And so you thought there wasn’t any more to Indian animation than the inflated figures and work for hire guys…
Well, we at Animation ‘xpress knew all along that India has the talent, the brains, the outlook and the attitude that makes winners…. and what better place to find that attitude than in Gen Next.
Recently Animation ‘xpress organized a splash bash at Mumbai’s very own Juhu beach, the bash though didn’t mean DJ’s, music, liquor and dancing. This bash was a special ‘Splash Bash’ where the brightest sparks of Indian animation’s gen next met and bashed away all the myths about Indian animation and a lot more…….
and yes, if you belong to the Indian animation industry and are passionate about it, then don’t miss attending next month’s splash bash……
Meanwhile, here’s an account of whatever was said, thought, spoken and meant…
We wont hold you any longer……
Fasten your seatbelts…. hold your breath …. the joyride begins…..
wheeeeeeeeee
Introducing Charmi Chedda, Romel Dias and Kushal Ruia,
Charmi Cheda
- Dropped out of college 4 years ago when in Fyjc. Reason? Wanted to explore animation!
- had left animation for a while when was disillusioned with the boring work(outsourced) I was doing at a big studio at Mumbai
- currently am on a high.. doing original work commercials etc. under my able seniors at Dream Forest Films!
- was involved in quite a few commercials including the sansui hard rock, camlin, mtv chai peeta, vicks, also done production for most jobs and marketing for Dream Forest!
Romel Dias
- That’s like asking a baby who can barely stand up..how many steps he has taken!!!
- I was lucky enough to join the team at Animagic during the production of ‘Raju &i’…
- from working on the film and doing research, I was involved in quite a few commercials including the ICICI campaigns, the Perk ads, Chakachak for Sai Paranjpe, a few book designs and a few print projects.
Kushal Ruia
- Having just graduated ,am just getting started on my animation/filmmaking career.
- Short films::A Dirty Shade of White- Live Action
- Moments(WIP) Animated.
- Working with 2NZ Animation as Creative Director and Associate Director on Forthcoming Animated Tv Series Trikaya.
- Developing more short film ideas, to go into full time production soon.
Just so as to flag off the conversation, we at Animation ‘xpress suggested that the 2D vs 3D debate seemed interesting enough to start with, the conversation though didn’t stay on the assigned course for a long while….
Romel: There is nothing like 2d or 3d for the audience, the audience is concerned with the story and it is always better to let the story choose the medium. If you are not telling a good story then whatever you use is wasted.
GRUDGES WITH INDIAN ANIMATION
Charmi: The way these big studios pay 30 grand to their 3d operators, the 3d guys don’t realize that what about when these studios might just go out of work. The sad part is that animation is touted as a money making thing, the youth isn’t lured with the creativity and art involved in animation, most of them are in it for money.
Romel: Animation deserves certain respect and time. You cannot come out of school and be a top animator. Tout money and you will get mercenaries. Animation shouldn’t be touted as big time money to the youth. Why the hell are they sexing up the industry?
Charmi: Animation is about film making. All elements are important, sound, sound design, music, editing.
Romel & Charmi: Right since the time that animation has been used in commercials in India, The agencies have had bad experiences regularly. Be it in terms of deadline extensions, sound quality etc..
Charmi: Students when they get into animation, should also have a knowledge of budget, quality, timing, sound, music, choreography or else they’ll be lost if they ever have to make things on their own. In animation schools you glamorize whatever little exercises that are done. The Disney principles are a great way to learn animation, but the rules are meant to create a structure.
The mental level of people involved in animation in the country is pathetic. The standards of animation in the country are ancient.
I sincerely believe that the word Chalta Hai ought to be removed from Indian animation. There has to be some amount of self respect. It’s all about whether you care or don’t care.
Kushal: The biggest grudge with the industry is that we aren’t an industry. We are just a wannabe industry with everyone having their own agendas. Everyone wants to have their own feature with 3 and a half people working in their studio.
No prioirities on education, there just isn’t any animation training available. And all these dime a dozen “Oh so cool Super Expensive Computer Animation Courses” are only making things from bad to worse. We are very late in comparison to the rest of the world and it would do us well to stop thinking about the quick bucks and get our act together.
When it comes to creating products that would fuel the industry in a positive manner…
There are those who have the means but not the talent, those who have the talent but not the means and then there are those with both but NO Vision. So I guess we just have to wait and watch for the stars and planets to align!
Story always comes first. Mediocrity has crept in every one’s blood out here. Then there is the general misconception that kids must be given out juvenile fare. You don’t play down to kids. You need to lift them up.
Mediocrity would be the bane of Indian Animation. Everyone harks back to the Phenomenons of “Mickey Mouses,Snow Whites, Toy Storys etc etc” and wants to replicate that…but how easily we forget that none of these milestones would have occurred if the visionary creators weren’t FIRST AND FOREMOST Passionate Artists wanting to make a difference, rather than Smart MBAs in suits trying to figure out how can they USE ART to sell toys and happy meals…
It’s our responsibility to create things and to do them in the BEST possible way,and not just for being the sake of doing it or “Passable”.
Romel: We got to develop our own sense of animation. We have to find our own techniques. We are simply happy to ape the west.
Charmi: Another of our grudges is, everyone in animation just loves to talk about the need for education in animation in India and blah blah blah but nobody is serious about it. Nobody does anything about it. Whether it is a big or a small studio, it is very necessary to start an inhouse training facility. Even if one can train only 2 students, I think it will help.
In spite of being entrants and newcomers as compared to seniors, we feel the need to give back to the industry and we will. We are actually in the process of finalising a structure and a schedule wherein we would be able to share and impart training to newcomers.
The reason I am in a hurry to share my skills with the industry is that I am afraid of falling into a mould tomorrow just like the so called professionals. If tomorrow even 2 animators can be trained by me then it’s going to be a great example to set.
Tout money and you will get mercenaries. Animation shouldn’t be touted as big time money to the youth. Why the hell are they sexing up the industry?
HUM TUM?
Charmi: Don’t even ask. It was not the animators’ fault, I guess the kind of budget they were given they couldn’t really do much! But I was disappointed by the fact that the standard and quality were the way they were.
There is no room for trying or making effort, whatever we do has to be the best. Or are we again setting the same low standards. I think that’s the reason why the live action directors would go out and get their animation done by international studios. When one is showing something on the big screen, it’s got to be better. There’s a kind of responsibility on the artist’s head. Instead of working alone for ourselves lets work for the industry! Lets keep in mind that the work we do creates a good or a bad rep for all of us collectively!
Romel: Please don’t ask me
Kushal: I liked it, at least they have introduced animation into a mainstream film.
Romel: The entire problem with the animation in Hum Tum was that they cut costs on the whole thing. They are looking at standards elsewhere, they are spoiling people. There hasn’t been any work done here to inspire kids to do animation.
Kushal: I feel Art more than anything else and animation more than any art requires a lot of passion, perseverance, patience, it requires a whole set of various complimentary and obtuse faculties to work in tandem and that, very few professions require. Animators have to be most alert people – We have to observe everything in life(animate and inanimate) It all starts with a blank paper. Pause a frame of any animated content and all that you see, hear ,feel is a product of pure human imagination. There are no given “Known” quantities like actors, props, sets, lights, sounds weather, sun , moon.etc etc to work with.
Charmi: If I were to be put in a commanding position in a studio where I was given the liberty to decide the flow of funds, I would have invested in training first, Also the training wouldn’t be binding on the students. Heart animation had a good school, but they had rules like people coming out of the school would have to join Heart’s own animation studio itself.
Kushal: A while ago just for kicks , I did a couple of workshops with 1st to 10th graders in Ecole Mondial and was pleasantly surprised with their knowledge of animation and how they perceived it. Kids are definitely aware and interested…they just need to be encouraged by us. I think animation education may have to begin with parents in our CA, Doctor, Lawyer, Engineer,MBA obsessed country!
“I think animation education may have to begin with parents in our CA, Doctor, Lawyer,Engineer,MBA obsessed country”
~Kushalspeak~
Charmi: We aren’t as experienced but we are definitely enthusiastic and we are looking and trying hard to change things and make a difference. Doing short films is cool, the medium can be experimented. A Feature because of economic reasons can’t be experimented with much.
SHORT FILMS?
Kushal: Short films give you the chance to grow and learn as an artist. It let’s you take risks.
Charmi: In commercials we have tried a lot of looks and have explored our own styles.
Romel: Feature is something we are building up to, The short films that we are doing help us to test ourselves and gauge the potential of our ideas and try out various styles.
Kushal: All the main elements (Hag,Dwarfs,Effects etc) in Snow White had first been practiced upon in various Disney ‘s “Silly Symphonies” shorts which were like lab experiments for Disney. Which would enable him and his team to be ready for their First Full Length Animated Feature.
We in India, under the pretext of “We don’t have to reinvent the wheel” and in our rush to go for the GOLD ,are jumping many of these extremely valuable lessons in animation and it will definitely catch up if it has not already.
Animation ‘xpress : Why is it that every time I hear creative people bashing the management and business people on matters of art and creative liberty, but when it comes to talking about what they want to do, they all talk about features. Aren’t the creative people glamour stuck with the grandeur and largesse of a feature… wouldn’t a really artistically or animationally inclined individual talk about frames and even the smallest of animated sequences … are short films so limiting…
Kushal: I think that question is stemming from a misconception.The question is implying that glamour and grandeur are the only things that Features are about…
Nor do I believe that such is the case, and nor do I believe that short films cannot be as grand and glamorous.
If only glamour and grandeur were the yard stick , I would personally attach more of it to short films like “Old Man and the Sea”, than a feature film like “Teachers Pet” or “Land Before Time Part 765674” (Sometimes its difficult to keep track of the no. of sequels).
I essentially want to tell stories. and I would like my stories to dictate what the format (long/short), technique( live action/animation/types of animation) should be used.
Though making a number of short films is an extremely logical and wise step to make a stronger Larger Format Film, but that does not mean that has to be the goal.
If your story canvas does not require all that the Feature format offers (time to develop charcters,plots, sub plots etc etc), and you are more than happy telling ur innovative stories in a short and less elaborate manner ..then great…it is and can be as fulfilling as any Feature film if not more.
The way the economics of industry move…short films can tend to be more personal and self expressive when compared to Feature Films, though not always. Maybe that’s a point to be considered too when deciding what format is best for the art YOU as a filmmaker want to create.
At the end of it they both offer different and distinct pros and cons of which glamour and grandeur form just a tiny percentage and definitely not a deciding factor… at least not for a true “Artist”
Romel: Well the management and business people in the industry have absolutely no exposure to the animation industry and hence they tend to place the industry on par with other industries like IT or the service industry…While one realises that animation houses require professionals for business management…one would appreciate it if the guys with ties learn to be a bit sensitive to the artists needs…
POLAR EXPRESS?
Kushal: In my opinion films like Final Fantasy, Polar Express, in terms of animation …I would think are very commendable and wonderful exercises. Exercises and experiments in Craft, NOT Art.
Technology is blurring the lines between art and craft everyday. Not too sure if that’s a good thing.
ANIMATION DIRECTION?
Kushal: A great thing about direction and at times directing somebody else’s animation concept is that one gets to extend one’s creative limits. As an artist one has to learn to drown one’s own babies. There cannot be egos. You have to have that openness to something that will improve your product.
INSPIRATION?
Romel: Eventually the kind of work going out of India is nothing that can inspire kids to fancy joining the animation industry.
What really inspired me was Jungle Book. I eventually want to do something like that. It was only after I joined Animagic that I realised that there was more to animation than Disney. I loved Spirited Away (Miyazaki). While the West has over the years only focussed on the children’s market and has reduced its films to -kid flicks- the Japanese market on the other hand has only grown to an extent that there are film that cater to every market and genre from stories for kids to films for teens and adults and fantasy along with graphic violence…the Japanese animation films are as widespread as main stream films and of course Miyazaki San’s films usually are the top grossers beating international blockbusters like Titanic!!!
Charmi: I was in my 8th standard when I decided that I wanted to be in animation and here I am already 4 years into this art. I have been inspired by Bugs Bunny, Warner Bros.
Kushal: I come from a Marvadi business family. Everyone’s into biz and stuff like that. Me to done Bcom and started CA and what not.But Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast rekindled my lost and forgotten childhood love for animation… and then there was no looking back. I was chided by some that I was no longer a kid to want to watch “Cartoons”. However I realized I wouldn’t be able to get out of bed in the morning, if I were not being creative. It was just a leap of faith. It was tough making it into art school like Sheridan (Canada) with a business background and a portfolio full of doodles of Disney characters. However I landed with my 2 feet on the ground and so far so good!
Charmi: I actually took a break from animation in between because, although i had started of with stars in my eyes, i was disillusioned with all the sweatshop kind of work I had to do in a big studio I was working at. While I was away from animation, I still felt the need to come back to it, it was then that I realized that It was upon me to train myself, It reached a point when you question yourself and still carry on with re-enforced conviction. And the second time round I was lucky in that we do original content and we make the complete animation movie.
While I was away from animation, I still felt the need to come back to it. It was then that I realized that it was upon me to train myself, It reached a point when you question yourself and still carry on with re-enforced conviction.
~Charmispeak~
Kushal: My greatest turn on is when I meet people who are passionate about what they do. I am tired of being surrounded by people who exude this fake sugar coated enthusiasm with absolutely no will or passion to drive them to actually go the distance.
Fortunately have been working with some really nice artists, every Sunday I encourage my team of animators to go to the zoo, Monday mornings I ask them to share their drawings and illustrations amongst themselves, such activities help all our skills evolve.
Animation is not a Genre, its a tool for storytelling. So are also 2d – 3d -Clay are all tools for animation. Not any ONE of these have to be the Definition of animation.. Just like storytelling lends itself to all mediums, animation lends itself to all tools. It boils down to what the story needs
Animation ‘xpress : What do you guys have to say about the following
1 – Software Piracy
Romel: Software piracy is like quite a small issue for me, because piracy is all about circumventing costs, for us where the end product is important we don’t mind spending on something like software.
Kushal: It’s a problem indeed. But I would not just rest the blame on any one group (consumer, corporations, middle men). Everyone has made their mistakes and it has snowballed in to what it is today.
Charmi: It’s a shame that something like that needs to be discussed. I have nothing to say about this. It’s the top heads of the company that have to take the ethical call of saying NO to this and a putting a stop to it!
2. People who jump jobs
Romel: You respect everyone who realizes that he needs more pay, but personally if I have to hire people, then its more about a person looking keen yet sincere. Because in animation you are looking to climb mountains which is a long term plan and that takes time so I wouldn’t want to trust people with lifelines until I was sure of their sincerity. At the end it’s the entire team that has to get to the top.
Kushal: I don’t think that is a problem. Its demand and supply.Though animation might have its share of non professionals just like any other industry. It would be unfair to put down all artists for that. An artist just wants to do good work, something that excites him and then money can be secondary. You give them good opportunities to grow, learn and express themselves and nurture their talent and you give credit and appreciate them for what they bring…why should then any sane person jump jobs?
Charmi: I would say that they do not have a vision! I am sure they have their reasons to do so. But those very reasons should be put aside to see the bigger picture. Working in the same place, especially in a small studio gives you great hands on experience because you end up doing everything possible, giving you more room to explore every aspect of the art. You become more solid in every level of animation and a kind of relation builds up with your directors, which helps you grow even more!
That’s if one is ready to absorb every word spoken and positively!
3 – Some workplace related anecdotes
Kushal: Since I just got back this May after 4 years at Sheridan, I am relatively new to the Indian Animation industry. But was lucky to get a chance to work with Kireet Khurana and the great team at 2NZ Animation co. It has been a great experience working with Kireet and the great team of artists.
Romel: Well the one thing is that on quite a few occasions to infuse personal touches to some of our work….we tend to create characters that are caricatures of the guys in the studio so when we do eventually see the films on screen…all the team go into splits with personal jokes that only we understand!!!!
4 – When do you guys plan to make your own individual short films
Kushal: I have a couple of short films that I have made. And plan to put some finishing touches on one of them very soon so that my school (Sheridan) can enter it in film festivals and stuff. Besides that, I am currently developing a couple of other short film ideas to be done within the next year or two.
Romel: Well ‘SHORTLY’ no pun intended…I have quite a few concepts in my mind and some that I keep doodling or thinking about…but i have to really convince myself about a project to eventually get it into production!
Charmi: I’m looking forward to make my short film soon. For an animator or an artist, the smallest piece of animation of any film should be moving enough .. which it is for me! But short films are generally made to explore one’s creativity and very rarely as commercial displays, cause there is no real market for short films as such.
It is a stepping stone to do something big like a feature! The truth is that one really doesn’t sit and decide that now i m going to make a short or a feature . It generally starts with the fact that you have an idea, a concept or a story which decides its own medium and format and also the duration! so there is no such thing as small pieces. Short films, feature ,2d, 3d , clay … etc… let the story do the justice to itself!
5. A few lines in appreciation of the art you have decided to pursue as a career (I like animation because…)
Kushal: Well thats difficult to say as to why I like animation….I guess to put it simply, its cause, it is “Pure Creativity”. Everything is your interpretation… to the extent that when done right…its not just about people moving drawings anymore ,but about drawings moving people. Its quite a powerful medium and once you get sucked into it, you are hooked for life.
Charmi: I not only love animation but I love film making! Motion moves me! Animation over and above all else is something in which you can do anything and everything you ever imagine to do. No restrictions, no rules, its an addiction which can make you go wild, there are thousands of ways in which you can explore different styles.
It’s a medium where you can be yourself! I think it is one of the best forms of exploring yourself as an individual too, most of the times when you are just developing a concept for yourself … the concept is about you and your life and you can express it out the way u feel!
Now its been four years in animation. I dropped out of studies from fyjc and decided to start working! It was a struggle for me because not only was I too young but I had problems focusing until I came into the real world of animation! (as in original work) Now I enjoy every bit of it and am glad that I came in early in it.
Romel: Animation is (personally) the epitome of art and filmmaking and an animation film can be the pinnacle of imagination if one wants to….example Titan A.E and Lilo & Stich or Spirited Away and The Secret of Nihm or Nausica and Monsters Inc. So one is essentially dealing with a medium that is only as vast as the human imagination!!! For someone like me who hungers for creativity I absolutely love the potential!
Wanna express your feelings about Animation? Talk to Animation 'xpress - attend next month's splash bash!