Tag: VFX

DNEG group raises $200M to boost innovation in visual entertainment tech

Mumbai: The DNEG Group (“the Group”), the London headquartered world leader in visual entertainment technology and services, announced today that United Al Saqer Group (“UASG”) will make a strategic investment of $200 million in the Group, at a total enterprise valuation over $2 billion.

The DNEG Group has a consistent 25-year track record of innovating to lead in the visual effects (VFX) segment and strong profitable growth. Like all parts of the media & entertainment sector, the market in which The DNEG Group operates is undergoing a rapid evolution. The investment by UASG will accelerate The DNEG Group’s strategy of innovation and diversification to evolve from a pure visual effects services provider to a sector-agnostic content production and AI-powered technology partner, ensuring continued technology and creative leadership. In particular:

The DNEG Group will fully activate its technology division, Brahma, which is developing the industry’s most comprehensive AI-powered, photo-real CGI creator, including Ziva, to which DNEG recently acquired the exclusive license from Unity. Brahma will democratize photo-real content creation in a wide range of applications and will be built on over 25 years of industry-leading proprietary data to create a product of unique quality.

The DNEG Group’s intellectual property (IP) and content creation arm, Prime Focus Studios, will be enabled to expand its investment in, and production of high-quality content, following its recent successful co-production of The Garfield Movie.

The DNEG Group will open a new office and visual experience hub in Abu Dhabi, with plans to develop a world-class ecosystem in the Middle East for content production, storage, and distribution. This will support the creation of highly skilled jobs across the media and technology sectors, strengthening the region’s place as a creative powerhouse.

DNEG Chairman and CEO Namit Malhotra will continue in his current role. He will be joined on the Group’s Board of Directors by Nabil Kobeissi and Edouard Zard from UASG, and by Prabhu Narasimhan from NaMa Capital, a leading investor in The DNEG Group, who will also become Executive Chairman of Brahma. Prabhu Narasimhan will take a leave of absence from NaMa Capital to oversee the launch and expansion of Brahma.

The DNEG Group consists of:

DNEG, which will continue providing its Academy Award® winning visual effects, animation, and associated creative services to Hollywood and global visual entertainment creators. DNEG is known for its work on numerous high-profile movies and animations, such as Dune, Oppenheimer, Interstellar, Tenet and Blade Runner 2049, as well as the Harry Potter, James Bond, Fast and Furious, Mission: Impossible and Marvel Cinematic Universe franchises.

Brahma, which will be fully activated and will provide the industry’s leading AI-powered, photo-real CGI creator.

Prime Focus Studios, will increase its content and IP investment and development across live-action, animation, and gaming. Prime Focus is currently co-producing several high-profile feature films, including Animal Friends, the Indian epic Ramayana, and The Angry Birds Movie 3.

Prime Focus Technologies, a leader in cloud-based software and artificial intelligence (AI) technology, including the CLEAR AI content creation, content management and content marketing and distribution suite.

His excellency Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development Al Zaabi, chairman Ahmed Jasim said, “The strategic investment by United Al Saqer Group in The DNEG Group is a testament to Abu Dhabi’s emergence as a global powerhouse for creativity, innovation, technology, and investment. This partnership not only accelerates technological advancements in the media and entertainment sectors but also underscores our commitment to fostering a robust ecosystem for content creation. By establishing a new visual experience hub in Abu Dhabi, we are creating numerous job opportunities and enhancing our ecosystem that supports high-tech industries and creative excellence. This move reaffirms Abu Dhabi’s status as a prime destination for groundbreaking investments, visionary enterprises, and a thriving environment where creativity and technology converge.”

UASG CEO Nabil Kobeissi said, “We are thrilled to join forces with Namit, Prabhu, and the DNEG Group. Namit’s visionary approach to revolutionizing the media and entertainment industry through cutting-edge technology is unparalleled. This strategic partnership not only turbo-charges the development of Brahma, the Group’s ground-breaking AI-powered CGI creator but also, under Namit’s leadership, demonstrates Abu Dhabi’s positioning as a global epicentre for content creation and distribution. By championing advanced AI technologies and expanding Prime Focus Studios, we are set to drive innovation and generate significant job opportunities across the UAE.”

DNEG chairman and CEO Namit Malhotra said, “My career has been built on investing in and leading visual creativity with technology. Our partnership with UASG, the launch of Brahma, and the success of our content creation platform are all being fuelled by the power of our technology. We are redefining our business model as a leader in top-end solutions across the world, raising the bar in storytelling by using the latest technology and creative capabilities.

“This investment will accelerate our plans to further drive The DNEG Group’s existing activities and enable the Group to expand its offering, both in terms of the services we provide and the markets we operate in. We are building on our success with the opening of a studio in Abu Dhabi, bringing content creation and technological capabilities to the region, positioning us as a leader there, and allowing us to leverage our global capabilities like no other.”

Brahma executive chairman Prabhu Narasimhan said, “Our aim is to enable every storyteller to translate their imagination to screen faster, cheaper, and better, by equipping them with Brahma, which we are developing to be the most comprehensive AI-driven photo-real CGI creator. In the coming months, we will add to the leadership team of Brahma, fusing top technology and AI talent with visual effects creatives to make Brahma available to everyone with a story to tell.”

July 2, 2024
Ajay Devgn’s NY VFXWAALA announces international expansion in collaboration with GBK
Mumbai: Ajay Devgn’s award-winning entrepreneurial initiative, NY VFXWAALA, a renowned Indian Visual Effects Studio, joyfully announced a strategic partnership with the acclaimed Swedish studio, Goodbye Kansas Studio, headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, through its offshore subsidiary. Goodbye Kansas Studios boasts a remarkable portfolio of services, seamlessly integrated across feature films, TV series, commercials, games, and trailers. Their expertise spans VFX, FX, CG productions, 3D face and body scanning, digital humans, creature and character design, performance capture, animation, and real-time capabilities.

This significant investment establishes two pivotal relationships:
- Secured Major Stake: We have secured a major stake in Goodbye Kansas, through our offshore subsidiary, solidifying our collaboration.
- Immediate Joint Venture Studio in India: Simultaneously, we are launching a joint venture studio in India.
Goodbye, Kansas is a powerhouse in creating cinematic trailers for top triple-A games worldwide and delivering visual effects for live-action productions. Their impressive portfolio includes work on games like Cyberpunk 2077, God of War: Ragnarök, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the Battlefield franchise, and PUBG Battlegrounds. Beyond gaming, they’ve undertaken fascinating visual effects projects. Their ongoing collaborations with HBO, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney, Apple TV, Paramount Plus, and others are truly exceptional. Recent shows they’ve contributed to include True Detective Season 4 (HBO), One Piece (Netflix), and Carnival Row (Amazon Prime). Additionally, they’ve lent their expertise to numerous commercials and feature films, including Asteroid City and A Man called Otto (both featuring Tom Hanks). Their outstanding work has garnered prestigious awards, such as the VES (Visual Effects Society) award for “Outstanding Animated Character in a Commercial” for their work on the character “Dex” in the Cyberpunk 2077 E3 trailer, presented at the 18 Annual VES Awards gala in Los Angeles.

Our shared vision revolves around mutual growth, leveraging our collective creativity and technical prowess. Together, we extend premium services to global clients, inviting talents from India and Asia to collaborate on exciting future projects.

Our joint efforts will contribute creative and technological expertise, delivering technology-driven visual content to film, TV, and gaming companies across India, Asia, and beyond. By employing global resource planning, we aim to enhance production efficiency and elevate industry standards.

. Accelerating Revenue Growth: Our strategy involves scalable capacity expansion and intensified sales efforts within existing business segments (VFX, Animation, Game Trailers, and In-Game). We’ll target new geographical markets and capitalize on the growing trend of outsourcing VFX and gaming content. Additionally, we will adopt a global approach to resource planning and talent acquisition.

. Global Service Strengthening: Our combined scope of services will strengthen our global service offerings. We’ll strategically exploit opportunities in the Indian Games market and other Asian markets.

. Expanding Scanning and Motion Capture Studio: Goodbye Kansas’s state-of-the-art scanning and motion capture studio will extend its services to clients in Asia and beyond.

. Research and Development Collaboration: We’ll establish a collaborative Research and Development (R&D) team between both partners. This team will focus on creating innovative tools and technological advancements.

“Our endeavours involve setting new benchmarks with each project. We embrace a continuous process of learning, evolution, and adaptation to the latest technologies. I am delighted to extend our NY family through the Goodbye Kansas partnership. Our unwavering passion for delivering excellence persists, fueled by our core values and dedication. We take pride in associating with a like-minded partner GBK, and look forward to this journey together.” said the founder and chairman of NY VFXWAALA, Ajay Devgn.

“NY VFXWAALA is an ideal partner for Goodbye Kansas, sharing the same dedication to outstanding talent, cutting-edge technology and engaging narrative. This strategic partnership brings together our strengths in a way that will benefit both our organizations. Together, we’re positioned to create exceptional value for our customers, and open new development opportunities for our talented co-workers.” said Goodbye Kansas’ chairman of the board, Per Anders Warn.

“I am happy to announce this combined financing solution and strategic partnership, welcoming NY WFXWAALA as a business partner and a strategic investor in Goodbye Kansas. Our partnership will significantly contribute to our mutual growth and provide major opportunities for expanding production resources and capabilities, supporting Goodbye Kansas’ journey towards profitable growth” said CEO Stefan Danieli.

“We are thrilled about partnering with the Goodbye Kansas team. Our joint vision is to raise the quality benchmark, drive global expansion, and deliver exceptional service to clients worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to our goals, we eagerly look forward to expanding our business and welcoming dedicated talent not only in India but globally, to collaborate on an exciting future,” said the creative head and co-founder of NY VFXWAALA, Naveen Paul.

NY VFXWAALA, India an award-winning studio has worked on approx. 300 Films, has won prestigious awards like 64 National Awards India, 10 Asian Film Award and more, it remains committed to raising the bar through this strategic partnership, ensuring the delivery of premium services to our esteemed clients. We deeply appreciate our existing relationships with clients in India and around the globe. The prospect of offering cutting-edge solutions further fuels our excitement. Our journey, from a modest small studio to an expanding international presence, keeps us grounded yet relentlessly pushing boundaries. Our global growth aims to provide competitive, high-quality services, and we eagerly invite talents from all corners of the world to collaborate with us on this
March 19, 2024
Media & entertainment sector struggles with vice-like grip of layoffs

Mumbai: Two months into 2024, and the bloodletting in the corporate world continues. A large media and entertainment conglomerate – which failed in its strategic partnership – is believed to be lopping off more than 10 per cent of its work orce in India and overseas. It has already laid off around five to six per cent and more job losses are around the corner.

Another large broadcaster – which is a leader in its genre – has issued pink slips to again about 10 per cent of its staff.

An international news broadcaster that had a run-in with the Indian government has bid ta-ta to the heads of its distribution and ad sales team. Indian news channels too have stricken off the names on their attendance rosters, as they struggle to gain profitability.

“More companies are likely to follow suit as advertisers realign their spends around live sport – especially cricket, both women’s and men’s,” says a media observer. “But all the major players in live sport seem to be finding it tough with advertisers squeezing them for extra inventory, resulting in yields per spot becoming much lower than last year.”

With poaching becoming rampant between broadcasters, more often than not, departees are not being replaced, leaving positions vacant, asking those who stay to double up their jobs for those being asked to go.

The national elections seem to be the only other saving grace for the limping media and entertainment sector – especially news channels.” It is going to be a bonanza,” said a news channel CEO. “But what about after elections, it’s back to the slowdown again?” he questions.

Production houses too have seen the writing on the wall, and have trimmed their rosters. Pointed out a media analyst: “TV and OTT shows budgets have shrunk and those that don’t work are not getting renewals for another season or are being put to the sword. Production houses work with a lot of freelancers – on creative, production, etc – who are hired for projects. Only core creative and production teams are retained. However, some of them have taken proactive steps and have laid off even the core teams and are focusing on show development.”

What’s also dragging down the media and entertainment sector, is the impact that the US writers and actors strike has had on India’s earlier buzzing with activity VFX and animation space. The six month halt has sent the Indian animation and VFX sector into a tumble with projects being delayed and work slowing down. Most studios – in India and overseas – have streamlined their operations, laying off close to 15,000 professionals over the past few months.

“Jobs are tough to come by,” said the CEO of an international job-reliant studio. “We hope to see some green shoots later this year and more work come our way. Until then, it is belt-tightening time.”

Observers say the sector has not seen the last of the headcount cutting. More bloodshed is on the way.

On the other hand, the layoffs are spurring professionals to start up new ventures – either individually or by roping in like-minded talent to do so. Yes, venture capitalists and private equity firms are not freely disbursing investments to all and sundry in the start up but those that are getting financing are putting their heads to the plough to make their initiatives successful.

February 20, 2024
Daniel Jurow joins DNEG as COO

Mumbai: Double Negative (DNEG) has roped in former Technicolor and R/GA executive Daniel Jurow as chief operating officer.

With over twenty years of expertise in the creative industry, Jurow will be based out of DNEG’s London studio. He will be reporting directly to DNEG chairman & CEO Namit Malhotra.

Speaking on Jurow’s appointment, Malhotra said, “As we continue to scale our business, growing our creative teams, bringing in the industry’s best creative leaders, and building out our technology infrastructure, it is important that we have a strong, forward-thinking executive committee dedicated to leading, supporting and empowering our teams.”

“Daniel’s career-long passion for creative technology, his experience of delivering breakthrough results for both brands and for the teams that he oversees, and his strategic and methodical approach to his work, all mark him out as a great leader. I am delighted to welcome him to DNEG’s senior management team, where I have no doubt he will make a great impact,” he added.

Jurow was serving as the Film and Episodic VFX division’s Chief Operating Officer .

At Technicolor, Daniel was appointed as chief operating officer for the Film and Episodic VFX division. He spent more than 15 years with the international digital product and marketing agency R/GA before that, where he advanced to the position of EVP, global head of production, overseeing more than 200 producers.

Jurow launched the ground-breaking Nike+ product agreement between Nike and Apple in 2006, which earned R/GA the title of “Digital Agency of the Decade” by Adweek. By the time of his departure in 2019, the agency had grown from 200 workers to over 2,000 across 17 global sites.

Jurow has spoken at a number of international conferences, including the first 4 A’s Digital Conference for Agencies,Internet & Mobile World, Innovation Summit, ArabNet Digital Summit, and the annual Creative Equals conference, which aims to advance women in creative roles into leadership positions in the advertising industry.

Commenting on joining his new role as DNEG COO, Daniel said, “I have long admired DNEG’s focus on its people, uniting the business in support of its incredibly talented artists, creative technologists, production and support staff. As a result of this focus, DNEG has a great track record of leaping from strength to strength, delivering stunningly innovative creative work, navigating unprecedented industry shifts, and stewarding impressive global growth. I feel very privileged to join Namit and his team as we usher in the next brilliant act of the DNEG story.”

October 4, 2022
GUEST COLUMN: How can animation brands utilise communication tools to stay ahead

Mumbai: Animation brands have seen a considerable increase in the last three years. Animation is booming as a result of technological advancements and improved internet access. Through amusement and ingenuity, animated films and cartoons capture the interest of children of all ages. Animation is not only a terrific way to tell a story and interact with an audience, but it is also full of unlimited possibilities. People of all ages prefer animation since OTT sites such as Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, and Amazon Prime Video cater to adults with animated material. People want to make a career in animation by mastering VFX and 3D animation and building a name for themselves. The Indian animation industry is expected to reach Rs 180 billion by 2024, with a 29 per cent annual growth rate. Animated content appeals to a wide range of age groups. Because of the shift in purchasing patterns, the industry has grown at an exponential rate. The Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) and the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) undertook a study of the Indian visual effects and animation business. It is predicted that this industry may potentially take 20–30 per cent of the global AVGC market. It currently accounts for only 10 per cent of the market. This has boosted competition in the animation sector, and brands are seeking new ways to reach a wider audience.

The goal of public relations (PR) in animation brands is to raise brand recognition in order to pique the audience’s interest and establish thought leadership in the industry. Public relations firms are branding and communication specialists who understand how to make brands newsworthy and relevant to today’s audiences. They also provide crisis management planning and response services to help brands ensure that their message is not lost in translation. Animation Brands can employ tried-and-true public relations (PR) tactics and activities to foster positive attitudes and behaviours about their company, which will help convert interested consumers into customers. Public relations tactics are very cost-effective and often allow brands more control than more broadly targeted advertising efforts. Consider using these public relations tools to help a brand’s reputation.

To keep them ahead, PR can benefit the animation industry in the following ways:

Builds brand awareness

Public relations (PR) are great for maintaining an image that will increase your audience reach. To keep ahead of the competition, animation brands can employ public relations strategies to raise brand awareness and assist them in gaining recognition. Any company or brand. They have the ability to use public relations tactics to effectively build an image and brand recognition. Public relations will help to increase brand awareness, reach, and consumer loyalty.

Educating about brand/industry

The animation industry is still relatively unknown, and many people believe it is primarily concerned with cartoons. However, with the advancement of technology and the internet, people are increasingly favouring animation. To keep the momentum rolling, public relations must invest in public relations. Public relations tools like blogs, newsletters, news feeds, social media posts, podcasts, and interviews can assist in educating the public about the animated film. Through public relations, brands may also inform people about how to create a career in animation and educate those who are interested in the profession.

Better exposure and engagement

Brand positioning and visibility can be achieved through public relations. The massive market makes it all possible; yet, one must comprehend the method for engaging the audience. Brands may use public relations to design campaigns that enhance engagement and awareness. PR techniques like press releases, social media platforms, and SEO can assist animation brands in reaching their target audience, resulting in increased brand exposure and engagement.

Permanence

Animation brands require longevity because they want to reach a broader audience and make their brand popular. Effective public relations techniques allow them to target their audience based on their target group’s interests, increasing their reach. Public relations can help animation brands achieve long-term success by establishing thought leadership in the industry.

To summarise, animation brands can utilise public relations in a variety of ways to achieve their objectives. It will aid in increasing exposure, awareness, and persistence with the previously mentioned variables. If you want to generate interest in your business, you must increase spending in a profitable and friendly way.

The author is Scenic Communication co-founder Anindita Gupta.

July 26, 2022
Exploring public-private partnership to prepare students for upcoming M&E technology fields: Anurag Thakur

Mumbai: Union minister for information and broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur on Sunday announced that the Government of India is exploring partnerships with the private sector to ensure Indian students are in tune with upcoming technology trends in the media and entertainment sector.

The minister was delivering a key-note address at the international conference on ‘Changing Landscape of Media and Entertainment 2022’ organised by Symbiosis Skill & Professional University in Pune. The main topics of the conference were the emerging field of opportunities in animation, VFX, gaming and comics, opportunities in OTT, TV and film production, augmented reality/virtual reality immersive media skills etc.

He stated that “The radio, film and entertainment industry has a huge employment opportunity as we leapfrog into the digital era of quality content creation. Many job roles have emerged in the field – video editing, colour grading, visual effects (VFX), sound design, rotoscoping, 3D modelling etc. Each job role in this sector requires a specific set of skills and competencies. It is imperative for industry and academia to come together and design programs relevant to the needs of this sector.”

Thakur highlighted that the Indian media and entertainment ecosystem is a sunrise sector that is expected to generate rupees four lakh crore annually by 2025 and reach $100 billion or Rs 7.5 lakh crore industry by 2030.

He further added that the Government of India has designated audio-visual services as one of the 12 champion service sectors and announced key policy measures aimed at nurturing sustained growth.

The rapidly expanding digital infrastructure in the country and ongoing advancements taking place in the AVGC (animation, visual effects, gaming and comics) sector have the potential to make India the preferred post-production hub of the media and entertainment industry, he observed.

To establish a solid digital foundation for the AVGC sector emerging across the country, the government has established a task force for the AVGC sector in order to develop world class creative talent to meet domestic and global demand.

Thakur said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s enthusiasm for technology has provided an oasis of opportunities and given wings to the ambition of youngsters. The PM’s ambition to empower the youth has been realised by the Skill India Mission that aims to train 40 crore youth in market relevant skills.

Thakur shared that the talents discovered during the ’75 Creative Minds of Tomorrow’ project undertaken during International Film Festival of India 2021, have been creative contributing to the media and entertainment sector and have established successful startups.

Keeping in mind the growing start-up ecosystem in India, Thakur said that during the Covid pandemic period India added as many as 50 unicorn start-ups, which speaks volumes about India’s entrepreneurial spirit. The minister said he hopes to see more and more start-ups emerging from the talent pool produced by leading film schools like Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) too.

The I&B minister noted that India’s content creation industry has undergone a massive uplift with ‘Digital India’. He said, “With quality content, easy access and an eager audience, India is ready to narrate its own success story and become a content creation hub”.

Adding further, he impressed the importance of recognising the efforts of technical people behind the scenes of India’s content industry who should be adequately recognised and rewarded, moving beyond the current focus on lead characters.

June 27, 2022
MIB, Netflix join hands to launch short video series on women changemakers

Mumbai: Minister of information and broadcasting (MIB) launched “Azadi Ki Amrit Kahaniya” – a short video series created in collaboration with OTT platform Netflix on Tuesday.

The ministry and Netflix have collaborated to produce the first set of videos featuring seven women changemakers from across the country who share their experiences in breaking the glass ceiling. Showcasing the unique diversity of India, these two-minute short films were shot in locations across the country and are narrated by acclaimed actor, Neena Gupta.

The seven changemakers include Poonam Nautiyal, a healthcare worker who walked miles across Bageshwar district in Uttarakhand to vaccinate everyone, Dr Tessy Thomas, the first woman scientist to head a missile project in India, Tanvi Jagadish, India’s first competitive woman stand-up paddleboarder and Aarohi Pandit, the world’s youngest and first woman pilot to cross the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean solo in a light-sport aircraft. Three of the videos and a trailer offering a sneak peek into the series, were released on Tuesday.

The announcement was made as part of the celebration of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in the presence of ministry of state Dr L Murugan, ministry of information and broadcasting secretary Apurva Chandra and Netflix head of global TV Bela Bajaria.

The I&B minister indicated that this was a long-term partnership where different themes and diverse stories will be highlighted. He said, “Netflix will be producing twenty-five videos on themes including women empowerment, environment and sustainable development and other days of significance. Netflix will produce two-minute short films for the ministry which will be shared on social media platforms and telecast on Doordarshan network.”

Thakur elaborated that the ministry in partnership with Netflix will continue to organise training workshops and master classes to encourage film makers in India to create inspiring content on various topics under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

“Netflix and the ministry will partner to develop a creative ecosystem by organizing training programs for post-production, VFX, animation, music production among others and will be organised on ground and virtually,” he announced.

In his opening remarks, I&B secretary Apurva Chandra highlighted that the I&B ministry and Netflix signed a collaboration agreement and that the three videos released on Tuesday are the first set produced under the partnership. He added that a deeper collaboration featuring a long running series on our freedom struggle and the stories that need to be told to the world is in the pipeline.

Netflix head of global TV Bela Bajaria said that India was one of the most vibrant entertainment industries in the world and India was remarkably well placed in times of internet entertainment. “Netflix is excited to be part of a time when stories from India are being exported to the world and the best Indian stories are being discovered and loved on a global stage,” said Bajaria.

Commenting on the partnership, she added, “Netflix is proud to partner with MIB to celebrate and acknowledge the evolution of India over the past 75 years by celebrating its beautiful art, culture and storytelling”. She further added that it was “in pursuance of this partnership Netflix has created a series of short videos based on real life stories aimed to celebrate achievement of people from all corners of India.”

“These stories are of incredible women who have fought against the odds to achieve their dreams. Netflix’s commitment to India is strong and growing and Netflix will continue to find the country’s finest stories and share them across the globe,” she remarked.

April 26, 2022
ReDefine celebrates its VFX work on ‘Chehre’

Mumbai: Global visual effects and animation company ReDefine has celebrated the delivery of VFX services for the Amitabh Bachchan and Emraan Hashmi starrer “Chehre”, the country’s second major theatrical release since the pandemic. The mystery thriller is helmed by production houses Anand Pandit Motion Pictures and Saraswati Entertainment.

ReDefine contributed significantly to the film’s visuals with its scope of work involving over 200 crew members and also creating a great visual environment through the different stages of the day, as the film’s plot moved forward.

The team from ReDefine was led by VFX supervisor Arijit Ghosh, successfully aligning with the director’s vision and executing state-of-the-art sequences including high-octane scenes such as a cliff breaking sequence and a major avalanche scene and quality CG snowfall sequences.

“It is always a pleasure to bring a script to life, and offer our team’s unique vision and expertise to a project whilst building a close synergy with the director, in order to bring out the best output on screen,” said Ghosh. “While the filming was challenging owing to the limitations of the first wave of COVID, we were successfully able to beat any and all obstacles and produce the desired results. Our premier services to the project are indeed reflective of ReDefine’s continuous effort to promote great storytelling and create stunning visuals.”

Launched in 2019, ReDefine provides creative visual effects and animation services focused on expanding international markets as well as independent filmmakers everywhere. It supports studios producing film, television, and animation content.

“At ReDefine, we pride ourselves in our extensive experience and market leading technology, which has provided quality value additions to countless film projects and has been associated with the biggest names in the industry,” said ReDefine, general manager, Yohann Abraham. “Our work on the ambitious projects is reflective of our strategic undertakings and successful collaborations with the finest creative talents and production houses of the present day.”

ReDefine is also providing VFX services to the upcoming film “Cry Macho” for legendary filmmaker Client Eastwood, as well as several Bollywood projects including “Brahmastra” starring Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Ranveer Singh-Deepika Padukone starrer “83”

September 8, 2021
Crucial for broadcasters and production houses to invest in better technology

MUMBAI: Helmed by the creative duo Alind Srivastava and Nissar Parvej, Peninsula Pictures has been entertaining television viewers since 2015. From fantasy to supernatural and mythology, the production house has attempted to explore different genres in a short span. It recently dabbled in creating a historical drama with TV show RudraMaa Devi which went on air on Telugu channel Star Maa.

“When we started in 2015, we didn’t have enough capital to start a production house. Our decision to still go ahead was purely based on instincts. It began with a TV show for Star Bharat titled Mayavi Maling. Soon, [we were] approached by Zee TV to make a supernatural love story – Vishkanya, which ran for around 140 episodes,” Peninsula Pictures founder Alind Srivastava told Indiantelevision.com.

This was followed by Dev – a suspense drama series revolving around the life of ace detective Dev Burman, who uses his expertise to investigate various crimes. The show debuted on Colors TV in August 2017 and lasted for as many as 71 episodes.

“It is all about good storytelling,” said Srivastava, when asked about the factors which drive the popularity of the shows. One of its most popular mythological drama series – Paramavatar Shri Krishna – went on air on &TV in June 2017 and became one of its longest-running shows with 687 episodes. Some of the other shows include Vishkanya, Mayavi Maling, Vish: A Poisonous Story, and Vikram Betaal Ki Rahasya Gatha.

The production house is currently producing Aladdin – Naam Toh Suna Hoga and Hero Gayab Mode On on Sony Sab. They have also rolled out a new mythological show titled Paapnashini Ganga on the newly launched Hindi GEC Ishara.

But their journey in TV production was far from a smooth one, the duo shared, as they recalled an incident during the shooting of the TV show Vishkanya, which almost convinced them to shut down the company. “We were mulling over the closure, but before we could even arrive at a decision, we got the opportunity to work on two more shows,” recalled Srivastava.

Peninsula Pictures co-founder Nissar Parvej chimed in, “In fact, now when we look back, we realise it was the right time to start a production house. There are so many OTT platforms and it is only going to go upwards from here.”

The Peninsula group has now grown into an integrated and diversified television production house which also owns Peninsula TV and Peninsula Studio, responsible for creating VFX content for their TV shows. The extensive use of VFX and CGI was evident in its sci-fi superhero saga Hero Gayab Mode On, where special effects have been utilised liberally to create an alien spaceship, along with drone footage of Mumbai city to depict an alien world.

“Virtual production has immense scope, especially in the post-pandemic era. It has become challenging for producers to shoot outdoors with ease,” noted Parvej. Citing the example of one of their own series, he added, “For Paapnashini Ganga, we wanted to shoot some scenes in and around Uttarakhand, Kashmir, Devprayag, and Rudraprayag. But, we could not do it because of the pandemic restrictions.”

With the rising demand for OTT-like content, the duo believe, it has become important for production houses to master the usage of new technology in their shows.

“MoCap (motion capture) can be used for live-action shows and animated and 3D shows. We will also see more usage of motion track cameras. Whenever we approach any network or streaming platform, we insist that we need to invest in this particular technology. Investing in good tools and technology is similar to putting money in casting and writing, it is equally important. We need to up the game,” Srivastava signed off.

March 25, 2021
Illusion Reality Studioz aims to revolutionise post-production space in India: Nitin Dadoo

MUMBAI: Contiloe Pictures has proved itself a pioneer in the industry since its inception two decades ago. And now, the fully integrated, premium broad-based entertainment content production company announced that its VFX division will be rebranded to Illusion Reality Studioz.

With the aim to become the one stop destination for all VFX needs, the in-house vertical will solely focus on VFX, animation, previz/techviz, on-set camera tracking, lidar scanning amongst others, and will continue the Contiloe ethos of merging storytelling and art with science. The vertical will be helmed by Illusion Reality Studioz( a Contiloe Pictures group company) animation & VFX business head, Contiloe Pictures CFO Nitin Dadoo.

“For the last three years, we were evaluating the significance and the extension plan. Apart from in-house content we started taking external projects – from Hollywood, OTT or regional shows. During this time, we realised that the complexities and number of projects are increasing and it is the best time to start a new vertical which will cater into both VFX and animation,” explained Dadoo, adding that the rebrand was deferred from 2020 to 2021 due to the Covid2019 pandemic.

At present, the studio has a strength of more than 200 employees who are working from its Mumbai and Bhubaneshwar facilities. The team is bifurcated into two divisions – one solely focused on internal projects and the other handles external projects. The creative team is headed by Nicholas Camecho, along with creative directors Deepak SV and Indraneel Roy. Nicholas boasts of over 35 years experience in the VFX and animation space including his stints with studios like Disney and Warner Bros. He has also held the title of creative supervisor, director and producer across several CG development projects in London. Deepak is an old hand in visual effects and animation, and handles foreign and Indian clients. A national film awardee creative director with a demonstrated history of working in the entertainment industry, he has had successful stints working with Pixion, Maya Entertainment and Accel media. Roy’s expertise lies in motion pictures and visual effects. With 25 years of diverse experience, he has worked closely with the directors, producers, production houses, cinematographers and studios as Visual Effects Director / VFX Supervisor to materialize their varied visions. Nishikant is the CGI and VFX supervisor. Head of production Bharat Mistry has been associated with Contiloe Pictures for well over a decade now.

In the aftermath of the virus outbreak and resumption of filming, it was observed that several production houses are venturing into virtual production to minimise the budget and avoid outdoor shoots. The team at Illusion Reality Studioz is aiming to take virtual production a notch higher, as it is going to be a key pillar in the VFX facility. Under this technology, there will be functions like unreal motion builder which will be used to create photo imagery. Within the camera, the team can showcase what the directors are emphasising. Through this technology, directors, creators and DOPs can become the part of visualisation process before it goes on the edit table.

Citing an example, Dadoo mentioned that for their upcoming premium series, they are virtually creating some assets and locations within the script to make it easier for the director to figure out the cast needed for the show and other important details. He shared that this process will save time on post-production.

Virtual production will allow them to create photo real and hyper real assets within the existing system. Through on-set camera tracking, lidar scanning (used to scan the set) it would be easier to create an environment in real time and it will also allow to create final imagery without going into post production.

“In India, we spend 15-20 per cent of our time in pre-production, 40 per cent in shooting and another 35-40 per cent goes in post-production. But in the western world, things are more organised. They spend 40 per cent of their time in pre-production followed by shooting and in post-production they only spend 20 per cent. India is still in the learning process, with our studio we are also trying to get into that space where we plan much in advance and save cost and time,” Dadoo detailed.

He envisages to become the first VFX studio in the country to use these tools and change the landscape of post-production process.

Apart from working on current projects like Vighnaharta Ganesha, State of Siege 26: 11, the studio is busy developing an original series – Akshardham, the shooting will commence in may. On the external projects, the team recently finished working on MX Player’s eight-part web series Ram Yug. The series is directed and produced by Kunal Kohli. The studio will also start working on 26-part animation series for The Jim Henson Company.

Dadoo said he is flexible with working on both co-production and commission based projects. Acquisition and syndication of content is also on the cards, stating that he’s working on syndicating content from Thailand and the Sri Lankan market. However, the major focus will be on creating content where the studio can retain the rights.

March 20, 2021