With a dash of colours, gleaming effects and alluring visuals, VFX industry has been celebrating Diwali with great fervour each year. Symbolised by rangoli, sweets and diyas, the larger essence of Diwali is what VFX industry has been so deftly encapsulating through their effects work as they blaze a trail of projects in the entertainment industry using their creative charms.
As an industry that hardly sleeps owing to tight deadlines and work schedules, festivals are what keeps their spirits going. We reached out to a few Indian VFX studios to ask them how they are celebrating the festival of lights.
Raj VFX Studios
Mumbai’s Raj VFX which has been working on many OTT specials over the past year is all set to celebrate Diwali tomorrow. Revering the prosperity of their hard work behind Hotstar show Special Ops 1.5, Raj Studios VFX producer and director Chirag Bhuva said, “Just after the completion of Special Ops 1.5 with 170 minutes of VFX in a span of 45 days, it has brought happiness, prosperity, and a new beginning with this festival of Diwali as it is also celebrated as a new year. Digital technology has enabled us to share our emotions through various mediums. Whatever mode you choose to wish your dear ones, just spread happiness everywhere.”
“So let’s open our doors and welcome Goddess Lakshmi wholeheartedly on Deepavali. We hope she will fulfill all our dreams and get ready for the upcoming challenges as we are ready. Wishing you a very happy and wealthy Diwali,” he added.
On the day of Dhanteras, they celebrated the festive vibe with the entire team and shared a glimpse of it with Animation Xpress.
philmCGI
Pune based studio, philmCGI which recently expanded its foothold by launching its studio in Thrissur, the cultural capital of Kerala, shared, “Diwali at philmCGI is always simple and traditional. On Diwali we do Lakshmi Pujan at office and invite our team to be a part of the celebrations. For us environment and animals are a priority thus Diyas, Rangoli and Flowers is how we celebrate. We refrain (request our team also) from bursting crackers as we believe in a Green n Clean Diwali. We also believe that festivals are best celebrated with family thus we have given our team a mini holiday (rest of the week) to celebrate with their loved ones making this Diwali a celebration of love and light!”
PhantomFX
PhantomFX which recently opened a branch in Mumbai is also celebrating the festival of lights. They shared a small clip deploying their VFX prowess to wish everyone a happy Diwali. They shared, “PhantomFX wishes everyone a blessed, healthy, and prosperous Diwali. May this auspicious day illumine your minds and enlighten your hearts.
Let us celebrate together this great Indian Tradition of Joy, Light, Sweets & Happiness.”
Framestore India
During the festive season itself, Oscar, Emmy and BAFTA-winning creative studio Framestore recently opened the doors to its latest state-of-the-art facility – a 30,000 square-foot, purpose-built studio located at the heart of Mumbai’s creative and technological ecosystem. For Framestore India managing director Akhauri P. Sinha, stepping through the doors and feeling the studio crackle with life is a real joy after much hard work as he posted pictures of the new office.
Pixel Digital Studios
Pixel Digital Studios is also all set to celebrate the festival of lights in their own way. Studio that believes in work being workship says that Diyas are symbolic of prosperity and progress.
“We at Pixel Digital Studio wish everyone in the industry a very happy and prosperous Diwali. Our industry has gone through some tough times during the pandemic. We hope the festival of lights gives us the strength, fortitude and courage to face adversities head on. We are looking forward to more creative and successful films in the future. We are stoked to celebrate this fantastic festival which always brings promise, joy and happiness for all,” Pixed D founder Ankur Sachdeva shared.
On this auspicious day, we hope the festival of lights brings warmth, prosperity and happiness to everyone and our AVGC industry gets stronger tailwinds going forward.
(Written by Binita Das and Parth Kaushik)