The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the names of recipients of scientific and technical achievement, who were honored at its annual Scientific and Technical Awards Presentation on February 13. The announcement reads: “To J Robert Ray, Cottalango Leon and Sam Richards for the design, engineering and continuous development of Sony Pictures Imageworks Itview.”
Cottalango Leon was born and grew up in Tamil Nadu. He is an alumnus of PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, and Arizona State University and joined Sony Pictures Imageworks Itview in 1996. In this interview for The Hindu Education Plus, he talks about the award and his experience in the field.
Congratulations on winning an academy award. Tell us about the achievement for which you have been honoured with an Oscar.
This award is given based on the technical merits of the collaboration software that we developed which is basically a workflow communication tool used by artists at Sony Pictures Imageworks. Since time is of essence in a fast-paced movie production, this tool lets them get creative feedback on their work in a timely manner as well as view their work in the context of the movie. Since this tool was developed in-house, it evolved to fit the unique pipeline at Imageworks which is known for its efficiency in our industry.
Did you and your team expect the award? How did you feel when the Academy announced it?
We were confident about the superiority of our product, so the award news was not totally unexpected. I didn’t expect it will get as much attention as it did, and I was initially a bit uncomfortable, but eventually got used to it. Looking back, I feel very happy that it made so many people joyous and rightfully proud that somebody that they associate it with got recognised at the international level.
What motivates you to excel in your field?
I think it is my love for science and technology which started when I was very young. I never really consciously pursued achievements or recognition but always just followed what interested me. My interests did change over time, and, at various times, I wanted to go in different directions, but these always centred around scientific fields. My interest in movies came later on, when I started to work after college, and, even now, I consider myself a technology buff more than a movie buff.
Do you think it would have been possible for you to achieve these accolades if you had studied and worked in India? Do you think Indians in India lack opportunities?
Having an international education and work experience definitely helps. But having said that, India has no dearth of achievers, and, under the right circumstances, they do reach world class recognition in so many fields. In my chosen field, Hollywood is where the action is, and working in one of the major studios there definitely contributed to my receiving this award. Had I stayed in India, would I have achieved anything? I don’t really know. Being at the right place at the right time is not something we have a lot of control over. As long as I enjoy what I do on a daily basis, I don’t consider fame and recognition that important.
It is said that brilliant brains from India move to other countries and shine there. What are the reasons for the exodus?
Today we live in a global environment where not just brains but also ideas, capital and goods float freely across countries, which I think is a very good thing. People choose to migrate for lots of reasons…In general, I think it is for the betterment of the individual as well as for society. Even with all the immigration, there is a massive amount of talent left in India.
Did you come across rough/challenging patches in your career as an immigrant? What were the challenges?
Of course, there are challenges in any career. Since we are a very small industry, getting into it can be difficult, since many people want to work in it and there are not that many jobs available. Also, this industry is notoriously bad for job security, and, as an immigrant, I had to risk it by choosing to stay in the industry while it frequently went through very rough patches. Many times, I was tempted to quit and join a big company with lot more job security but somehow I stayed on. Thankfully it has worked out so far.
How do you compare the engineering education in India with that in the U.S.?
I did my undergraduate study in India and graduate studies in the U.S.. and so, I cannot compare them directly, but I continue to be amazed at the wide variety of courses available for students here. Also, in the U.S., there is lot more cross-pollination with the industry so the students get to work on real-world problems. While I came to the U.S., I was very impressed with the amount of freedom students had, to choose their desired career… What is your message to the student community?
Human curiosity should be celebrated, and, if you are a naturally curious person, do everything you can do to keep it alive. Often, what excites somebody at the core level can be spotted when they are very young, but if it hasn’t happened, keep your eyes open. Follow your passion and perfect what you may be naturally good at, but also make sure the skills that you develop are what the world needs if you want material success, too. Good luck!
The author is Professor of English and Head, Higher Education, at KCG College of Technology, Chennai. He can be contacted at rayanal@yahoo.co.uk
