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In 2015, the Japanese Animation Creators Association reported that, according to their Anime Creator Status Investigation, the average annual income for an animator in their 20s is 10,000 dollars.
That’s only 800 dollars a month.
There are even cases of first-year animators making less than 300 dollars a month.
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The New Animator Dormitory allows animators within their first 3 years of industry (a particularly stringent period of their careers) to live for less than 300 dollars (including rent, utilities, and internet), network beyond the reach of their companies, and hone their skills through art workshops taught by industry veterans.
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We also started producing animated music videos in 2020!
The goal of these music videos is to create a production environment that enables anime creation with ample funding.
Through them, we have already started to create jobs that pay proper wages in addition to the support we provide at the dormitory!
- Dormitory residents can also join our music video productions as staff if they wish.
- For our first music video, we were able to pay more than double the typical going rate for key animation.
We'll be trying to keep the animation rolling from the momentum of our first music video.
We're already in the works on a second music video for next year, with Aya Hirano as our lead vocalist, so we hope you stick around for what's to come!
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In 2014, we opened the New Animator Dormitory, a safety net aimed at new animators.
To date, we have provided housing support to over 40 new animators.
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Some of our past residents include:
■ Masaaki Tanaka: First Term Resident.
Animation Director on Attack on Titan Season 3
■ Hitomi Kariya: 6th Annual New Animator Grand Prix Grand Prize Recipient.
Fourth Term Resident.
Opening Title Director, Key Animator, and Character Designer for the NHK morning drama Natsuzora.
■ Madoka Ogawa: Fourth Term Dormitory Resident.
Inazuma Eleven: Orion no Kokuin Animation Director.
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! Director.
And many more.
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Through this campaign, we aim to raise funds to run the Animator Dormitory through 2022.
Thank you very much for your support!
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The History of the New Animator Dormitory
- March 2014: Our first dormitory (capable of housing two people) opens in Asagaya, Suginami.
- March 2015: Our second dormitory (capable of housing two people) opens in Ogikubo, Suginami
- March 2016: We expand our Asagaya location (now capable of housing 4 people)!
- March 2017: Our third dormitory (for women, capable of housing 2 people) opens in Naritahigashi, Suginami.
- In light of COVID-19, we started offered housing stipends as an additional form of support in 2021.
- We started to offer stipends in conjunction with dormitory housing.
- Before 2014, we provided housing support through stipends of 6,000 dollars annually for grand prize recipients of our art contest, the New Animator Grand Prix.
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Young animators in their 20s earn just over 800 dollars a month on average...
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Though the Japanese animation industry is valued at over 18 billion dollars and produces a great portion of the world's animated works, the animators responsible for this success are made to suffer in a system where low wages, long work hours, and exploitative contracting agreements run rampant.
In 2015, the Japanese Animation Creators Association reported that, according to their Anime Creator Status Investigation, the average annual income for an animator in their 20s is 10,000 dollars.
That’s only 800 dollars a month.
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There are even cases of first-year animators making less than 300 dollars a month.
The reason their wages are so low is that most animators are hired on piece-rate contracts (meaning they get paid a flat rate for each frame of animation they produce). It takes time for them to get their drawing speed high enough to produce the number of frames necessary to make even a meager living.
A standard TV anime pays around 1.80 dollars per frame of in-between animation.
If one draws 300 frames in a single month, then their pay would be 300 x 1.8, or 540 dollars in total.
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That is a big if though. Drawing 300 frames in a single month is a daunting task, especially for new animators.
Also, because of their long work hours, these animators can't work side jobs to supplement their income.
Furthermore, since most anime studios are concentrated in Tokyo, many animators end up moving here. Rents in Tokyo are extremely expensive though, putting yet another large financial burden on the shoulders of new animators.
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With all of this in mind, we at Animator Supporters set out to give housing support, illustration/animation classes, and access to good jobs through our referral program to the new animators here at the New Animator Dormitory.
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Every donation goes to the sustainable operation of the Animator Dormitory!
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Budget Breakdown:
◇ Maintenance costs for a dormitory capable of housing 4 residents: $24,000
◇ Money for the production of reward items: $3,600
◇ Processing fees: $2,400
25,000 dollars will be raised out of the 30,000 dollars needed to run this project.
※Any excess proceeds raised will go towards the operating costs of the dormitory for 2023.
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About the Animator Dormitory
◇Youtube
Animator Dormitory Channel
◇Twitter
@animatorsupport
◇Facebook
Animator Dormitory
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Backer Rewards
‖ $30
1) Thank You!
◆ Digital illustration (1280x720 resolution).
◆ The illustration will be sent via email.
※ The following image is a sample. There may be differences in the final product.
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‖ $50
2) Let the Art Flow!
In addition to the $30 Tier Rewards, you get
(1) a copy of the 1st Annual New Animator Dormitory Grand Prix Artbook!
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‖ $150
2) Art Collection
In addition to the $30 tier rewards, you get
(1) a copy of the 1st Annual New Animator Dormitory Grand Prix Artbook,
(2) the 2nd Annual New Animator Dormitory Grand Prix Artbook,
(3) and the 3rd Annual New Animator Dormitory Grand Prix Artbook.
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‖ $300
3) We Love Anime
In addition to the $150 tier rewards, you get
(1) a Ryoko t-shirt (Type A),
※ The following image is a sample. There may be differences in the end-product
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(2) and your choice of any one of the following rewards:
(A) Joining us at our monthly Animator Dormitory Dinner Party one time;
We host a dinner party at the Animator Dormitory in Asagaya, Japan. The dinner party is on the fourth Sunday of every month.
※ Dinner parties are paused until the resolution of COVID.
(B) visiting the dorm digitally via Zoom (for 15 minutes); or
※ In light of COVID, we are offering Zoom tours of the dormitory as an alternative option to the dinner party.
(C) a Ryoko artbook (30 pages).
※ The following image is a sample. There may be differences in the end-product
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‖ $500
4) The Animator Supporter
In addition to the $300 tier rewards, you get
(1) The 4th Annual New Animator Dormitory Grand Prix Artbook,
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(2) a personalized illustration by one of our animators,
(the donor is able to request a specific drawing!)
(3) a Ryoko t-shirt (Type B),
(4) and your choice of any one of the following rewards:
(A) Joining us at our monthly Animator Dormitory Dinner Party up to two times;
We host a dinner party at the Animator Dormitory in Asagaya, Japan. The dinner party is on the fourth Sunday of every month.
※ Dinner parties are paused until the resolution of COVID.
(B) visiting the dorm digitally via Zoom (for 30 minutes); or
※ In light of COVID, we are offering Zoom tours of the dormitory as an alternative option to the dinner party.
(C) a Ryoko artbook (30 pages).
‖ $1000
5) Anime Be Eternal
In addition to the $500 tier rewards, you get
(1) a copy of the 5th Annual New Animator Grand Prix Artbook,
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(2) a Ryoko t-shirt (Type C),
(3) and your choice of any one of the following rewards:
(A) Joining us at our monthly Animator Dormitory Dinner Party up to five times;
We host a dinner party at the Animator Dormitory in Asagaya, Japan. The dinner party is on the fourth Sunday of every month.
※ Dinner parties are paused until the resolution of COVID.
(B) visiting the dorm digitally via Zoom (for 60 minutes); or
※ In light of COVID, we are offering Zoom tours of the dormitory as an alternative option to the dinner party.
(C) a Ryoko artbook (30 pages).
‖ $3000
6) The Collector
In addition to the $1,000 tier rewards, you get
(1) a copy of the 6th Annual New Animator Grand Prix Artbook,
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(2) a Ryoko t-shirt (Type D),
(3) and your choice of any one of the following rewards:
(A) Joining us at our monthly Animator Dormitory Dinner Party up to ten times;
We host a dinner party at the Animator Dormitory in Asagaya, Japan. The dinner party is on the fourth Sunday of every month.
※ Dinner parties are paused until the resolution of COVID.
(B) visiting the dorm digitally via Zoom (for 90 minutes); or
※ In light of COVID, we are offering Zoom tours of the dormitory as an alternative option to the dinner party.
(C) a Ryoko artbook (30 pages).
‖ $5000
7) The Otaku King
In addition to the $3,000 tier rewards, you get
(1) A copy of the 7th Annual New Animator Grand Prix Artbook,
(2) a Ryoko t-shirt (Type E),
(3) and your choice of any one of the following rewards:
(A) Joining us at our monthly Animator Dormitory Dinner Party up to five times;
(We host a dinner party at the Animator Dormitory in Asagaya, Japan. The dinner party is on the fourth Sunday of every month.)
※ Dinner parties are paused until the resolution of COVID.
(B) visiting the dorm digitally via Zoom (for 120 minutes); or
※ In light of COVID, we are offering Zoom tours of the dormitory as an alternative option to the dinner party.
(C) a Ryoko artbook (30 pages).
