"The government needs to get involved with animation training and education"

l What is the

size of the animation market in India?



In terms of the number of studios, the size of the Indian animation market

is around 75. As for a measure of revenues, there really hasn’t been a

definitive report, which clearly outlines animation sales. The number will

vary greatly depending on which animation services are being included in the

survey.  However, a number that is commonly quoted is US$100 million. 

l What is the

kind of work is being done in India and how high are we in the value chain?



A lot of animation work is being done for the domestic marketplace.

Advertisement films, commercials, special effects, and some serial work for

Indian clients make up a large percentage of business for many Indian

studios.  Outsourcing is also big business.  This normally includes

contract services work and co-productions with studios in other countries.

A small amount of original work is also being produced. While Toonz has

already sold two television series, PentaMedia has been involved in feature

length films for the international market. There has also been some

regional work being done for Singapore and Malaysia. While most of the big

players are concerned about the training and development of human assets for the

sector and are addressing the issue by getting into training themselves, couples

of Indian players are also attempting to address the gaming market.

l Which are

the countries outsourcing animation works to India?



Countries in Europe have been outsourcing a lot of work to India.

These include France, UK, Spain, Italy and Germany. In North America, both the

USA and Canada are now sending work.  We expect the amount of work coming

from Canada will increase dramatically once the animation trade treaty between

India and Canada is signed.  This is now slated for next month.  There

is also an increasing amount of outsourcing from the Middle East countries.

l What does

the industry as well as the Indian government needs to do in order to make India

the hottest destination for animation outsourcing?



Some progress has already been made.  The treaty with Canada will be

very helpful.  Canada is one of the most prolific countries in the world

when it comes to animation production.  But there are other things that

would help.  High on that list would be having the government get involved

with animation training and education.  This is a tremendous cost that most

studios must bear. Globally, the countries that have been successful in

animation production are those backed by animation colleges and I’d certainly

like to see at least one or two such school being dedicated to the sector

soon. 

l What are the

challenges that the Indian animation industry needs to tackle if it has to

succeed globally?



Aside from animation colleges and trade agreements I think a major challenge

for Indian studios involves the disciplines of on-time schedules and

airdates. Sometimes appetites are greater than capacity and schedules are

missed. This gives the whole industry in India a sore eye. Our client

studios, understandably, will not tolerate missed air dates. We’re growing so

fast that it’s not uncommon these kinds of problems to crop

up. Experience will help us solve such issue. Another big challenge is

to find ways to make potential clients feel comfortable about communication and

security issues. All of us here know that these aren’t problems, but when

we’re courting new clients, they’re wary.

l Do you see

the India-Hollywood relation changing and maturing to the extent that we can

expect big orders?



India’s Hollywood connection has certainly undergone significant
change. At least three Indian studios now have offices in Hollywood

(Burbank). At Toonz, we’re now completing the first animated series to

come out of India for worldwide audiences, thus competing with Hollywod

series. The series is being distributed by UK-based Indigo Kids and

discussions are currently underway with US broadcasters. It will have its

world premiere on Cartoon Network India sometime in April or May.

l Does that

mean India can crack the animation market?



There’s absolutely no question in my mind that India can and is cracking

the animation market. In fact, I expect the sector to grow by 50% to 75%

annually for the next five years. Today, India is at a very advanced stage in

digital animation technology and almost at par with the global

standards. With many of the studios being involved with special effects for

advertisement films and live action films, the country as a whole has gained

great deal of technological experience. And, of course, India has a rich

heritage in IT training and technology. Not to forget the price and

language advantage that India has over numerous competing countries. What

we just need is a bit more seasoning. The area where India needs to pay

attention is, however, that of traditional 2D animation where we lack of

much-essential trained manpower. Another are of concern is to expand the

domestic market. The reason why there is so little animation produced

specifically for the Indian market is purely economical.  Indian

broadcasters pay very small amounts for animation programming and producing

animation is very expensive. Hence, there is need for creating awareness and

change in mindset.