On the Question of Formation and Development of the Animation Industry in the XX — Beginning of XXI Century

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to analyze distinct aspects of the formation and development of the animation industry during XX — at the beginning of XXI century in connection with the movie industry and broadcasting mainly in the USA that allows a deep understanding of the essence and peculiarities of audiovisual industry functioning as the separate segment of creative industry. The methodology. On the basis of the historical approach and also methods of data collecting and analytical and synthetical processing, qualitative analysis of development was conducted. It was found out that today the animation industry is a separate segment of audiovisual industry, that had overcome a difficult way of development in co-evolution with the movie and TV industries that have survived in the globalization of production and its distribution. The results. The industry of animation appeared in the USA under the influence of cinematography and its further formation was determined by two main factors: technological development that enabled diversified markets and products, improved animators’ ability to express their own creative ideas, besides, assisted to enlarge the global market and many regional market niches, and also the tendency of cost decrease of production that provided the basic conditions for the animation production in other countries-subcontractors.  After the World War II a sharp drop in showing animated cartoons in the cinema was observed but with the appearance and spreading of TV for the animated industry new possibilities became available. Significant changes happened in 1980 when after almost a decade break, 2D animated films were actively made for the cinemas, and within the animated industry two measurements were formed — local-artisanal and global Hollywood system. Technological determinism brought new markets and two tendencies into animated production: mass production for the non-theatrical markets, CGI in the world market. Using cheap software and fast rendering of CGI-animation have changed forever the TV animation and had a huge influence on the geography of the animated industry. The scientific novelty. Analysis of the animation through the prism of branch industrialization during XX — beginning XXI century. The practical significance. The material of the given article can be used for the development of program or strategies for the animated industry development in Ukraine as a foreign experience.