Creative Multimedia – one of the oldest multimedia institutions in the country and the longest-serving multimedia group in the Telugu-speaking states reached an important milestone as it celebrated its Silver Jubilee in a spectacular fashion amidst leading lights of the industry and government at Ravindra Bharati, Hyderabad on Thursday, 20 July 2023.
Commencing on a traditional note with the lighting-the-lamp ceremony, the celebrations were marked by a string of enriching and entertaining sessions, culminating in the awards function and concluding with a vote of thanks.
Veterans from the industry and government who graced the event included Telangana Govt Industries, Commerce & IT principal secretary Jayesh Ranjan, legendary Telugu cartoonist of Eenadu Sridhar Rao, Vaibhav Studios creative director Vaibhav Kumaresh, Gamitronics founder & CEO Rajat Ojha, Phantom FX, Hyderabad HR Ramya Kalyanaraman, Green Gold Animation HR manager Meher Prasad, NY VFXWAALA HR manager Goshamahal Radhika and Creative Multimedia alumni and Mesmor Animation Studio CEO Vijay Kalyan.
Ranjan, the chief guest of the day, arrived to rousing applause. He congratulated Creative Multimedia on crossing the 25-year milestone and said it was a big achievement that the institute has produced over 28,000 students. “I am sure many of them are working in top companies and some may be entrepreneurs,” he said.
Referring to Creative Multimedia’s vision of transforming into a multimedia university, he said that it is a matter of great honour as there is no such institution anywhere and that he is ready to support and help realise this dream. Highlighting Telangana’s role in the growth of the AVGC industry in India, he said that the T-Hub facility that’s coming up in Hyderabad amidst rapid infrastructure proliferation has become a talking point and MNCs are unable to believe the kind of growth that’s happening here. Stating that the AVGC industry in India is growing at a rapid clip with a big spike in the amount of work being done, he told students that the future of the industry is bright. “There are plenty of job opportunities and there is no challenge in finding work. Please work hard so that recruiters will recognise you”, he concluded.
His talk was followed by a dance performance before Rao, the celebrated cartoonist (ex Eenadu) was invited onto the stage. Addressing the gathering, Rao congratulated Creative Multimedia founder Raja Sekhar Buggaveeti on the occasion of the 25th anniversary celebrations and said, “Mr. Raja Sekhar built the institution brick-by-brick. He understands the importance of hard work. Crossing the 25-year milestone and training 28,000 professionals is no mean achievement. Importantly, we all yearn to learn, but we need someone to teach us. It’s hard to find a passionate teacher. Over four decades ago, when I came to Hyderabad as a young career aspirant with dreams in my eyes, I would approach people hopeful of learning drawing, but invariably, everyone would discourage me and suggest that I try my hand at something else. Thankfully, you, the students of Creative Multimedia have a committed mentor in Mr. Raja Sekhar. Overlooking profits, he has dedicated himself to helping you achieve your career goals. Mr. Raja Sekhar is a warm, inspiring soul and I came here out of love for him. I sincerely wish that Creative Multimedia achieves its mission of becoming a Multimedia University.”
Next to address the gathering was Gamitronics’ Ojha. He congratulated Raja Sekhar and said that completing 25 years is a major achievement. “Gamitronics is in Hyderabad because of people like Raja Sekhar who have created great talent pool for AVGC players,” he quipped, as he went on to elaborate on the potential of the gaming industry. Highlighting the ground-breaking trends in content creation with disruptive tools such as AI (artificial intelligence) and citing the case of the Metaverse where large corporate are sinking truckloads of money in immersive worlds, he said that gaming and entertainment are thriving on simulation. After an elaborate presentation that included discussions on futuristic tools such as Unreal Engine, he concluded with a Q&A session.
Green Gold Animation’s Prasad took over the stage and walked students through a presentation on the company’s multiple divisions stating that it would help them identify the one that is most suitable for a job opening. Dwelling at length on the company’s business verticals, Prasad said, “Green Gold Animation has a 600-strong team and we have opportunities for both 2D and 3D artists as well as VFX and gaming talent as we are creating IP and projects for the global market.” Ended on a congratulatory note, he thanked Buggaveeti for inviting him to the celebrations.
Vaibhav Studios’ Kumaresh was next on stage. He delivered an educative presentation on animation production. Screening the TV channel Idents, television commercials and other animation work including the International Emmy award-winning Lamput Series, and pro-Bono films that his studio produced, he delivered an engaging master session on the behind-the-scenes of 2D animation films. The realistic miniature sets made with real material and the frames involving shooting with puppets were particularly interesting. As a special gesture for the young animation enthusiasts, Kumaresh shared a confidential clip of his studio’s maiden feature-length 3D animation film Return of the Jungle that’s slated for a summer 2024 release. Post his presentation, Kumaresh fielded a range of questions and concluded with firm advice to students: “Put your money where your heart is”.
NY VFXWALA’s Radhika was a special guest at the event. She screened a showreel comprising the best works of her studio and said that NY VFXWALA is purely into VFX. She advised students to reach out and offered to support them with internship opportunities if required.
Radhika left the podium to Creative Multimedia alumnus Mesmor Animation’s Kalyan who had some words of encouragement for the students. He exclaimed, “I’m here as a proud alumnus of Creative Multimedia – a recognised name in animation training. You look at any company in the media and entertainment space worldwide and you are likely to find a Creative Multimedia student working there. Creative Multimedia is recognised as a serious platform for supporting the talent needs of companies in AVGC and allied fields. After my training at Creative Multimedia, I began my career as a graphic designer and progressed over time to become the CEO of Mesmor Animation Studios. Animation is in a continually evolving field and it is crucial to stay updated. India is one of the best destinations for animation work and the country holds a special place on the global animation platform. Students of Creative Multimedia are in safe hands.” He concluded by congratulating students, inviting them for a studio visit, and offering career-related support including internship opportunities.
Phantom FX’s Kalyanaraman addressed the students and advised them to prepare a good portfolio to strengthen their job opportunities.
The Pixellence Awards aimed at honouring outstanding digital media talent were presented to 34 students in different categories. Games and sports awards were given out to 54 students. The institute also acknowledged the contributions of its long-standing employees with 19 “Long Service” Awards.
On the occasion, Creative Multimedia Group founder and CEO Buggaveeti thanked all the special guests and wrapped up on an inspiring note by sharing three guiding principles of the group: “Always give your best, adopt a win-win mindset, and treat life as a cooperative arena, not a competitive one”.
(Creative Multimedia is an award-winning Digital Media Education Group offering a range of certificate, diploma, degree, and PG programs in animation, VFX, gaming and UI/UX design. The updated experiential programs are designed to help aspirants forge successful careers in the world of creative arts. Reputed for its strong placements and recruiter network, the group has shaped over 28,000 winning careers. Its alumni are spread across India, Europe, America, Australia and other parts of the world. Established in 1998, the group has won over 150 awards and has been setting the standards in digital media education.)