A few Chinese animated films with compelling stories and attractive visuals have raised expectations for the domestic industry. Both “Monkey King: Hero Is Back” and “Dragon Nest,” a 3D co-production between Chinese animators and A-list Hollywood veterans, have received good reviews by critics and done well at the box office.

Insiders say China’s animation industry is flourishing and that there’s room for massive growth. They think animated films with smaller budgets and production teams still have a chance to compete with mega-productions. One of the most anticipated projects is “Ping Pong Rabbit,” a film with both Chinese and American elements.

The movie is about a rural rabbit who dreams of becoming the finest table tennis player in the land. To cater to the tastes of a global audience, the film’s production company, Shanghai-based Mili Pictures, has invited Hollywood animation director Mike Johnson and well-known producer Bill Borden to work on it, which is slated for international release next year.

With over 20 years in the animation industry, Johnson has contributed to a wide variety of award-winning short films, commercials, TV and feature films. “Corpse Bride,” a film co-directed by Johnson and Tim Burton, received an Academy Award nomination for best animated feature.

He has also taught and mentored students at the California Institute of the Arts and currently lectures at the University of California, Los Angeles’ School of Theater, Film and Television.

Borden is a Hollywood film industry veteran. He is credited as a producer on “Mission: Impossible III,” “Desperado,” “Kung Fu Hustle” and the “High School Musical” franchise.

They talk about their work experiences in China and the opportunities and challenges in the country’s animated film industry.

Mike Johnson

Q: Is it the first time that you have directed a Chinese animated movie? How do you feel about working with a Chinese team?

A: Yes. I had never been to China before. It’s been a great experience for me (to work with a Chinese team). They’re hard-working, talented and dedicated to creating a beautiful movie. I’m proud of the work that we’ve done so far, and I’ve had a great time getting to know my team members and learning a little bit about Chinese culture.

Q: What do you want to convey through this film? What makes this animated movie unique and interesting?

A: On a story level, I want to convey the idea that sometimes the little guy can win if he has the heart and guts to face a bigger, stronger opponent. It’s about believing in yourself and developing internal strength as you pursue your dream. This is a classic theme, but what makes “Ping Pong Rabbit” unique is that our movie is set in a world where animals have elevated the sport of ping pong to super-human levels. That’s going to be a lot of fun to watch.

On a technical level, I want to convey the idea that animation produced in China can be just as beautiful and satisfying as animation produced anywhere else in the world. Here in China I’m working with smaller budgets and a smaller team than the studios in the United States, but I believe we can compete with the big guys. So in a way, the theme of our story reflects the technical experience of creating our film. That’s inspiring for me and my team.

Q: The film’s name reminds some people of “Kung Fu Panda.” Have you also included a lot of Chinese elements in this production?

A: “Kung Fu Panda” is a great name for a movie because it lets everyone know exactly what the movie is about. We’ve applied that same principle to our movie. If you like the idea of rabbits playing ping pong, and most people do, then “Ping Pong Rabbit” is a movie you need to see.

There are a lot of Chinese elements in the world we’ve created for “Ping Pong Rabbit.” The architecture, the landscapes and the characters should all be familiar to Chinese audiences. At the same time, we’ve tried to include elements of American culture into the design and attitude of the film. “Ping Pong Rabbit” is set in a fantasy world that draws inspiration from both China and America, like the way “Big Hero 6” created a multicultural blend by setting their story in a world that combines Tokyo with San Francisco. You get the best of both worlds.

Q: How did you get started in the film industry? What is the most challenging part?

A: Like most kids, I grew up loving animation. I attended the Rhode Island School of Design and that’s where I learned how to make animated films. After graduating I began a freelance career as an animator and director, working on commercials, television shows and eventually feature films.

Animation has been a rewarding career for me. I’ve been very fortunate because I’ve been able to travel, meet people and experience living in different parts of the world as I’ve worked on different projects.

But that’s also one of the most challenging aspects of my job. Sometimes I don’t know where the next project will take me. Or sometimes there might be delays between projects as I wait for a production to ramp up. That level of uncertainty can be stressful.

From a creative perspective, the most challenging aspect of directing an animated feature is keeping the momentum moving forward while maintaining a clear vision during the course of the production. Animated films can take two or three years to make. That’s a long time to have all your energy focused on one story. It’s kind of like running a marathon. You need to be able to pace yourself mentally.

Q: What would you suggest to newcomers to this field?

A: People who want to become good animators should draw, sculpt, paint and maybe dance or take martial arts classes. They need to step away from the computer sometimes and develop real artistic skills in the physical world. The computer is an amazing tool, but it can also be a crutch. It can make things too easy, and a lot of computer animation is sloppy and poorly thought out.

If you want your animation to be alive, you have to understand timing, balance, weight, and how to express emotion through gestures and poses. Learning how to do that takes time. Drawing, sculpting and martial arts will help you get there faster.

Q: What’s your criteria for a good and successful animated film? What’s your favorite?

A: A good animated movie successfully combines emotionally compelling characters with amazing, imaginative visuals. You’ve got to have both. I want to see a world I’ve never seen before, and I want to care about the people who live there.

It’s hard for me to choose just one favorite animated movie. I like different movies for different reasons. A movie that I really love is the original “King Kong” from 1933. Although the rest of the characters in that movie were live actors, it still qualifies as an animated film, because Kong was animated, and he was the star. That film changed the history of stop-motion animation. It was one of the most powerful animation performances of all time.

I also love Brad Bird’s Pixar films, “The Incredibles” and “Ratatoulie.” I’ve heard that “Corpse Bride” is pretty good too.

Q: The animation industry in China has big growth potential. What are your expectations and suggestions for Chinese animators?

A: This is a very exciting time for Chinese animation. There’s a huge audience for animated films here and a lot of animation studios are popping up to meet the demand. Some of these studios are working very hard to create sophisticated films that satisfy Chinese audiences, and also satisfy the tastes and expectations of Western audiences. What happens in China will be recognized globally as an artistic force in the animation industry.

Bill Borden

Q: Compared with “Dragon Nest,” what’s the distinctive charm of the story and characters in “Ping Pong Rabbit?”

A: “Ping Pong Rabbit” is an original story designed to reach an international family audience. It is action-packed, funny, and completely family friendly in the Disney and Pixar tradition, but with Mili Pictures’ own distinct attitude and style.

Q: What efforts have been made in production to make the movie appeal to a global audience?

A: The structure of the movie is based on the international three act structure. The humor and characters are grounded in international concepts.

Q: In what aspects do Chinese animators still need to improve? Original script, technical quality or a complete industrial chain?

A: Animation in Shanghai has always been done strictly for the domestic audience and in a very inexpensive and low-quality way, since animation was considered a movie style for children. But our movies are high quality and made to be appreciated and loved by adults.

Script development is not a tradition in China and the concept of spending a large part of the budget on the script was not appreciated or done with animation in China. Mili Pictures values script development and has placed a great deal of resources in script development to make sure the scripts are of the highest quality.

Q: China is now the world’s second-biggest film market after the United States. How do you see future growth developing in China’s movie business?

A: The China market is so good that it allows us not to rely on the theatrical release and distribution in the United States to generate the majority of income on the movie. And with the lower costs to produce animation in China we can determine what we want to produce and when, without first checking with the US distributor, and mostly rely on domestic Chinese distribution to determine what and when we produce.

Q: Last year Mili Pictures opened an office headed by you in Los Angeles. Following “Ping Pong Rabbit,” what kind of new projects do you want to work on with your Chinese partners?

A: We want to expand into making live action movies, stop-motion movies and larger movies that are CGI VFX based. Presently we have a development slate that includes animated movies written by US writers and directors with experience working for Disney, Pixar and DreamWorks. We have a live-action kung fu comedy which will be directed by a Chinese-American director.

Mike Johnson will direct a stop-motion movie. And we have a few CGI VFX action movies with scripts developed by Chinese writers. Those movies we are trying to make as international as possible.