Under the Dog producer, Hiroaki Yura, just did an AMA session on Reddit today (Sept 4, 2014). There were some interesting questions and answers that gave insight into how the anime industry works as a whole.
Working within this forum's rules, here are some of the noteworthy Q&As:
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Hiroaki Yura (HY): We'll make sure we wont tread the usual Japanese production committee version of funding. We will still definitely produce it (we already have offer for 2 seasons, 26 episodes!) but we prefer to be funded by the people to retain our creative independence!
Q: Could you elaborate more on what's wrong with the usual production committee version of funding? Is it so restrictive that it prevents the production of more innovative anime titles?
HY: Yes it will be. They don't want to take the risks with innovative or edgy ideas for anime. They just want to do the anime that is selling well next door.
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Q: Without giving away spoilers, what kind of creative things are normally restricted?
HY: Like... negative or tragedy ridden anime. Creative writing and ideas which is out of bounds of "light novels"... not-so-moe or fan-service type character designs, etc
Q: Just curious, how do some of the more artsy anime get funded by production committees when it's fairly obvious that they won't sell well? I'm especially curious about original anime like Texhnolyze and RD Sennou Chousashitsu, but adaptations like Kino no Tabi seem like they should be doomed as well.
HY: The studio themselves puts up a lot of the money or companies radical enough to support a particular artist.
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Q: With the current state of the anime industry, is it easy to get discouraged when original concepts such as Under the Dog need crowd-funding just to be made?
HY: I hope UTD will give an example that the Japanese anime industry should really focus their attention globally, not just our tiny Japanese audience. Anime should be for the whole world, not just Japan. We don't always want moe anime or a light novel based anime. I for one long to see anime like Akira...
Japan, is only a little part of the whole world. I am very careful of doing this since I was raised in Australia despite being Japanese. Also yes, I feel there can be non-Japanese animators as well. Actually I know plenty who work in Japan on animation who aren't Japanese.
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Q: In the past few years each anime season will feature shows that just seem like reskins of what aired last month. Do you hope Under the Dog will be something fresh and set a new standard in the modern anime industry?
HY: Absolutely. There are fewer and fewer anime I feel interested or compelled to watch each season. Every year, I hear huge political struggles from industry colleagues and they are saddened by the fact if they could put more effort in their work rather than politics, it'd be so much better. Without much politics and freely doing what we want to do, I hope simply by doing that, UTD will reach new industry standards.
Q: So the production committee process creates a massive amount of stupid unneeded politics?
HY: Indeed they do. Most are interested in only promoting/selling their own portions. For example a music publisher may chip in for an anime but what they want to sell and what they promote is solely the music. They are not interested in anime as a whole but more of like a stepping stone.
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Q: 1) Can you talk a bit in detail what a producer does, or what you do as a producer? 2) A couple issues in the Japanese animation industry are short, difficult schedules and low pay for many animators. Have you taken either of these into consideration in your project? 3) Any hints for future Creative Intelligence Arts projects?
HY: 1) A Producer a) picks the members/studio to create the animation b) source the funding c) promote the animation d) keep everyone (I mean EVERYONE!!!) happy e) distribute the animation in the best way possible; 2) Yes. UTD will ultimately share a lot of the money generated from the project back to the creators (which production committees usually don't do); 3) We do have several anime and video game project up our sleeves but that's all we can tell you
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Quote:
Q: Why are violas better than violins?
HY: Because violas are more sonorous, deep and richer. And I mean it.
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