My Animation Era

  Chapter 1013 The Setting System of Superman

   As the saying goes, slow work leads to careful work.

  In the field of animation production, this statement is not necessarily correct, but it also makes sense, because the construction period is an important factor in determining the quality of the work.

  The construction period of "Yangcun Guardian" is quite generous, and this alone is enough to ensure that the quality of the animation will not be bad.

   But then again...

  Although Gu Miao has a higher tolerance than ordinary works in terms of construction period, the long construction period does not mean that everyone can fish and paddle.

  Wanbao Group has previously reached a cooperation with Mr. Tan’s company. In the field of AI drawing and painting, the two parties have carried out in-depth exchanges, and many projects have benefited from this.

   Among them is the guardian of Yangcun.

   There are quite a few intermediate frames, which are actually drawn with AI assistance, and there are also coloring parts, which are also participated by AI.

  Initially, this technology was introduced to save labor cost and construction period. After all, drawing intermediate frames and coloring is really a waste of manpower, and all of them are highly repetitive processes, requiring a large number of outsourced personnel.

   But later Gu Miao discovered that someone seemed to be using the AI ​​to be lazy. Obviously the AI ​​was only playing an "assistant" role, but it suddenly became the main C.

   Don't ask him how he found out...

  At this stage, AI has not yet evolved to a perfect level, and participation in animation production is more of an auxiliary role. If you expect AI to help you with all the work, then you must be thinking too much.

  Since Gu Miao discovered that there was a problem with some of the intermediate frames, and it looked like it was drawn by AI, he immediately called a meeting of all the members and criticized some of them.

   "Do you think it's easy? Do you think you're smart?"

  Gu Miao sneered and said, "You're right, it's really easy to do so. So I don't think firing some people should have any impact on our future work."

   Good guy!

  As soon as these words came out, many people immediately had cold sweat on their foreheads, and their attitudes immediately corrected.

   This is an unemployment crisis!

  Mr. Gu has made it so clear, if you think AI can replace your job, then you should leave immediately, Wanbao does not support idlers.

   Do you like using AI?

   Don’t feel wronged when AI robs you of your job and is kicked out of the company with a cardboard box.

  AI is not omnipotent…

  But in some specific fields, or in a work environment with a lot of restrictions, AI is easier to use than humans.

   This is what Mr. Tan himself said when Gu Miao was chatting with Mr. Tan.

  The current AI technology cannot impact the field of animation production, and it will not cause unemployment crisis, but the future is hard to say.

  “Maybe ten years later, Wanbao can really lay off employees.”

When Gu Miao told Mr. Tan what happened to the production team of "Yangcun Guardian", Mr. Tan couldn't help laughing and said, "The AI ​​technology ten years from now may really be able to draw the middle where you can't see the flaws." frame."

   "Ten years? I don't think it will work."

   "Maximum five or six years. I think that with the current development speed of AI technology, maybe five or six years later, the intermediate frame brother in animation production will be unemployed."

  Why is the younger brother in the middle frame the younger brother?

  Because the person who draws the intermediate frame is doing extremely repetitive dirty work, and has the lowest status in an animation production team.

   Such jobs will be replaced by AI in the future, Gu Miao is not surprised at all, and even applauds.

  Actually, regarding the problem of animation intermediate frames, there is still a way to solve the problem, which is to use "software algorithm" to draw.

  However, the intermediate frames "calculated" by the software algorithm have relatively harsh conditions of use, and subsequent modification and adjustment are required. The potential for technological development is far less extensive than that of AI.

  …

  The laziness incident that occurred in the production team of "Yangcun Guardian" is actually a microcosm of Wanbao's internal affairs.

   Wanbao has become bloated!

  In the past few years, Wanbao Animation has been continuously expanding, and the number of employees has continued to increase every year. Up to now, the total number of employees of Wanbao Animation has reached 2,253.

  This still does not include the number of people in the Neon branch and the North American branch. If all of them are counted, there should be 2,800 people.

  As the saying goes, there are all kinds of birds in a big forest, and with such a large number of employees, it is inevitable that there will be a situation of overstaffing and stealing.

  After a meeting of the senior management department, Gu Miao signed the announcement on the layoff of some employees. This is the first layoff of Wanbao Animation since its establishment.

  The total number of layoffs reached 247 people.

  This scale can almost catch up with the total number of domestic first-line animation production companies.

  Wanbao Animation laid off 200 people in one go, and dozens of versions of speculation about what happened to Wanbao appeared overnight on the Internet.

  Someone said that Gu Sanshui, the owner of Wanbao, ran away with his sister-in-law, and Wanbao was about to go bankrupt...

  Some people also said that Wanbao laid off employees to save money. The company's profitability is worrying, and many internal projects have been cut.

  Some people are purely spreading rumors, saying that Wanbao has serious internal party disputes, that outsiders and veterans are fighting fiercely, and that the layoffs are just the losers who have been liquidated.

   "What is this all about?"

   Throwing the phone aside casually, Gu Miao, who had just read a piece of financial news, said speechlessly, "We are not the only animation companies that have laid off employees. Why are you staring at us and spreading rumors?"

"no way!"

  Lao Zhang explained with a smile: "Who made us the leader in domestic animation? No one pays attention to us, is that a strange thing?"

   "Makes sense! Don't say this..."

  Waved his hand, Gu Miao, who didn't want to continue talking about layoffs, asked, "I asked you to inquire, has there been any result?"

   "Yes, and no!"

   "The studio that previously produced the "Superman" series of animations for Weller Company was disbanded 5 years ago, and the main creative staff retired and changed their careers."

  Old Zhang said with a bitter face: "It's hard to find a former "Superman" animation original artist, do you know what he said to me?"

"What did you say?"

   "C'mon! I've been Superman for forty years and I don't want to see this guy in his underwear..."

  Lao Zhang spread his hands and said with a helpless expression: "The situation is roughly like this. The former batch of Superman animators are basically unwilling to return."

  The corner of Gu Miao's mouth twitched, as if he didn't expect that the production staff of these old Superman would say such a thing.

  But... I can understand it!

   After all, this group of people has been in contact with Superman for decades, so it is not surprising that they are not interested in this series.

  If it were you, after eating instant noodles for almost fifty years, wouldn’t you want to eat something else for a change?

  But it ruined Gu Miao's plan.

  Because he originally planned to hire some old Superman production staff to return, and let these people give suggestions for the Wanbao version of "Superman" animation.

  But it would be a bit embarrassing if these people were not invited back, so Wanbao had to do it himself.

  Wanbao version of "Superman" animation refers to the 96 version of Superman TAS. This version of Superman has a fatal flaw, that is, its weak strength has attracted countless audiences to complain.

  Gu Miao has thought about borrowing from the 96 version of Superman TAS in terms of painting style, plot, etc., but in terms of settings, he should be set more powerful.

  But Superman's setting system is very complicated.

  Manga, animation, TV series, movies, stage plays... Every version of Superman almost has a unique setting system, some are ridiculously strong, and some are ridiculously weak.

  Among so many superman setting systems, which set should they refer to and integrate into the Wanbao version of "Superman" animation?

  Is it possible...

   Reprogram a set of settings?

   I didn’t notice it when I watched the 96 version of Superman, but later I found out that he was really weak, and many abilities were missing.

  (end of this chapter)