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Q I am interested in studying animation. What is the scope of 3D animation in India as opposed to 2D? Can you also suggest names of colleges abroad that offer graduate courses in animation? — Gaurav Jaiswal A The box-office success of 3D films like Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Shrek, Ice Age (1 & 2) Madagascar and Monsters Inc has revolutionised the very concept of animated features. Although India’s share in outsourced 2D animation was very modest, when it comes to 3D we can leapfrog onto the fast track provided we overcome the current shortage of skilled manpower in 3D. Even studios in The Philippines, Taiwan and Korea that worked as low-cost production outsourcing centres for big international media houses are finding it difficult to scale their operations from 2D to 3D. However, the skill set required for 3D animation is far more intricate than for 2D and animation houses in the US, UK and Canada are now on the lookout for alternate low-cost 3D production centres. For the Indian animation industry, this is an excellent opportunity just waiting to be exploited, provided we can shore up competent manpower and graduate beyond the relatively low-end “in-betweening” work that we are mainly doing today. India’s biggest advantage is cost. Our animators can produce a 30-miniute 3D programme for just $60,000 whereas the same length animation feature produced in the US costs a whopping $2, 50,000 - 4,00,000. While an animator can do an entire 2D frame on his own, it takes an entire team of artists working in tandem to get the lighting, composition, modelling and rigging right to compose a 3D frame. Besides, this calls for a high degree of specialisation combined with creative talent and computer skills. The challenge lies in how real, credible and interesting you can make the animated characters seem — be they humans, animals or objects. In terms of prospects, the sky is the limit for experienced 3D animators. While there are about 10,000 animators in the country, there is a demand for at least 50,000. The Indian animation industry is faced with the dilemma of not being able to recruit animators fresh out of college as they are too raw. If you want to pursue studies abroad you can opt for the graduate courses offered at the University of California, LA or Calarts in the US or the Vancouver Film School, Capilano College, Vancouver and Sheridan College, Toronto in Canada. Close to 80 per cent of Disney Animation, Canada’s animators are from Sheridan. However, getting in is competitive: More than 4,000 applicants apply each year for the 120 slots in the animation programme. The writer is a noted career consultant
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Globally, animation is the fastest growing segment within the IT-enabled Services sector. With production costs being a fourth of that in the US, India is fast emerging as a mega base for outsourcing animation production from global studios. NASSCOM expects the Indian animation industry to touch $ 950 million by 2009. The present turnover of $600 million is set for an annual 30 per cent growth. 
