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Most of the experts present at the seminar agreed that the
global animation industry's fascination with India wasn't
a fad but a long-term obsession. India has to explore various
options and move up the chain from comics to C&S TV animation
shows to Home Videos animation shows to animation films. Simultaneously,
the key is to ensure that animation is used in education,
infotainment and entertainment. Increased domestic consumption
can fuel growth for the Indian animation industry. Also required
is the government's assistance in terms of tax benefits.
Moving Pictures company CMD Ramesh Sharma
* Animation is the fastest growing IT-enabled services segment
and the size of the industry is expected to grow from US$
550 million to US $ 15 billion in 2008 (Ernst & Young estimates).
The industry is expected to grow at the rate of 30 per cent
per annum in the next three years.
* India has got the following advantages: quality manpower,
time zone advantage, cost-effective options, connectivity-related
infrastructure and one of the biggest indigenous film industry
in the region.
* Overseas companies are increasingly showing interest in
forming joint ventures with Indian companies. This will be
a win-win situation for both the partners and enable Indian
companies to access the global markets.
Australia-based BEEPS' Ian Maycock
* The best part about technology is that the geographical
location of the offices doesn't matter any more. Clients can
be serviced from anywhere in the world.
* Technology has the capability to move millions of images
and huge files across the globe in shorter time frames. Seamless
results can be attained by the animation companies through
associations and partnerships with other companies located
in different parts of the globe.
* The new emerging segment is the genre of "visual effects"
that are not meant to be seen.
Germany-based Daswerk's Christian Leohardt
* People involved in animation should develop a Hollywood
mentality/orientation in terms of thinking bigger and delivering
faster. The key lies in impressing the Hollywood studios that
animation experts in emerging Asian countries or European
countries have the requisite expertise, acumen and equipment
to deliver the same results as those in the developed animation
markets.
* India and other Asian countries will need to compete with
East European countries such as Hungary and Poland which are
eating into the share of the developed animation markets of
Europe.
Toonz Animation's Atul Rao
* Animation is the greatest frontier of human expression.
It can sell ideas and values using humour. In animation, the
writer isn't the only story-teller but the artist also gets
involved and hogs the limelight. The artist puts a soul into
the proceedings.
* The key is to ensure that "universal values" are reflected
- jealousy, love, parental relationships, friendship amongst
others.
* The challenge is "How can one culture narrate stories that
relate to other cultures?" India has depth of culture and
mythology and the key will be to leverage the same.
* The global animation industry's new-found fascination with
India is not merely a fad but a growing obsession.
* Animation is being increasingly used in areas such as medicine,
engineering, education in addition to entertainment.
* The Indian industry can obtain additional revenue from
merchandising opportunities.
UK-based Framestore CFC's Mike Milne
* When the US-based Hallmark channel approached animation
experts for a TV series with special effects, it set off a
major trend a decade ago. Thus was born "Gullivers Travels"
- the six hour TV series which became immensely popular.
* Some years later, a British TV producer wanted to do a
series on dinosaurs for television. The challenge was to ensure
the same quality as one sees in feature films. The animation
and special effects had to look as if it was the real thing.
The success of this TV series made for BBC spawned off a series
of TV documentary films and series.
* Finally, in the new millennium, computer animation on television
is being taken seriously. There is a huge future in doing
documentaries using computer animation and another emerging
trend is creating fantasy films for children and adults.
* The challenge is ensure that technology is leveraged effectively
so that the Hollywood experts/clients don't have to travel
half-way round the globe. They can converse and discuss post-production
issues with their Asian or European counterparts using broadband.
UTV Toons general manager Akhauri Sinha
* The key aspects of growing the animation industry are increased
consumption, financing options, infrastructure, technology,
human element, operations know-how, systems and process and
enhanced domain knowledge.
* As far as Asia is concerned, Japan (US$ 1.5 billion) and
Korea (US$ 1 billion) are right at the top; China, Taiwan
and Hong Kong form the second rung; India and Philippines
are slowly emerging and making their presence felt.
* The idea is to reach the level which France and Canada
has attained. China, Japan and India are doing a lot of original
animation work whereas most of the other Asian countries are
struck with "services" part of animation. China, Japan and
Korea are also catering to their home (inbound markets) in
a big way and gaining substantial revenues. Korea has 20,000
animation experts as compared to India which has just 4000
qualified animation experts.
* Indian animation experts need to beef up their skills -
expression, verbalisation, comprehension and interpretation
of client demands. Asian Networks have started looking westwards
to beef up their offshore presence (Sun Woo has opened offices
in North America).
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