Best wishes for animation production

"Little Witch Academia: Magic Parade" has entered the early planning stage, and everything is proceeding step by step.

Negotiate with investors who are interested in cooperation, contact outsourcing companies, hold pre-theatrical discussions, set construction deadlines, publish recruitment notices, etc...

Most things went well.

Except recruiting.

“Will the studio’s finances be able to sustain it if we give them a fixed salary?”

In Gu Xue's office.

Gu Xue asked cautiously while sitting behind the workbench.

Chisa Mihara was silent for a moment and said tactfully: "The money from crowdfunding has not been received yet. If we rely solely on the studio's money... it will be okay in the short term, but there may be big problems in the long term."

"Is that so..." Gu Xue scratched her long hair, feeling a little headache.

There are indeed many benefits to animation companies using fixed salaries. For example, staff will be stable, people's hearts will be stable, and management costs and communication costs will be greatly reduced. Once the scale reaches a certain level, it will be very scary.

But, even with so many benefits, original animation works. The industry generally still adopts the piece calculation model...

there are many reasons.

There is a large turnover of personnel, it is difficult to retain experienced people, there is no time or energy to train new people, etc.

The most fatal one is probably lack of money.

Gu Xue also encountered the same dilemma.

If she didn't have too many ideas, it would be relatively simple.

When recruiting animators, we follow industry standards. You get as much as you draw. One drawing costs 13 yuan. Newcomers who have just joined the job can push the price down, and they also need to pay guidance fees and management fees...

In short, whatever is beneficial to YUKI Studio, do whatever it takes.

The people recruited are only responsible for guidance. As for whether the money you get every month is enough to live on, I don't care about you.

If you can persist, persist.

If you are capable, you will be promoted; if you are not, you will change careers.

Natural selection, survival of the fittest.

It's that simple.

but……

Gu Xue can't do it.

What she wants is not to increase the size of the studio. She just wants a platform to do what she likes and a relatively free creative environment.

Moreover, Gu Xue knew that fixed salary and so-called "in-house production" - that is, working for one's own company's works and working hard for one's own company's works was feasible. She would inevitably want to rely in this direction, because Only in this way can high-quality animations be produced stably and continuously.

However, forming internal systems, expanding scale and cultivating talents, and cultivating your own team are not just words.

This road is difficult to follow.

After frantically squeezing the lower-level painting staff, even if they train people, Gu Xue can guarantee that these people will leave after reaching a certain level.

And by squeezing them like crazy, how can the training effect be good...

So Gu Xue wanted to give the lower-level painters a salary that was barely enough to make a stable living, and then train them slowly, but this also involved money issues.

To put it bluntly... there are two forks now.

Gu Xue wants YUKI to become a "KyoAni" popular with producers, rather than a "modesty club" popular with planners or capital.

But she has no money!

Therefore, it seems that Yuki Studio will be forced to go the way of JC Corporation or an ordinary animation production company.

Very headache...

"Xiaoxue, I barely know what you are thinking."

Mihara Chisa looked at the distressed Gu Xue, hesitated, and said: "But it is really difficult to maintain this. Most of the people recruited are newcomers. They may not even be able to draw two hundred pictures a month. Using Fixed salary is a big loss.”

"I know."

Gu Xue untied her ponytail, thought about it for a while, and sighed: "How about this? We will adopt a promotion mechanism. The painters recruited will be paid on a piece-rate basis in the early stage, but the management fee and guidance fee will be exempted. After three months, Give some capable people a basic salary that is barely enough to live on based on their results, so that they can pass a certain threshold with peace of mind until they can stand alone or be promoted to original painters. The ultimate goal is to cultivate talents and keep them in studio."

Mihara Chisa's eyes lit up, "I think we can give it a try..."

"Then let's do it like this." Gu Xue smoothed her long hair, "Also, when recruiting, remember to recruit some production managers and one or two business managers. You can't handle it all by yourself."

"Um."

"How are the investors?" Gu Xue asked another question.

Chisa Mihara whispered: "Currently, there is only one animation peripheral manufacturer that can make it for us...or can agree to our request, but it doesn't look very reliable. I investigated and found that their company is already in some danger. Yes, but there is really only one like this. Most of the other manufacturers who came to negotiate have... harsher conditions."

"Are you harsh..." Gu Xue looked cold and a little angry.

She didn't need to think about it to know what happened to Miss Mihara and Hiroshi Misawa.

And the reality was just as she imagined.

Other manufacturers have really harsh conditions.

And most people think that YUKI Studio just got lucky...

"Then just choose that animation peripheral manufacturer. It doesn't matter if it's in jeopardy, as long as the funds are provided... Forget it, I will go with you to meet with the person in charge of the manufacturer later, so that the plan can be promoted as soon as possible and the theatrical version can be produced. "

Gu Xue thought for a moment, breathed a sigh of relief, and said helplessly.

There is no use in being angry. You can only improve your strength as soon as possible, otherwise this kind of thing will keep happening.

"Okay." Chisa Mihara bit her lip and nodded.

Then, the two fell silent.

The atmosphere was slightly depressing.

After a while.

Gu Xue was the first to speak: "Thank you for your hard work, Miss Mihara."

"..." Chisa Mihara shook her head, "I think it's harder for you."

"It's not hard for me, I just really have to find a way to recruit someone who understands operations. Every time I am asked to make a decision, I have to bite the bullet and force myself to think carefully and consider money. If this continues, I will be afraid. I’m going to forget that I’m a creator.”

Gu Xue lay on the table, feeling weak.

What she said is also true.

Once your mind is filled with these things, it is really difficult to think about the content of your work.

Gu Xue didn't like this.

She needs a sister...no, she needs a manager who can let her put down her burdens and devote herself to creation.

It's a pity that there are no such people in the studio.

Gu Xue lay on the table and sighed.

Chisa Mihara slowly walked behind Gu Xue, put her arms around her neck, lay on her back, and said softly: "You will never forget, you are Gu Xue."

"What do you think of me? Gu Xue's name does not produce magic when pronounced... Moreover, you have now added a heavy burden to me..."

Gu Xue felt the warmth and softness coming from behind, and in order to cover up her embarrassment, she whispered a joke.

Chisa Mihara was silent for a long time and asked worriedly: "...Am I fat?"

Gu Xue suddenly felt in a good mood and said with a suppressed smile: "Miss Mihara, you are so cute..."

Chisa Mihara: "..."