Hyderabad ‘Games for Good’ workshop aims to live up to its name

Game development scene in India is constantly leaping and the Indian gaming enthusiasts are diving into gaming as a viable career option. Games for the wellness of society are one of the areas which game developers have been exploring over the years. Being one of the gaming hubs, Hyderabad has recently launched four-day program Games for Good: Designing Games with a social impact at T-Hub in the association of the U.S. Consulate General Hyderabad and the Indo-American Centre (IAC). On hand to open the event were U.S. Consul General in Hyderabad Katherine Hadda and Government of Telangana IT Secretary Jayesh Ranjan.

“As IT Secretary, it’s always very inspiring for me to see our best technological talent thinking about how they can use their skills to impact their communities and the world around them. Gaming has exploded as a medium in India and across the world, and I’m glad that the U.S. Consulate here is helping creators to understand that it can be a medium for social change as well as enjoyment. This program also provides local game companies with an opportunity to test their mettle, showcase their creativity, and enhance their reputations,” commented Ranjan during the inauguration of the event.

  The idea of the workshop is to communicate and inspire more video game designers to use their skills in creating video games that address social issues. In a candid conversation, Animation Xpress spoke with U.S Embassy and Consulate India assistant public affairs officer Akash Suri said, “Diplomats are always thinking about how we can get our messages across to people. Countries like India, our messages are often the same as what the Indian government wants to talk about. We also want to talk about trafficking, water rights, water scarcity and so on. We typically might use stuff like film diplomacy or music diplomacy and others but in this case, we thought why don’t we try gaming diplomacy for the first time?”

That is the reason they brought together talents in Hyderabad which is according to him is an amazing ecosystem for video game development. “We brought trainers from the United States; video game developers, instructors from some of our best game design school. We also brought in experts who can talk about issues related to water, inter-state co-operation. So that the participants will get a good mix of everything that they need to conceptualise a game that could change people’s mind about issues that important to India and the United States. That’s the basic idea.”

The program will include a two-day workshop which will be led by American games design expert Sean Bouchard, of the University of Southern California’s Media and Games Division, American gaming industry veteran Vijay Lakshman, and IIIT Hyderabad Professor Dr. Kavita Vemuri who specializes in game design and engineering.  The workshop will be followed by a two-day game jamming during which participants will form teams and conceptualise their own games that address social issues. In addition to that Suri expressed that the idea of games for social exchange is very popular in the United States.

According to him the experts that they have brought over actually specialise in narrative, user choice, design aspects of the game and so on. Apart from that, there are also some who are right here in India. Citing an example he said  “One of the trainers, Indian doctor Kavita Vumaresh, she talks a lot about serious gaming. Still, I would say that the U.S has very unique experts on the topic. So by bringing them here to interact with the game developers, it’s going to be a very unique experience because a lot of Indian game developers haven’t had formal game design courses. So along with the technical aspect, they can also merge the narrative aspects of gaming. So that’s what we’re bringing to the table. Over the next few days, Saturday and Sunday the game plan would be to get the participants get acquainted with the core concepts of storytelling and interactions to see what comes out of it.”

According to him, it is always good to bring out social topics like trafficking and so on to empower and create awareness among people. Additionally, the best part is that there is also money involved where the designs can actually get funds for the development of the concept. “Usually programs like this there is no fast forward and we are here actually make the game. Hoping this weekend we will come out with cool ideas and find some money to actually make them,” he added.

Also, there is a hunch that the top five game development ideas at the end of the workshop might get funds from Government of Telengana through this initiative. However, in respect to that, Suri expressed that it is the new aspect which was added on the spot yesterday, therefore, there is not too much to say about it.

He elaborated “That also surprised us actually. One of the senior delegates surprised us on the stage when he asked US Embassy and Consulate overseas buildings operations, project director Kevin Marks about the top five ideas and he wanted to see how we could fund them. And companies also said that they could do the same thing. This is a new aspect so I don’t have too much to say about it except that if good ideas come out of this that I could see a path forward to getting them actually made. And that’s really interesting.”

He further added this will also boost global collaborations as the best experts from the US gaming sector has joined the initiative to make  Indian gaming ecosystem similar to US. The m participants are also getting chance to communicate and build connections which might further help them in the long run. And almost all the resources an Indian game developer requires to develop games are already here from Microsoft to Amd and Nvidia.

More than 60 participants in the program were competitively selected and represent a broad spectrum of the gaming industry in Hyderabad, including developers at independent gaming studios, employees at multinational technology companies operating in Hyderabad, and students studying game design and graphic arts.  So we were really curious to know what is their plan in respect to the expansion of the initiative in the other parts of the country, on the same  he has expressed the embassy in Delhi is interested in the programme and whole expansion thing is depends on the response although it is too early for them to comment anything maybe post the event they might have a concrete answer on the same.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Epic Games and Jazwares reveal Battle Bus Drone at Fortnite World Cup

Epic Games and Jazwares have teamed up to reveal the very first Battle Bus drone. Revealed during the Fortnite World Cup, the iconic drone will be available in limited quantities at the event in New York City this weekend and will land at retailers during fall 2019 for $49.99. The Battle Bus drone is also available now for pre-order on Fortnite’s Retail Row site.

Fortnite Battle Bus Drone by Jazwares

The Battle Bus drone announce follows the reveal of the remote control All Terrain Kart last week at San Diego Comic-Con.
Jazwares has partnered with members of “FaZe Clan” to share the RC collection featuring an array of new, highly anticipated top toys with more reveals leading up to the holiday season. “FaZe Blaze,” “FaZe Adapt,” and “FaZe Cizzorz” will all be featured in Jazwares’ global commercial campaign, slated to air in August, for a #FortniteIRL Loot Llama hunt.

 

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‘The Angry Birds Movie 2’ finds their Hatchlings

The adorable Hatchlings of Sony Pictures Animation’s and Rovio’s The Angry Birds Movie 2 are being voiced by Brooklynn Prince (The Florida Project), JoJo Siwa, Genesis Tennon, Alma Varsano, Faith Urban and Sunday Urban, Sony Pictures announced today. The Hatchlings are the baby birds that have stolen everyone’s hearts and have no intention of giving them back, and can be seen in action in a sneak peek clip from the film launching today.

They join an all-star cast that includes Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Leslie Jones, Bill Hader, Rachel Bloom, Awkwafina, Sterling K. Brown, Eugenio Derbez, Danny McBride, Peter Dinklage, Pete Davidson, Zach Woods, Dove Cameron, Lil Rel Howery, Nicki Minaj and Beck Bennett.

In the film, out in theaters 14August 2019, three Hatchlings voiced by Prince, Tennon and Varsano (Zoe, Vivi and Sam Sam) embark on their own epic story, and are now up to their own tricks! Their role-playing-game-gone-wrong launches them on an adorable adventure that will charm and delight the world. No hatchling is too small to dream big!

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One – An Apollo 11 homage

‘PUBG’ players will earn on-chain crypto rewards for completing a mission

Blockchain-based rewards and marketing company Refereum has announced its partnership with gaming juggernaut PUBG Corporation, which connects PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS users to blockchain technology through the most creative and massive blockchain use case in gaming yet.

In a first for both the blockchain and gaming industries, PUBG players can earn on-chain crypto rewards (Refereum’s utility token, $RFR) for completing in-game feats — for instance, winning a match. This new rewards program involving in-game objectives is an innovative new addition to Refereum’s already established work in rewarding gamers for live streaming their gameplay, watching other players’ streams, and promoting games’ social media content.

“Gamers do so much free marketing for games through streaming services and social media, but they’re rarely compensated sufficiently for it. This is the problem Refereum aims to fix — and now, with this revolutionary new way of rewarding gamers for their in-game engagement with PUBG, we not only reward them for playing a game that they love but for their dedication in becoming better players, too,” said Refereum CEO Dylan Jones. ”

Refereum’s inaugural PUBG campaign lasts until 20 August, and is the latest in a string of successful marketing and rewards campaigns that has also propelled mainstream blockchain adoption amongst the audiences of games such as State of Decay 2, Fortnite, Apex Legends, and the Battlefield series.

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Fox Animation’s Blue Sky Studios co-president Andrea Miloro calls it quits

Andrea Miloro has announced to be stepping down as co-president of Fox Animation, the division Disney inherited with its $71.3 billion acquisition of most of the assets of the former 21st Century Fox. The executive’s departure comes as Disney is assessing Fox-owned Blue Sky Studios.

Andrea Miloro

As THR reports, Miloro, who had been in the role for 21 months, had direct oversight over Fox-owned Blue Sky Studios, the Greenwich, Connecticut, animation studio behind the Ice Age and Rio movies. She split her time between Los Angeles and Connecticut.

Before serving as co-president, Miloro had served as senior VP production at Fox Animation. Prior to that, she was VP, head of production at Sony Pictures Animation, where she oversaw the making of Open Season, Surf’s Up, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Hotel Transylvania and Open Season 2.

Since Disney already owns two animation powerhouses- Disney Animation Studios and Pixar, there has been some question about how Fox Animation/Blue Sky would strategically fit into the larger company. Disney could choose to hold onto Blue Sky to help feed the pipeline for its new streaming service, Disney+, or it could sell the company.

Below is her full memo to employees :

I am writing today with some news that is difficult to share, but I wanted you to hear it from me: I will be leaving Blue Sky.

Two years ago we began the journey to elevate and evolve this vibrant studio. We embarked on a robust development slate, attracting new talent and pushing forward with technology to support the storytelling.

Blue Sky has always been a force for powerful family entertainment, and for the last 10 years I have loved being a part of the family. While this is the end of my Blue Sky journey, I know that this studio will continue to surpass the very high expectations we set out for ourselves. 

Thank you for so many wonderful memories. I wish everyone the very best.

Miloro’s tenure at the helm of Fox Animation was not a cake walk. She was the subject of human resources inquiries at Fox regarding unprofessional behavior.

The release date of Blue Sky’s 2019 film, the Will Smith-voiced Spies in Disguise, has been pushed twice and seen its budget balloon. The film is slated to release for Christmas, five days after Disney’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

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Paroles d’Amour

Salt Content CEO Angela Salt speaks candidly about her journey

Awash with a variety of top-drawer mavericks and storytellers from a stunning multiplicity of artistic backgrounds, GAFX 2019 emerged as a leading juggernaut in the apotheosis of AVGC events. Not only did the summit play host to artists from national and regional perimeters but also flew down stalwarts from the west.

Salt Content Ltd CEO Angela Salt

Salt Content CEO Angela Salt spoke to Animation Xpress about her journey as an illustrator and a writer for kids’ animation such as Curious George, Abby HatcherA Street Cat Named Bob etc. Her panel discussions involved ‘around the world of GAFX’,  ‘deals with wheels, global productions: looking for Indian partners and developing Indian IP: route map.’

Foray Into Kids’ Media

Speaking about her penchant for kids’ media as opposed to content for other age-groups, Salt shared that her entry into kids’ media was through attending The Children’s Media Conference (The CMC) in the UK, eleven years ago when she had taken a hiatus from her career to raise her three children. She had been “immersed in kids’ culture as a parent; reading (and re-reading!) picture books, rediscovering her favourites that she’d had as a child which her children then enjoyed; watching TV shows…” She had been keen on attending The CMC and over three days she got to meet the people who made those shows and “it was fascinating like a whole new world opened up”

Sharing what she loves about the kids’ media, she added, “I was totally inspired by the passion of these people and could relate to and appreciate their aims to serve their young audience – which included my own children – diligently with quality content. People generally are driven by a passion to make a difference, to enrich children’s lives. It’s certainly a motivator for me. It’s a responsibility.”

Her Motivations

Salt came across as a polished and flamboyant speaker at her sessions where she expounded a great deal on pitching ideas and concepts with brio. Interestingly, she was quite the opposite as a child according to her.  Speaking about her childhood fears, she informed, “Contrary to the way I appear now, publicly, as a ‘confident’ adult I was actually a very anxious child so something that I’m keen to explore in my writing touches on the common fears of childhood. I try to address those in my work, to help dispel them with sensitive humour because being able to laugh at something really minimises its potential to frighten. Hearing kids laugh is one of the most uplifting sounds in life I think. That’s one reason why, for now, I’m mainly focussed on writing kids’ animated comedy.” While she elaborated on her inclinations towards kids’ media, she also added that she wouldn’t be averse to writing for young adults.

Journey as an Illustrator and a Writer

Outlining her journey as an Illustrator and finally a writer, she spoke about her school days when she was “torn between my two favourite subjects, Art and English”. Recounting what drove her to pursue art, she chuckled, “I guess my art teacher was more persuasive”. She spoke further, “In a parallel universe I might have applied to Oxford but I ended up at Kingston University studying Graphic Design and Illustration BA (Hons) and from there went on to Manchester Metropolitan University to study for a Masters degree which changed its title almost weekly! I think when I graduated they’d settled on the course title, “Design for Communication Media”

World Wide Web

Having watched the 1977 sci-fi horror, The Demon Seed, she had been apprehensive about the new and curious phenomenon of the internet (WEB – World Wide Web) which had been launched at the start of the 90’s era. She shared, “I continued to produce illustrations by hand and for a number of years I was successful as an illustrator for many well-known magazines and newspapers. Being an illustrator back then involved physically going to Art Directors’ offices in Central London (where I lived at the time) and showing my portfolio.”

Building a hard interior to grapple with criticism and rejection or what she metaphorically calls her emotional Teflon, she visited many offices. She further continued, “I took a break from being an illustrator in the late 90’s early 00’s to be a full-time stay-at-home mother. By the time I was ready to return everybody I knew was struggling to find illustration work. The internet had effectively ravaged the magazine and printed newspaper industries and Art directors were relying on stock photo libraries rather than commission bespoke artwork. Fees dropped dramatically and there started a culture of doing work for free which completely undervalues the creative industries. Of course, nowadays the trend has come around for hand-drawn work again and lots of beautiful, highly-illustrated, artsy magazines have popped up but eleven years ago these didn’t really exist and I found my creative impulses more fulfilled by writing. I wanted to get into cartoons!”

First Writing Commissions

Spooky Skaters

Her first writing commissions were a series of books for Scholastic based on an IP she co-created called Spooky Skaters. The books were part of an English Language teaching scheme to encourage kids around the world to learn to read in English which she wrote them in graphic novel format.

“One of the shows that I created was optioned by Technicolor and that really changed everything for me. I was working with brilliant people on further development of the show who gave me a chance to write a script too,” shared she.

Diving further into her journey as a creator she informed, “I found an amazing mentor who’d written kids’ TV shows for over twenty years and a producer who really challenged me and in a relatively short time, I was getting a crash-course/learning on the job of being a screenwriter. It was very intense and demanding but I vowed to learn fast and I did. I’m very committed to lifelong learning and I saw it as a long-term goal, to write for the screen.”

Highlighting her drive for the ecosystem, she added, “Throughout this time I was putting myself “out there” by investing in my career attending MIPCOM, MIPJR and KIDSCREEN and, through doing that I met a fantastic agent based in L.A., Annette van Duren, who represents me internationally to this day. Through Annette, I’ve really grown my credit list over the past couple of years to include writing for prestigious shows such as Curious George and currently the new Nickelodeon hit, Abby Hatcher. Most of my work at the moment comes from outside of the UK and I relish the opportunities to travel. I completed eleven scripts for a landmark Sino-Russian co-pro for CCTV in China a couple of months ago which gave me the chance to work in-house with CCTV in Beijing which was a great experience.

Curious George

Curious George


She’d first become aware of the Curious George (a heritage U.S. show based on the books written by H.A. Rey and Margret Rey and published in the 1940s) when she was visiting Chicago with her eldest daughter when she was almost two years old.

Sharing as to what spurred her on to write for the IP, she delved, “I bought a couple of picture books for her and a plush George riding on a wooden bicycle which became her favourite toy. I still have the plush George sitting on my desk actually! He’s been handed down through all my kids and finally back to me so I had a real connection with him. I’m honoured to be a writer (the only UK writer, I believe) on the new Curious George show for HULU. I love George’s character, he’s so insatiably curious about everything he encounters. His fascination with every day and the monkey logic he applies to situations leads to escalating chaos. It’s really a joy to write. Underpinning each episode there’s a learning intention and I enjoy the challenge of making that funny and entertaining. Hopefully, I’ve succeeded in the three episodes that I’ve written so far…”

 A Street Cat Named Bob

A street cat named Bob

Dubbing her experience of writing the pilot for A Street Cat Named Bob as delightful, she shared, “I got to meet the actual BOB who is the most chilled-out cat you could ever imagine! I’d already seen the uplifting SONY film produced by Shooting Script Films so I was aware of the story. In London, I used to live near to where James Bowen, Bob’s owner, sold the Big Issue, a weekly street newspaper which supports the homeless, the vulnerably housed and the poor so the location resonated clearly too. The development of Bob and his animal friends as a preschool kids’ show was utterly charming and beautifully designed by King Rollo Films. It’s set in a park which I imagined to be like Clissold Park in North London, somewhere I’d lived, so it was all very real to me, writing the pilot. I had enormous fun writing this character-driven animated comedy”

 Bengaluru GAFX 2019 experience

GAFX 2019

Reflecting on her experience of the recent GAFX 2019 edition, she shared, “It was exciting and an honour to be involved with Bengaluru GAFX 2019 as one of the international guest speakers. It was my second trip to the region, having participated in the Bangalore B2B in Nov/Dec 2018. I’m blown away by the friendly welcome each time and the sheer enthusiasm for the industry to grow and prosper. It’s very energising and I’m sure huge advances will be made to put Bangalore firmly on the international map for quality original animation content to match its growing reputation for amazing VFX and post-production services. There’s an astonishing pool of fresh and aspiring talent in India.”

GAFX 2019

Upon being asked as to why she was often seen around a gaggle of young girls after her sessions at GAFX summit, she answered, “I spoke to so many young people with awesome skills and made it my mission to seek out the young women, in particular, some of whom were slightly reticent at coming forward to approach me. I made it easy by introducing myself to them! I’m a member of Animated Women UK and very much a champion of women and the under-represented in the industry. I was interested to hear that 40% of students of animation in India are female but that they don’t follow the path from there into careers, mainly for social and cultural reasons. I would urge animation industry employers to consider women’s needs for flexible working and to strive towards setting a 50/50 ideal for equality of opportunity in the workplace. In the meantime I would say to young women, Keep Going. Demand changes!”

 Her sessions at Bengaluru GAFX 2019

Sessions

Explaining her role in the recent AVGC summit, she described, “I helped to open GAFX with a presentation of UK creativity from a writer’s perspective as Writers’ Ambassador for The CMC. I made a (kept) promise to act as a “messenger” back to The CMC where I exec-produced a session for writers this year, telling a room of 100 or so UK writers that there are companies in India looking to make connections. I also co-presented a ‘Masterclass’ in developing Indian IP for global markets at GAFX and I tried to offer helpful ideas, insights and advice both to students with limited resources and also to established producers with more of a budget to connect internationally and get traction on an IP. There are ways to develop projects and connect online, through social media and in-person which doesn’t have to cost a (prohibitive) fortune if you’re just starting out.”

Abby Hatcher

Recounting the pressing question that she got from the audience, she said, “I think one of the key moments at GAFX was when I was asked the question from someone in the Masterclass audience; “What is the one, key thing you would say to think about when you are writing and developing IP for children.” My response was simply, ‘Children!” I elaborated to say that I always try to create and write from the child’s point of view.

She also feels that it is fundamental to her “but surprising how some (adult!) people miss that!” as she had even gone onto her knees on stage to demonstrate how she looked at the world from the physical perspective of a child. “I don’t know any almost 6’ tall children!”, she added

Her advice to the budding writers

Masterclass session

1) Grow that ‘Emotional Teflon” layer first. It’s not going to be easy. Be tenacious.

2) Be optimistic and fearless. OK, so it’s not going to be easy – but it can be a lot of FUN! Believe that YOU CAN DO THIS and don’t let fear stop you. Get over the imposter syndrome thing. It’s not serving you.

3) Know your audience. If it’s kids, then hang out with kids. Find out what makes them tick. What makes them laugh. What makes them switch off. Test your material out on them and be prepared for a brutal critique!

4) Do your research. In my case, that’s an excuse for watching lots of cartoons! 

5) Immerse yourself in others’ creativity. Lap it up. Find inspiration. Feed your creative soul. 

6) Try not to be so much of a perfectionist that your perfectionism holds you back. At some point, you will have to send off what you’ve written for appraisal. Hit send. Hit send. OKAY! JUST HIT SEND!

7) Write a lot / Read a lot / Watch a lot. Try to remember to eat, sleep, hydrate and bathe, meditate and do other things in between…

8) Make friends with producers, publishers, broadcasters and commissioners. Always carry business cards and follow up on connections.

9) Find yourself a great agent.

10) Try to learn from all rejection. Ask for constructive criticism. Keep going and keep growing. Which goes back to Number 1).

11)  Always be original, never derivative. 

Her takeaways from the GAFX 2019 conference

Bengaluru GAFX 2019

Gleaning as to what she learned from the conference, she shared, “Apart from the gorgeous BENGALURU GAFX trophy that I was presented with by Biren Ghose… My other takeaways from the conference are that there is a phenomenal amount of talent in India and real scope to collaborate with international partners to do exciting work.”

Alluding to the organisers’ feat of pulling off the grand event, she continued, “ABAI, K-Tech and the Government of Karnataka hosted a wonderful event which was such an impressive showcase. I think the key is to keep forging connections with the international animation industry community every which way possible and for aspiring Indian animation companies to partner with experienced creatives from around the world who can help to develop original content and IP to move it forward and bring it to global markets. I really hope to be invited back to continue to play some part in the exciting future that evidently awaits!”


We were thrilled to learn the delicate nuances and aspects of IP creation from stalwarts like her. We hope summits like GAFX continue to energise the AVGC industry and play host to more subject matter experts and veterans that enrich the M & E space.


 

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Viacom18 Consumer Products launches an all-new range of Shiva Cycles in association with Allwyn Bikes

Almost no child can resist the excitement of gong outdoors and pedal through the streets. As a favourite pastime and a significant routine for children, cycling defines the essence of one’s childhood. Keeping up with the fascination and adding a dash of excitement to it, Viacom18 Consumer Products is all set to launch a new range of Shiva Cycles in association with Allwyn Bikes- based on the popular Nicktoon, Shiva.

The newly launched Shiva cycles with distinctive and attractive styles are available for kids across age groups from three to nine years. It has 3 segments – Bicycle, Tricycle and Kick Scooter. Bicycle range has three sizes available – 14T, 16T, 20T. 

Symbolising strength, bravery and intelligence, the homegrown character of the Nickelodeon franchise- Shiva, resonates with kids and his flying bicycle is one of the major attractions amongst the young minds. With this new offering, cycling will become more enjoyable for them. 

 Commenting on the launch of the new range of Shiva Cycles, Viacom18 Consumer Products business head Sachin Puntambekar said, “Shiva is one of the most popular characters from the Nickelodeon ecosystem, and Allwyn Bikes is known for their unique range with outstanding features. The launch of Shiva Cycles is an extension of the fan-base and a give-back to the kids who adore this fun-loving character. As one of the most essential elements in a child’s development, cycling also remains to be an integral part of their play routine. The diverse range of newly launched cycles cater to all age groups and will offer sheer delight to the little Shiva fans, bringing them closer to their favorite toon.”

The launched Shiva Cycles are available in stores across the country.

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When passion defeats paralysis – meet animator Deepak Kshirsagar

Never give up on something that you can’t go a day without thinking about”- Winston Churchill”

Sometimes life knocks down in ways that we can’t overcome. We find our world collapsing and see no way to proceed. For Phoebus Creations Media animation director Deepak Kshirsagar too, it was no exception. He suffered a stroke and was left paralysed in his right side, which was also his dominant side. His life seemed to have come to a stop as he was unable to continue his profession as an artist and animator.

But that’s the thing with human beings. When they’ve suffered enough and has nothing else to lose, they get up and start walking again, driven by passion. Passion for something you love, has kept many individuals going in times of despair and have given them a new ray of hope. Kshirsagar’s case was no different.

Deepak Kshirsagar

While he was recovering, he trained his left hand to draw and animate. He used to regularly practice at home, and after six years of his accident, he started coming to work and has never looked back since. Today, he can confidently draw with his left hand, make characters and animate them which reflects his indomitable spirit, his passion for his art and his devotion towards his craft.

AnimationXpress had the opportunity to have a quick chat with this magic man. Read on:

1. What kept you going with life and profession after suffering from stroke?

My parents worked and prayed day and night for my speedy recovery. Their love and care was the reason I could stand. As far as making a livelihood was concerned, Phoebus supported me and encouraged me to continue working with them. They gave me a renewed hope to be able to stand on my feet. I started out slow but steady.  

2. How challenging and difficult was it to start from scratch, train your left hand and continue with your passion?

When I woke up paralysed I felt like I had gone from green pastures to the rocks. Eventually, I embraced my condition and mustered the strength to make my left hand the dominant one. I first started out with letters and numbers, lines, shapes, basic stuff and grew from there. My team cheered for my small victories from time to time which kept me going. 

3. What does animation mean to you?

Animation is my life’s discipline. It’s a ray of hope in my times of depression. 

4. Who inspired and helped you in this journey?

My doctor, my family, friends, Phoebus management all stood beside me through these tough days. 

5. How has Phoebus Media helped you all this time?

Rahul Bakshi, Supriya Thakore, Bhavik Thakore, the directors helped emotionally, career wise, as well as financially to keep the artist in me alive and gave me the confidence to work. 

6. What are you currently working on?

Currently I’m working on many domestic as well as French and Canadian projects as an animator.

7. Any message you’d like to share for people so that they can take inspiration?

If you set your mind to something and work everyday step by step towards it, nothing is impossible.

Kshirsagar’s refusal to bow down to his fate and carrying on with undying spirit and passion, is certain to encourage and inspire other artists and individuals to never lose hope or give up – to look beyond what’s in our control and not crib for petty things. All hail, artist!

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