COOPERATION: THE KEYSTONE OF ALICE
The final dissemination event held in Barcelona on 30 June devoted an entire section of the presentation of ALICE's work to cooperation.
What could be more natural for a project supported by Interreg Europe, whose very basis of intervention lies in the exchange of good practice between project partners.
This word has a particular resonance within ALICE because the entire animation value chain is based on it. Indeed, the animation sector, more than any other audiovisual sector, requires perfect fluidity between its actors from creation, through production (with its numerous technical constraints) to distribution.
This was perfectly illustrated by the ALICE whitepaper (downnable link) while showing the interdependence of the sector with regulators at regional, national and European level.
As ALICE's work progressed during the first two years and even more so during the implementation of concrete actions during the third year, cooperation between the actors of the production chain, and also with the regulators, appeared to be the key to meeting the many challenges facing the sector, whether at the technical, market or consumer level.
STAKEHOLDERS COMMITMENT TO ALICE'S ACTION
In practice, ALICE has favoured active cooperation with stakeholders to the point of involving them in the implementation of the action plan itself.
This was put into practice in an exemplary way by the Rzeszów Regional Development Agency (RARR), which, from the start of the programme, sought the collaboration of the Polish Animation Producers Association (SPPA).
One thing leading to another, as the actions were undertaken, a win-win situation was created, as Marcin Kotyła of the SPPA testifies: "I am very happy that our association was a partner of the Rzeszów Regional Development Agency in the ALICE project. The meetings we organised during 2021 - with representatives of regional film funds, with producers within the Animator Pro programme, with the University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszów about education and skills needed in the animation sector - all had an impact on our latest activities, such as the current project on improving the quality of professional training for animators. At present, the SPPA is seriously involved in many activities in the field of education and I feel that it all started with the ALICE project.
In a similar way, the Region of Puglia has conceived "Il Polo del Digitale" and the "Animation & Digital Cluster in Puglia" in response to the requests of the animation operators active in the region. The latter is the first digital platform in Puglia, bringing together fifteen companies and professionals from key sectors in the world of digital images and audiovisuals.
The same applies to the Slovak Ministry of Culture, which has entrusted one of its stakeholders, Bibiana with the task of implementing the educational aspect of its action plan.
INVOLVEMENT OF POLICY MAKERS
As the work of ALICE has shown, it is essential that this spirit of cooperation between regulators and investment funds be fully established with the professionals, but that it also be carried out between them in order to harmonise their measures and rules of intervention in order to allow co-productions at European level.
The work of ProA, the Audiovisual Producers Federation (ESP), and more particularly ProaAnimats, its branch dedicated to animation, has successfully demonstrated the importance of having an open dialogue with the authorities about the harmonisation of rules between territories.
It is in a desire to review the operating rules of regional funds, some of which may prove to be an obstacle to cooperation between them and to the co-production of audiovisual works, that the Hauts-de-France audiovisual fund, Pictanovo, is currently carrying out its action plan, which consists of mapping the operation of these funds.
Finally, what better illustration could there be of the spirit of collaboration advocated by ALICE than the proposal by Wallimage, the Walloon audiovisual fund, to have European territories join a Smart Directory which will list, in a constantly updated manner, the profiles of the professionals that animation studios can call upon to start collaborating with their colleagues in other territories
THE SPIRIT OF ALICE
During the launch dissemination event, ProaA announced the creation in November of Animar BCN, the first congress on co-production in animation, in collaboration with Animation in Europe.
This event will be a long-lasting one, as its funding has already been secured for the next three years thanks to the support of the Catalan government, the city of Barcelona and the Spanish government.
This is a spectacular success in which the collaborative spirit of ALICE will find its place for future exchanges between professionals and political decision-makers and of which the Whitepaper will be the keystone
DOWNLOAD HERE ALICE presentations at the Barcelona event
