There exists a huge demand-supply gap of quality animation professionals in India. With the country expected to don the role of a major hub for animation in five years, shortage of world-class animation professionals poses a severe challenge for the industry.
Though scores of small-time institutes are churning out animators year after year, most of them fall short of expectations when it comes to quality.
Business Standard speaks to Dino M Cordero, Dean, Toonz Animation Academy, the premier animation institute backed by the Thiruvananthapuram-based animation major Toonz Animation, on the animation training scene and the problems before it.
The animation industry is booming. But there is a lack of quality animators?
We should react to the matter positively by reaching out to the raw talent in India. The need is to find and nurture talent in a proper manner.
Besides, there is a lack of industry-based institutes. The training industry and the animation industry are disjointed.
How can the shortage of animators be addressed?
This can be effectively done by creating a pool of talent and training them to become world-class and industry-ready animators. For this, quality training should be imparted.
What is the state of affairs in animation training?
I would indeed term it as moving forward. The growth is slow but steady.
Animation academies seem to be coming up in dozens. Do you think they can churn out quality professionals?
I see many institutes sprouting left and right, but most of the time they fail. This is mainly because of the attitude that animation is easy.
To be successful in this field, they have to dig deeper into its origin. They have to be fully exposed to animation itself, whether it is classical or 3D.
How big is the animation training scene in India?
It is becoming mainstream, more and more people, young and old alike are trying to catch a piece of the action. Students and aspirants should really be careful while choosing the right institute. That is more important.
Where do you see the industry in another five years?
Right now, animation is seeing a total boom here, and that is also the reason why I am here. Five years from now, perhaps India will become a major hub of animation if we just focus on the industry.
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