LACKING THE footage for a top news story need no longer be a problem for broadcasters or viewers, now that Taiwan’s Next Media Animation (NMA) can turn the big news stories of the day into bizarre, surreal and often hilarious animations.
This viral mix of news, commentary and straight-up surrealism began its life with an animated dramatisation of Tiger Woods’s marital woes in 2009. While news channels were running pictures of Woods putting and teeing off, the internet was buzzing with an animated version of the couple fighting, and of the famed car crash.
The same broadcasters wrestled with ways to make Ireland’s financial meltdown meaningful, but the animation company cut straight to the chase. Their explanation was full of stereotyped Guinness-and leprechaun-shots, although it showed a surprising awareness of Irish history. Brian Cowen looked nothing like himself in the clip, but overall it came across as an accurate depiction of greed in action and failing banks.
“What sets NMA apart from other animation studios is our speed. From concept to storyboard to 3D modelling to production, NMA’s turnaround time per story is three hours,” said company spokeswoman Jenna Manula.
The Taipei, Taiwan-based firm launched in September 2009, and now produces more than 30 computer-animated dramatisations of news events every day. The company’s clips of computer-generated animated news, commentary and surrealism draw 13 million viewers internationally each month.
A typical day has the staff scouring the web for breaking news stories, after which the writers meet, choose topics, and start putting together scripts. Once the scripts are prepared, they are then storyboarded, 3D models are designed and they are dispatched to production.
Founder and chief executive Jimmy Lai – whose Next Media firm is Hong Kong’s largest publicly listed Chinese-language print media company – has always enjoyed blending entertainment and news. Mr Lai is known as Hong Kong’s Rupert Murdoch, but is much more of a maverick.
Starting out after the Tiananmen Square crackdown on democracy protesters in 1989, his newspapers are sharply critical of the communist government in mainland China.
Apple Dailyhas been responsible for shaking up the media landscape in Hong Kong and Taiwan, leading to more tabloid journalism and celebrity scoops. But it also encourages investigative journalism.
In the past 18 months it has featured US talk show host Jay Leno in superhero attire fighting rivals for late-night TV slots and Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer giving China’s president Hu Jintao a back rub.
Some particular favourites are its take on the Tiger Mom debate after law professor Amy Chua advocated tough love as the Asian way to keep children in line, and the depiction of JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater releasing the escape chute after he lost the plot over an unruly passenger.
Next Media Animation’s biggest hit so far has been the video on enhanced security at US air facilities that has sparked “airport rage”. US actor Charlie Sheen’s daily activities are another hit.