Emmanuel - Budgeting

Undoubtedly, every animation has a budget, be it a TV series, a short film or a full-length feature film; this can depend on the type of software and equipment used in any production and the time length the project takes to be completed. An average animated television series of 13 episodes and 11 minutes costs roughly around £1.3 million; that can be subject to change depending on the project, time length and equipment used. However, there are some animated television series that are quite expensive. And for the TV series Emmanuel, due to some of the equipment used and being a miniseries, the budget is rather economical and not extravagant. Furthermore, a professional quality animation can still be achieved on a lower budget. An example of such is a short film called My Last Day; while professionally executed, the budget for the short film is an economic one.

And so having borne this in mind, I drafted out a fair budget for the TV series. While it is 13 episodes each being at least half an hour long, I had to keep the budget in mind to avoid extravagance.

MERCHANDISE

For many animated television shows and short series, merchandising does aid in promoting their programs. However, most of these companies tend to view is solely as a money-making means. Merchandising is not only used to make money alone, it can also serve as an educational tool particularly towards younger viewers. An example of such is the CGI version of Superbook. While they do have several types of merchandising commonly seen in stores such as DVDs and character toys, they also run a website where children can play minigames and quizzes, and learn more of the Christian faith, and have access to watching all the episodes online. Furthermore, they additionally have a mobile application for the TV show in which they can watch videos from the animation, as well as play games and read the Bible on the go. In this case, media and merchandising have been used both as an educational tool as well as an outreach to viewers.

And so, for the merchandising, there will several items used to promote the miniseries Emmanuel; these numerous souvenirs include t-shirts, phone covers, keyrings and a comic strip based on the miniseries. Moreover, in reference to CBN’s Superbook, there will be an interactive website where which parents and children can learn more of the Christian faith and the real reason why the birth of Jesus Christ plays a very integral part of the Christmas celebration. The website will enable parents and children to play games, quizzes and puzzles, and look at Q&A regarding Christmas and the Christian faith in general.