Chapter 56: Animation Production is Really Expensive

Solving the issue of the card illustrations was just the first step.

Other art resources, such as UI, scene illustrations, card effects, etc., would be handled later by Alex Parker, who would either outsource what he could or do it himself if necessary.

Currently, there was a more pressing issue: finding a reliable animation production company.

For the animation companies in this world, reproducing "I Am MT" shouldn't be a problem. However, Alex wanted to make it more refined, at least reaching the quality of the later seasons of "I Am MT" and preferably surpassing the level of "Legends of Yamaguchi."

After all, this animation was essentially a promotional tool for the game. Sacrificing promotional effectiveness to save money would be counterproductive.

Alex didn't personally know anyone in the animation production industry, so he decided to call Zack Johnson.

Zack Johnson runs a game studio and often interacts with people in the gaming industry, so finding a reliable animation production company shouldn't be difficult for him.

Over the phone, Alex briefly explained his requirements, and Zack quickly sent Alex the contact number of a person in charge of an animation studio.

This studio, Shining Aurora, was well-known in the industry and had produced some decent domestic animations. Their capabilities seemed reliable.

Alex briefly outlined his needs to the person in charge and arranged a meeting at the experience store the next day.

After wrapping up the call, Alex was nearly falling asleep.

"This Super Accelerator is really powerful..."

Alex managed to wash up before collapsing into bed and falling into a deep sleep.

...

The next morning.

Alex slept for a total of ten hours but still felt a bit sore all over.

No wonder the Super Accelerator can't be used consecutively in the short term; it could probably be lethal!

He got up, washed, and opened the store as usual.

Jessica Thompson was now following the same schedule as Amy Johnson, arriving punctually at 10 AM every day. She brought her drawing tablet and laptop to the first-floor meeting room of the experience store to colour the card illustrations.

In the afternoon, Frank Grant, the person in charge of Shining Aurora, arrived. Alex led him to his studio on the second floor.

Frank Grant appeared in his late thirties, had a friendly demeanor, and was slightly balding.

Alex didn't waste time with small talk and directly explained his requirements.

"Here's the deal. I want to produce an animation series. The first season will have ten episodes, each about 10 minutes long, with theme songs for the opening and ending."

"I can provide the characters, scenes, plot, dialogues, and storyboards. You just need to follow my specifications."

"So, I want to know the budget for such an animation."

Frank thought for a moment and asked, "Are you planning to fully fund this yourself?"

Alex nodded, "Yes."

Frank said, "I must advise you from a personal standpoint: animation is a significant investment, and if it doesn't become popular, you might not recoup your costs at all. Moreover, the risk is even higher since you're handling the characters, plot, and storyboards yourself."

"Of course, if you're willing to pay, we'll do it, but I wanted to give you a friendly warning."

Alex nodded, "Thank you for the advice. I'm aware of the risks. Please give me a quote."

Frank nodded, "Alright. Generally, a 24-minute episode costs about $50,000, averaging $2,000 per minute. This is for top-tier quality, including design, storyboarding, and scriptwriting costs."

Alex wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said, "Let me think about it."

The so-called top-tier quality was roughly equivalent to high-quality Japanese animation from his previous world. It was definitely a significant production with high-definition visuals, top-tier voice acting, and background music.

However, Alex's cost was indeed high. At $2,000 per minute, a 10-minute episode would cost $20,000, and a 10-episode season would total $200,000.

The cost of producing "I Am MT" in his previous world wasn't precise, but it definitely wasn't this high.

Back then, Ledo Entertainment acquired the rights to "I Am MT" for $300,000, a significant sum for the creators at the time.

Frank added, "Of course, the quality can vary, and the price can be adjusted accordingly if you're willing to lower the standards."

"It's ultimately up to your requirements."

Alex asked, "Is there a difference between 3D and 2D?"

Frank explained, "There is a difference, but it's insignificant. Nowadays, our 2D animations are often created using 3D techniques to achieve a 2D look. Pure 2D hand-drawn animation costs about $8,000 to $9,000 per minute, and no one does that anymore."

"Pure 2D hand-drawn animation requires a lot of original artists. It used to be a labor-intensive industry, with most costs going to the artists. Now, with advanced 3D-to-2D techniques, we save on labor, slightly reducing costs."

Alex nodded. This world was indeed different from his previous one. Technology truly changes everything.

Alex considered the situation.

Would $200,000 for the first season be too expensive?

Given the profitability of "I Am MT," it wasn't. If "I Am MT" succeeded in this world as it did in his previous life, it would recoup the cost of ten seasons within a month.

Moreover, without the solid audience base of "World of Warcraft," the quality had to be top-notch to ensure the IP's success. Otherwise, Alex would suffer a significant loss.

Losing money was one thing, but he had a bet to win!

Therefore, Alex couldn't skimp on the animation. Expensive was acceptable as long as the quality was guaranteed.

Alex said thoughtfully, "Alright, I've decided. Let's go with the high standard. However, since I'm providing the character designs, scripts, and storyboards, the cost should be slightly reduced, right?"

Frank nodded, "Of course. If we don't account for the script, character designs, and storyboards, the cost can be reduced, but not by much—about 10%."

Alex sighed. It wasn't a significant reduction, but saving $20,000 was still something. Every bit helped.

Frank continued, "However, if you're providing the script and character designs, you'll need to cooperate with our team closely, ensuring these elements are finalized promptly and avoiding frequent changes to prevent production delays."

Alex nodded, "I understand. How about this: I'll have all the character designs, scripts, and storyboards for the first season ready within a week, by the end of this month, and then we'll sign the formal contract."