Animation companies in Singapore often focus more on meeting the needs of customers than the satisfaction of their employees. Many work-related concerns in the city state have rendered the country’s workforce inefficient. The influx of large numbers of foreign workers, especially those from China and the Philippines has exacerbated the problem. Yet, Singapore has made major strides to reform itself to attract more highly educated and tech-savvy young professionals.
Work-Life Balance: When people think of Singapore, most probably they think of the country’s reputation for rigid business culture. While Singapore has, indeed, established its own reputation as a business-friendly locale, most local companies acknowledge that they take the business aspect of things very seriously. One of the only animation companies in Singapore which focuses on the well-being of its staff and an emphasis on work-life balance, ensuring that employees know where they can find help during the hours when they are not at work.
Knowledgeable Workers: Even though Singapore has embraced capitalism, it has yet to reach the level of developed nations when it comes to business acumen. As a result, the country’s knowledge base is still limited when it comes to specific industry sub-sectors. One animation house, for instance, has an entire division based on underwater technology. Its CEO and Director are ex-nautical engineers, meaning that they have had hands-on experience working underwater. The company’s management knows that divers need the best technology to ensure safe operations, and it has invested in training its employees.
In addition, the local animation companies in Singapore have created their own sub-sectors with expertise in a particular genre. One of these is Media Production, which handles everything from concept development to full-scale production. A company like this can provide the local industry with services and assistance that they would otherwise lack.
There are some local companies that specialize in animation supervision and computer animation. For example, Singulan Animation Co., or SAAC, is the sole distributor of Singulan, a breakthrough animated short film produced by two local companies. SAAC’s Director is Associate Professor Dr Lim Boon Tong, a recipient of the Order of Malay Scholarship from the Government of Singapore. SAAC also handles all its sub-sectors, including APH, or Asset Resource Analysis. APH sub-sectors include Feature Animation, TV Animation, DVD Animation, TV Series Animation, and Video Games Animation.
To conclude, animation companies in Singapore have a very diverse array of offerings. It takes a lot of hard work, a dedicated management team, and a deep understanding of local industry trends to make sure that each production is successful, above all, successful in keeping Singapore’s image as one that is professional and creative at the same time. Animation productions in Singapore are therefore not all the same. The kind of work you do will depend on the project, the company, and your skills and capabilities. So choose wisely!
