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According to Nasscom, the global animation market is around $50 billion a year, of which, India will create $1.5 billion by the end of 2006. The schoolis in talks with universities at Singapore and Germany to offer university programmes.

Bangalore , Oct. 5

PROPERTY development firm Ittina Group is now venturing into the animation domain with a $5-million investment in a studio and school in the city.

The studio will be involved in smaller, high-end projects for commercials, visual effects and movies. Mr Manu Ittina, Director, Ittina Studios, said they currently have one Indian project in the pipeline. Mr Ittina was a character animator at PDI/DreamWorks, and has worked on movies such as Shrek 2, Madagascar and X-Men. The principal creative professionals heading the studio are Mr Manu Ittina, Mr Bill Miller, and Mr Ruturaj Arolkar.

Mr Miller is an animation director and has worked on Hercules, Mighty Joe Young, Madagascar and Shrek 2. He said, "We want to create a talent pool here which will equal international standards." There is now a mounting demand for animation specialists, according to the group, and the animation industry is poised to grow exponentially in India. According to the National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom), the global animation market is around $50 billion a year, of which, India will create $1.5 billion by the end of 2006. The group plans to invest another $20 million by 2007.

The school, christened Takshaa, can house 250 students. It offers courses with five different specialisations and differs from other animation studios in the country by focussing on art. "Others focus only on the software. We teach people to become artists," he said.

They also guarantee placement and are in talks with universities at Singapore and Germany to offer university programmes. The school will not be opening franchisees but might expand to the "happening city for animation," Hyderabad, next year.

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