In collaboration with PIXEL Digiart, Confluences organised a meeting on Friday evening at Seekers Spirit Phnom Penh with several representatives of companies and associations involved in digital creation, particularly in the fields of 2D and 3D animation.
There was a great atmosphere for this evening, which was dedicated to the arts of animation, with the opening presentation by Matthieu Petit of PIXEL Digiart, a company specialising in the distribution of software that film and animation creators know only too well, such as NUKE, MODO, KATANA, REDGIANT and CINEMA 4D.
With a network that has grown steadily since its creation in 2014, the company, with the support of Confluences, intends to conquer the Cambodian market by offering not only official and fully legal licences of these leading software packages, but also by providing genuine expertise in terms of training, updates and technical support. As for the piracy that "poisons this niche market", Matthieu Petit is quick to point out that "it will take some time before the bad habits stop". To counter this, the company is banking on the solid, professional support it is able to provide to users, and on a pricing policy that will ensure that the purchase of software of this type will quickly become profitable.
It was then the turn of Ameyric Pons, CEO of Moustache Production, to present his company, which specialises in bringing together producers, directors, writers and production studios.
Moustache Production was founded in 2011 in Vietnam and now has a network of more than 700 outsourcing studios in South-East Asia.
"Over the years, we realised that most Western studios were facing production capacity issues and wanted to work with outsourced studios. That's why we offer our services to put them in touch with reliable, quality local studios at competitive prices", explained Mr Pons, adding:
"Over the past decade, we have become the leading company in Asia, capable of connecting and producing a multitude of different projects, ranging from 2D, 3D, special effects, video games to long-term project management."
He says: "The mix of Western and South-Eastern influences created by a multicultural team has made the company unique and the ideal partner to combine clients' requirements with the best studios in South-East Asia. To date, more than 200 Western companies have trusted them to set up their business partnerships in the region.
Next up was a successful and much more local project, with a presentation by Siem Leakhna, CEO of Cambodian company Lizard Animation.
Lizard Animation, based in Sen Sok, a suburb of Phnom Pen, was founded in 2016 and is now the only private animation and webtoon studio active today. By taking part in various projects abroad, the company has gained serious credibility both locally and in the region.
"We have been involved in the production of many successful works abroad and are becoming a credible studio, capable of providing high-quality content on the international market", said Siem Leakhna during her presentation.
The company has been involved in the production of animated films, television series and content for streaming platforms in the United States, Japan, Korea and China, and is currently preparing original series while extending its expertise to special effects and 3D. In addition to its commercial activity, Lizard also offers training to disadvantaged young people who would like to work in this field. "We take charge of their training and take them on if they complete it and show real motivation," she concludes.
Many people are familiar with the PHARE NGO in Battambang and its wonderful circus shows. However, the digital creation activity of Phare Creative Studio is less well known. For this last presentation, Richard Sanviti, in charge of development for this social enterprise, gave a few explanations about PHARE's organisation chart and the studio's main activities.
Phare Creative Studio (PCS) is a social enterprise that has been operating in Cambodia for over 15 years. PCS is part of the Phare Performing Social Enterprise, which also runs Phare, the Cambodian circus. The studio was set up in 2007 as a training centre for Phare Ponleu Selpak animation students. It has since developed into a professional creative studio that produces high-quality animations, videos, graphic and sound design and illustrations. Within this structure, young graduates from the Visual and Applied Art School work on graphic designs and animations. Its clients include NGOs and local and international companies. As well as 2D animation, graphic design and illustration, the company also offers professional video and audio services within the same premises. All the employees come from disadvantaged backgrounds and have been supported by the Phare Ponleu Selpak association and trained at the School of Visual and Applied Arts (VAAS).
The studio has a team of 12 animation professionals. The artistic team is made up of specialists with solid technical skills in drawing, set design, character design, shooting and editing.
PCS operates entirely as a social enterprise, with all profits redistributed to Phare Ponleu Selpak to support the younger generation of artists and creative professionals in the Kingdom. This virtuous circle ensures that the benefits of PCS's work are felt far beyond its direct clients.
After these four presentations, which were accompanied by a generous buffet, all the participants were able to exchange ideas and projects over a glass of gin or one of the many - equally creative - cocktails on offer at Seekers.