of industrially produced merchandise, but by grants; and instead of being put out on one of the current plethora of private providers, all anime (as well as all other video content) would be hosted on a central, publicly-owned platform that would be optimised for stability, compatibility, accessibility, and privacy - instead of profitability - and via which the public could vote on screenwriters’ ideas for upcoming anime.
Some good ideas here, which could also be rolled out to other kinds of artistic production. There’s also a place for ‘amateur’ production but I would think that the line between amateur and professional would blur eventually.
To be honest, I already see this line being extremely blurry today, as freelancers are producing animations on e.g. Youtube with varying degrees of dependence on the compensation. If anything, establishing this academy system would deblur the line by making it at least equally attractive to become a card-carrying animator rather than a hobbyist, especially as the academy staff receives more and more resources, training, and equipment. Of course, there will be some part-timers but you very rarely see those among any sort of artists.
However, I could also see the academy helping amateurs do their hobby by aiding them with editing work, research, recognition, and social connections, and there might be a prize system in which the best amateur films are being rewarded
Rather than being freelancers or employees, animators under communism might learn and work in a unified academy system where they are adopted by famous directors and screenwriters, and gain more independence in their work as they develop their own artistic character. The most experienced staff would take full artistic responsibility for new anime they want to produce, but be aided by outside communist party members who free them of any organisational or managerial work that might come up, as well as by guaranteed rights such as local (or even inhouse) accommodation, food, and childcare.
This centralised method of production could guarantee a seasonal lineup that is both balanced and popular, and provide a way to defuse and clear out animators’ schedules. Instead of the current standard of 80 (!) new shows and movies, there would be less than a dozen flagship projects coming out each season, supplemented by short-form expos, themed anthologies, as well as commissions by other public entities. This would massively reduce the menial work to which animators are currently subjected, and open up time they can use to rest, enjoy leisure, study, become accustomed to new technology, and develop their own style.
The budget for anime would no longer be obtained by the sale of industrially produced merchandise, but by grants; and instead of being put out on one of the current plethora of private providers, all anime (as well as all other video content) would be hosted on a central, publicly-owned platform that would be optimised for stability, compatibility, accessibility, and privacy - instead of profitability - and via which the public could vote on screenwriters’ ideas for upcoming anime.
Some good ideas here, which could also be rolled out to other kinds of artistic production. There’s also a place for ‘amateur’ production but I would think that the line between amateur and professional would blur eventually.
To be honest, I already see this line being extremely blurry today, as freelancers are producing animations on e.g. Youtube with varying degrees of dependence on the compensation. If anything, establishing this academy system would deblur the line by making it at least equally attractive to become a card-carrying animator rather than a hobbyist, especially as the academy staff receives more and more resources, training, and equipment. Of course, there will be some part-timers but you very rarely see those among any sort of artists.
However, I could also see the academy helping amateurs do their hobby by aiding them with editing work, research, recognition, and social connections, and there might be a prize system in which the best amateur films are being rewarded