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South Asia's biggest animation event begins in Kerala

"A Week with Masters", South Asia's biggest animation summit involving world-renowned animators Rob Coleman, Maurice Noble, Derek Lamb, Jeff Hale and Ishu Patel among others, began at the sprawling technopark campus in Thiruvananthapuram in southern Kerala today.

During the five-day summit, under the aegis of Toonz Animation India, world renowned professionals of the animation industry will guide the young aspirants to the areas of animation and business potential which are yet to be exploited in India.

At an impressive function, Utradam Thirunan Marthanda Varma of the erstwhile royal family of Travancore lit the traditional lamp to mark the inauguration of the summit.

The fledgling, state-of-the-art animation studio by the world leaders was also formally inaugurated on the occasion, with a view to exploring the wealthy mythology and enable the Indian animation industry to match the world standards.

The main attraction of the summit would be Rob Coleman, animation director for George Lucas's Industrial Light and Magic, who worked closely with Lucas on "Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace."

Academy award nominee Indian animator Ishu Patel as well as Ram Mohan of RM/USL are listed among the more than a dozen scheduled speakers, who will be presiding over the series of lectures, seminars and workshops focussing on pre-production, story boarding, character design and story development.

Prominent among those animation masters who are participating are: Ian Diamond, vice-president and creative director, Turner Entertainment Networks Asia, Maurice Noble, one of the finest layout and background artists in the world, David Flack, senior vice-president of editorial at MTV Networks Asia, Academy award nominee Jeff Hale (Christmas Crackers, the Shaped, Sesame Street, Garfield and Peanuts), Derek Lamb, veteran film-maker and renowned visual artist and designer and Lat, the famous cartoonist whose works depict Malaysian culture.

Bill Mathews (Sleeping Beauty, the original Mickey Mouse club), Ishu Patel, professor at USC's school of cinema/television in the division of animation and digital arts, Tod Polson (Peter and the Wolf), Ajit Rao, noted architect, sculptor, animator and animation instructor, Phil Robinson (Casper, The Flintstones, Yogi Bear, The Jetsons) and Prescott Wright, a veteran of the world of animation and an instructor at the academy of art college in San Francisco, are also among the masters who have arrived for the summit.

A special tribute to Maurice Noble closes the event. The event was so designed as to become an annual festival that would support the future of India's animation industry.

Toonz Animation India will produce original television series and feature films based on Indian folklore and mythology, meant for audiences worldwide.

UNI

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