Indian Feature Animation Explodes

With the feature animation industry booming in India, Lisa Goldman reports on the opportunities and challenges presented by an immense and diverse audience.

In 2005, an animated feature called Jai Hanuman hit theaters in India and set the animated feature industry on fire. Children and families went crazy for this film and, following its record success, many Indian companies have been trying to get in on the action -- but it's not so easy. Connecting with India's billion-plus audience is a big challenge since the Indian market is so diverse. India has 28 states and seven territories, plus each state has its own language and dialects. The challenges are not only cultural; there are business hurdles to clear as well. Distribution is difficult unless you have major Bollywood stars as your voice-talent. Licensing and merchandising are in their infancy, although they show great potential. Piracy is also a concern.

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If animation is your dream...

Coming to the Capital: Toonz Animation Academy that gives training in 2D and 3D animation.

With the world’s leading entertainment majors signing up contracts with Indian animation companies, there is a growing demand for animation professionals in the country. Now one of the premier animation institutes in South Asia, Toonz Animation Academy, has opened its Delhi centre to create the next generation of animation professionals.

“The launch of the Delhi centre is only one among the major expansion plans we are undertaking. Our centre in Hyderabad will open next month and we plan to open academies elsewhere in key Indian cities,” says Toonz Animation Academy Executive Director Ramaprasad.

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'Enchanted' brings heart of animation to life

There are many things that are magical about "Enchanted," not the least of which is that it holds your attention from beginning to end.

The story begins with Giselle, the fair maiden of the enchanted — and animated — land of Andalasia, who falls in love with the handsome Prince Edward. But when the two are to wed, the wicked Queen Narissa bans Giselle to a place where "happily ever after" doesn't exist: the bustling, harsh streets of New York City.

What ensues is an extremely comical combination of every animated Disney movie ever made. The wicked queen tries to poison Giselle with an apple, and Giselle enlists the help of the local animals (which in New York includes a variety of vermin) to clean an apartment.

As Giselle waits for her prince to come rescue her, she meets the very handsome (and very cynical) lawyer, Robert, and the fair maiden is forced to face the realities of love in the real world.

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Toon Boom Releases its First Animation Software for Kids

Emmy award-winning Toon Boom Animation Inc. today announced the release of Flip Boom, a fun and creative free-form animation tool. Based on traditional animation principles, Flip Boom sets the imagination free while teaching notions of timing and motion.

Easy to use, Flip Boom is intuitive and provides a playful experience.Flip Boom is ideal for kids who want to start creating animation in seconds.

"Seeing the growing interest in animation coming from a younger age group, we decided to develop Flip Boom to cater to their creative needs. Keeping in mind the entertaining value such a tool can bring, we hope Flip Boom will appeal to kids when it comes to create animation" said Joan Vogelesang, President and Chief Executive Officer at Toon Boom.

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Visualization: Just Look What’s Coming

Today’s performance dashboards are cheap toys compared to the tools coming down the information visualization pipeline

Every now and then all of us have moments when we see something new and say, "This is big." Think back to when you received your first e-mail message or got your first glimpse of the Web. I had one of these moments two weeks ago at an information visualization conference.

Visualization’s ability to reveal stories hidden in plain sight was, pardon the pun, eye opening. The experimental new Web sites and research shown at the InfoVIS conference in Sacramento, Calif. made most of today’s performance dashboards look like cheap toys.

This wasn’t a business crowd. Several hundred grad students and geeks mostly in their 20s, 30s, and 40s from all over the world gathered in jeans, running shoes, and wrinkled cotton shirts eager to talk about algorithms. This year a healthy contingent from business came too, comprising about one third of attendees, up from nearly zero last year.

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Animation in e-mail

The primary goal of any e-mail marketing campaign is to reach the most users, raise product and brand awareness and drive conversion. With the abundance of promotional messages cluttering inboxes today, it is becoming more and more important to grab the user’s eyes while maintaining an optimized, e-mail friendly template. In addition to standard color and image use, many e-mail marketers are turning to the aesthetic and visual appeal of animation.

The two main types of animation e-mail marketers consider including in their messages are Flash movies and animated gifs. Whether you are more concerned with template flexibility or the size of your message, both formats present their own unique lists of pros and cons regarding use in e-mail.

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Animation pioneer may get hometown honor

Nestled between the Spring Lake District Library and Spring Lake Township Hall off Exchange Street is a small area marked by a solitary picnic table and sections of the former Union School foundation still jutting above the green grass.

It was here in the late 19th century that famed illustrator-cartoonist-animator Winsor McCay went to school and began drawing.

McCay eventually moved to New York to pen highly acclaimed cartoons for such papers as the New York Herald and The American.

His comics included Little Sammy Sneeze, Dream of the Rarebit Fiend and Little Nemo in Slumberland. All were intricately drawn with startling detail and daring use of black ink.

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Animation awards in February

Our country is blessed with several skilled animators, the work of whom have resulted in the country receiving several prestigious offers. Now’s the time to honour them by presenting them awards

India’s animation sector is witnessing a major boom. Overseas entertainment giants like Walt Disney, Imax and Sony are increasingly outsourcing cartoon characters and special effects to India. A lot of schools catering to teaching of animation have come up and so has the intertest to learn the trade been growing among young enthusiasts.

To give young animators further encouragement, CNBC TV18, India’s leading business medium along with Arena Multimedia has instituted Golden Cursor Excellence in Animation Awards powered by Animation Xpress.com. The award has been conceptualised with the objective of enhancing and shaping the future of the Indian Animation industry and creating a unique foothold in the international animation arena.

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How to Create a Stop Motion Animation

If you were wondering how they create movies such as Wallace and Gromit or those groovy Lego shorts on YouTube, your search is over! Although creating stop motion animation is not difficult, it is time-consuming, repetitive and requires patience. As long as you're forewarned and keen, this makes a fantastic hobby and sometimes even grows into a career.

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Animation films at Istanbul Modern

A staggering 300 movies from six countries will be showcased at the the 4th International Animated Film Festival to be held on Dec. 4-9 at the Istanbul Modern Cinema.

Animation buffs can enjoy movies from Germany, the United States, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Canada and France.

American director Bill Plympton, whose films “Mutant Aliens” and “I Married a Strange Person!” won the best full-length movie award, will be the special guest of the festival. He will share his story of success with the audience and organize workshops throughout the festival. The festival will host films from German directors Andreas Hykade and Daniel Nocke, American director Alex Weil, Argentinian director Juan Pablo Zaramella and Canadian director Marie-Josee Saint-Pierre. In the “Experimental Long Animations” section of the festival, visitors can watch American director Eric Leiser's first film “Imagination,” Christiane Cegavske's “Blood Tea and Red String” and famous Japanese director Makoto Shinkai's recent film “5 Centimeters per Second.”

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Animators eye local market to power growth

Players in the Indian animation industry, who primarily cater to movie studios in the US, are increasingly looking at the domestic market, especially after the commercial success of animated movie Hanuman.

Of the total revenues generated by the Indian studios, approximately 70 per cent comes from outsourced work.

While the domestic market is still very nascent, analysts predict there is tremendous growth opportunity for animated content in television and movies.

Over the next four years, the growth in the domestic demand for broadcast animated content on TV is projected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (cagr) of 49.5 per cent, according to a Nasscom report.

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When art merges with animation

HYDERABAD: An almost extinct folk art form from parts of Northern India gets merged with animation to narrate a Panchatantra tale. Dhvani Desai, the director of ‘Manpasand’ brings alive the 17th century tradition that was used to encourage unmarried girls take up Sanjhi paintings in order to obtain a suitable groom.

“Once the paintings were done, the tradition had the girls setting them free in the river for universal blessings. It was originally practiced as one of the traditional methods of creative visualisation to fulfil one’s wishes,” explains the director who has been associated with animation and special effects for the last 16 years.

Extinct art

‘Manpasand’ is about a journey of a father in search of a suitable groom for his daughter and to narrate this Panchatantra tale is used. “I worked on the project for more than two years and 42 artists were involved with it. Considerable time was spent on researching the Sanjhi art which is almost extinct and we travelled a lot to find the right practitioners,” Dhvani says.

Apart from the technique of Sanjhi, the underlying spiritual aspect appealed to the director who is credited with cartoon and animated titles for several feature films produced by NFDC among others. After the success of ‘Hanuman’, the animation scene in the country was more active these days. “Earlier, the initiatives were on smaller scale and animation was done for few minutes. Now full-length also seem to be catching up,” she says.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/

Animation Art - 5 Of The Most Common Mediums Purchased By Collectors

Animation Cels - A cel (short for celluloid) is a blank clear plastic sheet used by the studio artist to paint an animated character or object based on the animator's original pencil drawing. The cels are then placed over a background and photographed in sequence to produce an illusion of life in the completed film or cartoon short. Every cel is different but this does not mean that every cel is unique. Often multiple copies of a cel were created by the Inkers as color models in order to advance their technique and skills in Animation Art.

Limited Edition Cels - A non production hand painted cel created for sale to the collectors market. It is produced in fixed limited quantities and are easily identified by a fraction (150/500) in the lower right hand corner. They were not used in films or cartoon shorts, and the original intent was to recreate the original production cels. Nowadays many studios release new images not based on production artwork.

Sericels - A non production cel created by means of a printing process similar to silk screening. No work is done by hand, therefore no painting or inking is involved. They are often produced in limited quantities of 5000, and they are marketed as a low cost alternative to production and limited edition cels.

Animation Drawings - A drawing on paper in pencil, sometimes colored which is created by a studio artist of an animated character or object for which the cels are later created.

Giclee - The French term "Giclée", literally meaning "spray of ink," is used to describe these prints. Four precision nozzles spray up to a million microscopic droplets per second on to fine art paper. Then, each piece of paper is individually hand-mounted. Displaying a full color spectrum, the prints are lush and velvety, capturing the subtle nuances of the original artwork.

About the Author:

Paul Callis is the proprietor of Premier Animation, a respected Animation Art Gallery in the UK. Paul’s passion for Animation Art, has helped collectors unable to source this fine medium, own pieces of art they thought were impossible to locate, and allowing many unknown to this specialized art form, gain great knowledge and understanding. You can visit Premier Animation’s web site, and see a fantastic collection at http://www.premieranimation.com, as well as reading information and comments on animation art.

First animation feature film to be produced

Movie buffs can look forward to the country's first animation feature film "Roadside Romeo" being produced by filmmaker Yash Chopra in collaboration with Walt Disney.

The film is expected to be released next June, Chopra told reporters here on Tuesday night.

"India has a big potential for animated film industry which has assumed massive proportions in the West," Chopra, who was here to receive the 'Zenith Asia' award conferred on him at the Fifth Asian Film Festival, said.

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Animated cinema festival features animation from 10 countries

The Waterloo Festival for Animated Cinema (WFAC) has announced programming details for the seventh edition of the festival, running Nov. 15 to 18, 2007.

A unique film festival dedicated to animated feature films from around the world, WFAC showcases the power of animation in filmmaking, and celebrates the art and the artists who work in this powerful visual narrative form.

"Animation is the only way a filmmaker can express himself without any creative limits," said curator Joseph Chen.

"There's a renaissance of feature animation going on outside North America right now, and we're really pleased to bring these wonderful films to Canada."

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Indian animation industry targets niche market

Bhavana Puljal - Televisionpoint.com | Mumbai
After creating an identity for itself in the global market, Indian animation industry is ready to up the ante further. The industry, which has capitalised on low-cost manpower, is exploring techniques like animation through sand, textile, oil on glass and clay.

Experts believe that by using these methods commercially, India can create a niche for itself in the world of animation. "The use of these techniques has been limited to college projects. But now students in various institutes like NID, IDC of IIT-Bombay are increasingly using them for short duration animation movies," says animator Nina Sabnani.

While the techniques are not exactly new, these are gaining popularity, in terms of experimentation and learning among the young animators. The cost of production depends on the method used but is definitely less than the computer generated animation. A short film may be made at a cost as low as Rs 30,000 and can go up to any amount. It is the amount of time involved that has been discouraging the use of these methods. A 30-second clay animation ad might take 7-10 days to complete.

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Tough battle for Oscar animation list

The contenders for the animation films in the race for Oscars were announced recently.

The films include the rodent story Ratatouille, the bug tale Bee Movie, the ogre sequel Shrek the Third and the penguin comedy Surf's Up.

Also in the running are The Simpsons Movie, Beowulf, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Meet the Robinsons, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, Tekkonkinkreet and Persepolis.

A relatively recent addition to the list of Oscar categories, the number of animated films in competition shows how important - and lucrative - animated films now are, for an adult audience as well as kids.

A committee of academy members will pick three nominees, which will be announced on January 22.

Source : http://www.ndtvmovies.com

Universal Sounds Off for Animation, Games

Universal Studios Sound has announced that it is expanding its services in animation and gaming with the hire of supervising sound editor Michael Geisler, whose credits include Cartoon Network’s Squirrel Boy and Courage the Cowardly Dog, as well as the features How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Space Jam. A division of NBC Universal, the unit offers sound editorial and design, mixing, Foley, ADR and transfer for features, television, commercials, trailers and video games.

“With animation and gaming companies looking for that enhanced audience experience, Universal can supply the ultimate sound ride,” Geisler comments. “We have the one-stop shop for producers from voice recording to transfer for final delivery.”

“Michael brings an understanding of the unique challenges of animation and video game projects,” adds Chris Jenkins, senior VP of Universal Studios Sound. “The depth of our services and the depth of Michael’s expertise combine to make a quality client experience.”

Source: http://www.animationmagazine.net/

Special Report On The Indian Animation Market

Animation has come a long, long way since the first public screening of animation with cinematic apparatus that used hand-painted sequences on celluloid strips. Today the global market is worth about $50 billion and is projected to become a $70-billion industry by 2007. Animation is regarded as a part of the creative or content industry as artistic or creative effort is essential to the process of developing animation. The segment has the potential for job creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property. The US industry, the largest user of animation products and services, describes entertainment as feature films, TV programs, music, broadcasting, cable TV, games, sports, performing arts theme parks and toys.

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Stakes in Sony’s animation businesses may go on sale

Sony Pictures Entertainment is considering the sale of a majority stake in Imageworks, the visual effects business behind films such as Spider-Man, and half its animation studio.

Sony Pictures, part of Sony Corporation, has hired Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin, the investment bank, to assess the value of each division. It is understood their combined value is at least $500 million (£240 million). Sony has invested an estimated $400 million in the animation and effects businesses over the years.

Sony Pictures’ visual effects business has had much success in its 15-year history, pioneering computer-generated imaging techniques in the Spider-Man films, The Polar Express, Superman and Stuart Little.

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BIGGEST ANIME MOVIES AND SERIES OF 2008 TO BE SCREENED FOR FIRST TIME AT NEW YORK ANIME FESTIVAL

Exclusive Premieres of Adventures in Voice Acting and One Piece; As Previously Announced, CATBLUE Dynamite also Featured

Norwalk, CT, November 2, 2007: The New York Anime Festival (NYAF) today announced it will feature a selection of highly-anticipated premieres and previews at its inaugural event December 7 - 9, 2007, at the Jacob Javits Center in Midtown Manhattan. These special screenings include Adventures in Voice Acting, Appleseed: Ex Machina, and One Piece: Episode of Alabaster. The screenings are the most recent additions to a full schedule of events that have already been announced by NYAF. The debut festival, which promises to be an extravaganza featuring the latest in anime, manga, cinema, music, comics, and games, is anticipating a significant launch that will focus on all aspects of Japanese anime and culture.

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Low cost outsourcing model is not sustainable

Demand for animation content is rising and the sector is expected to grow 30 per cent annually over the next three years, from its current size of $550 million.

"There is also scope for animation companies to exploit from the gaming industry. Besides outsourcing, we are also seeing a surge in domestic demand from kids TV channels and film producers," said DQ Entertainment Tapaas Chakravarti while speaking at Nasscom Animation & Gaming India 2007.

Animation companies in India will have to focus on quality and scalability, other speakers said in a session on "Outsourcing from India.".

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Animation festival comes to life

Disney producer Don Hahn calls animation "the ultimate team sport."

To prove it, he'll bring to Everett artwork from the Disney archives, some of which, he says, has never been seen. It's a way to show the "people who draw and paint and work on scripts and music, who contribute to making an animated film," he said.

Hahn is the keynoter for the second annual "2D or Not 2D" animation festival Friday and Saturday at the Everett Theatre. Hahn will present films and share what he knows at 7 p.m. Saturday during the festival, which is rich with animator talks, animated film showings, and screenings of entries for the Golden Pencil awards, given out at 8 p.m. Saturday.

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