Posted on

Interview with Mr Ravi Shankar | Punyakoti Sanskrit Animation | Part 1

PUNYAKOTI: Name of a Holy Cow 2d animation company

Punyakoti by Mr Ravi Shankar

‘Punyakoti’ is a simple moving allegory: a hungry tiger comes across a cow called Punyakoti and decides to make her his feast for the day. Punyakoti convinces the hungry tiger that she will surely return to sacrifice herself as his grand feast, once she fed her young calf waiting at home for her. Being trustworthy, she returns to be the tiger’s meal –It seems like this story took us again to the classic stories we heard in our school days the Panchatantra stories.
This story is derived from a popular Kannada folk song called Govina Haadu (The Cow’s Song), which is actually based on an episode in the Mahabharata (from the section of the Shanti Parva or “Chapter of Peace”).

PUNYAKOTI: Name of a Holy Cow

As per Indian Astrology, the meaning of this name Punyakoti is a person with an abundance of Confidence and Power. Here the astrological factor seems true through the success of the World’s First Ever Animation Film in Sanskrit by Mr. RAVI SHANKAR with a feather on its crown: National Award for the best animated film at the ANN Awards.

Ravi Shankar

Let us hear what Punyakoti is and how it happens, directly from the creator—our beloved Mr. Ravi Shankar.

1. You are now famous as a National Award Winner for the best-animated film Punyakoti at the ANN awards. We would like to know about you personally, Can you share something about your personal and professional life?

Professional: I started my career as a copywriter and a scriptwriter. I worked for a publication company in their Multimedia department. However, after my MBA in HR, I shifted my career to process reengineering in HR and Marketing. I am an introvert. My creativity is inspiration-driven. I get inspiration rarely so my output is very low.

Personal: I live with my wife and two children in Bangalore.

2. What is meant by Punyakoti: how did you end up in such a name for your film?

Punyakoti is the name of the cow in a folksong in Karnataka. I drew inspiration from the folksong. So I picked it up from there.

3. As per my knowledge, you are an American banking professional, holding on to your hectic work cycle where did you get the spark of doing such a project and how did you manage the time?

The spark came during a bus ride to the office. Managing time was very difficult. I had to sacrifice many things in my personal life to make this happen. But I have a big whiteboard in my room, where I write down all my tasks and manage them one by one.

4. What were the hurdles you passed through from the start to the end of the project?

The biggest hurdle was finding the right talent who was trustworthy. As I worked with freelancers, many took advantage and never delivered. Many did not have the discipline to deliver on time. I had a lot of delays. I had to make hundreds of phone calls to get things done. Funding was an issue. I did not have a producer or an investor. So I struggled a lot on that front.

5. In spite of a lot many languages we use commonly for our communication purposes like English Hindi etc. you opted for Sanskrit. We all know that Sanskrit is a less spoken language, Is there any personal reason behind the selection what’s the thought process behind such a decision?

There was a Sanskrit teacher who told me there were no popular contemporary works in Sanskrit. So I thought it would be a good idea to make it in Sanskrit. Also, I thought if I made a movie in Sanskrit, no one would bother me and I would have no competition.

6. How did you do the scripting and voiceover of this project?

The original script was written in English. We then conceived the dialogues in Malayalam as it was close to Sanskrit. We then translated it into Sanskrit through Samskrita Bharati. Then we approach a Sanskrit scholar (SR Leela) who has done Sanskrit play to help her members deliver the dialogues.

7. You are coming from an entirely different field, what are the challenges you faced?

As I did not know animation, there was no one to guide me. I have done explainer video scripts. So I thought it would be that easy. I took advice from a lot of people and learned about the tools that are used. After two years I could edit the raw files and even draw to convey my ideas. Then it became easy.

8. Some funny moments you had during this journey?

Many people thought I was mad and wanted to just take the money from me. Behind my back, they will say that this movie will never get completed as I don’t know anything about the process. They will say it is easy to cheat Ravi. Now when I look back, it looks funny.

9. In a normal sense animated videos basically aimed at children, and most of the viewers will be our little champs. In such a scenario what made you do such a project? What was the inspiration behind doing such a complicated project?

There are many layers to the story. Some will appeal to children. Some will appeal to a grown-up audience. This is how stories are written all over the world.

10. Did you have any intuition about your project, that this is gonna hit the award screen?

I had an intuition that it was unique. but when the editor the musicians and the sound engineer saw the movie, they predicted that it could win awards as the story was very well told.

11. What is your opinion about the Indian Animation Industry?  As per your experience is there anything we need to change in our current working strategy? Is the Indian Industry getting its recognition in the World Animation Industry?

It is a fledgling industry. It will take a few years for us to have the resources to compete globally. Good talent exists in pockets. We have world-class tools that are the same anywhere in the world. But time and money are also essential to make world-class animations. Making a good animation project has many parts including marketing. All of them have to come together. The live-action movie industry has matured over the years and all components are coming together very well. The same will happen in animation in a few years. But a few of us have to risk it.

12. Future plans: Any new inspirational project in your mastermind?

I have three scripts in the works. The next movie will be announced in November 2019

13. What are some of the tips and tricks you have to give to budding talents?

Don’t give up. Don’t stop learning. Don’t aim for perfection. Keep the company of good people. I wanted to complete this project in 2015, but it took three years more. I had fear and I became frustrated. But my friends and family helped me to cope. There are 100s of things we could have done better in Punyakoti. So there will always be another opportunity. So keep moving.

14. Lessons you learned from this?

There are hundreds of lessons. Some I have listed in the answer above.

15. As an award winner, what is your current feeling?

I feel lucky. I am a messenger through whom good work happens and not because of me.

16. A description of your team?

Anoop Sreedharan (Animatics), Ajesh (Storyboard), Prasad (Character), Shajeer (Painting), Shibu M(Layout), Deepak Divate (Animation) Krishna (Animation) were the core team. Girish AV (Creative Head) was the leader. He sacrificed a lot to make this movie happen. Without him, we would not have completed this project. All these team members were there from the beginning to the end. There were others who worked on certain portions of the movie. The good part of the team was they were directing me than I was directing them. I only shared the vision for each scene and the rest of it is their expertise.

17. Comparison between Ravi Shankar before Punyakoti and after a self-analysis?

I took the risk and I had a small success. If not for this project, I would never have met 100s of people in the daily course of my life. I am thankful to god.

Read More: The Complete Journey of Punyakoti Project – Part 2

Posted on

Animation vs Live Action Video, Pros and Cons.

Animation Vs Live Action 2d animation studio

It is increasingly common to see people discussing what is better, whether an animation video or a live-action one, especially after the iconic Disney company began to bring our favorite cartoon stories to real life. Nevertheless, despite being in similar audiovisual areas, both categories are very different. In the following paragraphs, you can read the pros and cons of each one to be able to choose the option that best fits you!

Pros:

Animation:

  • – First, we have the human factor. Animations do not require actors, so organization and transfer of people could be avoided, neither going through rigorous casting processes. This can represent a saving in time and money.
  • – Similarly, to make animated videos you do not need to find or build locations that are usually expensive. You don’t work on a set as such since the whole process is done digitally through computers and electronic devices.
  • – They are special to recreate situations or issues that are complicated to carry out in real life, especially those that are considered abstract or taboo. It allows the director to be creative and work based on subjectivity.

Live action:

  • – The main advantage of live-action videos is linked to the way they can connect with the audience. They can generate more real and humanizing feelings in the spectators because they can identify with the characters more easily as they are just people.
  • – Likewise, live-action videos are easier to make in some cases. If it is not a large production like the one required by the movies, a “homemade” or “amateur” style live-action video can be recorded in a couple of days.
  • – They transmit more information since the characters do not express themselves only through dialogues but, being people, they use body language, such as gestures and facial expressions.

Cons:

Animation:

  • – They don’t connect so easily with people.
  • – Its production is longer and requires more time.

Live action:

  • – If it is a complex production, it can be very expensive.
  • – Requires mandatory editing after recording the footage.

Both live-action videos and animation have incredible virtues so it all depends on your needs and requirements. You can analyze them individually, choose the one for you, and get the most out of it.

You can get professional character-based animation videos from Prayan Animation Studio. We are the best 2D animation studio in India because we have an experienced team that has handled thousands of projects and we deliver quality animation videos at an affordable price.

Posted on

YOUTUBE SEO: HOW TO RANK HIGH IN 2019

Youtube SEO how to rank high from 2019 2d animation studio

Getting highly ranked on YouTube comes with an amazing benefit; popularity. Most YouTubers definitely want to get popular on the platform, because the most popular channels and videos get the most views and engagement.

But how do you move from getting a couple of views and likes to hitting thousands of views and comments on your videos? Well, the answer is simple. Whether you’re uploading 2D animation videos or real videos, to rank higher on YouTube you need to optimize your videos. YouTube SEO is what makes a video stand out among other similar videos. For instance, a video about 2D animation might get 100 views and another video about the same subject gets 10k views. It’s all about optimization.

In this article, we’ll show you how to make use of YouTube SEO. Here are 3 ways to make your videos rank higher on YouTube.

Choose a Focus Keyword

If you want your rankings on YouTube to go really high, you need to choose a focus keyword even before uploading your video on YouTube. Focus keywords are important because they help users search for your videos. So, if you want the search engines to work in your favor, you need to use the relevant keywords. In case you find it difficult to come up with a focus keyword for your video, you can use keyword research tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Keywords Everywhere to find relevant keywords.

Optimize the Title

Getting a focus keyword is the first thing to consider when talking about ranking high on YouTube. After you get a keyword, you need to effectively utilize it in several ways. You can start by optimizing your title. However, you should never rely only on the keyword when creating a title for your video, your title needs to be engaging and compelling to stand out from almost 400 hours of videos being uploaded on YouTube every 60 seconds!

Here’s how you can create an attention-grabbing title. Every YouTube user wants to watch entertaining or educative videos. To catch their attention, you must clearly state what your video will do for them in your title. For example, if you create videos about 2D animation, the title ‘2D animation tutorial’ is not enough. Rather, you can say, ‘I will teach you how to make 2D animation videos’.

Include the Right Tags

Tags are very important for YouTube SEO ranking. You need to also include your focus keyword in your ‘tags’, in order to increase the visibility of your video when users search. You can use related keywords too. For example, a person posting a video about 2D animation can use the following tags: 2D Animation Videos, 2D Animation, Animation Studio, Animation Company, 2D Animation Company.

These are all related tags that can make the person’s video rank higher.

Thumbnail

The video thumbnail is not a ranking factor that YouTube, uses directly but it still has an impact on SEO.

A good or eye-catching thumbnail gets more clicks and that means better SEO. Many people click on the video by looking at their thumbnails.

Now that you know how to rank high on YouTube, the next thing is to keep your fans engaged. You can keep your subscribers coming back by using 2D animation videos to entertain your viewers. Get professional character-based animation videos from Prayan Animation Studio. We are the best 2D animation studio in India because we have an experienced team that has handled thousands of projects and we deliver quality animation videos at an affordable price.

Posted on

3 REASONS WHY CHARACTER BASED ANIMATION VIDEOS ARE POPULAR

Character Based Animation Video

Formerly, character-based animation videos were used just for entertainment by the movie industry, but these days they have become so popular that almost all industries use them for branding, marketing, and promotion. These videos are made in an animation studio and use animated characters to pass messages or information to the audience. So why have these 2D animation videos gotten so popular? Well, we are going to give you 3 reasons why almost everyone loves character-based animation videos.

1) Storytelling

Adding a character to your animation video makes it more interesting. People love stories and they would want to know the story behind your character. That is why animation companies model the characters in their videos to have both problems and needs; just like every other human in real life. The more people can relate to the characters in an animation video, the more they will want to watch it.

2) Captures The Kid In Us

So many people spent most of their childhood watching character-based animation videos, also known as cartoons. Back then, they enjoyed it so much that it became a habit.

Now that they are adults, when they come across a 2D animation video with fun characters, they can’t resist watching it because it reminds them of their childhood.

3) Cost And Freedom In Creativity

Character-based animation videos are cost-effective and give room for more creativity. Unlike in real videos, you don’t need a very big budget to bring an idea to life. To create a character-based animation video, all you just need to do is find an animation company, tell them of your idea and everything will be created in an animation studio, at an affordable cost.

Also, character-based animation gives room for more creativity. There are some ideas that are difficult to implement in real videos, but you can do a lot with 2D animation videos.

Finally, you have now seen why character-based animation videos are popular. It is quite obvious that people relate more to animation videos these days. Therefore, it is advisable to use animation videos for marketing your brand and products. You can get professional character-based animation videos from Prayan Animation Studio. We are the best 2D animation studio in India because we have an experienced team that has handled thousands of projects and we deliver quality animation videos at an affordable price.

Posted on

International Animation Growth vs. Indian Animation Growth

Animation Industry Growth

The animation industry is growing tremendously in the International space and India. This is attributed to the increasing demand for animation projects across the world. Due to easy access to technology, animation is now available to the masses and it has become one of the fastest-growing industries in the globe. India is fast becoming an influential hub for outsourcing animation production services. In addition, it is also developing a lucrative domestic market for viewers at a very high rate.

Animation companies in India have significantly benefited from global animation giants such as Sony, Warner Brothers, Imax, and Disney since they are outsourcing their special effects and animation characters to Indian firms. The ever-increasing demand for outsourcing across the world has led to the establishment of many animation companies in India. These companies are setting up hubs in major cities such as Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Trivandrum, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, and Bangalore.

India is attractive as an animation hub because of high-quality software engineers, good studios, low costs, a large pool of creative talent, and the presence of an English-speaking workforce. Many multinational companies and production studios are continuously exploiting the low-cost production that India offers. Animation companies in India are also creating skilled manpower through the provision of various training programs. This means that the Indian animation industry will continue growing in line with the international bloom being experienced today.

The rapid growth of the animation industry in India and internationally is attributed to the development of new animation software and technologies. The market growth is influenced by multi-industrial applications, the thriving entertainment industry, the availability of animation merchandise, and favorable government regulations. Additionally, the availability of cheaper internet connectivity and low-cost hardware has also resulted in the production of free software downloads.

The Indian animation industry is also blooming owing to the presence of good studios. India is considered to be the second-largest entertainment industry just after Hollywood. Most animation studios in the country offer a large supply of high-quality and low-cost software engineers.  Indian animation companies have established high-tech studios that are equipped with the necessary cutting-edge software and hardware to handle different overseas projects.

Both the global and Indian animation industry has experienced tremendous growth over the last few years and this is not stopping any time soon.  India is emerging to be a preferred outsourcing destination for many Western animation companies and it is developing and showcasing its own potential and capabilities. This sector has tremendous potential owing to the availability of talented and affordable expertise and the emergence of different industry-related companies and organizations.

Reference: The Future of 2-Dimensional Animation

Posted on

Why Animation Career is Not Suitable for Everyone?

2d animation company

Animation experts are everywhere and their work involves the creation of special effects, animations, and other types of visual images using electronic tools like computers for creations and products. They do commercials, special effects, motion graphics, medical explanations, online advertisements, and reconstructing crime scenes for forensic purposes. They can also design animated graphics for websites, create virtual tours for model homes and building architecture, and produce military practice simulations. However, an animation career is not for everyone. Therefore, in such a competitive and specialized field, you need to be confident that you have all it takes to succeed in this career before you invest your energy and time in pursuing it.

Innate abilities

Animation is not an easy career and not everyone can succeed in it. It is a long and tedious process for many people than what is generally perceived. People need to know that animation is a blend of both science and art. Therefore, for you to thrive in this career path, you need to have an artistic eye and you should also enjoy breaking down things to determine how they work. This means that you need to determine the innate qualities that will enable you to pursue this animation career. By knowing your expertise and skills well in advance, you will avoid wasting your effort and time if animation is not the right fit for you.

Be extremely observant

Successful animators have an observant eye and they have the drive to continually enhance the way they observe space and form. When it comes to animation, the traditional techniques in the education process are very important. Successful animators must have an unmatched understanding of forms in 3D space irrespective of whether they will be transferring that digitally or manually. If one is not extremely observant in their work, one may not produce the best results and may end up feeling inadequate or less creative.

Creativity and patience

Animators need to be extremely creative given the dynamic nature of the world today. In addition, they should have the patience to handle their projects well and produce the best results. A lot of planning is needed for every project and this will determine whether your animations will be cringe-worthy or pleasing to your audience.

Bringing dynamic images to life is quite exciting for many people. However, a career in animation is not a walk in the park as many people presume. Animators usually work for long hours and this includes weekends and nights because they must adhere to strict project deadlines. However, if you are passionate about animation and you are determined to succeed, then you should not be discouraged by the fast-paced and high-pressure environment.

Reference: The Future Career Growth in the Animation Field

Posted on

The Future of 2 Dimensional Animation

future 2d animation studio and company

There are many trends in the digital world. One of these trends is 2D animation. This refers to the creation of moving pictures in a 2-dimensional workspace. There is traditional 2D and digital 2D. The traditional one refers to the use of a pencil and paper to make sequential drawings that provide an illusion of movement. However, mainstream 2D involves the use of software to create these pictures. 2D animations are very unique and provide interesting, eye-catching videos. 2D is greatly growing and will be an important part in the future of animation. Some of the upcoming trends in animation include:

Combination of 2D and 3D

When making animations, one can either use 2D or 3D. However, over the years, the trend of using them together has become more common. This is because the combination of both techniques gives the final product a sophisticated look. It also makes the animation more appealing to the audience. It is done by giving 3D images a 2D effect. This combined technique can be used in many different areas such as promotional and educational videos.

Marketing

In this era of technology, businesses have had to boost their marketing in order to reach as many people as possible. It can be done by making use of different digital platforms. This is because many people now use the Internet, mobile phones, tablets, or television for information. In order to do so, businesses need to come up with short, interesting animations to catch their customers’ attention. This is done using 2D animation. It is a trend that is expected to continue in the future and will help with marketing which in turn brings in more customers.

Applications

Apps are important because they allow you to access services on your devices. Most apps previously used to have a plain interface that did not have any appeal to the user. However, in recent times, most companies have begun integrating 2D animation into their apps. This is a trend that is expected to continue in the future. 2D animation is usually used in features like zooming in and out and navigation. This holds visual appeal for the user making their experience better.

Posted on

Rhyme animation – The new way of disseminating knowledge among kids

2D Animation company services

Small children are the most stubborn and fuzziest students that any teacher can deal with. This is why teachers need to find ways to boost the focus and attention span of their students so that they can develop their minds and learn quickly. Rhyme animation videos are one of the most popular digital tools that motivate and inspire better learning in students. Rhyme videos make studies more interesting and effective for children.

Makes learning more enjoyable

For successful communication when teaching, an instructor must facilitate enjoyment in the classroom setting. Animation videos have been used effectively to achieve this in the modern-day classroom. Cartoon animations are remarkably successful in engaging students and students will enjoy every class session and will have a better attention span.

Helps them understand educational concepts better

Rhyme animation enables students to easily comprehend even the most complicated concepts. In the traditional classroom structure, the teacher usually uses the chalk-and-talk technique for teaching. This means that the attention of the learner is directed by the explanations given by the teacher and the static diagram or text that is written on the blackboard. Thus, the student has to mentally animate whatever the teacher is teaching and this will depend on their spatial ability and prior knowledge. With animated concepts, the students just have to perceive the information as it is regardless of how complex it is.

Enhances communication

A good rhyme animation helps to boost the quality of communication by focusing on the accuracy and specificity of the message, allowing for swift integration of new concepts with prior knowledge that the student has. Learners who have higher levels of prior knowledge can easily assess gaps between the external and internal information that they have. Animated versions of learning tend to be more credible and engaging when compared to static images associated with traditional learning. With animated videos, students readily understand whatever is being acted out, said, or asked for.

Facilitates deeper learning

The use of rhyme animation tends to facilitate deeper learning among students by offering multiple perspectives on complicated educational concepts. Animated pictures can direct the attention of the observer to crucial aspects of the display and demonstrate the dynamics of the specific subject matter. They can also convey procedural knowledge and enable explanatory learning by manipulating displayed objects. Because of its visualization characteristics, animation videos promote better understanding when compared to customary ways of learning.

Modern technological tools like rhyme animations are helping to boost the academic performance of students, especially those in primary and pre-primary educational levels. This is because video animations can present dynamic aspects of a subject matter directly and explicitly. Animated videos can help to illustrate several things in a manner that is not possible to achieve practically in small children. This is why parents and teachers should make an effort to include animations in their children’s education and make learning more entertaining and interesting.

Reference: Rhyme animation

Posted on

Why Stick Animations Are More Budget-Friendly?

stick figure animation prayan animation studio

The history and use of stick figures date back to the caveman years and they have been used effectively for communicating concepts and ideas. Today stick figures are making a significant impact on communication and brand marketing. This may be attributed to the fact that people appreciate the simplicity of a simple stickman while living in a complex world. Stick-figure animations tend to be quite budget-friendly when compared to other types of animations. This is attributed to the following reasons.

Easy to create

Drawing stick figures is quite easy and this is why many beginners tend to use this type of animation instead of the more fleshed-out characters. A stick figure is a simple drawing of an animal or person. It is composed of just a few lines, dots, and curves. The head is usually represented by a circle and can be elaborated with details such as the mouth, eyes, and roughly scratched-out hair. The legs, torso, and arms are mainly represented using straight lines.

Available software

There are many free software that people can use to create stick animation videos. This means that you do not have to pay a professional to help you create this type of animation. The internet has all the resources that you need to create these videos as long as you have a basic understanding of the animating process.

Versatility

The versatile nature of stick-figure animations makes them quite budget-friendly. They can be used in a wide range of applications, for example, movie posters, cartoon strips, flash games, toilet door signs, and many more. This type of animation is an ideal choice where nothing else seems to fit in. They can be used for educational purposes, in PowerPoint presentations, and just for animated fun.

Stick-figure videos or video series can help businesses communicate their message both internally and externally. Internally, these videos can communicate serious issues using some humor. This is because stickmen are considered non-threatening spokespersons and help to deflect from the human personalities that may hinder clear communications. Externally, stick figures create the impression of an unbiased spokesperson because they can handle things that many humans are unable to and they harmlessly interact with other stick figures.

Ref: How Animation Can Make Learning Interesting?