Cebu Has Potential to Become Animation, Creative Hotspot in the Visayas

Cebu has a big potential to become an animation and creative hotspot in the Visayas, according to Toon City company executives.

Toon City, an animation studio based in Manila, is now looking at Cebu as a major source for animators. The company, which ranks 22nd in the world, is working with global leaders like Disney, Warner Bros., Universal Studios, and more.

Toon City

According to Roderico Rene de Guzman, vice president for Toon City and chief operations officer of Toon City Academy (TCA), turning Cebu into a major spot for animation could do a lot of wonderful things to the city. First, it can help push the industry’s goal of increasing animation earnings. The goal is to reach one percent of the $270-billion total global earning for animation. At present, the total in the Philippines is only $20 million to $30 million.

President and COO of Toon City Juan Miguel del Rosario added that there is great demand for animators in the country. This is due to the rising need for creatives from entertainment companies all over the world. And that is why they have set their eyes on the talent-rich Cebu.

“Toon City is looking for animators. There’s a lot of work and we know that people in Cebu are very talented. And we would like to expand our reach by asking the young people of Cebu to join Toon City or Toon City Academy,” De Guzman said.

Juan Miguel Del Rosario, President of Animation Council of the Philippines and President of ToonCity Animation

Rene De Guzman, Vice President of ToonCity Animation and COO of ToonCity Academy, Inc.

Mario Panganiban, President of ToonCity Academy Cebu

The TCA is the official training arm of Toon City. It is expected to open its Cebu City facility by June, with experienced Filipino animators as instructors.

Animation Industry

Del Rosario said that jobs in the industry pay well and are open even to those who have not finished a four-year course. In fact, he said that 60 percent of their animators are non-college graduates. Today, animators earn from P24,000 to P25,000 a month. However, he said that some Toon City animators earn up to P100,000 monthly.

“We believe in the talent of the Cebuanos. We believe the talent is in Cebu,” said Del Rosario. “We’re here to tap the talent of Cebuanos,” De Guzman said.

Toon City is now accepting applications from those interested to be part of the company.

Training for Animators

TCA Cebu will provide training for animators to the level and quality that major global entertainment companies require. Panganiban said that the potential is great for Cebu.

Additionally, even if Toon City caters to the entertainment industry, Panganiban said that Cebu could be part of the gaming industry. In 2020, the global gaming market was valued at $162.32 billion. It is seen to increase to $295.63 billion by 2026.

The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in cooperation with Toon City and TCA, held a Virtual Animation Career Fair and Webinar last Saturday, April 24. The goal of the event was to take the talents of the Cebuanos to a higher level.

Partners

The sponsors of the event include Wacom, ASUS, and Seagate Technology.

Wacom is the leading manufacturer of interactive pen tablets and displays as well as digital styli and solutions for saving and processing digital signatures. Wacom aims to bring people and technology closer together through natural interface technologies.

ASUS, on the other hand, is a brand known for its and high-quality personal computers, motherboards, monitors, graphics cards, routers, and other technology solutions. Today, ASUS designs and builds smart technologies to provide great experiences that improve the lives of people everywhere.

Finally, Seagate Technology is known for its data storage solutions. LaCie, the premium brand of Seagate Technology, designs world-class storage solutions for photographers, videographers, and other power users.