Animation studios in Finland and further afield will soon be able to apply to three funds set up by public broadcaster YLE to support children’s content.
Vicky Schroderus
Finnish public broadcaster YLE is looking to invest more in the Nordic animation sector by introducing a number of development, production and minority coproduction funding initiatives.
YLE was at the recent Annecy International Animation Film Festival (MIFA), where Vicky Schroderus, senior executive in charge of coproductions and acquisitions for kids’ programming, revealed the broadcaster’s plans to help finance both domestic and international content.
YLE is looking to grow its animation slate to provide a pipeline of content for both its preschool brand Pikku Kakkonen (Tiny Two), which targets kids up to the age of six in early morning and 17.00 slots; and Galaxi, which serves older viewers aged between seven and 12.
With the global animation sector currently in a state of turmoil – as studios deal with the triple threat of AI, a sharp downturn in commissioning and the steady migration of younger viewers to YouTube – YLE plans to help embattled producers of children’s content get their projects going.
“We’re putting these funding initiatives in place and hope to have them up and running by next year at the latest,” said Schroderus, a 28-year YLE veteran. “YLE wants to help animators, especially in Finland but also in other countries. We want to establish development funding for animation projects and then we’ll have production funding later on. They will be parallel funds.
“We’ll also have minority coproduction funding for ideas that aren’t coming from Finland. Those projects will need to be attached to a Finnish studio.”
Founded in 1926 and headquartered in Helsinki, YLE serves a population of 5.6 million with Finnish-, English- and some Swedish-language content on linear TV, free VoD service Areena and across YouTube, social media, gaming apps and podcast offerings.
Regarding the kind of programming that YLE’s kids and family division will be looking for when the funds are available, Schroderus told delegates at MIFA that the broadcaster is on the hunt for entertaining preschool content “with a message” and comedy or action-adventure series with problem-solving narratives for older kids.
Best & Bester was created by Gigglebug’s Joonas Utti and Anttu Harlin
YLE aims to support Finnish, Nordic and European productions with copros. Examples of collaborative animation projects the broadcaster has participated in previously include Best & Bester (52×11’), coproduced with Gigglebug and Nickelodeon; Nordic Christmas (1×60’), coproduced with NRK in Norway, DR in Denmark and Iceland’s RUV; and Unstoppable Yellow Yeti (52×11’), coproduced with Gigglebug and Disney.
Although the Finnish broadcaster has not yet confirmed the exact levels of investment it will make in the three funds, the development fund will support up to three projects per year. Creatives can apply to the production fund regardless of whether their project was selected for the earlier development phase or not.
“We will accept two or three projects, depending on how much money the producers need and how much we’re willing to invest,” said Schroderus. While the development and production funds are intended to benefit Finnish creatives, the minority coproduction funding strand is open to international producers collaborating with Finnish outfits.
“Producers and animation studios have really asked for this,” said Schroderus. “Minority coproduction funding is quite new to us and it’s very important to the studios as well. Being in this international environment, the studios are able to learn from each other and develop their skills, and we all profit and benefit from it.”
Unstoppable Yellow Yeti was coproduced with Gigglebug and Disney
One of the most interesting discussions at the MIFA conference was a panel session entitled All in the Same Boat! How can Broadcasters Play their Part in Facing the Market Downturn?. It saw moderator Philippe Alessandri, chairman of both AnimFrance and Animation in Europe as well as CEO of Watch Next Media, ask whether broadcasters would consider putting in more money to help cash-strapped animation producers close the financing for their projects.
While executives on that panel, representing the BBC and France Télévisions, warned producers that it wasn’t their role to provide extra funding, YLE’s three-tiered fund shows a willingness to invest in projects that align with its content strategies and provide the potential for long-term return on investment.
As production costs continue to escalate and commissioning budgets fall, producers are increasingly eager to hold on to as much of their IP as they can. Schroderus emphasises, however, that producers pitching for its funds won’t have to surrender their backend.
“Copyright always remains with the idea owners,” said Schroderus. “If it’s based on a book, the author will have the copyright for it. We wouldn’t take the copyright for ourselves, but of course if we are putting money into coproduction we would take something for YLE as well, but it won’t be a massive percentage.”
