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Ambar Singh Roy

KOLKATA, Feb.1

ARENA Multimedia, the multimedia education wing of Aptech Training Ltd, has outlined plans to augment the number of Arena Animation Academy (AAA) centres across the country and in select nations abroad from the present 15 to 50 by August this year.

According to Mr Sudhir Mathur, Vice-President in charge of Arena Multimedia, the Indian animation industry - valued at $500 million - was growing in excess of 30 per cent per annum, thanks largely to the entertainment industry.

It has been estimated that between eight per cent and ten per cent of the total cost of film making in India would, over time, be on special effects and animation. The potential for revenue generation therein was huge given the fact that the size of the Indian entertainment industry was estimated to grow to Rs 70,000 crore by 2005.

Mr Mathur told Business Line that several animation projects were outsourced to India from the US. Indian companies were also partnering in full feature animation films.

In addition, the global gaming industry was growing at a fast pace and offered huge scope for animation professionals. While the global animation industry was poised to grow to $70 billion by 2005 - up from $30 billion at present - animation presently accounts for $5 billion out of the $6 trillion global gaming industry.

"Developments in the global animation and gaming businesses have provided us with a huge business opportunity. We, at Arena, are now focussed on providing skills training that professionals in these industries would be required to possess,'' Mr Mathur said, adding that inputs from end-user industries were gathered before animation products were designed and introduced as part of course curriculum under the Arena brand.

The AAA outlets offer modular, short-term and full career courses on basic and high-end digital animation. Training is provided on 3D software such as Maya and 2D software like Amino.

Arena is also the authorised courseware provider for animation products of Discreet of the US. Plans to introduce training courses for the gaming industry were being firmed up at present.

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