Diboos White Paper Presentation Shows Strength of Spanish Animation

On April 8, players from Spain’s animation & VFX sector gathered in Madrid to present the findings of the latest White Paper from Diboos, the Spanish Federation of Animation and Visual Effects Producers. The numbers show an increase in Spanish animation production, while forward looking proposals addressed the need to unite other audiovisual industries and address the AI question.

The robustness of the nation’s industry has been highlighted in recent years by the international success of popular titles such as the Oscar-nominated feature films Robot Dreams and Klaus.

The 2024 White Paper was produced by Diboos, sponsored by ICEX Spain Trade and Investment and supported by EGEDA.

By the Numbers:

• Animation & VFX business in Spain generated €604 million in 2023
• The average turnover range is €100,001 to €500,000
• 70% of these revenues came from exported content
• More than 300 companies are operating in the local industry
• The majority of animation & VFX studios in Spain are micro-enterprises (75.2%) and small businesses (19.2%)
• Animation accounts for 20.96% of employees in Spain’s audiovisual sector (5,806 of 21,899) in 2023
• 56.22% of animation workers are based in Madrid, 1883% in Catalonia, with additional hubs in the Canary Islands, Basque Country, Valencia, Galicia and Andalusia
• The average salary of animation workers in Spain (€32,407.70) is 22.06% higher than the national average
• Feature film production increased from three per year in 2020 to eight per year in 2023
• Series production increased to 15 per year from 2020 to 2023
• Animation & VFX contributed €260,336,293.45 in direct and indirect taxes to Spain, as well as contributions to Social Security — a €15 return for every €1 of public funding given to these companies
• 87.13% of animation & VFX companies receive government subsidies, while 55.84% benefit from public contracts

Proposals & Challenges:

• Bridge the gap with new media entertainment, such as video games and immersive experiences
• Address the rise of artificial intelligence and the need to integrate this technology into production processes in an “intelligent and ethical manner”
• Create a dedicated aid scheme for animated series to level the playing field with neighboring countries
• Make the funding and co-production system within the European Union more compatible with industry needs
• Increase the tax deduction for independent producers from 30% to 50%
• Create a “one stop shop” for international tax credits
• Shore-up legal certainty regarding tax refunds
• Promote research by animation and VFX companies

Learn more at diboos.com.

[Source: CineEuropa]