VFX – India’s new ‘it’ career
Did you know that Viserion, Rhaegal and Drogon, Daenerys Targaryen’s dragons from GoT, actually hail from India? Well, at least their designs and animations do. Mumbai based Prana Studios modelled and animated the fire-breathing children of the Khaleesi. It might surprise you to know that an Indian studio was involved in such an iconic aspect of an international TV sensation like Game of Thrones, but considering the wonders VFX studios have been pulling off in our very own Indian films, it makes sense that our studios are involved in projects the world over.
As for the movies right here at home, the strides in digital filmmaking have certainly had an impact on the industries. And while there aren’t many Bollywood movies that were created centred around VFX spectacles -at least not successful ones, anyway- the Kannada and Telugu film industries are known for their enthralling displays of digital filmmaking. With more and more VFX startups cropping up in India and the ever-increasing need for visual effects when following modern filmmaking conventions, VFX is bound to be the next big thing. Some of the biggest developments in the industry are in process as we speak.
- The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is establishing a National Center of Excellence for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Mass Communication.
- Oscar-winning studio Framestore is establishing a Mumbai leg and will soon recruit hundreds of VFX artists from across the country.
- Indian VFX studios are scoring some of the highest accolades in India, with studios like Makuta Studios winning the National award.
Considering VFX is a technical career choice and requires specialized training the earning capacity for an animation or VFX artist is high. But unlike careers in other high-income technical professions such as engineering, it requires an artistic bent of mind and appreciation for modern mediums like film and anime. The Indian animation and VFX industry, currently worth ₹88 billion, is expected to hit ₹184 billion by 2024. For the budding artists, filmmakers and tech enthusiasts that want a career that combines passion with corporate success, now is the time to hop aboard the VFX gravy train.
NSHM School of Design has several Bachelors and Masters courses with intensive training modules in VFX and animation. Programmes like BMAG integrate the fields of visual arts and computer sciences to give students a wealth of knowledge and skills to thrive in industries just like these. Furthermore, NSHM School of Design’s collaboration with TOONZ gives our students real-world experience of working in the industry even before they graduate, making sure that they are equipped for every aspect of a skill-based profession like VFX. To look into these programmes and explore the options in these ever-expanding fields, click here.
