Talking about China's CG animation, I have to say that "Mobis Ring", which is China's first three-dimensional animation film, has played an irreplaceable role in the cultivation of Chinese CG talents, and Xu Ling is one of the core characters of the project.
Stills from The Ring of Mobis
Xu Ling's animation career began in 1988, during which time he participated in the production of animation films in France, the United States and Spain, including the Disney animated films "The Little Mermaid", "The Legend of the Duck: Treasure of the Divine Lamp", and the animated TV series "Double Dragon", "Mario Brothers", "The Wizard of Oz" and so on.
Out of love and expectation for China's animation industry, in October 2002, Xu Ling joined the Global Digital Organization to produce China's first three-dimensional animation film "Mobis Ring" and the award-winning animation short films "Summer", "Peach Blossom Origin", "Crows and Foxes", which set a precedent in the industry.
"Xia" prime mold and final effect
Stills from "Peach Blossom Origin"
At that time, more and more brands began to set off a Chinese style, such as xiangyun, ink, sacred beasts, gardens and other elements that were once far away from modern fashion, and were gradually appearing in various consumer goods in life. These elements are combined with modern design, and after personalized creation, they have become the new term "national tide" for trends and weather vanes.
And Xu Ling's career did not stop, and opened her "circle-breaking journey". In 2016, Xu Ling participated in the creation of Golden Eggplant Culture Media (Beijing) Co., Ltd., and in February 2018, co-founded Golden Lion Culture Communication (Foshan) Co., Ltd., and together with the team, hatched the traditional Chinese lion culture IP "Lion King Awakening", becoming a new sharp edge of the national tide IP.
"Lion King A Xing" was born in Foshan, which is a national tide brand based on the Chinese "Awakening Lion". The awakening lion appeared in Guangdong during the Ming Dynasty, originating in Nanhai County (Nanhai District, Foshan), belonging to the Southern Lion in the Chinese Lion Dance, which is an authentic traditional folk dance in Guangdong Province. Based on the traditional awakening of the lion, "Lion King Awakening" contains various young elements such as personality, self-confidence and fashion, and designs the collision of local traditional elements with the trend culture again, and successfully develops into the original innovative national tide IP.
In this issue, Ruiyun is very honored to invite Xu Ling, general manager of Golden Lion Culture Communication (Foshan) Co., Ltd., to share with us how to incubate the national tide IP "Lion King Awakening" with the team to incubate the traditional lion culture.
Rayon Rendering: Hello! Can you briefly introduce yourself?
Xu Ling: I am Xu Ling, the principal of the Chinese culture IP [Lion King Awakening], thank Ruiyun for rendering us this opportunity, introduce our IP [Lion King Awakening], and share our entrepreneurial experience with you.
I am a veteran of the animation industry, once a professional manager in the animation industry, has been working in the workplace of the animation industry for nearly 30 years, physically and mentally exhausted, retired, ready for a good rest. Unexpectedly, after 3 years of retirement, he began to participate in entrepreneurship, and he was out of control.
Ruiyun rendering: What is the original intention of creating a traditional Chinese lion culture + trend fashion of the national tide IP [Lion King A Wake]?
Xu Ling: Sometimes I also ask myself why I still start a business after retirement. Dreams and feelings are the seeds of entrepreneurship, and there has always been a "small flame" in my heart that has never been extinguished, and this "small flame" is the dream of doing China's own original IP. In the journey of chasing dreams, I met partners with common dreams, and the "little flame" became a raging fire, and everyone started a business together, so there was "Lion King A Wake".
Ruiyun Rendering: Can you introduce the current IP licensing projects/business types of [Lion King A Xing]?
Xu Ling: At present, clothing, jewelry, handmade, hotels, shopping malls, tea, 3c digital, sports activities, traditional dragon and lion cultural festivals and so on have been authorized.....
Ruiyun rendering: [Lion King Awakening] has cooperated with brands/activities such as the movie "Heroes of Fire" and shenzhen Nanshan Music Festival, can you introduce us to how the successful brand linkage of "Lion King Awakening" is realized?
Xu Ling: Every IP has innate DNA, and [Lion King A Xing] is a cultural IP. The target audience and style were clearly targeted long before the IP was established, and we target young people aged 15-35. Therefore, the target group and tonal brands and activities of "Lion King Awakening" will come to us.
The movie "Heroes of Fire" is because of the slogan and tone of "Fearless Forward" of "Lion King Ah Xing" to find us to cooperate, and the Nanshan Music Festival is also due to the consensus of the target group and reached a cooperation. There are also "Guangzhou 100 Cross-country Race", 2020 "Beijing Film Festival", Beijing Tv Spring Festival Gala National Audition and so on.
Ruiyun Rendering: Will there be plans for the release of related film and television works such as animated movies and animated episodes next?
Xu Ling: [Lion King Ah Xing] cg animation film is being created, please wait and see~
Rayvision Rendering: What do you think are required to achieve successful IP incubation? What challenges do you need to address?
Xu Ling: We are also constantly groping and learning. There are some feelings to share with you: the target audience group positioning of IP should be clear; it should be focused and cultivated with heart; and the content should be able to meet the emotional needs of the target population.
The incubation and cultivation of IP takes time, and investors often have no patience and wait for the growth of IP.
Ruiyun rendering: Now that Chinese style is prevalent in various fields and the national tide IP is on fire, how do you think about the development prospects of the national tide IP?
Xu Ling: After more than 30 years of foreign IP infestation and consumption, the public also wants to change their taste, and we are following the trend.
Ruiyun Rendering: You have a very rich experience in film and television production, and now you have successfully hatched ip [Lion King A Xing], what help does the previous film and television production experience help the current IP incubation, about the transformation of different work fields, do you have any experience to share with you?
Xu Ling: IP operation and film and television animation production are completely different, the original animation, there are a lot of solidified thinking, the change of thinking mode is the most rare.
Ruiyun Rendering: As one of the producers of China's first three-dimensional animated film "Mobis Ring", what kind of opportunities allowed you to participate in it, and what are the unforgettable stories in the production process? What difficulties have been encountered and how have they been solved?
Xu Ling: If you want to tell this, the story will be long. I stumbled upon the movie "The Ring of Mobis" and the experience was unforgettable. A production team of all students, it is a miracle that this film can be completed. More production experiences will be shared during this week's livestream on August 29 at 8:30 p.m.
Rayvision Rendering: Have you ever heard of/used renderbus Rayvision Rendering, can you rate it?
Xu Ling: Of course, I was a consultant at Renderbus for a while. As a rendering platform, you can connect and do more than just render.
Ruiyun Rendering: Can you give some encouragement and suggestions to the small partners who love and insist on IP creation incubation and adhere to film and television creation?
Xu Ling: Dreams and feelings are the seeds of creative IP, and there is hope for persistence. It is recommended that friends in the film and television animation circle learn more across borders and draw nourishment from people in the non-animation industry.