BUENOS AIRES In Latin America, an old-school skill is drawing attention for its new look.
Most animators in the region graduate with strong grounding in pencil drawing, an ability that's becoming less common as students in the big animation markets of Asia, Europe and the U.S. go directly to digital.
Latin American animation "is starting to pop up more and more" on the international scene, Tom van Waveren, a partner and creative director of London-based Cake Entertainment, tells Variety on the sidelines of Cartoon Connection, a European training program held during the Nov. 25-28 Expotoons fest in Buenos Aires.
He says he was "surprised" by the design sensibility, high volume of output and the cost-effective production in the region, particularly in Argentina.
Latin America is starting to tie up more international co-production deals.
Argentina's Illusion Studios has lined up Toonz Animation India and Mexico's Anima Estudios for "Gaturro," a toon pic about a cheeky cat set to be released in the second half of 2010. France's Folimage has joined "Los dioses de lata" (Tin Gods), a $6 million feature set during the American conquest.
Juan Jose Campanella, director of Argentine Oscar contender "The Secret in Their Eyes," is taking on his first toon project for a 2012-13 release. The $8.9 million budgeted "Metegol" (Foosball) is about the struggles of a foosball team trying to reunite after their table is scrapped.
Can Latin America become the next Asia for animation? It may be a long shot, but international buyers, distributors and producers are taking note.
Many of Latin America's toonmakers come from advertising backgrounds and "they have a professional approach to what they are doing and a lot of passion," says Frank Dietz, head of acquisitions and co-productions at Germany's Super RTL.
"There is a level of quality that can be exported to the U.S. and Europe."
He says a project with potential for global reach is Brazil's "The Adventures of the Red Airplane." Armazem de Imagens and Okna Prods. are producing the $1.7 million pic for a 2011 release.
As anywhere, a chief challenge for Latin American animation raising funding, says Josh Scherba, senior veep of distribution at Canada's DHX Media.
Help could come from more government involvement such as providing incentives to encourage broadcasters to invest in local animation, he says.
For Julien Borde, the director of youth programs at France Televisions, Latin America is putting out projects that can compete with those in Europe.
"The look is really new and it is different from what you find in Europe. The color is different. And character design is different. There is a real possibility for Latin American countries to make their place in the animation industry," he says.
A tie-up with European producers would help with financing and the fine-tuning of content development and writing, he adds.
The region, too, is catching on to 3D, a technology that is boosting revenue despite the world recession.
Illusion Studios' "Boogie, el aceitoso" saw about half its admissions come from 3D in Argentina. The hard-boiled hoodlum satire went out on 21 3D screens and 28 2D screens for its Oct. 22 release.
"3D is a way of averting piracy by offering an added value" to the moviegoing experience, says Gaston Cami, Illusion's VP of international sales and co-productions.
Despite the international push, not all projects can cross borders, Cake's Van Waveren warns.
"Some projects are inherently more suited for a local market and can be very successful there, commercially and creatively," he says.
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