Haimen's animation base fuels summer blockbuster
A scene from Nobody, a summer blockbuster loosely inspired by the 16th-century novel Journey to the West. [Photo/WeChat account: haimenfabu]
The Chinese animated film Nobody had a remarkable debut this summer, setting new domestic box office records for 2D animation and becoming a vivid representation of Chinese aesthetics.
Among the film production teams, Hualong Animation (Nantong) Co, based in the Topu Animation Incubation Base in Haimen, stands out as a prominent creative force.
Hualong Animation is a subsidiary of Hangzhou Wawayu Animation Design Co, which specializes in creating comics, animation, films, and short dramas, supported by comprehensive production technologies.
Following the invitation to the film?, over 90 members from both companies joined the production crew, signaling the start of their creative journey.
"Our production team contributed to concept art, background illustrations, animation, and coloring to best realize the film's creative vision and attain high production quality," said Xiao Yue, chief producer of Wawayu Animation and the project's liaison producer.
"This creative confidence was supported a lot by the Topu Animation Incubation Base," Pan Bin, general director of Wawayu Animation and head of Dragon Animation, added.
Hualong Animation partnered with Topu in 2022. "The base provides comprehensive services," Pan explained. "When we encountered financial difficulties early on, the base's special funding supported us. During technical challenges, they connected us with expert teams for onsite guidance."
The industrial ecosystem created by the base was even more valuable. "There's a special effects company upstairs and a sound design team downstairs. When issues come up, we can easily consult with them, leading to a 40 percent increase in efficiency over traditional methods," Pan said.
Nowadays, Topu is accelerating its transformation into a ?dual-core base of animation investment and creation.?
"We hope this place attracts animation talent nationwide, forming a complete ecosystem from creative incubation to market implementation, allowing our animations to not only captivate domestic audiences but also present Chinese aesthetics to the world," Pan said.
The Topu Animation Incubation Base? in Haimen. [Photo/WeChat account: haimenfabu]