香港動(dòng)畫(huà)工作室遭遇清盤(pán)
?????? 據(jù)港媒報(bào)道，香港的意馬動(dòng)畫(huà)工作室在2月5日召開(kāi)的一次內(nèi)部會(huì)議上宣布公司清盤(pán)，并辭退了員工。
?????? 據(jù)悉，意馬工作室的新片《阿童木》在票房上的失利是其清盤(pán)的主要原因。《阿童木》改編自日本漫畫(huà)大師手塚治蟲(chóng)的名作，其制作費(fèi)用近5億元人民幣（約合7300萬(wàn)美元）。加上宣傳費(fèi)用，其實(shí)際成本高達(dá)8億2000萬(wàn)人民幣（約合1億2000萬(wàn)美元）。但是自從該片在2009年10月末同時(shí)登陸全球影院，在兩個(gè)月內(nèi)其全球票房?jī)H為1億9000萬(wàn)人民幣（約合2800萬(wàn)美元）。
?????? 在主要目標(biāo)市場(chǎng)的中國(guó)內(nèi)地，該片總共僅有4000萬(wàn)人民幣（約合590萬(wàn)美元）入賬，遠(yuǎn)于低于預(yù)期的2億元人民幣（約合2900萬(wàn)美元）的票房。但是這部電影在中國(guó)上映三天之后，即2009年10月26日，發(fā)行方光線影業(yè)稱票房已達(dá)到4000萬(wàn)元人民幣。而官方數(shù)據(jù)顯示其三天的票房只有1700萬(wàn)元（約合250萬(wàn)美元）。后來(lái)，光線影業(yè)做了公開(kāi)的道歉，承認(rèn)它公布的數(shù)據(jù)很有誤導(dǎo)性。
?????? 《阿童木》是意馬工作室繼《忍者神龜》后的第二部動(dòng)畫(huà)長(zhǎng)篇電影。《忍者神龜》根據(jù)同名動(dòng)畫(huà)改編，在美國(guó)上映的第一個(gè)周末，該片票房獨(dú)占鰲頭，達(dá)到了2545萬(wàn)美元。這部電影雖然在全世界賣了9500萬(wàn)美元，但票房還是不如人意。同時(shí)，意馬工作室和發(fā)行方華納兄弟在分賬上產(chǎn)生了糾紛。這些使得它的股價(jià)大跌。
?????? 市場(chǎng)上也早有傳言，說(shuō)意馬工作室的財(cái)政有問(wèn)題。2009年12月份，公司就曾裁減100余名員工，占全體人員的25%。
?????? 意馬動(dòng)畫(huà)工作室由意馬國(guó)際控股有限公司于2000年成立。意馬國(guó)際控股有限公司的前身是1997年成立的寶途國(guó)際控股有限公司。寶途公司在2004年改成現(xiàn)在的名字。意馬動(dòng)畫(huà)工作室的總部設(shè)在香港的柴灣，并在洛杉磯設(shè)有工作室，在東京設(shè)有辦公室。
HK animation studio goes into liquidation
On February 5, Hong Kong-based Imagi Animation Studios announced liquidation of the company and layoff of its employees at an internal meeting, according to Hong Kong media.
Reportedly, the box office failure of Astro Boy, Imagi's latest production, is the major cause. Based on Japanese manga master Osamu Tezuka's creation, the animated feature cost about 500 million yuan (about US$ 73 million) to produce. Including the publicity fees, its total budget amounted to 820 million yuan (about US$120 million), but since the movie simultaneously hit global cinemas in late October 2009, it grossed merely 190 million yuan (about US$28 million) worldwide in two months' running time.
On the Chinese mainland, one of its major target markets, the movie just grossed over 40 million yuan (US$5.9 million) in total, much less than the box office forecast of 200 million yuan (about US$29 million). But on October 26, 2009, just three days after the movie was released in China, its Chinese distributor Enlight Pictures, announced its box office had reached 40 million yuan in China. The actual figure turned out to be 17 million yuan (about US$2.5 million), based on the official statistics. Later, Enlight Pictures made apologies to the public, admitting its figure was misleading.
Astro Boy is Imagi's second animated feature, following TMNT, adopted from Teenage Mutant Ninjia Turtles franchise. TMNT came out No. 1 on its opening weekend in U.S. with US$25.45 million. Although it grossed over US$95 million worldwide, it did not live up to the expectation. Meanwhile, Imagi got into disputes with its distributor Warner Brothers about profit allocation. These dramatically drove the company's share prices down.
Rumors had already been circulating about Imagi's financial troubles. In December 2009, it laid off over 100 employees, accounting for 25 percent of its staff.
Imagi Animation Studios was established by Imagi International Holdings Company Limited in 2000. The latter had been incorporated as Boto International Holding Limited in 1997. It adopted its current name in 2004. Imagi's headquarters are in Cai Wan, Hong Kong, they have a studio in Los Angeles and a satellite office in Tokyo.
(China.org.cn translated by Pang Li February 9, 2010)
