The KAVGC policy has finally become a reality and it’s a great occasion for the industry, and so much more for those involved right from the very beginning of the efforts to get the Government to support the industry. As one of those members of the Industry who has always been at the forefront of outreach and lobbying, and one who has been one of the founders of ABAI, What’s your take on the KAVGC Policy?
The Policy is a great beginning, more so the timing of the policy is of great importance when the Industry is passing through a difficult phase because of the non existence of support by the centre on critical areas. While the centre is still thinking of taking positive action, the state government has shown a lot of agility in responding to the Industry’s needs. This speaks very high of the state of Karnataka and one could guess very easily how even in the past such initiatives have helped them build leadership in IT.
I think as an industry we still have to see a real success coming to the AVGC sector. Its been a tough journey for this sector because of the fact that it always required government intervention and the talent pool needed to be nurtured in a very different way. Under the shadows of IT and ITES the Industry could benefit a great deal as an outsourcing hub but the cost arbitrage which was once the key USP is no longer the USP for animation. The focus had shifted from cost to quality and the International players who came to India for quality continue to come even today.
The paradigm shift from hardcore animation to gaming, VFX for films in the middle and the top segments of the pyramid added significant growth to the industry in the last four years followed by lower and middle segment establishments of 2D to 3D conversion in the last two years. Although, the opportunities were many, the 2008-2009 recessions had brought in a trend of digital 2D animation into the mainstream while majority of the studios were built on 3D pipelines. Many of them quickly took a cue and moved the resources and aligned the pipelines to meet the new trends.
The neighbours however got stronger by consistently investing into promoting AVGC Segment as an industry within the country as well as in the international markets under the organized banner supported by the respective Governments of Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Korea and China. They were also getting stronger day by day by signing co-production treaties with the relevant animation and gaming countries such as France, Canada, Brazil, UK, Japan, Spain, Italy and the US. whereby giving a major boost to the digital content creation movement for all the digital platforms available today.
With the state governments coming forward with policies, it will definitely help the AVGC sector in many ways. On the skills and talent pool side, it will help the AVGC sector to consolidate and promote itself as an attractive career option at par with engineering and medical. It should help in regional programming and will be seen as a great value addition to the regional cinema as well as television programming in live action.
What are your inputs with regard to the implementation of the KAVGC Policy?
On KAVGC – I think it should be spent on the centre of excellence and providing infrastructure and know-how to the traditionally creative pockets and art schools in Karnataka to empower them to make career in Digital Arts, some effort in places like Chanapatna and Ramnagram in particular might also help converting traditional artists to venture into the hardcore digital film making career.
Secondly, Karnataka as a hub for AVGC should be properly promoted at all relevant forums in India and worldwide.
Thirdly we should intelligently save some money and figure out a possibility, of forming a fund
to invest into original content creation from Karnataka. The modalities of implementation can however be done with formation of a core team comprising of experts from AVGC sector and government officials.
Now that the representation has been several times through several industry bodies, what more would you want from Version 2.0 of this and other policies that are announced by other state governments?
We are still left with large number of unanswered questions which deprive us as an industry to tap unexplored opportunities, most of the AVGC sectors concerns need to be addressed at the national level.
As it has been suggested, what is your take on 10 years tax holiday?
The STPI benefit no longer exists which helped when the industry was only focussed towards outsouring work. Given the fact that AVGC sector in India is still at a nascent stage and it will take much longer time to become a self sustaining industry , one would look forward to an atleast 10 years tax holiday.
What do you feel about the suggested Coproduction treaties?
It is pertinant to state that animation has always been a collaborative production process and Co productions between countries has been prevailing for over two decades. It is extremely important for India to sign coproduction treaties inclusive of television production and film production with all animation production countries like Canada,US, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Tinidad, Brazil, Argentina, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea, Taiwan, HongKong, China, Japan Australia, New Zealand etc.
What is your take on the suggested reservation of content on channels?
While we have had several rounds of discussion between televison networks, studios and the Government on making available animated original content on Indian channels, it was evolved and suggested that setting up national terrestrial and free to air animation television networks focusing on Indigenous and cultural content will surely boost the sector.
It is recommended that these National Animation Networks should carry a substantial percentage of locally created content. The programming can be educational as well, since the national terestrial networks would reach the remotest corners of the country. It’s a win win proposal which would work in favor of the network as well as incentive to the studios and encourage them to create more animated original content our of India.
It would even evolve the talent pool to make various kinds of digital tools and programs which can go as applications and activities on mobile devices, tablets, online and the ever evolving new screens and platforms.