Why Learning Cartoony Animation Makes You a Better Animator Archives • Page 3 of 4 • Prayan Animation

November 15, 2019January 12, 2024

The Complete Journey of Punyakoti Project – Part 2

SOURCE OF INSPIRATION:

An HR professional Working at Infosys, Bengaluru, and a greenhorn in the animation field, got a spark to make a 90 minute animated film, that too in Sanskrit.

His first job after graduation was as a copywriter in an ad agency and there he did the scripting for India’s first children’s animated CD rom film Panchatantra.

“I always had an urge to make my own animation film. After watching Arjun— The Warrior Prince, I told my wife that I wish to make an animation film. She always supported and with her full motivation I chose Punyakoti, the Kannada folktale, because it is a popular South Indian folk story: It gives the message of leading a life of integrity against all disparity and living in harmony with nature. There was an anti-corruption movement also going on around 2013 and hence introducing such a theme into such a scenario seems relevant to me.”

Trailer:

Why choose the SANSKRIT language?

When it comes to the language it was totally an abrupt decision Ravi made after attending a workshop on basic Sanskrit conversation at his office and there he felt like he needed to do something in this language.

After that, he started thinking about why couldn’t he make his baby movie in the Sanskrit language as there were no animations had been made in such language.

How it all started???

Ravi shared the idea with his friend, AV Girish, an animator and he liked it and suggested that it’s just a concept now we need to expand it to a full-length animation film. Hence to make it a full-length film he impinged his own creative story of a village facing drought where our cow and tiger came into an encounter. Hence they completed their script and visited the rector of the Tamil film industry’s music world, Ilaiyaraaja. Ilaiyaraaja, for Ravi, was not just a musician, there is a strong personal bond between them. He showed almost all his earlier scripts for his review and suggestions but when he showed Punyakoti he was happy with the concept and agreed to do the music of the video free of cost.

His major concern during the start of the project was actually not the animation but to find a producer. Having an idea is easy but the most challenging part is execution. Ravi, who considers Steve Jobs as his role model says, “He just had this idea of iPad and went ahead. I too followed the same path.”

They approached more than 100 animators in this field and most of them felt that for a beginner like him, this was a bad idea and faced rejection everywhere. During this challenging phase where they were unable to find a producer got rejected by animators, Mohandas Pai, chairman of Manipal Global Education and former CFO of Infosys instructed them to opt for crowdfunding with Wishberry. Hence they started a target of 40 lakhs and with God’s grace they achieved it within the time duration.

Sanskrit connections

It all happened by chance. During the online crowdfunding process, someone made a comment that it would be better if we could approach Samskrita Bharati. After that, I contacted Samskrita Bharati and they invited me to give a talk to the students about our project. There We met Professor Leela, with an experience of about 35 years of experience in directing Sanskrit plays.

From dialogue supervision and delivery to selecting and finalizing the cast, the professor helped a lot. The characters for voice-overs are all a part of her Sanskrit drama troupe ranging between the age of 5 years (her granddaughter) to 80 years. Popular names from the Sanskrit theatre fraternity include Anupama Hosakere and Vidyashankar Hosakere, Narasimha Murthy, and Anand Raja Mani among others.

According to Professor Leela: Sanskrit is both ancient and modern at the same time. The beautiful visual appeal of the animation can advance the impact of Sanskrit to a large extent.

Some eminent names included in this success include actor and national awardee Revathi and Roger Narayan from Hollywood of U-Turn fame. The national awardee film editor Manoj Kannoth, Anwar Ali who is a famous contemporary poet from Kerala, has written the dialogues for all the characters.

With the amount raised through crowdfunding, Ravi and his team managed to finish the animatics with dubbed dialogues by June 2016. The technical team worked and interacted on Google Hangouts.

The team has not tied up with a particular studio.

They have tied up with a Pune-based collaborative platform Gamedoora to drive online collaboration and project management. The digital archiving and asset management of the movie is done by a Chennai startup—CineHive.

By September 2016 the team exhausted all the funds collected and from then on they have gone ahead with personal funding sourced from friends and family.

Lesson for Life:

He knows now how not to make an animation in 100 ways.

After the trailer went viral, there were some positive developments for the team.

Now some of the big banners have approached them to lend their support. Now they are hopeful that it materializes and can take Punyakoti a project close to our hearts to various film festivals and have a theatrical release too.

October 10, 2019December 6, 2023

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.

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.

September 30, 2019March 26, 2024

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.

September 24, 2019February 8, 2024

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.

September 4, 2019February 13, 2024

International Animation Growth vs. Indian Animation 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

August 26, 2019March 27, 2024

Why Animation Career is Not Suitable for Everyone?

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

July 11, 2019January 19, 2024

The Future Career Growth in the Animation Field

Work abounds for professionals in the animation field owing to the advancing technology across all mediums and the growing demand for content. The animation industry is growing at a very fast pace and it is now considered a multi-billion dollar industry that provides several employment opportunities for individuals who are passionate and committed.

Lots of work

There are countless offshoots of animation work that one can pick from in this growing industry. The video game industry requires animators to assist them in rendering concepts both inside and outside their games. The Film production studios also need animators for full-on animated films and special effects or CGI for live-action movies. There are also increasing jobs in the technical and scientific fields.

Outsourcing of work

Big international companies and studios such as Walt Disney, Sony Pictures, Pixar, and Turner Entertainment are now offshoring the development of their animation content to other countries. This means that many off-shore production houses and animation studios are now jam-packed with work that is outsourced from abroad and also handle their own in-house projects. Animators can also find work online because of the increasing need for great engaging and converting content. This means that there is an increasing talent crunch in the industry and people are needed to fill up these vacancies.

Opportunities in all sectors

Work opportunities are growing tremendously for quality animators and related experts such as graphic designers, game developers, multimedia developers, keyframe animators, character designers, layout artists, 3D modelers, and many more. All these professionals can find work in sectors such as advertising, theater, film and television, cartoon production, e-learning, video gaming, and online and print news media.

When it comes to animation, opportunities exist both within the private sector enterprises and the government. There are numerous animation houses across the world that recruit talented animators. With proficiency and experience, the sky is the limit for animators as regards what they can earn. Some of the best jobs include animation director, creative director, production head, VFX director, modeling and rigging artist, lighting professional, and many more.

Apart from all these great opportunities, multimedia professionals or animators can also work as freelancers or start their own enterprises as long as they have funds for investment and entrepreneurial expertise. As the demand for content grows immeasurably, animators and artists who strive to meet this increasing demand will find great success in the industry today and in the future. The opportunity, demands, technology, and importance of Animation in Today World are growing.

May 20, 2019January 10, 2024

Evolution of Animation: A Brief Journey Through Time

Among the best childhood memories that most of us have belonged to are the lethargic weekend mornings spent watching cartoons on the television. With reference to whether it was the iconic tale of the famous snow white and the seven dwarfs or the carrot-chewing rabbit indulging us repeatedly with “Eh… What’s up, doc?”, this clearly shows that animated motion pictures have always grasped our imagination. Thus, our curiosity and imagination could be the possible reasons that have led to the drastic evolution of this industry.

The deep history of animation technology that showcased moving art pieces and images changed over time. As a result, in the present day, computer and internet technology aid in the design of terrific animated videos that are enjoyed by diverse assemblages.

In traditional animation history, hand-drawn animation was done using cel animation. Cel parse refers to a transparent sheet made of cellulose nitrate and camphor, which was used to create hand-drawn objects. However, once the characters were drawn, they were superimposed on one common background image in order to reduce the number of frames and production times.

Moreover, stop-motion animation was also used in the traditional era. This was between the years 1914-1967.

Between the years 1967 and 1984, the computer revolution aided in animation design. However, it did not change the way animation was done. The frame by frame animation of 2D animation could entirely be done by computers. Despite this, it gave the developers good graphic control as well as making the process less grueling and thus easy to produce without props and actors.

Last but not least, the years between 1984 and 2018 were the era of computer-generated imagery (CGI). Modern computer animation includes 3D animation as well as 2D animated graphics which are then put in motion by either using frame-by-frame or rigging techniques to develop a continuous scene. It ensured that the rendering was rapid and also guaranteed the animation was not only fit for cinema and TV but also brand storytelling and web series.

In a nutshell, it has been our culture as Prayan Animation Studio to track and stay updated with every new technology and procedure that the animation industry ventures into. Hence we develop world-class date animation for both cinema applications as well as web series and product review storytelling, keep in touch.

April 30, 2019November 13, 2023

How to Make a Short-Animated Documentary

Nowadays, animated films have become popular in the entertainment industry. There is a 2D animation studio in India that can help you, or you can do it alone. The animations are funny and can be watched by the whole family. Creating a short-animated film is as easy as the simple steps below.

Write a Script

First and foremost, you need to have a good story and write it down in a script. Give your ideas a structure before you can put them into action. The script should have a theme, characters, a beginning, a middle, and an end.

Create Your Characters

Your animation will be incomplete without the characters. You can sketch your characters in different costumes, poses, and expressions just to know how they will look like. In an animated film, you are not limited to the kind of characters you can create. It all depends on your imagination and creativity.

Create Your Storyboard

The storyboard is an individual drawing used in the production of any film. When creating your storyboard, make sure it has the key poses. You do not need the background detail in your storyboard. You can make your work easier by using the free storyboard templates available online or at an animation studio.

Create the Animatics

Making the animatics is the fun part of creating the animated story, but you can get help from an animation company as well. You need to put the storyboard in editing software. You just need to play around with them, cutting and extending until you get the final film.

Drawing out the Backgrounds

The background needs to be at high resolution. You can use a mixture of paint programs and crayons depending on your taste and preferences. Make sure that you label your layers and separate them.

Cut Film into Final Version

Once you are satisfied with everything, you need to finish off your animated film. Polish it to make sure everything falls into place. Make sure the scenes flow smoothly. You can have them created at a 2D Animation Studio.

Creating a short-animated documentary is not hectic. All you need to do is just follow a few simple steps and you will have created a masterpiece. You can also decide to leave the job to the professionals by hiring the services of Prayan Animation, a 2D animation studio in India.