Founded in Beijing in 1999 by Tian Xiaopeng, October Animation is one of China's first 3D studios. It produced Monkey King: Hero Is Back, the film that revived Chinese animation.
History
In 1999 Tian Xiaopeng founded October Digital Animation (十月数码) in Beijing, one of China's first 3D companies. Its short Lunch (午餐, 2002) was selected for the Chinese 3D yearbook.
After years of commissioned work, the studio embarked on Monkey King: Hero Is Back (西游记之大圣归来). Released in July 2015 after eight years of work, the film grossed 956 million yuan and broke several Chinese animation records.
In 2015 the company became Beijing Shenhai October Media (北京深海十月传媒), Octmedia in English. It co-produced Ne Zha (2019), contributed to Ne Zha 2, and released Deep Sea (深海) in 2023, before starting on Havoc in Heaven (西游记之大圣闹天宫).
Signature
October bets on emotion and visual ambition, even on limited means. Its films reinvent Chinese legends with damaged heroes, and Deep Sea even created an original 3D rendering that imitates ink painting.
Its donghua on Donghua Fan
The series and films in the catalogue that October Animation worked on.
Other productions
- Lunch (午餐, 2002), short film
- Ne Zha (哪吒之魔童降世, 2019), co-production
- Deep Sea (深海, 2023)
- Havoc in Heaven (西游记之大圣闹天宫), announced
Trivia
- The company's current name, Shenhai October ("Deep Sea October"), echoes the title of its second film.
- Monkey King: Hero Is Back was partly funded by dozens of small investors recruited through social media.
- The studio took part in making both Ne Zha films.
Donghua Fan's take
October Animation paved the way: without Monkey King, no Ne Zha and no wave of big Chinese animated films. A rare studio that takes its time to make its films.
— Spidermas, for Donghua Fan