Benedict Carandang: A young global leader in 3D

MANILA, Philippines - Benedict Carandang describes the young leaders of today with three words – entrepreneurial, hardworking, and visionary. Leaders, he elaborates, “are people who can be a catalyst in his country and effect positive change; leaders who can influence and move people and make things happen. They just don’t talk about their ideas but take action and are willing to take risks and go against the herd even with limited resources. They are creative and resourceful and think out of the box. They see the potential in empowering people and, most of all, they are selfless and do things to benefit their community as a whole.”

Named as one of this year’s Young Global Leaders by the World Economic Forum, Carandang knows personally what it takes to become a leader. As a Young Global Leader of 2012, Carandang joins 191 like-minded movers and innovators from across the globe who are actively contributing to the future of the world. Aside from Carandang, three other Filipinos have been recognized this year – Analisa Balares (Womensphere), Diosdado Rey Banatao (Entropy Resins), and Reese Fernandez-Ruiz (Rags2Riches).

Carandang, co-founder of Tuldok Animation Studios, has previously been recognized as a British Council International Young Creative Entrepreneur for Screen in 2008, Go Negosyo Most Inspiring Young Entrepreneur in 2009 and is currently a British Chevening Scholar, taking up his MBA at Westminister.

Carandang joins other awardees on stage at the Go Negosyo awarding in 2009.

Carandang co-founded Tuldok Animation Studios in 2005 with Ramon del Prado, Ayeen Pineda, and Toffer Liu.

“It is a social enterprise that aims to promote creative talent in the Philippines through the medium of animation,” he says. “We put up Tuldok in our collective dream of creating an original content industry which is based on our culture.”

So far, the studio has produced a 20-minute animated film, “Libingan” about kapres, and a 40-minute film “Pasintabi” which revolves around the mythical nuno sa punso.

“We also produced the 7 Animation Educational Videos entitled ‘From Lines to Life: An Introduction to Animation’ which was combined with Pasintabi to create a DVD, 3,000 copies of which were distributed for free among public schools and state universities with the hope of inspiring our youth to pursue animation as a career or set-up their own creative businesses,” says Carandang.

In line with their advocacy, Tuldok is currently working on animating six folktales from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. “We believe that there is a need to update our written and verbal literature through the medium of animation, as the new generation has become more tech-savvy.”

He adds, “We were working in creating original content and also preserving our culture through the medium of animation while at the same time offering animation services, edutainment, web-design, etc. to help sustain our operations in order to support our cause.”

Caradang says that the animation, comics and gaming sector in the Philippines is growing continuously and rapidly.

“Creative process outsourcing, which is another segment of the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, offers a huge potential growth for the Philippines,” he says. “It is not just call centers and knowledge process outsourcing anymore but also creative talent as well which we can offer. Furthermore, we also have original intellectual property creation – our unique and universal stories from our culture that we can share with the world.”

In fact, the Animation Council of the Philippines reports that animation outsourcing provides $120 million in revenues per year. The Games Developers Association of the Philippines says gaming generates $7 million.

“This is a rapidly growing industry where our youth can pursue a career or they can put up their own creative business that can supply the needs of this industry,” says Carandang. “Our country can be the major supplier of creative talent to the world in the IT-enabled creative industries.”

Carandang adds that the Philippines is one of the best suppliers of 2D traditional animation, but has yet to catch up in 3D animation, which is becoming more and more popular today. “If we get our act together, the Philippines can be a creative powerhouse that can supply talent and be a source of excellent content,” he says.

Carandang hopes to bring his learnings and experiences in the UK back to the country. “I have been very lucky with my experience as a Chevening Scholar and I am just half way in my studies,” he says. “I came at the best time to be in the UK and I have experienced the ultimate privilege of personally meeting the Queen last Nov. 10 during the 80th Anniversary of Goodenough College.”

Carandang was also selected to audition as a volunteer performer for the London 2012 Olympics ceremonies. “I am still waiting for the results if I get in or not, but I am already grateful for the opportunity to audition.”

He is also one of the organizers of the upcoming Global Scholar Symposium in Oxford University.

After completing his MBA, Carandang is already planning to develop his projects with Tuldok. “I left the country with the unfinished business of not being able to implement the Philippine Digital Creative Content Development Program that I have helped draft. Hopefully, when I return I can help our government by becoming an advisor or consultant in this sector while working for the private sector at the same time.”

Carandang hopes to see the program in place in the next five years.

He captures an important and prestigious moment – meeting the Queen at Goodenough College (middle).

“I would like to personally lobby the President, our Senate and Congress to make the creative industries one of its major priorities... Our artists are much sought after by the creative powerhouses of the world such as Pixar, Dreamworks... and we have not taken advantage of this inherent competitive advantage. Sadly, our government has no program in place.”

Thankfully, his recognition as Young Global Leader will help Caradang as he aims to further the cause of Tuldok and nurture the creative industries in the country. “Being a Young Global Leader gives me the platform and credibility to champion the creative industries with our government and the private sector,” he says. “I’d like to convince both sectors that there is huge potential in combining talent and entrepreneurship as a way for us to create more economic opportunities not just in our country but in the developing world as well.”

Carandang looks forward to participating in the various activities of the global leaders’ community including the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

“I would like to share with my YGL peers the experiences I have working for the creative industries, its challenges and difficulties, how we have overcome them with limited resources using the talent and creativity of the Filipino and at the same time we help preserve our culture using new media through the medium of animation,” he says.

There are many challenges for today’s leaders, Carandang points out. “The world is just coming out of this financial crisis. The old practice of doing things has to change. It is not just all about profit anymore, but we have to be responsible to society as well.”

But, Carandang, like any good leader, remains hopeful and steadfast in his faith in the new generation of young leaders. “There is an opportunity for this new generation to shape our future, by creating a new economic ecosystem where profit making initiatives can also be combined to help social causes as well.”