Local firms learning how to survive from pandemic Animation company changes its focus
Left Pocket Studio, an animation company based in Songjiang, has shifted its focus toward short videos, a sector consuming less lead time, while cooperating with a face mask manufacturer in producing children’s face masks with Left Pocket’s cartoon figures.
Since its establishment in 2012, the company has achieved fruitful results at home by creating original animation series including “Mini Mind Warriors” and “Emmy GooRoo.”
Its overseas distribution of content covers countries and regions including Finland, Argentina, the Netherlands, the Middle East and North Africa. “Emmy GooRoo” won the 2014 MIP Junior International Pitch top award in France. It was Asia’s first original animation work to win the prize.
“Our company is called Left Pocket, because the left pocket of a jacket is the nearest place to one’s heart, suggesting our company will wholeheartedly produce the most sincere work for our viewers,” said Yu Xin, the studio’s CEO.
The sudden COVID-19 outbreak, however, plunged the company, like many other small and medium-sized companies, into crisis.
Employees couldn’t resume work fully, financial problems loomed
The sudden outbreak of COVID-19, severe and destructive, is testing a region’s business environment. The battle of companies return to work is also a touchstone to reveal how well a region’s business environment has formed. Here are the stories of how three companies in Songjiang performed as they resumed production, write Niu Lichao and Yang Yang.
and overseas business came to a halt.
“The spring TV trade fair of MIPTV 2020 has been canceled, and we don’t know if this year’s Annecy International Animated Film Festival in June will be held as scheduled. All the important international trade platforms in the first half of this year are at a standstill,” said Yu.
In March a special fund to relieve the cash flow problems of Songjiang’s film companies also benefited Left Pocket.
City and district-level policies, including postponing paying housing provident fund for employees, also won time for a turnaround for the company.
Left Pocket Studio is also making efforts to rescue itself.
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