All Entries Tagged With: "Announcements"
CGTExpo 2008 (Update) : Masterclass Details online
CGTExpo Masterclasses will enable participants to make the most of an indepth learning environment under the guidance of experts from the diverse backgrounds - artistic, technical or conceptual. If you are interested, do register soon:
http://www.cgtexpo.com/masterclasses.html
See the details of the sessions and speakers.
Pune Ahoy!
After Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad, Pune is now being touted as the next ‘hot’ (quite literally, as of now!) destination for the animation industry. With a strong government backing, proximity to Bollywood AKA Mumbai, lesser traffic congestion and relatively affordable real estate, Pune has a lot to offer to the Animation and Gaming Industry.
Suresh Kalmadi, MP and Chairman of Pune Vyaspeeth announced at a press conference on Saturday, 17th May that the 5th Hi Tech Pune-Maharashtra 2008 conference, a 3-day event which has so far focussed on IT (Information Technology) and BT (Biotechnology) would this year include Animation and Gaming as well.
“Innovation Led Inclusive Growth” is what they are calling the conference but what exactly will be discussed with regards to the animation industry and who will speak is not certain. They have mentioned an Animation & Gaming Committee though, comprised of:
Commodore Anand Khandekar (Director Pune Development Center and Chief Mentor NVIDIA)
Ravi Gupta (Executive Director, Whistling Woods International)
Aashish Kulkarni (CEO, Anirights)
Sunanda Rathi (Director Arena Animation, Pune)
Dr. Ajay Batra (Author: “Breeding Innovation and Intellectual Capital” and “Integrated Innovation, Knowledge Management and Intellectual Capital Framework”)
The website does not offer much information either and the only topic mentioned in the list is one that has already been done to death, - “Opportunities & Challenges of Gaming & Animation Industry.” One wishes that they would find fresh topics to discuss at such prestigious events rather than have the same people rehash the same “issues” over and over again.
Indian Animation Going Vegetarian!
Not really. But I thought it makes for an interesting headline for the announcement that PETA has chosen as its brand mascot - none other than the latest animated hero to hit Indian screens - Ghatothkach.
Created by Shemaroo Entertainment and Sun Animatics for the animated ‘Ghatothkach - Master of Magic’, the character - Ghatothkach has been adopted by PETA as the Official Brand Ambassador for their ‘Save The Elephant’ campaign.
The announcement was made at music launch function of the movie which is all set to release on this Friday, the 23rd of May. The story, direction and music for the film are by veteran director, Singeetam Srinivasa Rao, who is known for films like ‘Pushpak’, ‘Appu Raja’, ‘Mayuri’ and ‘Son Of Aladdin’. The 90 minute long, 2D animated feature is a collaboration between Shemaroo and Sun Animatics.
Credit must be given to the producers of the film who are going all out to promote Ghatothkach. The film will be released internationally in UK, USA and UAE, dubbed in Hindi, English, Tamil and Malayalam, screened at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival, adapted to mobile and online games and advertised all over the country through every possible medium. The mascot will visit malls and multiplexes, there are tie-ups with McDonalds and Chandamama and a plethora of merchandising options being exploited. The music, as always, is being heavily promoted.
Whether the Indian Animation Industry meets international standards in terms of animation quality or not, it sure has come of age as far as marketing , promoting and merchandising the characters and films is concerned (In other words, it is finally learning to make money from animated films!)
I sincerely hope that the animation is as good as the character design seen in the promos, or else for true animation fans aching to see drool-worthy Indian animation, the wait is long and arduous. All I can say to them (and myself ) until then is…
Shree Ganesh! Hare Krishna! Jai Hanuman!
(picture copyright : Shemaroo Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.)
Kahani World showcases its ‘magnificent seven’ at Cannes
“Along with many Indian flavours that have pervaded the international culture scene, Indian animation looks all set to enthrall kids everywhere. The response to our shows at the Cannes Film Festival is overwhelming.”
This is what a visibly pleased Biren Ghose, CEO & President of Kahani World, had to say from Cannes, where the company is showcasing its bouquet of 7 spanking new films with a distinct ‘Eastern flavour’ but targeted at a worldwide audience.
In the next 2 years, Kahani World, which is headquartered in Canada, will produce 7 films specially targeted at the three viewer segments of kids, tweens and teens. The content will be extended to various platforms, including dynamic new media.
Here’s a quick look at the slate of films:
Secrets of Seven Sounds, a Deepak Chopra and Shekhar Kapur production, in a joint venture with Virgin Comics.
CGTExpo 2008 : 24th & 25th May, Goregaon, Mumbai
CGTantra has partnered with Nine to organize CGTExpo 08 - India’s First Career Guidance and Computer Graphics Technology Expo on Animation, Visual Effects and Gaming.
Conceived with CGTantra’s philosophy of “Learn Inspire Grow”, CGTExpo aims to provide an insight into a career in Animation, VFX and Gaming as well as a cross pollination among the Studio’s, technology professionals and the student fraternity.
Activities planned at the Expo include a Job Fair, an Education Fair, a Technical Exhibition, Master classes, Showcases, Seminars, Student Competitions, Art Galleries, Entertainment Zone etc.
Set to be the largest such event in India, it will be held over 2600 square meter of air-conditioned space at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Western Express Highway, Goregaon (E), Mumbai on 24th and 25th May, 2008.
As Online Media Partner, AllAboutAnimation.com will keep bringing you updates, interviews and extensive coverage of the event.
Cheenti Cheenti Bang Bang - An interesting premise and a promising film!
A war between Red and Black Ants makes for a very interesting premise for an animated feature. Cheenti Cheenti Bang Bang is a 82 min long being produced jointly by Elecom Animation Academy, a Kolkata-based animation training institute, and Mumbai’s Fiesta Entertainment and will be released in May this year.
SEE THE TRAILER
The name of the film is a clever play on words (an ant is called a Cheenti in Hindi) and has absolutely nothing to do with the 1964 Ian Fleming book - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang or the 1968 film by the same name. It is actually based on ‘Lal Kalo’ (Red Black), a popular Bengali children’s novel by Girindrashekhar Basu.
Bringing Robots To Life… the ILM way!
I just received an email from Lucasfilm Animation Singapore, which has a center in Hyderabad in India, about a session with ILM Artist - Nigel Sumner, that they are organizing. Though the only details they have provided are the date (11th May), time (2 pm to 5:30 pm) and speaker (Nigel Sumner), once we have more info, it will be uploaded here on the website.
You can register online by going to: lasjedi.com/events Though entry is free, there is limited seating so if you want to attend, you better hurry up!
Nigel Sumner has worked on numerous Hollywood films as Sequence Supervisor and from the poster, I am assuming that he will be talking about his work on the Hollywood VFX-rich film, - Transformers.
To know more about Nigel Sumner, you can read this interview from ILMfan.com (It’s an old interview but it should help you get some idea about the speaker and his past work): Read the interview.
Women in Animation Meet Up in Mumbai on 23rd April
Meet Chutki, the cute little mascot of the Indian chapter of Women in Animation, at their first ever Meet Up on 23rd April, 2008, in Mumbai.
Women In Animation is a professional, non-profit organization established in 1994 to foster the dignity, concerns and advancement of women who are involved in any and all aspects of the art and industry of animation. WIA is also an educational organization. The Indian chapter is led by Saraswathi Balgam with help from Rekha Thorat.
Through their workshops, meetings and panels, WIA aims to share with its members a valuable insight into the industry, available opportunities and other educational resources. The Indian chapter is actively looking for volunteers to help launch this organization at a grass roots level.
On 23rd April, WIA has organised its first ever meet up that will bring together on one platform some of India’s leading women animators and film makers like Simi Nallaseth, Geetanjali Rao, Simi Nallaseth, Sherry Bharda, Nina Sabnani, Shilpa Ranade and Saraswathi Balgam.
