MUMBAI: The successful merchandising of foreign players like Pokemon can be the role model for animators in the Indian market, said 2NZ Animation CEO Kirit Khurana while speaking on Tuesday at Anigraph 2005.
"There has been a lot of hype about the 'progress' we have made in this field, but we have to realise that in spite of the distance we have covered in the past ten years, we are still nowhere on the worldwide animation map," he lamented, suggesting merchandising was the way forward.
Khurana brought forth the point that technology is merely a means, not an end. According to him, animation developers in today's times lay undue importance on technology, and in the process, forget that eventually, animation is merely a medium being used to tell a story.
He went on to tackle the various components that go into making a successful animated film. "It's a myth that animated films are different. Successful film-making, whether it is animated or not, deals with the building of identifiable and memorable characters and the weaving of an appealing story around them. So, just like a normal film, an animated series or film too ought to have an identifiable plot, a strong appeal and good design." He continued, "It's not enough to create awe-inspiring visuals, you have to stimulate and arrest the mind of the viewer, too."
That apart, one aspect which animators must concentrate on, Khurana said, was exaggeration. "This is where animation stands out. Animation is a means to the dish that's storytelling, but there must be an ample amount of salt and pepper thrown in," he said.
Khurana cited the example of the tiger which was successfully used by Sony Max during the 2003 World Cup, and said that exaggeration is a factor that goes a long way in endearing cartoon characters to kids.
Speaking on the current animation scene, he said that while 3-D animation was on the rise, courtesy films like Toy Story, Shrek and Finding Nemo, it does not signal the end of the road for 2-D animation. He pointed out that there was scope for the survival of both forms, and that animators must decide whether they want to use 2-D, 3-D or stop motion animation, depending on factors like economy, feasibility, comfort, availability of manpower and what suits the storyline.
