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In the earlier section of Animation Bangalore review - Blurred Frames, Animation Bangalore had asked a question whether the industry should continue to waste its training resources in training those who were not inclined to join the industry. In this section we will look into how the industry is faring due to a cataclysmic rushed through phase into premature development. In plain terms – creating of the animation bubble.
All industries go through their own development phases. Bangalore animation also has seen its due phases since the first animation studio opened its shop nearby old Airport in Bangalore around 10 years back. At the same time more or less, the concept of workstations, the prodigal ‘Maya’ software, and the multiple shifts also ventured into the psyche of Bangalore industry. Interestingly, Animation prospects were in tandem with the rise of the ITES sector. Basically – Cheap Technical Labour, the biggest reason for development of ‘Silicon Valley of the East’ has also given rise to a cushion for Bangalore and Indian animation studios. To offer services at an advantage rate per hour than the foreign counterparts. Later on, certain studios were also successful in passing on the advantage to foreign players from Hollywood and Canada and managed their shows in Bangalore. As although the manpower is cheaper, capital expenses are still huge and there are lesser success stories.
It was also a phase where quality professionals returned back to their hometowns after a stint abroad and they also set up their experimental bases to try and capture the outsourced works. Numerous small and medium scale studios were foraging through net, rushing across their offshore executives and contacts in search of that one profitable assignment that kept the bench-force alive and profitable, every quarter, every month, every week. Maybe it was only a dollar per hour at later stages, but the satisfaction of having arrived gave a boost to the fraction of those who were successful in doing so.
Demand and supply, demand and supply, demand and supply form the crucial framework of any industry. It is a free market. Basically the market is all sitting across the seas in big fat Hollywood studios that have a gazillion dollars budget an year for the special effects and animation works used in celluloid dreams and on the same hand marketing strategy and efficient kogs and pegs in place to see that the profits are churning across the globe. Market has to be developed. Japan is saying they have to develop animation markets, Malaysia is saying they have to develop animation markets, China is saying they have to develop markets, even Myanmar has lately started to say that they have to develop animation markets. Basically it is the same hot pie everyone is rushing to gobble up. First come first serve. India? India has not even recognized the billion dollar potential as an organized industry. Animation? No, there is no mention anywhere in the government records or bank documents that says animation is an industry. Practices and reliefs available to IT industries do not apply to animation as yet. Yes, markets have to be developed.
There are many abled trade bodies and association. Employing many abled veterans from sectors such as auditing, broadcasting business and pr firms. Experienced in assessing and estimating which is just plain guessing the ratings, TLPs, households, eyes, readers and now have found a new field and are happily, unknowingly applying the same logics to the business figures. A thousand points here, a million people there. Mix in some advertising to the figures and it brings out a hypnotic, toxic concoction that puts a blind over the senses. Suddenly, business people and working masses wake up to find that there will be 3 lakhs requirements in the industry by next 3 years. Industry, which is not even recognized to be in IT mainstream suddenly overshoots the IT requirements. Somebody had a shot too many to have had this long shot.
This was a crucial factor, crucial in hurrying multitudes into ill equipped training centers with little trained and un-experienced faculty. Hurrying into signing of scores of MOUs of opening such scores of sweat shops left and right, right across the breadth of the state and nation. The topic of these fly by night operators will be dealt in next couple of posts under the same section. Stay subscribed.
Over a period of 5-6 years, such surveys have come out, boosting the figures, hyping the industry requirements, mis-quoting the industry revenues. It has no doubt brought in much investment, time and efforts into animation but non-chalantly has helped in slipping a very important development phase altogether. The toddler is suddenly sitting down instead of learning to walk and run. Mergers have now started in the industry, but they are more from the perspective of survival and selling off rather than strengthening the business or joining strengths to brace further.
Premature adulthood of Bangalore Animation Industry has taken away the efforts required in developing of the markets at home. Tapping the huge Karnataka and Indian movies market, the local and government channels and education portals and systems has not been done. Now that certain associations are coming forth, claiming their right that they belong into IT, that they are a part of the film and entertainment industry and should be recognized. The underdog has to be accepted and promoted to make sure it scores and reaches somewhere close to the destined figures.
Questions that should concern Animation Bangalore are:
- Should the industry be organized so that actual figures can be put on the table
- Should the local animation and visual effects markets be developed and tapped to ascertain longevity of the local animation industry
- Should identification and acceptance as an IT industry be given to animation
- Should the industry be allowed to be led by existing players or should incubation centers be allowed to infuse fresh efforts and investments thereby increasing revenues
- Should Government sit up and notice and take initial steps to provide due conducive atmosphere for the industry development.
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