Pencil To Animator

Hyderabad: Director Shilpa Ranade, whose
animation film 'Goopi Gawaiyaa Bagha Bajaiyaa' is
being screened at the 18th International Children's
Film Festival, India (ICFFI), says that one needs to
go further than cute animation that has been a
trend for long.
Produced by Children's Film Society, India,
Ranade's movie features melancholic ghosts.
"We are used to cute and clean animation. We
need to break out from that," said the director,
who was one of the panelists of open forum on
animation in India: seeking original.
The director believes animation is a magical
medium and animators should try something
other than films based on mythology.
Arnab Chaudhuri, director of 'Arjun', says there is
nothing wrong in presenting mythology through
animation. But believes that a majority of
directors are only using mythological characters
and not stories.
"I made a mythological film and I don't see
downside there. In fact, it is the best way to tell
stories to people. But nowadays, you see many
mythological films just picking the character and
not the whole story. It's like they are trying to be
Tom and Jerry," said Chaudhuri.
Fauzia Minallah, an artist, author and peace
activist from Pakistan, considers animation to be
the perfect way to reach out to children.
"After 9/11 (terrorist attacks in U.S) world
changed. So I thought of using my gift of art for
children. I wanted to tell my two sons that to live
in this world it will be difficult. Animation was my
way of opening the world to them. Animation
industry in Pakistan is a newborn baby, but it's
an effective tool," said the former political
cartoonist, who is heading the International
Animation competition jury of the festival here.
The panelists including Czech director Jiri Barta,
jury head of International Shorts competition,
agreed that state contribution to animation films
is essential.
"Animated films were sponsored by the
government 25 years ago. It was a good time for
animation. But now only 30 percent of the budget
is given by them. Rest we have to find," said the
director of 'In The Attic: Who Has A Birthday
Today?' produced by Bio Illusion.
Ranade also emphasises on importance of
government's participation.
"'Goopi...' is produced by Children's Film Society,
India. I'm not sure whether I would've been able
to make it without state funding or not. We need
state to step in to bring films to more people,"
said Ranade.