USAID’s Europe and Eurasia Bureau has commissioned a team of digital
animation and development finance professionals(the“Development Team”)to
explore the potential for the digital animation industry in Eastern Europe.Our
mandate is to propose strategies for further developing the industry,particularly
focusing on scalability,infrastructure,local and regional collaboration and
financing strategies.The Development Team consists of Brad deGraf,Belden
Daniels and Deborah La Franchi.The feasibility work consisted of Brad deGraf
and Deborah La Franchi touring the region in March 2005.Their focus was to
assess the capacity of existing studios in the region and the level of interest from
the finance sector in supporting the industry’s further growth and development.
These site visits included meetings with more than 30 studios and media labs,and
more than 20 leading potential investors in an emerging Eastern European digital
animation industry.
As a result of these extensive meetings,it is our considered professional judgment
that there is a real opportunity to develop a vibrant digital animation industry in
the region,based on the region’s natural aptitudes and the growth of its overal
information technology capacity.While other countries and regions,particularly
China and India,have certain advantages,Eastern Europe has its own unique
strengths that can be maximized by means of the focused approach outlined in
this report.
This Summary Report describes our findings and makes recommendations for next
steps.We see a real opportunity to leverage this first brief survey which identified
the high potential in the region into the beginning implementation of a Vision for
funding an Eastern European Digital Animation Industry that is self-sustaining in the
intermediate and long run.