On Day 2 of the 10th edition of Cartoon Springboard, held in Madrid for the third year in a row from 29-31 October, Perrine Gauthier, co-founder and producer at France’s La Cabane and Belgium’s Thuristar, delivered a keynote speech titled Developing Original IPs in the Franchise Era.
The next day, Nick Dorra followed with another keynote on developing animation ideas, this time addressing a new topic: The AI Tsunami is Coming: Can We Surf It or Will We Get Crushed?
An animation producer for over 10 years, Gauthier shared examples from her own career, such as Mush-Mush and Luce and the Rock—projects that started from simple, original ideas and went on to achieve considerable success. She also discussed upcoming and recent projects, including the series Emma Makes Waves and A Lamb’s Stew, which was presented at this year’s edition of Cartoon Forum. These works demonstrate that, with the right support, it is possible to thrive in a market dominated by non-original ideas.
The producer highlighted that we are indeed living in the “franchise era,” not only in animation but across all genres. It’s relatively easy to work on something familiar and beloved, which is why many productions are based on adaptations or remakes of existing books, comics, or films. Working on original IPs can be challenging, but, as Gauthier said, “Building everything from scratch—is there anything more thrilling and more fun?”
Gauthier continued, “The power of original IPs is the power of freedom.” She encouraged young animators to embrace the blank page rather than be intimidated by it. However, she advised them to follow some practical guidelines. First and foremost, a one-line pitch is crucial; clarity of intention is key to a successful project. “Holding on to the rock” became her motto, summing up her advice not to abandon an idea, no matter the challenges.
She concluded with essential takeaways for aspiring animators: having a good relationship with a producer is crucial to creating strong work, and healthy doubt is a natural part of the development process. Keeping the audience in mind is also vital, especially when aiming for an international audience, as cultural differences need to be considered.
Nick Dorra, an animation producer for over 20 years, has recently dedicated his career to AI-based projects, helping animators develop new ideas using emerging tools. Dorra opened his keynote by addressing a common misconception about AI—that all AI is generative—which often leads to misunderstandings.
The producer also stressed the importance of learning to use these tools effectively. Only by understanding AI can the industry navigate these rapid changes correctly. He noted that the machine learning field is evolving at a remarkable pace; in just a year, production has transformed significantly. Disseminating accurate information is essential for the industry.
Dorra showed the audience recent examples of AI use in animation, such as Space Vets, and explained, “Hybrid workflows are here; the combination of traditional animation with modern tools is already happening.” Therefore, embracing change with the right mindset is crucial, as scepticism remains high, often for valid reasons. The key question now is: “How will AI impact jobs?” While senior roles may be less affected, if entry-level positions are increasingly replaced by technology, the industry must prepare for the consequences to prevent disruption from AI’s rapid rise.
