ANIMAGIC completes 16 years!!

Since my last post for Mahashivaratri 2012, so much has happened it is not going to be possible to recount in a single post. Animagic watchers may have gleaned some of the goings-on from stray posts on the website or the occasional facebook news... but an an amazing lot happened... mostly happy stuff! :) peppered with a few tragedies (life..:( )
So with sincere gratitude to all above and below, here follows something like an annual report- a brief recounting of Animagic's adventures through 2012-13

Buongiorno Italia!
First, Animagic represented Indian animation in a special Cartoons on the Bay (Italy) focus on India.* Yours humbly along  with representatives of 4 other studios, presented various shades of  'Indian emerging'... DQ entertainment was also awarded International Studio of the year in the light of its major presence in European  animation and for its (growing financial contribution to the same via acquisitions etc) All in all a great time was had. TRIPURA was screened, appreciated and led to some great conversations. Impromptu picnics brought together the attending Indian delegates and created/ strengthened friendships..

Pakdam Pakdaai!
Which almost directly leads to the second thing; The acquaintance and consequent friendship with Hari Varma of TOONZ Trivandrum brought 2 new projects into Animagic. One of which was/is 'Pakdam Pakdaai" a chase comedy style cartoon currently on air on Nick at 6.30 pm daily.. We did the pre-production for the show's 7 episodes (each 21 mins episode with 3 cartoons of 7 mins duration) ie we did the turnarounds & expression sheets of all the main characters and then storyboarding/ flash animatic/ + designs of incidental characters and environments, + painting of master bgs).. An exhausting scheduling but a great experiment and validation: It has always been our belief that sincere, hardworking freshers can beat the disadvantage of not having field experience with proper mentoring. Our young team (mostly from Symbiosis, Pune) along with a handful of people of varying exposure to cartoon animation made up with their energy and commitment what they may have lacked initially in terms of experience. Kudos to Rohan, Shaunak, Anshita, Mitali who were eventually even supervising artists with up to 15 years experience!! Very proud of them all!
The project was wrapped up to the satisfaction of all in March 2013.. fingers crossed for PP's season 2..*

Call of the Divine!
The other major highlight of the year was beginning a new feature film!! Also in collaboration with Toonz, this time a co-production for a 90 minute venture that might become a big event in the coming year if all goes well. SWAMI AYYAPPAN, the boy-God revered by millions has never converted into an animation project ( people have tried). This first time telling of his exploits is co-directed by yours truly with the talented Mahesh Vettiyar of Toonz who has written the script. Being made in Malayalam ( yes, right!) this feature id designed and directed (and also now animated) in Animagic. Unlike Tripura, where the animation was outsourced to Malaysia, this film has been farmed out to several Indian studios who are all contributing little segments. While this kind of collaboration has been carried out by some before, this time is unique in many ways that will merit a separate post. Its looking good so far and we endeavor to make it worth the average Ayyappan- follower's time and the public's money. Its a lot of work (punishing to say the least, but it echoes the principle behind the pilgrimage to Sabarimala- a long and arduous journey to truth and purification) May we succeed.*

Notable also for more new entrants into Animagic- Mitra, part of the fresher group ( possibly the youngest in the studio) already has the entire animatic edit of an animation feature film to her credit.. Nilesh who has over the years accumulated much experience in the art of background painting but not allowed himself to be jaded or commercialized  His inspiration is Kazuo Oga (and I feel his work in Ayyappan is as sincere as Oga's for Ghibli) if he keeps up - Animation background art in India (as opposed to matte painting) will flourish and inspire the next gen!

The project!
Also finally a major (secret) collaboration with Ram Madhwani was also initiated and will soon be completed as well. A graphic novel/ live-action pre-production* project this also has an Indian root and very spiritual center which both Ram and I have had to search for within ourselves as well. Ram has been hard at that. I just about manage to draw.
All exciting stuff tho, needing growth by handfuls and never a complacent run. Typical Animagic project! Only made possible by vigilant support from Prajakta and G.

Executive style!
Throughout this busy year, we have had the good luck to have found our very first Production supervisor and all round manager- Shital who did yeoman work in harnessing the young talents to their deadlines- without losing integrity. For the former and especially the more important latter part we are grateful to her. She is the first executive management that Animagic has had and as such, a wonderful omen of things to come.

Commercials!

The ad work included small bits for Voltas all weather ACs and I-pill redux in the form of I-SURE, a corporate film for Videocon, several pre-production & storyboard projects like the HIPPO -One World tvc, Maruti, GreenLam laminates-Soundarya Premi etc.*

Events & lectures!
Apart from these the projects some happy incidents included accolades from the Industry as 'Lionheart leaders of Independent animation for both G(ayatri) and yours humbly, sponsored by ARENA, an invitation to speak at the MAAC event in Goa with both students and mentors about animation, character design and the need for artists not mere technicians. Thanks to the door-drishti of Sanjiv Waeerkar & his team which wanted the students to aim higher. A very urgent need indeed and not just for MAAC students.*
A session at the Ecole-Inuit design labs, organised by Jamila Varawala turned into a discussion on 'why we do what we do' : a meditation on the sources of our inspiration and the quest for sincerity in art.

Ohayo gozaimasu Japan !
Last but not the least was a unexpected visit to Japan organised by AOTS, which brought together 19 animation artists and professionals for a 9 day visit to the land of the rising sun and Anime!! With guest lecturers ranging from long time (now retired) director of Doraemon, the legendary Shibayama sensei to the multi award winning Koji Yamamura (for 'mount head') to the head of the Japan Animation Association, an enlightening time was had by all. Topped with a visit to the Sensoji shrine, Kamakura (the birthplace of the samurai), the awesome Fujiko. F. Fujio (Doraemon) museum and the enchanting Akihabara district with its comic and toy shops which saw all of us become crazy kids again!!*

Woof!
The canine team saw new addition in the form of OMie, Teddy n Noddy..* Many canine adventures peppered our lives throughout the year.. but puppy love grew in leaps n bounds! Shambho & Damroo are doing very well too..

*Each of these events deserves a separate post to detail the experiences and learning... every life event has been informing the next and enriching it... Today is the first day I have taken an off to sit down and recap life...I hope that I will be able to note the unique gifts of every step before they merge into subconscious ocean of learnings.

For now A very happy birthday to Animagic! congrats to Animagicians for being splendid and a dream for the year ahead!

Thanks for the patience and till the next time (soon... :))

MahaShivaratri 2012

Om Namah Shivay!!

Just back from the 2nd annual Comic Con in Delhi... very exhausted, but very excited too. The response to the preview pages of the TRIPURA graphic novel was tremendous! Thanks to our friend Lalit in New Delhi we were able to publish somethings just in time for the comic con.. 
This poster above sold a lot! Someone brought to my notice it was just as well because it was timely for MahaShivaratri (the great night of Shiva!! read more about this here & here)! Once the penny dropped, it became even more exciting to see the people that would be drawn to the poster and want to buy it... These were people who didnt need any selling (not that I can get myself to... sheesh!!!..erase, erase..negative affirmation!) but their eyes would twinkle in awe and admiration for the Great God! 
Some were struck by the inner strength of the scene, some by the serenity, some by the fact that it was how they saw HIM in their head. Some felt the black'n' white nature of the image was correct for the mood. those who noticed the awestruck Indra looking up understood the moment of majesty... some asked for the artist... soon it came to pass that the artist signed all the posters with a reminder and wish of the "love & Grace" for all who bought it!

  Bam Bam Bhole!!

Jai Bholenath!

TRIPURA at IAD celebrations in Pune! Indore! & Hyderabad!

Sunday was a day of great happiness!! Apart from just the joy of sharing the process behind TRIPURA, we made many new friends, met many souls who got goose pimples seeing the great Lord Shiva transform into Pashupati!!!, met great artists from around the world, WON the ASIFA India Award of Excellence "Special Jury Mention" and had a great dinner with friends at Leopolds after a very very long time!!!
Thanks Vani, Prasad, Amit & all at ASIFA India! They are really gracious and kind and so sincere its almost unbelievable!
Cheers!!

Now on to an exciting adventure to Pune, Indore & Hyderabad!! Really looking forward to conveying the grace and energy behind a project which was born from our roots, heritage & pop culture and within the conditions of Indian animation.
 It really fills us up with that energy! even as I write this! Its all grace!

TRIPURA at International Animation Day celebrations at NCPA, Sunday 6th nov!!

Its animation celebration time of the year again!!
This year the lineup of sessions at the ASIFA India organised International Animation Day celebrations (IAD 2011 from 6th-13th November) is very exciting!
Presentations include the making of 'Despicable Me", ' Disney's Tangled', Virtual Cinematography for Animation' and ...hold your breath...Animagic's TRIPURA!!!

After the exciting response to the presentation in Anifest (August), we are really kicked about IAD coz we will share this amazing journey with our animation friends not just in Mumbai but Pune (9th nov), Indore (11th nov) and Hyderabad (13th nov) as well!! And on the menu will be a behind the scenes look at creating an animated film- concept art, character design, storyboard, color art and the voice recording sessions! All the original, homegrown, all natural ingredients for the mythological epic! Do come!!!

TRIPURA's journey has been a special experience for me and all at Animagic. To share our discoveries and the process which opened up new worlds for us is really special. I sincerely thank the organisers and animation lovers of the various sessions in Delhi, Indore, Kolkata, Pune and ofcourse aapli Mumbai for their support and enthusiasm to Animagic & TRIPURA.



I wish to invite the visitors to this blog to this event and our session day after or at the other venues this coming week.

Om Namah Shivaya!


ASIFA India hosts the International Animation Day (28th October) celebrations in India every year. The event has been growing steadily since its first edition in 2002 and now involves day long festivities in several cities over the period of a week. This includes workshops and activites for young talent as well a series screenings of films and sessions by film-makers and animators! There is also the ASIFA India award of Excellence, amongst the first instituted in the country by the animation community! Go to http://www.asifa.in/iad11  for more details!!

Animagic's association with this event goes way back, we won the first ever Award of Excellence for 'Raju & I' and have supported the event wholeheartedly! Besides serving on the jury often,we conducted ' Drawing for Animation workshops' regularly in the Mumbai event which were met with much enthusiasm.

ANIMAGIC WINS FICCI BAF Award for TRIPURA!!!

   Tripura has won at the first competition it has been entered into!!
The FICCI Frames convention is an annual international event in Mumbai addressing diverse media concerns. The BAF awards were instituted in 2004 to honour excellence in Animation. 
Raju & I was a winner at the very first awards as the Best short film! Chakachak was nominated the next year. Maaaa was never entered becoz of some random cfsi diktats!!
Tripura, the fourth offering from Animagic and its first feature (as regulars already know) was awarded yesterday at a glittering event as the Best Feature Film Direct to DVD!! 






Mark Eyers, Chief Content Officer, Turner Entertainment Networks, Asia Pacific, was present on the occasion. He was very happy for us and promised petitioning friends from the industry that CN would certainly be airing Tripura soon!!! This time I hope more people will get to watch it!!!

I am so thankful to FICCI and the jury for selecting our picture and validating our efforts at creating what we believed in!! And I cant thanks my special Animagicians enough... once again! Love ya all!!

And group hug to ACK, Turner and Inspidea for letting us dream and supporting us in the best way they knew.

It was tough but it was worth it.

As I told a dear friend recently, even a little validation goes a long way!!

Btw the other nominees in our category were two films also associated with Turner. Turner, Asia had entered a film produced entirely in Malaysia, (Inspidea again! Those guys are just too fast!) called Arjuna and the adventure of the Ice Lotus and Cartoon Network Studios, US had entered Firebreather an all CGI feature directed by one of my heroes Peter Chung (Aeon Flux, Animatrix)!!! However Tripura was entered by Animagic...  


Here's looking forward to many more such exciting moments with Tripura!!

TRIPURA: Character Designs 2: SHIVA & PASHUPATI

OM NAMAHA SHIVAYA!!

On the auspicious occasion of Mahashivaratri... want to put down my thoughts about the character design process relating to the great God. Actually the post has been in the works since the last one on Maya's design, but somehow it just hasn't got completed till now!

Designing Shiva was most of the most important things personally and we went thru Shiva as he had been depicted by practically everybody! We looked at everything we could find, from the bronze sculptures of South India, the reliefs at Ellora and Elephanta, to the comic book depictions of Waeerkar, Mulick and Kavadi and drew till what felt like Shiva to me, was on paper. Everybody responded to it favourably enough (above).
Getting the design correctly onto screen was the most unfortunate part of Tripura tho. For some reason the studio was not able to match design at all and even corrections sent didn't somehow get implemented. One of the mysteries of production dynamics to which I haven't received any answer yet.

Some of the rough sketches leading to the development of the final design

When Shiva went into destruction mode he would become Pashupati the primeval hunter.. the lord of destruction! In his terrifying aspect Shiva is often depicted as Gajantaka in the Ellora panels and elsewhere.
Since we felt there should be definite climb into the climax.. the buildup of the moment of Shiva becoming Pahupati would be fascinating to watch.. Even Vishnu and Brahma  contribute to the formation. (In the puranas, the gods are described as contributing to the process by providing various accessories)

Color key from the final storyboards:
Shiva turning in Pashupati!

Shiva in his violent aspect was to still be graceful, elegant.. when Shiva does it.. it is dance of destruction!! Maybe in  a future post,I will talk about this sequence in detail as many have expressed their satisfaction with this depiction of Shiva as the Destroyer!!

TRIPURA: Some Early Concept Art

Many more thanks to all the people that are continuing to express their satisfaction over Tripura!

As a response to requests to share some more artwork from behind the scenes at Animagic, I present with great relish some of the earliest concept art that was presented to ACK and CN to give them an idea of the direction we wanted to take. In all modesty we can say these generated much excitement at that very initial stage!!

An important image which presented the concept of Vimanas or 'flying machines' which emerged during visual development.

The above image set the tone for the color script of the flashback sequences.

Wanted to see realm of Vishnu as a space without boundaries or an empty, endless vastness ..Ananta..

All the above images by your friendly neighbourhood, C

Tripura premiered!!

Shiva's watching...

A still from a pre-production promotional trailer animated by Animagic

So it is has happened..

Tripura was finally premiered with no fanfare on CN on sunday at 12 pm and then re-screened at 6 pm..off sync as well! sorry for all the hardwork put in by Eli, Aldrick n co to perfect the track! :(

Thanks to everybody that watched it and gave your much valued appreciation. From all your feedback, We can modestly say, we have succeeded in pushing the quality of Indian Television animation... towards sophisticated characterization and mature storytelling or maybe just telling mature stories! Glory to Shiva!!!

Major peeve: the films last shot of Mohin in the distance screaming Dharma!Dharma! faded to black and immediately without even pausing for a fullstop, let alone any credit roll, the next program started!! It was simply unbelievable, if not for the credits on that prog, people thought the film was still not over! perhaps that was the idea..not to lose viewers in transit from one show to the next! And this happened both times! In the evening the film was stuck to Tom n Jerry. While ordinarily I would have been honored with being on the same platform as those legends.. the overlap was just hideous.. Is the viewer a robot whose hypnotic trance must not break ??!! Sheers insecurity which betrays the low confidence in your product.

Most regrettable is that none of the artists, from Animagic or Inspidea, or the voice talents, or musicians, technicians got any credit.. very sad.

This just presumes that people don't care for their work or .. that they just work for money and are not interested in their association with a project.. Certainly the avoidance of their credit seems like they are all nothing but a inconvenience for the network.. why! nobody is interested in who made the film, right!? who stands for the credit roll at the end of a film in theaters?

The corporate honchos got themselves up in the beginning of the film..but they green-lit it.. that is more important than actually making it..(?!!) mercifully the writing/directing credits were included upfront!

Well everyone tells me thats life/corporate behavior/business/show business etc etc.. I dont agree with it.

This attitude hurts the many people who put in their sincere efforts to make a special project, working far beyond convenience and monetary benefits! Now I am not going to break any glass partitions in corporate offices, but unless there is respect for the artists there is never going to be a rise out of mediocrity for this industry or this country.

I would like to take this unfortunate moment to thank all the folks involved in the film right from inception, research, development, thru design, production and sound work..

So a special mention of Harshad Marathe, Vajra Pancharia, Romel, Suraj Pandit for their work in the initial research and development.

Sachin Kondhalkar, Vinod Sawant, Prajakta Sansare, Jude pires, Hrishikesh Deshpande, Shaunak Samvatsar, Laxman Khandekar for thier efforts during the design and entire pre-production. Ably supported by Anil Salvi and Shakuntala Agre, without them we couldnt have created anything in peace.

Artists at Inspidea for all that they translated onto screen. We appreciate their efforts, this production was not their average TV assignment.

Eliza n Greta Lewis, Atul and Alric of Oringsham for their work n understanding in creating the voice tracks. All the talented actors who put in their best for the characters personalities.

+ all the musicans and technicians who I have not had the pleasure of knowing personally but have added to the film. Also Kushal Ruia who had to guide the film thru post production.. a job I envy him for. You tried your best. Of this I am sure.

here are two trailers I found on youtube:

The 15 sec is the promotion done by CN.. and the longer one seems to be ACK's offering on the www. The promo just about made it to the screens in the last week and the trailer went online.... 3 days before release!!

TRIPURA on Cartoon Network: 12 pm, 30th Jan 2011!!

Lord Vishnu presides over the PR activity of the film on Shiva

So it is upon us.. beloved Tripura releases on the above mentioned date..ie tommorrow!!

30th jan 2011!! 12 noon.. please watch it and send in your comments/ observations/ appreciation/ criticism.. I shall save my apologies for later ...or not!! ;)

Images from the pre-production/design of the film, done at the studio. The excellent colorwork is by two very talented artists, Sachin Kondhalkar and Vinod Sawant. Layouts by your truly... These appeared with an animation Xpress release.

Maya escapes with the three princes from the burning asura kingdom..

he watches the asura refugees make their way into the wilderness.

The magnificient temple of Shiva constructed by Maya

Indra comes to entreat Shiva to aid his cause.. will he?

Shiva's peak where the brothers practice austerites to please Brahma

rough layout + storyboard images: Maya raises the princes in the desolate mountains

A long and turbulent journey has ended.. a chapter closes in our eventful history. and it already feels like such a long time back. The last few months have seen a gradual return to form after the fairly life-draining exercise. Animagic resurrects itself slowly but surely.

The world of Tripura and its characters is everpresent in my blood stream..

"A ghost who draws..."

Below is an illustration for ASIFA India's International Animation Day (IAD) celebrations.. featuring the mascots we designed, in a special tribute to the legendary 'Phantom' comics we grew up with!!! One of my more fruitful preoccupations these last few months.. more to come soon!!

The Phantom rocks!!!

....and so does the jungle tom-tom insta-messaging service!!!!

For the proper context and its details (lovingly put in a comic cover format by the gang at ASIFA) : http://www.asifaindia.com/

While I have often felt like sharing a lot thru these last many months as work on Tripura gradually wound up, I found myself (uncharacteristically) at a loss for words..

This may have been due to several reasons: the befuddling amount of work itself... the nature of that enterprise which is still a continuing struggle to realise the project's full potential..( all brethren that strongly experience 'art vs commerce' conflicts will understand)... the madness of overcommitment of both self and studio towards an ideal.. the resultant financial catastrophes..

the consequent dance for survival... the rabid debates and moral conflicts.. loss of family (team) members.. grim determinations... solemn oaths.. and more work!!

I wonder if the above is a description of the past or the present..?

The First Animated Feature from Animagic!!!

Now it can be finally told!! (and thanks to my schedule, this is not the first place where you heard it..)

The fruit of the last year's labour .. the first animated feature from Animagic!!!

TRIPURA- The three cities of Maya.

A co-production with ACK Media, the company that owns the most popular comics from India, Amar Chitra Katha (yes, for entire generations of Indians, their source to their roots), the film is a direct to TV special to be broadcast on Cartoon Network later this year!!

The Amar Chitra Katha based on this legend of Shiva was one of my favourite comics.. illustrated by the great Ram Waeerkar, one of my earliest gurus. In a way this is my guru dakshina, not just to him but to the other greats who illustrated ACKs through three decades; by way of making something that has stemmed from them but goes further in all directions.. into the roots of the original myth, in the high drama of narrative, in the imagination and dynamics of animation!!

read the report on Animation Xpress & Variety.com. Dont miss the exclusive slide show of the visual development and color script!!