Brazilian striker Ronaldo's pulsating life is being recreated in an
animation studio in Thiruvananthapuram. The 90-minute animation film,
titled Goal, may receive applause in India for a different reason: it is
the first Hollywood animation film that is completely outsourced from
India.
Chandigarh-based animation company Compact Disc India, promoted by
Suresh Kumar, is co-producing the movie with Los Angeles-based Canyon
Films. Compact Disc is doing the entire movie, starting from
conceptualising the story to developing all animated characters. "This
is the first time that a Hollywood major is getting a movie entirely
made in India," said a Mumbai-based CEO of a rival animation company.
Hollywood majors has been tapping Indian animation companies to develop
parts of a movie that involve astronomical labour costs. "The Ronaldo
project symbolises the capability of Indian animators. The cost
advantage is also a key factor in getting a project of this magnitude,"
said Kumar.
Rising costs in the West have helped Indian animation companies to get
more outsourcing contracts. This has been increasing over the last two
years. Hollywood studios such as Disney, Pixar and Dreamworks have
started outsourcing animation work to companies such as Crest
Communication, UTV, Maya Entertainment and Toons Animation. Animation
for Hollywood blockbusters like Lord of the Rings and Shrek have been
done in India.
"In future, there will be a lot more high-end animation work done by
Indian companies and they have the ability to move up the value chain,"
said T N Prabhu, director, Walt Disney Internet Group. That is why
Compact Disc India is in the process of setting up another studio in
Thiruvananthapuram. According to Nasscom, the animation sector in India
requires 26,000 people in the next two years. It employs 16,500 people
now. |
