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On the development, PTL vice-president and head of Zee Institute
of Creative Animation (ZICA) Rajiv Sangari says, "We are on
the final stages of signing the memorandum of understanding with
the associates. The deal is for 2-D animation projects and the overall
revenue/ project projection is about US$15 million. By far, it may
be the biggest deal in animation industry in India."
Sangari adds that the project would entail production and marketing
through co-production format. The production will be done in PTL
studios in Mumbai and Hyderabad.
"We also intend to open up an office in Germany to support
the European company," Sangari explains.
In the past year, Indian animation studios have showed signs of
moving from service-oriented projects to co-productions. Sangari
expects this trend to continue.
"I predict a lot of co-production deals between US and India
as well as Europe and India. People abroad have started seeing India
as a favoured destination for doing not only service jobs but also
developing properties with them by being their partners. Of course,
3-D animation is gaining grounds and will continue to do so in 2004,
but the traditional style is also getting inroads in India,"
Sangari explains.
PTL had recently announced that they plan to produce 52-episode,
22-minute flash animation series for Zee TV, scheduled for early
2004. The serial, titled Bheema Keema, is being targeted
at the urban and semi-urban Hinglish language speaking kids of the
country. The series is being planned for Sundays during the primetime
slot.
For its new projects, PTL is also upgrading its facilities. It
has acquired a new 3-D animation studio which will soon launch in
Mumbai. "We have also taken up a place in Andheri, Mumbai,
for a special effects division which should be up and running by
about January 2004," said Sangari.
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