The Hindu Business Line : `Original content with universal theme is the way to go'

BRAND India in animation is only just beginning to happen. Or so it seems. For, Hollywood films are known to spend up to half their budgets on animation and special effects alone. An India-centric offshore model, with its low-cost base and high-skilled labour, is tempting enough for most producers.

Thiruvananthapuram-based Toonz Animation India, a leading production house in the region, is only too well aware of the implications.

The Chief Executive Officer, Mr P. Jayakumar, spoke to Business Line on the potential and challenges. Excerpts:

Is animation purely technology play?

To bracket animation as purely technology play would be using a very lopsided perspective. Animation as an art form is completely driven by creativity and talent; technology is only a means to an end.

Content is what is really important in the scheme of things. The accent has always been on unique storytelling skills and creativity. Cutting edge technology is only a platform to achieve this.

That said, it is imperative that we stay in touch with the latest technological innovations.

Has content production in India lagged the industry?

The regional animation industry needs to concentrate on original content production if it wants to emerge as a serious contender on the global scene. The business model wedded only to outsourcing opportunities will become obsolete.

The relatively low revenue offered by Indian broadcasters and advertisers is a major obstacle to original content production in India. It is difficult to recoup the high investment we put into these shows.

Therefore, it makes better business sense to cater to global broadcasters and a worldwide audience.

The new approach pioneered by Toonz is to develop original content/intellectual property with universal themes and move ahead with co-production and licensing arrangements.

What is that which differentiates animation BPO from ITeS BPO?

A cursory comparison reveals a lot of similarities, though both sectors have distinct thrust areas.

For instance, employee skill sets required for animation BPO and ITeS are different. Creative artists specialising in different aspects of animation constitute the core talent pool of the industry.

A creative environment, unlike an ITeS set-up, brings with it a unique set of functional challenges.

Is the `poaching' game telling on the numbers in required talent?

India has a huge, English-speaking, creative talent pool. However, the unavailability of a proper training regimen has become the bane of this industry. Lack of exposure to international production values is also a big concern. Toonz is trying to bring about a radical change by setting up modern animation academies in India and abroad. Hopefully, this trained talent will satisfy our industry requirements in the future. And when that happens, poaching of talent will also cease.

What is the relevance of ideal HR practices in as much as we need to expand the talent pool base?

Since animation is a very labour-intensive business, the importance of HR policies cannot be overstated.

Toonz invests a substantial percentage of its resources in training and constantly upgrading the skill sets of its staff members. Since attrition rates are high in this industry, it is necessary to have an effective employment retention programmes.

Are you open to the idea of aligning compensation with output so that projects are profitably delivered?

At Toonz we already have incentive-based salary structure which links compensation with output. The artists are required to produce a stipulated quota of output. The quotas in turn are based on the complexity of the project.

Is there a need for inculcating a project management culture in the industry?

Yes, most Indian studios face problems when handling multiple projects simultaneously. They end up losing the projects and credibility. So it's important to inculcate a project management culture in the industry.

Toonz has a very efficient production pipeline that can handle several projects at the same time.

We have hired several expatriate production controllers and veteran producers to streamline and supervise our production schedules. The bottom line is never to compromise on deadlines.

How imperative is the need for promoting creativity in original ideation and content creation that conform to world standards?

Indian studios must develop shows that have original content and have crossover appeal.

The first home production of Toonz, `The Adventures of Tenali Raman', had a pan Indian appeal. Now the studio has unveiled a brand new development slate with properties that appeal to audiences across the world.

Would the Indian animation industry be able to attract venture capital funding?

The level of awareness about the Indian industry as a viable business proposition is very low.

A new studio needs substantial inputs of capital during the initial phase and a long gestation period to break even.

In such a scenario, venture capital funding would be welcome.

What is the scope of creating IPR out of Indian content? Can VC funding help facilitate IPR creation?

The Toonz philosophy is to create intellectual properties that have a universal appeal. We don't limit ourselves to well known characters alone.

While Toonz has worked on shows like `The Adventures of Tenali Raman' and `The Adventures of Hanuman', the studio has also created properties like `Paddy Pages' and `FrogSkool' with simple characters that appeal to kids across the world. VC funding would definitely facilitate IPR creation.