“Creating the brand is different from getting the work! Any shop can get the work today but if anyone wants to create a brand they need to move up in the value chain!”
Your comments on the developments in Indian VFX recently?
I am very happy about the way the Indian Visual Effects industry is shaping up. In early 2003, in one of my interviews to a National Daily I said “days are not far off that India could be servicing lot more to Hollywood”! Creating the brand is different from getting the work! Any shop can get the work today but if anyone wants to create a brand they need to move up in the value chain! Funny, but it was true, in early 2000 it was so difficult for me even to get an appointment! Today things are different! We already have R&H and Imageworks in India and few more western shops are looking to have a presence with serious interests! We have handful of good Indian shops too! Look at Prasad EFX, VCL and Prime Focus, these guys have already started raising the quality bar!
As India gets prominent on the global map, what kind of feedback and perspectives are you getting from your friends and colleagues in Hollywood?
Mostly they believe India can work on non-creative jobs for example blue/green screen extraction, match moves, simple comps etc. As I said, we need to move up in the creative side of it. R&H and Imageworks in India can do that quite easily and sooner as they can always have an access to experienced senior artists from LA who in turn can guide their Indian counterparts! That will really help other shops too. Basically, the working culture and creative handshakes to be improved a lot. I have some special words for Jon Labrie and Jim Rygiel! Jon, when he toured India in 2001, he thought it was worth introducing me to Barrie Osborne! When others were hesitating to work with Indian artists, Jim Rygiel and Dean Wright were the ones who boldly took a chance on us way back in 2002! When I met Jim recently I was jokingly telling him that even he wasn’t aware of his contributions to India by awarding and encouraging us to work on a couple of his shows! Those couple of shows have significantly changed the fortunes of many in India! And, many of the industry guys may not be aware of the fact that George Merkert, a vfx producer who came to India in 2000 to help us in one of the Regional films who carried back a message to his friends in California;- “Indians are passionate!”. I would say our passion, determination and eagerness to learn were the first three key points that made us to be what we are today. I hope this continues for ever! Look at the projected numbers the industry sources say often! (On the lighter side, I always wonder from where these numbers are emerging?) If that is true, then better we address the “education” immediately in order to address the demand!On Education?
In June this year I was invited to join the Executive Board of Academy of Art University, San Francisco for their annual board meeting. The idea was to get the industry perspective to improve their training quality. They have some amazing professionals on their board like Syd Mead, Richard Edlund, Roger Dean, Tim McGovern, Jim Rygiel, Richard Taylor to name a few! I was amazed with the quality of students they are churning out year after year! To my surprise I saw many Indian kids are doing their degrees over there! I insist time and again, that we should give utmost importance to education at the root level! We too have very few good training schools in India! The Govt has to support these training schools. One of the problems that I don�t understand is the service tax for the students! Why would a student pay a service tax if he wants to study in these private schools? If there is going to be an argument that these training schools are not under Govt norms and then let us try and address that! If we can have Mathematics, Science, Computer Science, Commerce and History as foundation courses in Higher Secondary education, why not Fine Arts? By introducing at the school level you may also address the rural employment opportunities! If the Govt can address this at the pre-degree level, then these private training colleges can add more values to the industry at the degree levels!
What about VES?
Let me first thank Eric Roth for his generous compliment he poured on me in an interview recently in your magazine! Eric is a character! His contribution to VES is invaluable! He is such a great administrator! Tim McGovern is my long time friend and is one whom I respect and regard very highly. Tim played an important role in carrying India�s cause to VES. Jeff Okun, the current Chair of VES, supports Indian vfx industry to a great extent. Jeff insisted on the importance of training and is very eager to nurture the Indian artist community through VES. Eric, Jeff and Tim are definitely going to help us one way or the other if there is going to be a willingness from our side to utilise such great opportunities. All of these efforts are invisible but one will soon realise how important VES support can change the Indian CGI industry in the coming months. VES association will not only benefit the artists but also the Indian VFX industry from a business perspective! We will have many members from India pretty soon! It can open doors on both sides!
What are the VEC’s plans for the coming year in India?
We have some major plans along with VES. There will be a news release soon on this. The blue print is being worked out at this moment.
What big trends do you observe in VFX globally?
We are going to see many stereoscopic 3D movies emerge! I was told more than 2500 cinemas in the United States alone are gearing up for the 3D projection! Interestingly, there could be a market in the future to convert even the existing films to a 3D stereoscopic! India can tap this market in a big way as this requires so called “non-creative” specialists with thinner budgets!
Comments on Animation Xpress and VES / VEC tie up as media partner?
I am a great admirer of your magazine right from the very beginning. You have come a long way to be the leader. When I spoke to VES about Animation Xpress they bought the idea of having you in India representing their articles and information on a regular basis. VES cannot find a better media partner in India than you! The objective is simple! Open the doors for communication on both sides!