Hasta La Motion!

Aswirl with the buzz and excitement around the Bengaluru GAFX 2019, the AVGC (Animation, VFX, Gaming and Comics) milieu can’t wait to jet it down at the city of Bengaluru to witness the superlative summit. Replete with requisite resources and offerings, Bengaluru GAFX 2019 is set to explore the artistry advanced by a variety of storytellers.

ABAI President and the Curator of Programming for GAFX 2019, Biren Ghose.

In order to understand as to what really is at the heart of the summit, Animation Xpress interviewed ABAI President and the Curator of Programming for GAFX 2019, Biren Ghose, while he was at Annecy 2019 the world’s largest animation competition and festival.

What’s the big idea at this GAFX?

This year GAFX will focus on the creative and give more prominence to the amazing imagery that is created by studios right here in Bangalore and in India and across the world leveraging the creative and technical resources from India.

What’s on the show when it comes to VFX?

There is “award-winning”  VFX done with the likes of Sir Ridley Scott – Work by over half a dozen of the most amazing brands around India – studios that are winning awards and projects like

never before!

How do you say that GAFX  brings India to the world?

India is rapidly becoming a global hub for the production of content and is making great strides into the development of IP for film and TV. The community is young and hungry to see what the world produces and showcase its own state of the industry. Many of the best speakers from across the creative pantheon have been to GAFX before and showcased the best of the best work that has won Oscars and VES awards and Cannes Golds’ etc. This year is even more spectacular and you will see how the art form has progressed! you will.

Bengaluru GAFX 2019

What’s special when it comes to animation?

Animation is a medium of filmmaking that continues to evolve at a pace faster than anything else! Also it’s progress informs the imagery for games, AR, VR, and all the emerging formats! We have the best of the best from India and abroad at this event! Screenings of films never been shown outside a theatre. Chotta Bheem King Fu Dhamaka and Krish Trish & Baltibay from Graphiti – shows that are now being picked up by the likes of Netflix and other contemporary platforms.

Is it true that Indian animation and VFX has made great progress?

India is the largest producer of feature films in the world. With the recent trend of mega-budget productions with heavily loaded Animation and VFX picking momentum, Producers who want to get the latest style of VFX or Animation have to go to other locations like L.A, London or New Zealand. This was partly due to the fact, the latest facilities required for the high-quality output was not available in India. Not anymore.

We’ve broken through the mindsets of movie makers everywhere and it is now not a secret that India is at a world-class level when it comes to the top studios in Bangalore and other locations. We’ve demonstrated to the world majors and others that quality and scale is possible across the value chain in animation, games, and VFX.

What local content are you showing?

Over 30-50% of all the content being showcased comes out of master-creatives and their work is done in India but never presented before! Also, every speaker and session either represent India or showcases work that is created in India except the around the world sessions showcasing and benchmarking the boundaries we must explore!

Many local studios have been doing great work around the world? Is Gafx going to show any of this work?

YES! D Neg; Studio 88; DQ; Toonz; and significantly from Bangalore MPC Film, Rockstar Games, MPC Advertising, The Mill, Mr. X, Mill Film and Technicolor Animation & Games.

Games is reportedly the fastest growing segment globally. Is there any spotlight on games?

I know many of you would have played EA’s console game FIFA, then you should know that for the last 8 -9 years the animation art for FIFA has been produced at Technicolor India in Bangalore and our artists know every stadium, every blade of grass, & we love it when people change their hairstyles or teams get a new logo on their shirt because it’s more work and more business for us.

In the four years for Rockstar that started with 20 -30 people and eventually had their own company in India, it’s incredible that they are sponsors of GAFX as well and have delivered the biggest AAA titles and they have a studio of over 600 people!

Similarly, Ubisoft will represent some amazing work they have produced for the world out of their Pune and Mumbai studios.

When it comes to original content development what is the state of the art and how will Gafx throw light on this?

The Karnataka government’s efforts to produce the intellectual property in India has reaped rich rewards – the Elevate and B2B events have taken almost a dozen projects to the world stage. These will be featured at GAFX and will inspire many young people to come forward in this journey…..

Anything that’s very special to you about GAFX 2019!

We are bringing over 650 young aspiring artists from all over Karnataka and will be exposing them to the best of the best in the world – we expect that some of them will one day be in this stage with award-winning content! This is an extension of our Digital Arts Center programme that celebrates 5 years and is a partnership between ABAI and the Government of Karnataka’s KITS.

What connections does GAFX seek to make with global organisations?

We at ABAI are pioneering the “women in animation” theme and are seeking to extend our alliance with the global WIA organisation; we are specially premiering the SIGGRAPH ASIA EXHIBITION – this is a specially-paid entry at their event. Also we are screening the Best Of Annecy both the competition winners and Annexy Kids which will give everyone a taste of what a sterling jury considers the world’s best films in the past 12 months! There will also be a special screening of Graphiti Multimedia’s ‘Krish Trish and Baltiboy’

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