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Annecy 2023 is here! Are you Ready?

Make sure to put a week of creativity, innovation, and visual delight on your calendars as Annecy, the renowned International Animation Film Festival, prepares to enthrall viewers once more. Annecy 2023, which runs from June 11 to June 17, 2023, promises to be a celebration of the greatest in animation. The festival this year has even more significance because it has honored guests from Prayan Animation Studio, including the accomplished Jeff Sager.

 A Global Animation Extravaganza:

The Annecy Animation Festival has grown into a highly anticipated occasion that displays the creativity, skill, and storytelling skills of the international animation community for animation aficionado, business professionals, and art lovers. The festival, which is held in the gorgeous French Alpine town of Annecy, gives filmmakers, studios, and artists a venue to present their work and engage in productive discussions.

What to Expect:

A week of screenings, master courses, conferences, exhibitions, and networking opportunities are promised by Annecy 2023. It provides the opportunity to view a variety of animated films, from shorts and features to student and experimental works. During educational workshops and masterclasses, renowned directors, animators, and industry professionals will share their perspectives and experiences, imparting priceless knowledge to aspiring animators and fans alike.

Prayan Animation Studio Makes its Debut:

Adding to the excitement of Annecy 2023, Prayan Animation Studio’s team will be exploring the event and hope to meet new faces. Prayan Animation Studio has garnered acclaim for its groundbreaking animations, pushing the boundaries of storytelling and visual aesthetics. With Jeff Sager’s presence at the festival, attendees can expect a unique opportunity to gain insights into the latest advancements in animation technology, our studio’s creative process, as well as future projects, including the latest IPs.

What Jeff Sager brings to the table:

Jeff Sager is an established professional in the animation sector who brings along a wealth of expertise and knowledge to Annecy 2023. Sager has extensive experience spanning across numerous genres and has contributed to a variety of significant productions. Young animators will undoubtedly get inspiration and motivation from his presence at the festival, and it will provide an avenue for industry leaders to network and cooperate.

Exploring Annecy:

Visitors are invited to meander through the quaint town of Annecy in addition to the immersive festival experience. The village, which is hidden away on the shores of Lake Annecy and surrounded by breathtaking mountain vistas, exudes beauty and tranquility. Discover the historic Château d’Annecy, stroll through the old streets, and take in the local customs and cuisine.

Fans of animation have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in a week-long celebration of artistic brilliance at Annecy 2023. The great variety of animated films available and Jeff Sager’s participation as a representative of Prayan Animation Studio indicate that this year’s festival will be one that everyone in attendance will cherish. You should not miss Annecy 2023 if you are interested in animation, work in the industry, or simply enjoy watching it. Get ready to be enthralled by the elegance of animation and a part of a worldwide community that keeps pushing the boundaries of imagination and storytelling.

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5 2D Animation Hacks You Need to Know Now

2d Animation Hacks

2D is one of the most popular and versatile animation techniques today. It is used for cartoons and animated movies as well as commercial video content, ads, explainer videos, and much more!

Quality video content can significantly increase the conversion of your marketing campaign, attract new followers, and make your brand more recognizable. And 2D animation turns out to be the most efficient and versatile type of such content. That is why more and more brands, businesses, and organizations seek quality 2D animation services today.

The world of 2D animation is fraught with various hacks and animation methods that turn flat, lifeless sketches into impressive, realistic, and relatable video content.

Let’s go over some of them with creators from Prayan Animation – one of India’s leading 2D animation studios.

Plan every detail and stay in control

As simple as 2D animation may seem, at first sight, it is one of the most complicated animation techniques in multimedia. In fact, it is pretty easy to get carried away in the process and fail to create distinctive and relatable characters.

Make sure to plan everything thoroughly, from color patterns and style to every scene and movement. Which features should be emphasized in each character? Why do they need to move in a certain manner? Which message are you translating through the animated video?

It is best to make notes and discuss every detail, especially when you address 2D animation services.

5 2d animation hacks

Emotional attachment

Experts say that 2D animation is so efficient among various audiences mainly because it manages to create certain emotional attachments. In other words, it is most expressive, engaging, and not boring.

Facial expression and body language are most important in this case. Don’t be afraid to exaggerate gestures, movements, and facial expressions; make characters intense and recognizable; that is the best way to make a viewer notice and remember your content and therefore, your message.

Good 2D animation works even without a voiceover

Ask your 2D animation services provider to show the finished visuals without the voiceover. It is best to show it to someone who does not originally know what the video is supposed to be about. If the message is mostly clear and understandable even without narration, and the characters are expressive and relatable enough, then your 2D animation is a success.

Don’t get lost in clean-ups

We all know that the original customer’s requests and the final product released after all the adjustments and clean-ups rarely have much in common. However, it is essential to stick to the original ideas and concepts whether you order or provide 2D animation services.

At the same time, the clean-up stage helps to get rid of extra details and make the final video the most eloquent and efficient. You may want to go through this phase several times, but make sure to keep the original notes and briefs in sight to avoid getting carried away.

2d animation video hacks

There are no unimportant details

Last, but not least, take a look at the big picture. Make sure that the whole content is made using matching animation techniques. See that the animation methods look harmonic and homogeneous even if a big team of animators was working on your 2D animation services.

There are no unimportant details in animation, and every small deviation will look like an alien body and destroy the whole atmosphere if you miss it.

Final thoughts

2D animation is not as “flat” as some may think. It is a versatile and multifunctional animation method that can serve all sorts of purposes: from entertainment to education and marketing.

Do you want to learn more about 2D animation and its benefits for all sorts of video content strategies? Or maybe you are looking for the best 2D animation services? Contact Prayan Animation. This studio has more than a decade of experience in working with all sorts of illustration and animation techniques and also has helped multiple brands and content creators worldwide discover and embrace the benefits and secrets of 2D animation.

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Super Sema Season 3 – Episode 4

Super Sema Season 3 Episode 4

“Saving the Golden Turaco”: Super Sema’s Mission for Bird Conservation

The latest episode of Super Sema Season 3 on YouTube Originals takes us on a journey to the African savannah, where Sema and her family embark on a mission to save the endangered Golden Turaco from the clutches of evil Tobor. In this special episode all about animal conservation, Sema teaches us the importance of protecting endangered species and preserving our planet’s biodiversity.

The Golden Turaco is a beautiful African bird with vibrant golden-yellow feathers and a distinctive crest on its head. Unfortunately, due to habitat loss and hunting, this species is at risk of extinction. Sema learns about this issue and decides to take action, enlisting the help of her family to track down the last remaining Golden Turaco and protect it from Tobor’s evil plans.

Throughout the episode, Sema teaches us about the importance of animal conservation and the impact of human activity on the environment. She also demonstrates the power of teamwork and determination, as she and her family work together to overcome obstacles and save the Golden Turaco from danger.

Toward the end of the episode, Sema and her friends technovates and successfully save the Golden Turaco and release it back into the wild, ensuring that this beautiful bird can continue to thrive in its natural habitat.

The recent episode of Super Sema Season 3, animated by Prayan Animation Studio is not just a fun and entertaining adventure, but also a powerful message about the importance of animal conservation and the impact of human encroachment on planet Earth. By watching this episode, we can learn from Sema’s example and take action to protect endangered species and preserve our planet’s biodiversity. Let’s all do our part to make a difference and create a better world for ourselves and future generations.

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Super Sema Season 2: Animated Series for Kids exclusively on Youtube Originals

If you’re on a quest for education and entertainment for kids, Super Sema Season 2 is unquestionably worth watching! This YouTube Originals production chronicles the adventurous journey of Sema, a little girl with extraordinary problem-solving abilities and a passion to help everyone.

Super Sema Season 2 has a total of 12 episodes, and is brimming with humor, action, and heartwarming moments. Each show is around 12 minutes long, making it ideal for young viewers with shorter attention spans.

Here’s a synopsis for each episode:

  1. The Day of Dreams– Sema sets out to share her incredible dream with her friends and discovers the power of imagination along the way.

2. Meet Ref – Tobor kicks MB’s special Imagine Africa soccer ball into the middle of nowhere. When Sema goes searching for it, she stumbles across a river of plastic waste pollution that Tobor’s secretly created. Will she be able to technovate a solution before the poison turns Dunia into a wasteland?

3. One More Level – Sema must break free from an addictive gaming app that has taken the people of Dunia by storm. She technovates a solution to save Dunia from Tobor’s destructive plans.

4. Just a Band – Tobor manipulates Sema’s bandmates to turn against her, causing the band to fall apart. Sema must learn from her mistakes and reconcile with her friends before it’s too late.

5. Flooji – Tobor must leave the Bongalalas alone with his new, dangerous super-charging energizer slime. But have you ever tried telling a Bongalala what to do? Things get out of hand suddenly and no one but only Sema can come to the rescue!

6. The Imaginator – Sema and her friends were given a class assignment to create a wildly imaginative story. Noah couldn’t think of a thing, no matter how hard he tries. Sema thinks of technovating to help but unfortunately, things go wrong. Will Noah be able to deliver a story on time?

7. Save Mama Dunia – A climate change-driven heatwave hits Dunia, which makes it difficult for Mama Dunia, who needs shade and water to survive. Sema technovates a great way to provide shade. However, the water required to save Mama Dunia is in Tobor’s ice pool. Will Sema be able to figure out how to release the water on time?

8. Robot Dinosaur Field Trip – Sema stumbles upon Tobor’s latest plan to destroy Dunia while on an archeological dig. He’s creating swarms of bug-sized robotic pterodactyls that will eat everything in their path! It’s up to Sema to technovate a way out of that mess before Dunia goes the way of the dinosaurs.

9. Tembo The Baby Elephant – A baby elephant is running amok in Dunia. Sema tries to reunite him with his mother, but he’s kidnapped by the Bongalalas. It turns out Tobor wants the elephant as his personal pet. Now, it’s up to Sema to technovate a way to help the baby escape and reunite him with his Mom.

10. Treehouse Surprise Party – Sema and her friends decide to build a treehouse to spy on Tobor as he is creating a havoc in the town. Nonetheless, it transpires that Tobor is so lonely without a heart and he’s crying. Sema plans to throw a party for him where she decides to gift him a heart.

11. The Best Wedding Ever – It’s a big day for Mrs TamTam and Peter Pizza as they are planning on getting married. Tobor, who hates love, destroys the venue, cake, and dress. Sema technovates a brand new wedding but Tobor again creates a huge thunderstorm to wreak even more havoc. Will love be able to overcome?

12. Operation Change the World – Sema’s comes up with the best technovation ever – a satellite that can help Dunia by monitoring the weather, predicting storms and droughts. It’s Operation Change The World! But shortly after its launch, Tobor destroys it -shattering Sema’s dreams. And for once, it’s up to the villagers themselves to help technovate a solution!

Super Sema Season 2 stands out with its emphasis on themes like environmental consciousness, problem-solving, and teamwork. Every episode features valuable lessons for young viewers to apply in their own lives. Not to mention, the animation is top-notch, with colorful and dynamic visuals that capture the imagination.

At Prayan Animation Studio, we’re proud to be a part of a community of creators, which uses animation to leave a positive mark in the world. Super Sema Season 2 is a brilliant concept of how animated content can inspire and empower young audiences. We hope you’ll check out this amazing show and join us in celebrating the power of animation to motivate, educate and entertain.

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Interview: Super Sema Animators Take Us Into the Unknown

Super Sema Animator Interview

To celebrate the release of Super Sema Season 3 on Youtube Originals, we were able to have a chat with a magnolious creative artist, Anu M George, who is a rank-holder from M.G.University  and has worked on popular animation projects like  Super Sema, Fukrey Boyzzz,  Little Singham, Purple Turtle and  MJ3 (Toon Boom).  She has got a hands-on experience with Adobe Animate, Photoshop, Illustrator, Corel Draw, and Toon Boom throughout her colorful career. She rightly says, “Drawing is one aspect but the animation is something, which gives life to it.”

Anu M George, Animator, Prayan Animation Studio

How did you get involved in Animation?

I am one of the many animators out there who began drawing at a young age. As soon as my brain transitioned from consuming crayons to scrawling images, I was hooked on that art of creativity. Actually, my sister had an animation course at her school and I used to help her with it, this is where I learned and developed my skills and landed up here nurturing my passion.

As an adolescent, I clearly remember pausing my favorite animated movies and imitating the images I saw on the screen, especially the hilarious breakdown and in-between drawings that made me chuckle. I nearly felt like drawing and animation were the same thing. The live-action adventure movies I used to watch truly ignited my passion for graphic design, animation, and other aspects of filmmaking.

As an Animator, what does your day look like?

As I tend to be a morning person, I like to get in the studio before the cacophony of the day begins to get into that groove. When a Sema episode is actively in production, it’s not unusual for the entire day to pass while animators work on a single shot, with only perhaps two or three check-ins with supervisors and directors throughout the week. Meetings with supervisors frequently take place in a formal setting that strives to be efficient with everyone’s time to discuss how much the animation is capturing the point of the moment in the film.

What are the most challenging and enjoyable parts of illustration?

Whenever I’m sketching, I’m genuinely thrilled. The day just seems to fly by. When you finish a sketch, you leave a piece of yourself behind because it expresses something about you. An excellent drawing will inspire others and spark their creative spirits when people see it and say, “Aah, now this is something that ignites me to come up with ideas.”

According to you, what makes a film stand out?

A personal viewpoint that is supported by tasteful style, sound, and timing. I’ll always want to see more a movie that blends humor with sincerity and drama with comedy. Every project I’ve worked on has involved amazing people, tasks for which I am immensely thankful, and experiences that I will remember for the rest of my life.

Super Sema Animation

We learned a lot while working on Super Sema. With regard to our process, we got most of them right but made a few blunders as well. With Sema, we got an opportunity to use all that we learned in preproduction and production. We wanted to deliver stories as efficiently as possible so that every last penny would be spent on that screen.

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ChatGPT, who are you? Let’s meet!

An artificial intelligence robot named ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer) was created by OpenAI and released in November 2022.

It rapidly attracted attention for its thorough and well-written responses in a variety of subject areas. ChatGPT is flexible even though its primary job is to imitate human conversationalists. For instance, it is capable of writing and debugging computer programs, composing music, teleplays, fairy tales, student essays, writing poetry and song lyrics, writing test answers (sometimes, depending on the test, at a level above the average human test-taker), simulating an entire chat room, playing games like tic-tac-toe, and simulating an ATM.

Beginning this month, OpenAI stated that ChatGPT plugin support would be upgraded, which includes both third-party plugins created by developers like Expedia, OpenTable, Zapier, Shopify, Slack, and Wolfram as well as OpenAI-made plugins like online browsing and code interpretation.

However, it lacks knowledge on incidents post September 2021. ChatGPT occasionally “writes plausible-sounding but incorrect or nonsensical answers,” as per OpenAI. Regardless of real comprehension or factual content, human reviewers favoured longer answers in training ChatGPT. Algorithmic bias affects training data as well, which can be seen in ChatGPT’s responses to queries containing human-related descriptors. ChatGPT is not allowed to “express political opinions or engage in political activism”, as per BBC.

As ChatGPT was made accessible to the general public, hundreds of books bearing its name as author or co-author and featuring pictures created by other AI models like Midjourney debuted on Amazon over the first three months.

Italian daily II Foglio hosted a unique competition for their readers while publishing one ChatGPT-generated story per day on their main website during March and April 2023.

 The pieces discussed issues such as Elon Musk’s management of Twitter, the Meloni government’s immigration policy, the potential AI replacement of human journalists, and the rivalry between chatbots and virtual assistants.

The debut of ChatGPT and its dissemination to a larger audience boosted the market’s interest and competition.

Google started rolling out an experimental service dubbed “Bard” in February 2023. It is based on its LaMDA large language model. On March 21, 2023, Bard was made available to US and UK users with a number of restrictions.

Yann LeCun of Meta stated in January 2023 that Meta is hesitant to roll out a competitor right now due to reputational risk, but added that Google, Meta, and several independent startups all separately have a comparable level of LLM technology to ChatGPT should any of them wish to compete. Yann LeCun has called ChatGPT “well engineered” but “not particularly innovative.” Meta launched LLaMA in February 2023; it is a 65-billion-parameter LLM.

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Glow with Firefly – Adobe’s AI-generated co-pilot

Adobe has now officially entered the generative AI space with Firefly. The company intends to increase the productivity of creators working on projects by implementing AI-based features, while also enabling new users to create various kinds of visual material.

One of the very first features is that you’re able to change the composition of an image with a simple text prompt. As a Photoshop user, it must be a bit difficult, especially for a beginner. For example, if we enter “change scene to winter” and click Generate, it immediately modifies the image with 3 different compositions to choose from; which means the user interface allows us to be more creative.

Software like Mid Journey and Dali 2 is more confusing to the average user since you need to fine-tune and tweak things a bit differently but in Adobe Firefly with just a single click you can obtain your stylistic outputs.

Secondly, we can Generate Similar Brushes and change the texture of certain products, add water, etc. Another cool option in Firefly is Generating Templates from a mood board which definitely disrupts Canva. In fact, one can highlight an image and generate variations. Thirdly, we can merge seamlessly so that the background looks perfect with no real distortion, and that too with an easy UI with a Refresh button and 3 options right in the center.

The AI models in the Adobe Firefly family of creative generative models are intended to improve the creative process for producers, designers, and artists. It provides possible applications in digital imaging, photography, illustration, graphic design, video, marketing, social media, and 3D modelling and enables users to produce extraordinary content using common language. Firefly seeks to give creators useful advantages, improve workflows, and provide AI tools designed especially for creative requirements. This art tool assures accountability and transparency in generative AI.

To access the Adobe Firefly Beta version:-

1.      Visit the Adobe Firefly website at firefly.adobe.com
2.      At the right corner of the screen, select the Request Access button.
3.      You will then be taken to a website where you may fill up your information, including name, email address, nationality, and other details, known as the Adobe Firefly Invite Request.
4.      You can, at your discretion, indicate why you want to utilise Adobe Firefly at the page’s conclusion.
5.      Click the Next Page button to finish.
6.      Adobe will offer you an invitation with instructions on how to begin using Firefly generative AI if your request is ultimately approved.

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Super Sema Season 3 – Episode 3

An incredible little girl named Sema and her twin brother MB are on a mission to defend the African hamlet of Dunia from the evil Tobor. Their experiences, which have the potential to change the world, are chronicled. Sema is aware that anything is possible with willpower, imagination, and a little assistance from the fascinating world of science and technology.

Baby Moyo

How cute was Moyo when he was a young goat!  There was a lot of feeding, cuddling, and safety, but in the end, Moyo was really an adorable kid! On the occasion of his birthday, Sema recalls their interactions with Baby Moyo and how this charming, mischievous goat ended up being an inseparable member of her family.

Prayan produces almost 300+ minutes of 2D animation content every year and has also involved himself in children’s book illustrations and game content development. They have recently partnered with Helen Christabel Parker, an Australian/Canadian television producer and writer from Diamond Film Canada, for a co-production called Sonic Bird, a 26*11 series, due for release in 2024.

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Super Sema Season 3 – Episode 2

Born out of the urge to produce educational content, tailored to accommodate Africa’s local theme, Super Sema is a protagonist in the series of world-changing adventures. Sema, an extraordinary young girl, and her twin brother MB are on their quest to protect the African town of Dunia from the robotic villain Tobor.

It moulds kids to more creativity, application of science and technology and teaches all and sundry that anything is possible through grit and determination!

Babu’s Back

When Babu hurts his back, Sema and MB technovate a solution to handle all of his errands without him, making Babu feel old and useless. It’s up to a highly unanticipated visitor to restore Babu’s self-assurance and dignity.

Prayan has already gained a name in the industry for outstanding projects in 2D and 3D animation, children’s & comic book illustrations, successful marketing content such as explainer videos, and mastering the hottest trends such as NFT creation. Today, Prayan Animation is taking you to the universe of Super Sema, which has been widely acclaimed and received millions of devoted fans worldwide.