Animation is increasingly used in video games and movies. According to a recent NASSCOM study, the size of the Indian animation market was estimated at USD 285 million in 2005 and is expected to witness an increase to USD 950 million by 2009

According to a recent National Association of Software and Services companies (NASSCOM) study, the size of the Indian animation market was estimated at USD 285 million in 2005 and is expected to witness an increase to USD 950 million by 2009. Another key trend being witnessed is the outsourcing of animation content to Asia. India already offers a significant cost advantage in animation and game development, as compared to other outsourcing destinations such as Taiwan and South Korea. However, a key factor restricting the growth of animation and gaming in India is the scarcity of skilled professionals.

Identifying this need for new, skilled talent in the Indian Animation Industry, Frameboxx Animation and Visual Effects has announced scholarship schemes to support and encourage meritorious students with a keen interest in the field of animation by helping them fulfill their dreams without having to bear the entire burden of the course fee. Through this scholarship programme, students stand to gain a fee leeway, ranging between Rs 10,000 and Rs 2,00,000. These scholarship tests would be conducted in Maharashtra including Mumbai, Pune, Dombivali, Kalyan, Ulhasnagar, Nasik, Jalgaon, Ahmednagar, Osmanabad, Beed, Latur, Solapur, Sangli, Kolhapur and Satara. Awareness for the industry will be created via road shows in all the above-mentioned towns.

The duration of the test would be for one hour and will enable prospective students for scholarships, ranging from five per cent to as much as 100 per cent, depending on the results. This remarkable initiative by Frameboxx is launched in the second week of November and would go on till November end, 2008. Students can appear for the tests in centres close to their hometowns. On clearing the tests, students will receive their respective certificates, which will state the percentage of scholarships they have won. The scholarships can be availed at any of the Frameboxx Animation and Visual Effects centres in Mumbai and Pune. The students have to enroll till January 31, 2009, and endorse their scholarship.

With a view to make the students more equipped with experience and knowledge, Frameboxx has taken up a unique enterprise of setting up a fully-equipped state-of-the-art "Incubation centre". The facility functions like a simulated production house complete with real world infrastructure and headed by a team of highly experienced industry supervisors. Frameboxx recently tied-up with the prestigious 150-year-old Cambridge School of Art at the Anglia Ruskin University, United Kingdom for the purposes of accreditation of courses and for jointly developing and implementing international standards in animation and visual effects education in India. Recently, Frameboxx also introduced India’s first ever online training website- Clickboxx.tv Frameboxx for computer graphics, animation and visual effects. It also organises a series of master classes, covering subjects across the animation and visual effects production pipeline, starting from pre-production, conceptualisation and execution to modeling, rigging, animation and topics like scripting, digital painting, sculpting, acting and motion capture. Further, to create awareness about animation education, Frameboxx regularly organises animation beginners classes (ABC) for aspiring students to understand the concepts of 3D animation from the initial aspects of pre-production, production and post-production. They recently invited Andrew Proctor of Aardman Studio, UK, to impart knowledge to the budding animators of Frameboxx. In the last three months, Frameboxx has placed more than 200 students from all over India centres into famous production houses like Big Animation, Paprikaas, Dreamworks, Rhythm and Hues, Crest Communications, Red Chillies, Dq Entertainment and many more.

These scholarship schemes from Frameboxx is an initiative taken by Naveen Gupta and Rajesh Turakhia, actively involved in setting up one of the most innovative Animation Training Brands in India. Speaking about this scheme, Naveen Gupta, executive director and chief executive officer (CEO), Frameboxx, states, “With the current economic crisis threatening the entire Nation, we are sure that animation as an industry will not face the brunt. We are thus encouraging students with an inclination in animation, to choose this as a lucrative career option. We are very happy to introduce the scholarship scheme as it is a value addition to all the students. With this innovative venture, we are sure to broaden the horizons of all the animation aspirants.”

About Frameboxx :

A versatile conglomerate with a focus on ’animation and visual effects’ came into existence towards the end of 2007, has a strong name in the animation industry offering skill set specialisation courses, covering various aspects of 3D animation and visual effects. With strong and utmost passionate commitments towards excellence, the company is destined to be one of the most trusted and fastest growing entity of its kind in the country. The company is headed by industry stalwarts Rajesh Turakhia and Naveen Gupta and is backed by former chief managing director (CMD) Adlabs, Manmohan Shetty and Chandir Gidwani, promoter, Centrum Capital Ltd.