“This year 24 FPS will get a new international look right from the branding to the final showcasing, and the tremendous response that we got from studios in India & abroad is overwhelming”
Please give a brief backgrounder on the 24FPS Animation Awards and how they are relevant to the Indian animation industry?
The 24FPS Animation Awards is a celebration of animation excellence and recognition of the best animation talent in India. Initiated by Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics, the academic wing of Maya Entertainment Ltd. in 2003, the first 24FPS Awards featured visual effects as its main theme. Thirty five students took part in the first ever practical learning program and contest which was supervised and monitored by a panel of expert Creative Directors from Maya Entertainment Ltd.
The 24FPS Animated Awards 2004-2005 featured more than 150 students and was highly endorsed and supported by the Animation Industry. The program featured social issues as its prime theme.
As the success saga continues, our endeavor to deliver the best to the industry also continues. The 24 FPS Animation Award 2005-06 had more than 250 students that participated from across India.
This year‘s program also features social issues as its theme.
24 FPS acts as a catalyst to bring the students & studios at one platform wherein the students showcase their skills in front of the top industry professionals & studios, which in turn acts as a placement platform for the students.
The studios also get a first hand count of the quality of students passing out every year. 24 FPS also act as a platform where the students get a feel of a studio experience and points like deadlines, team work, leadership skill, self motivation and creativity.
24FPS also happens to be unique in the sense that it is possibly the only animation competition which is student centric and where students make films exclusively for the competition unlike other contests where people submit their existing works.
What‘s new at 24FPS this year?
This year 24 FPS will get a new international look right from the branding to the final showcasing, and the tremendous response that we got from studios in India & abroad is overwhelming.
What do you find unique about Indian animation students, what according to you are their strengths?
The students in India are very sincere and passionate about the field. The amount of work outsourced to India proves the point that animators in India are very skilled. The positive factor with students in India that differentiate them is that the basic knowledge of English is good out here, which really helps the studios in west to communicate freely. Also India is a land of art & culture, so students here in India are traditionally bent towards art & culture which is very important attribute for a good animator.
You have constantly mentioned about the Awards not being restricted to MAAC and they being open for all institutes. Your comments on the same.
The huge number of participation from other institutes that we got for the last edition of 24 FPS proves the fact that the competition is not restricted to MAAC students. In fact for this year 24 FPS we already got great response from students & professionals from various institutes & studios & many more are pouring in everyday, reaffirm my statement. In the beginning, the competition was centered around MAAC students only. The concept proved immensely successful. Over the years over 300 students have been absorbed by the industry from the 24FPS Animation Awards and it was important to extend this to non-MAAC students as well. Hence we‘ve opened up the competition to non-MAAC students, professionals and production houses as well.
Could you share some of the media blitz being planned?
We have tied up with NDTV as our electronic partner to promote 24 FPS extensively for the next 3 months. NDTV will also showcase the event in both NDTV profit & NDTV 24×7. Besides NDTV we are also promoting 24 FPS extensively through Animation Xpress.com, Animation Reporter & CG Tantra for the next 3 months.
We will also follow it up by a strong PR exercise throughout India.
You must already have a large collection of 24FPS short films and they have been faring pretty well in the festival circuit too. Any 24FPS retro around the corner?
We are planning to release a best of 24 FPS on DVD soon.