The Animation Scenario – The Indian Story
Have you noticed the lack of ads for positions in the Animation Industry?
The data from the NASSCOM (Animation & Gaming Report 2007) states that there are approximately 16000 animators in India and majority of these animators are employed gainfully in Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Gurgaon, Noida etc.
The shortage is in the range of 3000-5000 personals at this very moment and is ever growing. The animation industry officials know this fact but are helpless. So they don’t waste their money on ads. Earlier they would poach from each other and lately the bigger studios have developed in-house training programs keeping the future in mind. This is an expensive affair, which will affect their bottom-line but for now they have no other option.
This lack of people is badly affecting the animation industry. Most studios have projects lined up for the coming 2-5 years with tight deadlines to keep as most of these projects are from the international market. This situation has forced the industry to look for animation professionals from international markets and many studios are recruiting foreign hands. Maybe we need them if we have to move fast and their experience could really count in such a knowledge intensive industry.
The short sightedness of the industry in a way has lead to this situation. There is a very serious lack of the proper awareness about the opportunities and scope of the animation industry even in the urban areas. There is a wrong perception of all things, particularly when students are convinced that a six month course will get them high paying jobs in Animation. The business of animation is sidelining the animation education as even after 15 years of existence in India the field is not understood.
The existing animation education only looks good on advertisements with lots of promises and job guarantees but no solid roadmap for a student to build a career. Most of the animation institutes are not run by Animation Professionals, and they all want to cash on the visible boom in the industry. This kind of establishment can only provide ill trained and insecure artists and technicians which will only compound the problem.
This complains can be repeated over and over but to no avail. Until the people who promote such education don’t take responsibility and rectify their mistakes. But this is India, things change slowly. We can’t wait for that to happen, the clock can’t be turned back, so it would do to find another alternative.
There is no quick fix solution. Only proper long and short term goals with joint and coordinated effort between the government who need to put in the regulations pretty fast, the industry veterans, those willing to do good for the industry (As there is no dearth of self promoters) and the educational institutes, only the good ones will have to play the lead role as they are the only ones who can guide the future of this industry.
A lot needs to be done, at a very fast pace if we have to maintain our competitive edge and deliver content be it films, serials or games. There is a huge market for it as India has yet to discover its appetite for animations, and the world is still hungry for more.
The work is there, but it needs people to create and deliver it. The industry knows this, it’s about time the people also came to know about this great career. We can be giants at it in a short while. The sooner we act, the better it is for the overall growth of the Indian industry.
A look at the probable solutions
Vision- We need to develop a vision as an animation nation. We have to set goals, decide where we want to stand in the next five years and then develop plans accordingly. Singapore is one example that the government should look at closely, to study how they need to participate.
Invest – We need to invest first in the people and along with everything else. Most animation studios are facing a massive shortage of quality people, and they demand for the best as they have a lot at stake. But they have to realize that facilities and machines can be acquired at will, but quality people need to go through a cycle before they can deliver the goods. Animation education must take first priority if they want good manpower unless they are willing to pay in dollars for foreign hands.
Share – The industry and the animation institutes need to acknowledge and build appropriate, mutually beneficial tie-ups for long term gains. This alliance is one of the most important actions that need to materialize quickly if we have to grow at a healthy pace.
Develop – We need to create platforms for the huge talent which will be generated and will need all possible avenues to showcase their talent. Already we are seeing some steps in the form of Anifest, FICCI-Baf, etc. but these programs are big city events and talent is available everywhere. A wider circulation of events will be good for the overall growth and help broaden the scope to all sections.
Promote – This field is knowledge and resource intensive field .There will be many who have the knowledge but find it difficult to raise the resources to realize their ideas. This is where the tax breaks, the bank loans the right business guidance and mentoring will play a huge role in promoting quality ideas and people. Every field is dependent on these two factors primarily to become a success, they have to be given due importance from the very start.
Technology – As mentioned this is a very resource intensive field, and technology is one of the main players. Which at present is imported from the west, we are the end users of this technology not the creators. There is a long way for India to develop similar technology, but appropriate moves in the right direction as early as possible will help us breach the gap. There will be a time when we will have to use our own technology to be cost effective and viable.
Network – There is a very evident need to create a strong network between the knowledge creators and the knowledge users, between the idea generators and financers, the developers and the marketers. NASSCOM is doing its thing, but animation may rival software development in a short time in terms of content developed and consumed and the economics of the entire operation will make a huge difference. Very soon we will need a dedicated body exclusively catering to the animation and gaming industry which will act as a facilitator between these different players in the industry.
Start-ups / Entrepreneurs – They are the ones who will question the status Quo and dig out solutions which the bigger and well established companies wouldn’t dare to touch upon. But these risk takers should be able to survive long for their risks to pay off. They need to be provided a supporting ecosystem, for them to do their stuff. Usually in the entrepreneur’s language it means access to funding, the life blood of a start-ups and entrepreneurship.
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