CEO speaks: Crafting Dreams: The Evolving Canvas of Animation, CGI & VFX
The captivating art of animation has evolved with time — from the pottery of the ancient Greeks to the ocular toys of the 17th century to the current technological marvels of CGI/VFX. In the enchanting world of creativity, animation has carved its own realm, weaving its magic and captivating audiences globally through the ages by leveraging the technology of the times.
The current era of animation made its debut in 1908 when the Gaumont company in Paris released the first “animated” motion picture “Fantasmagorie”. Created in traditional hand-drawn style by Emile Cohl, the first fully animated film changed how people perceived and enjoyed movies forever! Walt Disney released his first animation “Oswald the Lucky Rabbit” in 1927 and followed it up with “Steamboat Willie” — a landmark in the history of animation with synchronized sound — in 1928.
In India, Dadasaheb Phalke, the father of Indian cinema, started the animation journey with a short film on the growth of a pea-pod into a plant through stop-motion animation. The Pea Brothers, directed by Gunamoy Banerjee and produced by New Theatres Limited, was released in the then Calcutta on June 23, 1934 — making it the first Indian animated work to be released in theatres.
The world has come a long way since then. Leading CGI and VFX studios now shape the visual spectacles of contemporary cinema. ILM, renowned for “Star Wars”, and Weta Digital, acclaimed for “The Lord of the Rings”, stand out for groundbreaking CGI. MPC and Framestore contribute exceptional VFX to blockbusters like “The Jungle Book” and “Gravity”.
Prominent animation studios today include Pixar, Disney Animation Studios, DreamWorks Animation, Illumination Entertainment and Studio Ghibli. These studios collectively shape the CGI/VFX and animation landscape, producing captivating content across diverse styles and narratives for global audiences.
The global animation and CGI/VFX market size was estimated at about $391 billion in 2022. The charm and popularity of animation and VFX is such that they are now overshadowing traditional cinema — as of July 2023, the Marvel Cinematic Universe series was the highest-grossing film franchise of all time with total worldwide box office collections of $29.55 billion!
The enchantment of animation doesn’t stop at the silver screen but has spawned entirely new businesses. Disney theme parks worldwide have become beacons of joy, welcoming millions of visitors each year — theme parks alone contributed more than $24 billion to Disney’s revenue in the first nine months of 2023!
For students with a passion for art and an eye for detail, the world of animation, CGI, and VFX beckons with a plethora of career opportunities. Animator roles involve bringing characters to life through movement while CGI artists focus on creating realistic computer-generated imagery. VFX artists specialise in visual effects, enhancing live-action scenes or crafting entirely digital environments. Technical directors ensure the smooth functioning of animation pipelines while art directors provide creative direction. Additionally, students can explore careers in concept art, storyboarding, and character design, contributing to the pre-production phase. With the advent of AR/VR, roles in immersive experience design and development have become increasingly prevalent, providing students with a dynamic range of career paths in this new and evolving field beyond traditional animation or CGI/VFX roles. As technology hurtles forward, the convergence of these creative domains and the AR/VR revolution shall be both inevitable and transformative.
Several prestigious international universities offer top-notch courses in animation, CGI and VFX. Notable institutions include the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in the US, Vancouver Film School (VFS) in Canada, Bournemouth University in the UK and Rubika in France. They are esteemed for their animation courses — producing graduates with a strong artistic flair and technical foundation.
In India, The National Institute of Design (NID) is renowned for its Animation Film Design programme. Arena Animation and MAAC (Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics) are prominent nationwide chains providing comprehensive courses in 3D animation and VFX. The Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology in Bangalore and the Whistling Woods International in Mumbai also provide specialised courses in animation and CGI/VFX.
The canvas of animation, CGI and VFX continues to expand — offering students not just a career but a journey into realms of boundless imagination. Aspiring artists, brace yourselves for a world where your imagination knows no bounds, and your creations have the power to shape the future of entertainment!
Dr Sanku Bose, Group CEO (Techno India Group)
