2019 Animator Dormitory Project

【The average monthly salary for new animators in their 20s is $900.】

The Japanese anime industry has been producing more anime than ever, with its market size reaching more than ￥2,000,000,000,000. However, the environment surrounding animators remains severe -- low salaries, long working hours, and illegal contracting is still very common.

According to a 2015 survey conducted by JAnicA , the average monthly salary for an animator in their 20s is around ￥90,000, making the yearly salary about ￥1,100,000.

*￥90,000→about $800

*￥1,100,000→about $10,000

It is not uncommon that the monthly salary for the first year animator is less than ￥30,000.

*￥30,000→about $270

The reason why the earnings are drastically low despite of the hard labor, overtime work, and long working hours, is because in most cases, animators are hired and paid according to the piece-work system.

How does the piece-work system affect animators?

Animators' incomes are determined by the amount of frames they draw.For a newcomer, it takes time and practice to become skilful enough to draw quicker and make a fair amount of earnings per month.

For a typical TV anime series, an animator makes ￥200 by drawing ONE frame. There for if an animator draws 300 frames per month, their monthly salary is only: 300 frames × ￥200 = ￥60,000. Obiously, drawing 300 frames per month is a really challenging task for new animators. To matters worse, animators generally do not have enough time to take other part time jobs, which makes it even harder to make a stable living.

Another problem new animators suffer is that most anime studios are located in Tokyo. New animators who move to Tokyo have to pay expensive housing rents while living with a very limited income

This project has two major goals and meanings: one is to provide housing so that up-and-coming animators can focus on their work without desperately trying to make the ends meet and the other is to offer a place where up-and-coming animators can recieve technical support from experts.

In order to achieve this goal, we, the NPO Animator Supporters, opened the first Animator Dormitory.

The dormitory provides a room for under ￥30,000 per month including water, gas, electricity, air conditioning, and wi-fi so that animators can feel safe to take lessons on drawing and sketching.

In order to protect Japanese anime, we need your support!.

We hope you will give us a helping hand!

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- History of the Animator Dormitory -

◇In March 2014, the 1st Animator Dormitory was founded (capable of having two animators) in Asagaya

◇In March 2015, the 2nd Animator Dormitory was founded (capable of having two animators) in Ogikubo

◇In March 2016, the 1st Animator Dormitory in Asagaya was expanded (capable of having four animators total)

◇In March 2017,the 3rd Animator Dormitory was founded (capable of having two animators, for girls) in Narita-higashi

◇In March 2018,the 4th Animator Dormitory was founded (capable of having two animators, for girls)

With these 4 Animator Dormitories, last year, we provided housing for 11 animators in total.

◇We will continue our support for up-and-coming animators beyond March 2019.

Note: Before 2014, we provided monetary support of $6,000 for the winners of the New Animators Grand Prix, which means that we have supported 46 animators in total by 2019.

By providing housing and technical support, we believe that we are fulfilling our role in implementing a safety net for up-and-coming animators.

In 2019, we are taking steps towards our next project, the New Anime-Making System!

We will be tackling the fundamental issue of the anime industry— animators receiving low wages.

The goal of our project is to pay animators by securing a sufficient budget needed for anime production, and returning the profit to animators and staff who are actually involved in the anime-making process.

However, the Animator Dormitory Project is still vital in accomplishing this goal.

https://assets.gogetfunding.com/new-anime-making-system-project/

Our Animator Dormitory will still remain as an essential core to start off our new project and for our future works.

The Animator Supporters have tackled these problems in many ways, such as: providing housing support, giving technical support,bringing new animators a place to interact with skilled animators, and finding well-paying projects.

- What do we mean by "Technical Support”? -

Boarders of the Animator Dormitory can participate in (for free):

■ a monthly drawing class in which skilled animators teach boarders animation techniques

■ a monthly sketching session.

-What do we mean by ”finding well-paying projects”?

It is not uncommon for first year animators to earn less than ￥30,000 per month.

In hopes to help them, we found new animators to projects for new animators that we knew would pay well.*Last year we found such projects to our boarders,allowing each boarder to earn (on average) an additional ￥1,000,000 per year.

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Some animators who lived in our dorm have made their debuts as animation directors!

-Former boarders:

■Shingo Tamagawa

- Animation director for “Gundam Reconguista in G”

■Tatsuro Kawano

- Action animation director for “Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress”

- Opening animation director, a storyboard director, and a casting director for “BORUTO:NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS“.

■Moeka Kuga

- Animation director for “Wish Upon the Pleiades”

■Namiko Ishidate

- Character designer for the McDonald’s commercial, “Mirai no Watashi”

■Masaaki Tanaka

- Animation director from “Attack on Titan (season three)”

■Hitomi Kariya

- Animation director for the openning of ” Blade Smash”

- Director, Key animator, Charactor designer, and logo design for the NHK morning drama “Natsu”

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Now that we`ve opened a new creating all-girls dormitory in March 2018, we believe we reached our original goal of creating a safety net for up-and -coming animators.

From now or,we are moving to the next stage.

The next stage is to create a new anime-making system in which profits made by the sales of anime are actually returned to animators.

We believe the current anime production system in the industry is one of the biggest reason for the animators' low income.

- What are the problems of the current anime-production system? -

It is quite costly to produce anime. If an anime does not become a hit, it would result in a huge debt. So, in order to avoid such a situation, the current anime production system requires a production committee consisting of TV stations, movie production firms, ad companies, publishers, and large anime studios. The production cost is collected from each party, so that the burden can be reduced.

In a way, these production committees are necessary in avoiding large debts,but simultaheously,they bring some issues.

For example, the production fee paid from the production committee to the anime studio is, in many cases, insufficient. (1 in 4 anime studios are in debt.) As a result, although the comittee may avoid risks, anime studios work in debt.Consequently, studios cannot pay enough salaries for animators, and animators have to live in poverty.

In addition, profits made by the sales of an anime only go to the production committee. So even if an anime become a hit, animators do not benefit at all from the sales.

In order to change the current situation, we have set our next goal to making a new anime production system were profits made by the sales of anime are directly returned to animators.

To be more specific,

We are going to make the flow of money more direct; we will produce a short anime clip funded by fans through crowdfunding campaigns, and provide enough time and money for animators to make good anime.

In this system, any profit made by the anime will be returned to animators and those directly involved in the anime-making process.

We will make:

①An anime directed by an animator and former boarder of the Animator Dormitory

②An anime storyboarded by our fans! (We are planning on holding a championship where fans can submit a storyboard that may be picked and made into an anime!)

Our plan for 2018 is to work on a 30-second commercial to promote our project.

The commercial is plan to be released in 2019.

The commercial will be made by a group of animators who lived/are currently living in the Animator Dormitory.

While we are still providing housing for new animators,our final goal is to create an environment that allows animators to create even better anime.

To make this change happen, as well as continuously provide housing, we need your helping hand.

We truly appreciate your supportiveness and generosity.

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- More about the Animator Dormitory -

◇Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/Animator-Dormitory-149188...

◇Twitter

@animatorsupport

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- About perks -

$30 We Love Animation

◇A thank you note and an original image LIMITED to gogetfunding campaign supporters!

Sent via email(Resolution/ W1280×L720pixcel).

*The image below is a sample.

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$50 (Special Offer for Repeaters #1)

Those who helped us in any of our previous projects will also receive:

[The 1st Starting Out Animators’ Grand Prix / Catalogue] ×1copy

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$150 Anime Forever!

In addition to the $30 perks,

The 1st Starting Out Animators’ Grand Prix / Catalogue ×1 copy

The 2nd Starting Out Animators’ Grand Prix / Catalogue ×1 copy

The 3rd Starting Out Animators’ Grand Prix / Catalogue ×1 copy

[a short movie and an animation project by Shingo Yamashita]

Details: A short movie by Shingo Yamashita, a QT movie 720×480, and a flash file

*The movie is a half-sized sample.

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$150 (Special Offer for Repeaters #2)

For those who donated in one or more of our crowdfunding project in the past can choose either A or B:

【A】Join us at the animator dormitory dinner party

◆We hold a dinner party in the Animator Dormitory in Asagaya on the fourth Sunday every month, and you can choose which month you want to come.

【B】Receive three pieces of short movies and projects produced by Shingo Yamashita

◆QT movie 720×480

◆3 flash files

*The movie is a half-sized sample.

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$300 We Love Animation!

・In addition to the $150 perks

・Three pieces of short movies and projects produced by Shingo Yamashita

◆QT movie 720×480

◆3 flash files

・You can join us at the animator dormitory dinner party!

◆We hold a dinner party in the Animator Dormitory in Asagaya on the fourth Sunday of every month, and you can choose which month you want to come.

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$300 (Special Offer for Repeaters #3)

Those who helped us in any of our previous projects can choose either A or B:

【A】Join us at a sketch event and at a monthly dinner party.

【B】Receive five pieces of short movies and projects produced by Shingo Yamashita

◆QT movie 720×480

◆5 flash files

*The movie is a half-sized sample.

・An illustration sketch by Masaaki Tanaka - Animation director from “Attack on Titan (season three)”

◆You can request us what you want him to draw

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$500 The Animator Supporter

・In addition to $300 perks,

1）[The 4th Starting Out Animators’ Grand Prix / Catalogue]×1 copy

2）You can join the animator dormitory dinner party TWICE!

◆We hold a dinner party in the Animator Dormitory in Asagaya on the fourth Sunday of every month, and you can choose to visit us twice on the month of your choice.

3）Five pieces of short movies and projects produced by Shingo Yamashita

（including the four pieces for the $300 perks)

◆QT movie 720×480

◆5 flash filess

4）An illustration sketch by Masaaki Tanaka - Animation director from “Attack on Titan (season three)”

◆You can request us what you want him to draw

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$500 Special Offer for Repeaters #4

Recieve

1)10 pieces of short movies and projects produced by Shingo Yamashita

（contents include the four pieces for the $300 perks)

◆QT movie 720×480

◆10 flash projects

*The movie is a half-sized sample.

・An illustration sketch by Masaaki Tanaka - Animation director from “Attack on Titan (season three)”

◆You can request us what you want him to draw

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$1000 Anime Be Eternal

・In addition to $500 perks,

1）[The 5th Starting Out Animators’ Grand Prix / Catalogue]×1 copy

2）You can join the animator dormitory dinner party FIVE TIMES!

◆We hold the dinner party in the Animator Dormitory in Asagaya on the fourth Sunday of every month, and you can choose to visit us up to five times the month of your choice.

3)10 pieces of short movies and projects produced by Shingo Yamashita

（including the nine pieces for the $500 perks)

◆QT movie 720×480

◆10 flash projects

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$1000 Special Offer for Repeaters #5

Those who helped us in any of our previous projects will also receive:

1）An invitation to our animator dormitory dinner party for total of 10 TIMES!

◆We hold the dinner party in the Animator Dormitory in Asagaya on the fourth Sunday of every month, and you can choose to visit us up to 10 times on the month of your choice.

2）A complete set of short movies and projects produced by Shingo Yamashita

◆QT movie 720×480

◆30 flash files

*The movie is a half-sized sample.

3）An illustration sketch by Masaaki Tanaka - Animation director from “Attack on Titan (season three)”

◆You can request us what you want him to draw

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$3,000 Collector

・In addition $1000 perks,

1）[The 6th Starting Out Animators’ Grand Prix / Catalogue]×1 copy

2）You can join the animator dormitory dinner party 10 times!

◆We hold the dinner party in the Animator Dormitory in Asagaya on the fourth Sunday of every month, and you can choose to visit us up to 10 times on the month of your choice.

3）A complete set of short movies and projects produced by Shingo Yamashita

（including the 19 pieces for those who raised $1,000 ）

◆QT movie 720×480

◆30 flash files

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$5,000 Otaku King!

・In addition to $3000 perks,

1）The 7th Starting Out Animators’ Grand Prix Catalogue×1 copy

2）You can join the Animator Dormitory dinner party in Asagaya every month for a year.

◆We hold the dinner party in the Animator Dormitory in Asagaya on the fourth Sunday.