Hollywood visual effects expert Peter Chiang, known for his impeccable work in films like John Carter, Kick-Ass and The Bourne Ultimatum, feels the Indian VFX industry still needs “Hollywood supervision and education”. At a time when India is among the major talent pools employed by the Hollywood studios, the statement does seem somewhat insensitive.
Sachin Bhatnagar, vice president of new media at Frameboxx Animation Institute, believes it’s not the lack of talent but paucity of funds that is responsible for us lagging behind. “While Indian films may have an extravagant budget, very little is really invested in the animation section. We believe that star power is all we need to get the audience to a theatre, while everything else is secondary,” he says. “Besides, we’re at a relatively nascent stage in the field and it will take time before we get at par with international standards.”
Trade analyst Komal Nahata agrees that while paucity of funds in turn affects the technology available, a lack of experience also adds to the problem. “The only animation movie that did really well in India is Hanuman. It is a matter of time before we get better at it,” he says.
Something that is made all the more surprising when you consider that the special effects for James Cameron’s mega blockbuster Avatar were done by Indian visual effects company Prime Focus. Besides, other animation houses like Rhythm, Hues and Pixion have consistently been contributing to Hollywood movies. “International studios are setting up bases in India since it is an emerging market. DreamWorks now works out of Bengaluru and Pete Draper, known to be one of the best men on the job, has moved base to India. So the industry is growing and at a fast pace at that,” adds Sachin.