Interview with Autodesk's Raman Madan
Regional Manager – Animation and Desktop Video, South East Asia & India, Autodesk Media and Entertainment



Please tell us Autodesk M&E’s future growth plan and how you see the growth in Indian Animation?

The paradigm of the Indian animation industry has changed drastically over the last few years. While India was earlier seen as a low cost destination for low end work, today we are seen as an animation superpower able to create world class animated features and products. Additionally, India has also grown in terms of creating animated content for the domestic market as well. With the likes of Hanuman, Ganesha as well as a slew of 3D advertisements being created here, the industry has truly come of age. Gaming too is a growing segment both in terms of international as well as domestic market.

According to a FICCI-PwC 2007 study the global animation and gaming industry is projected to grow from the present size of Rs. 11 billion to Rs. 29 billion by 2011, implying a 22 percent cumulative annual growth over the next five years.

In line with this trend animation houses such as UTV Toons, Visual Computing Labs, Crest Communications Prana, and Maya Entertainment as well as game developers such as Dhruva, Lakshya Digital, Gameshastra, DQ, FXlabs Gaming are on a constant quest for growth in order to meet the demand. As a result they are also investing heavily in technologies such as 3ds Max, Maya and Motion Builder from Autodesk Media and Entertainment.

Keeping these trends in mind, Autodesk Media and Entertainment plans to leverage the film & video, gaming, visualization and education market segment through the continuous launch of new and updated versions of its products 3ds Max, Maya and Motion Builder in particular. We have recently launched the updated versions of these products in India which we expect will further grow and consolidate our market share. In fact, we are doing customer launch events in 12 cities in India to reach out to our customer base across key cities in India.


Where do you see the 3D animation industry in the next year or so, give us a 12 month crystal ball? What's your advice to animation students in India?

The animation industry is extremely dynamic and one that has seen some significant developments in the last few years. Going forward I see this trend continuing. A major aspect of the growth will be the opening up of the domestic markets and Indian animators increasingly looking to create local content to tap an increasingly discerning and conscious audience.

Animation is also making itself felt in the advertising industry with several advertisers opting for 3D animation in comparison to live action and story based advertising. This is creating a new genre of cutting-edge, impactful and targeted advertising.

In terms of advice to animation students, I’d say that they should look beyond the obvious and aim to be able to work on projects that are off-beat, unique in terms of the treatment that they require as well as high-end projects in terms of the technical expertise required. I believe that students should aspire to the larger things which in turn will ensure that they train on the most cutting edge technologies.


These days everyone is talking about the India’s growth story and increase in the number of animation jobs, but is actually salary of the animators also increasing with the same rate as in other sectors?

As is the case with any sector, as the industry grows, so too do the salary levels. Add to this the fact that the Indian animation industry is currently in need of skilled artists, salary levels are definitely on the upward trajectory.

According to a report on animation and gaming industry in India, prepared by the NASSCOM, skilled manpower demand-supply gap is huge and the current training infrastructure is inadequate to help narrow the gap. While the animation industry is expected to provide opportunities for 18,545 professionals in 2007, the supply side shows the availability of just 2,244 professionals. By 2010, the industry will grow to a level of providing jobs for 28,877 professionals. Given this disparity in demand and supply, salaries will definitely be at a premium levels in order for companies to attract the best talent.


What are you doing to reduce the piracy in India especially in production houses? From reliable sources we came to know most VFX houses bought only one license and run on every machine for commercial work.

Piracy is rampant across the industry and it is extremely difficult to pin down and prosecute the culprits however Autodesk works closely with BSA (Business Software Alliance) and NASSCOM to educate our customers on both the benefits of using legal software as well as the dangers and legal liabilities associated with using pirated versions. Some of the benefits of using legal software are:

• Customers get access to the latest versions of licensed software
• Customers have access to new feature-rich downloadable product extensions
• Concise, self-paced and downloadable e-learning training courses that are designed to address critical application, functions and industry practices are made available
• Customers have influence over future product development and opportunities to network with technical experts and customers worldwide
• Customers have access to members-only subscription site: News, views and updates on the latest software versions, add-ons etc.

Can you answer one difficult question which is asked by everyone, 3ds Max or Maya for the games and why?

Both, because a game developer needs to work with the best tools in the industry. Million-polygon models, realistic textures and character animation and the ever-shrinking time to market drives the game developer to seek the best possible 3D solutions to implement within the game production pipeline. The Autodesk 3D product portfolio 3ds Max, Maya and Motionbuilder – offers the best combination of 3D creative tools and lots of versatility to the users.


When will we be able to create a movie like Cars or Ratatouille in 3D? Currently what are the hindrances?

I believe that India already has the experience and capability to create a world class animated feature. I think the perception of India as a source of low end work is one that needs to change and international projects will automatically begin to flow into the country. That said, we can definitely do with more world class training institutes that impart a level of education and training that is at par with the growing requirements of the industry. The lack of skilled man power is by far the biggest hindrance in the industry.

Thanks a lot for your valuable time.