Maya Digital Studios, the company that pioneered the art and technology of animation and visual effects in India has realigned its business and added a few additional services in its business operations. The company that was synonymous with 3D Animation in India all these years has recently also successfully forayed into high quality 2D Animation. Maya also began its services for 2D to Stereoscopic 3D Conversion with the legendary Indian film Sholay and has also created history with its path breaking first of its kind in studio training initiative, MIST. Adding further to its scope of operations, Maya is now opening up a boutique studio in the vibrant animation hub of Pune.
Speaking on the occasion, Ketan Mehta, Chairman and Managing Director Maya Digital Studios said, “Maya is growing very fast and there are multiple projects that the teams are presently working on. In order to cater to these project requirements, we are looking at developing dedicated boutique studio models across the country, which will be key support functions for our business operations at the Mumbai headquarters. The strategy is to simultaneously achieve organic as well as inorganic growth.”
Maya has recently also begun work on expanding through similar boutique studios in Bangalore & Cochin. The rationale for these city-wise boutique studios is to conduct specialised hubs across the entire animation, visual effects value chain. The 50 seat facility in Pune will be the hub for pre-production, and 2D as well as 3D animation for Maya’s India centric as well as international projects.
Maya’s 2D Animation services will be based exclusively on the Harmony platform offered by Toonboom.
The strategic alliance partner for the Pune operations with Thumbnail Institute of Animation Arts, Pune’s only Apple & Toonboom authorised training centre. Thumbnail Institute of Animation Arts has been imparting the latest of training in the fields of 2D Animation (Classical & Digital), 3D Animation, VFX, FCP, Gaming, Action Script, iPhone Application Development and Apple Courses for over eight years in Pune at its state of the art 3000 sqft facility.
And adding further about the Pune operations, Aruna Kumar, Head of MIST said, “Pune is an established animation hub and is known for its pre-production and animation workforce. Also its proximity to our Mumbai headquarters makes the workflow smoother. This benefits us for the operations at the studio as well as the young workforce who will join us through MIST and will be the future of this industry. This is a strategic association for us, since Thumbnail, Maya & MIST share the same brand values of progressive technology and commitment towards delivering the best of quality.”
Maya is known to be an industry pioneer. After being a well established 3D Animation player in the industry for all these years, it is obvious that they chose to expand the 2D operations on the Harmony platform. This association is very optimistic and look forward to be a significant part of this new journey that Maya has embarked upon to create yet another success for the Indian animation industry, globally.
The work that will largely be conducted at the soon to be operational 50 seat facility in Pune would be for Maya’s existing as well as upcoming domestic and international projects. Says Suhas Kadav, Creative Dirrector – Maya Digital Studios and Director of Maya’s successful maiden production, Motu Patlu, “The show has done really well for us and a chunk of work for the new season of Motu Patlu will be conducted at this facility in Pune, along with the pre-production and other animation work for Maya’s other projects.”
Adds Neel Lukkani, Head of 2D Animation, Maya Digital Studios, “We at Maya, are exploring different formats and styles of content creation using the Harmony platform for 2D Animation. Pune as a city offers a fresh, creative and committed pool of artists that will contribute significantly to our current and upcoming projects at Maya.”
The facility is located at DP Road, Pune and shall by operational by mid February 2013.
The process of hiring professionals will begin simultaneously by mid February 2013.
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