Day two of Bengaluru GAFX 2025 was a visual and cinematic delight for film enthusiasts, celebrating the art of filmmaking and the stunning visual effects that bring on-screen marvels to life. The day featured an exciting lineup of behind-the-scenes sessions on Kalki 2898 AD, Orion & The Dark, Piece by Piece, and more.
In addition to these deep dives, the event tackled some of the industry’s most pressing topics, including emerging technologies, the future of VFX production, visual development, the art of comic writing, and strategies for monetising gaming and esports.
In an amazing session titled Croakology – A Jugalbandi from Eeksaurus and Toonz, Studio Eeksaurus founder and creative director Suresh Eriyat, executive producer Nilima Eriyat and Toonz Media Group CEO P Jayakumar delved into their musical short film Croak Show. It was inspired during the Covid lockdown by the nocturnal sounds of frogs, toads, and insects and showcased an exceptional blend of Indian classical music.
Jayakumar introduced yet another project at this year’s event, along with Ele Animation founder and CEO Durga Prasad to present their 52×11” animated series, Jay Jagannath. They shared how the series brings lesser-known stories of Lord Jagannath to a wider audience, making these rich narratives more accessible through animation.
A panel discussion titled Heads of Production – The Future of VFX Production was led by DNEG studio head A.R. Seshaprasad and featured a distinguished lineup of industry experts, including ILM director of production/executive VFX producer Elayaraja Krishnan, MPC executive producer Virendra Chauhan, Maddock Films VFX producer Deepak Bhatia, and The Mill production head Sameer Talwalkar. The discussion highlighted the latest trends and innovations in VFX production, examining how emerging technologies—such as virtual production, artificial intelligence, and real-time rendering—are transforming the industry.
As part of the GAFX event, AnimationXpress curated a session titled Monetising Gaming & Esports: Business Models & Revenue Streams. The discussion featured industry leaders such as Godlike Esports head of marketing Kaustubh Purohit, CyberPowerPC chief operations officer Vishal Parekh, and Reliance Games corporate development senior VP Ninad Chhaya, with Skyesports PR head Wasif Ahmed moderating the panel. The session explored key topics, including the rapid growth of competitive gaming, the impact of emerging technologies, and the role of government support in fostering the esports ecosystem. Panellists highlighted both the challenges and opportunities within the industry, emphasising the importance of collaboration and innovation in driving its sustained success.
A session on the making of the Netflix show IC 814:The Kandahar Attack was presented by PhantomFX CG head Anish Sreedhar and creative head Chandrasekar Thanvi. Another interesting session by Walt Disney Animation Studios character and technical animation head Avneet Kaur showcased the filmmaking process of the animated feature Moana 2.
Amar Chitra Katha group art director Savio Mascarenhas and Amar Chitra Katha and Tinkle editor-in-chief Gayathri Chandrasekaran conducted an engaging comic creation masterclass. This session offered participants an opportunity to learn the intricacies of comic book creation directly from the creative minds behind Tinkle. The masterclass explored various aspects of the process, including character development, storytelling techniques, and the seamless integration of visual elements to enhance narrative impact.
The day wrapped up with AnimationXpress’s highly anticipated GEM (Gaming, Esports, and Metaverse) Awards conducted with the host partner Bengaluru GAFX for the first time. The awards highlighted the diversity and impact of the rapidly growing gaming and esports sectors, celebrating innovations, industry pioneers, and transformative contributions shaping the landscape.
Also read: Bengaluru GAFX ’25 Day 1 sees major launches and screening of Lego movie ‘Piece by Piece’
(The article has been jointly contributed by Anshita Bhatt and Binita Das.)
