The Cartoon Italia board sent an email on Thursday discussing the measures that should be taken in Europe to defeat the Covid 19 pandemic and to inform its global partners that production will proceed on their behalf. Employees will be working from home and those who are required to work from the studio will take precautionary measures during the global emergency.
Although President of Cartoon Italia, Anne Sophie Vanhollebeke, hopes to meet the international community at the event Cartoon Digital in Cagliari, Italy, scheduled for the end of May, the event is at risk of being postponed. “The Italian animation industry and community are compact in facing this difficult moment,” said President of Cartoon Italia Anne Sophie Vanhollebeke. “We are all smart working from our houses or for those who have to be in the studios, taking the utmost precautions with regard to a proper distance from colleagues, carefully avoiding any contact. We come to know that these measures are being taken in some of your countries, but we would like to advise you that everything is related to individual responsibility. Please consider the risks of this virus very seriously.”
After making the announcement, the company immediately received encouraging statements from presidents, producers and other members in countries that form its European animation community, such as France, Germany, Spain, Ireland, Belgium, Finland, Poland and U.K.“Best of luck,” Iván Agenjo from Spain wrote. “Italy is receiving the worst part of this pandemic but we are all united in the fight. Here all schools and universities are closed from today onwards, minimum 15 days, and all of us who can work remotely from home, we do. This is the best way to minimize the impact of the virus.”
“It’s sad and scary what is going on,” wrote Robert Jaszczurowski from Poland. “Hopefully Italy will go through this without big harm and all end up soon. Most probably we all will have to face the same difficult situation in our countries. Luckily our animation business is not so sensitive to such situations, thanks to the internet. But so many others will bleed. The global economy as well. In Poland we have schools, cinemas, theaters, clubs shut down. All borders are under control. I can only say what my grandfather told me about vodka - it’s a cure for all plagues, my boy! This time use it externally! We will survive.”
“We know you have already got an extreme situation in Italy and this is very difficult and sad too,” Moe Honan from Ireland wrote. “We send you strength. This is about all of us helping as a community helping and cooperating to slow this thing down. We are creative people, we will work on and can focus in a different way over the coming weeks. Maybe we will be more productive.”
We are all smart-working from our houses or, for those who have to be in the studios, taking the utmost precautions with regard to a proper distance from colleagues, carefully avoiding any contact. We come to know that these measures are being taken in some of your countries, but we would like to advise you that everything is related to individual responsibility. Please consider the risks of this virus very seriously.” Anne Sophie Vanhollebeke President of Cartoon Italia
