Canada’s Vancouver Film School, a well-known name in the field of VFX, animation, film production and electronic gaming training, plans to establish a satellite campus in the city next year.
Towards this, it entered into an MoU on Friday with the Telangana Department of IT, Electronics and Communications in the presence of visiting Canada Minister of International Trade François-Philippe Champagne and State’s IT and Industries Minister K.T. Rama Rao.
The VFS would offer programmes in animation, VFX, game development and film production that would equip students with skills on a par with the international industry standards. Signing the MoU with IT Secretary Jayesh Ranjan, VFS’ director of international strategy and business development Diwakar Gandhi said there was a massive demand for VFS programmes in India.
“However, for every one student who can make it to VFS in Vancouver, there are ten who cannot due to several factors. That’s why we have decided to launch programmes in Hyderabad so that we can provide the same quality of education and training to prepare students for a career in global film and entertainment industry,” he said.
The VFS has identified key industry players and partners who would assist it in connecting with the Telangana industry and essentially function as VFS mentors in Hyderabad, Mr. Gandhi said in a release.
For the State government, the MoU assumes significance in the context of the IMAGE Policy, under which it has proposed to establish an international school of excellence for animation, gaming and VFX by collaborating with the universities of global repute.
The Telangana government, Mr. Rama Rao said, has identified animation, VFX and gaming industry as a key growth engine for the next level of technology exports and employment generation. The government and VFS have joined efforts through the MoU to “synergise on skilling youth from the State on cutting-edge technologies in animation, VFX and gaming”.
High Commissioner of Canada Nadir Patel said the film and television industry would benefit immensely by VFS creating a satellite centre in Hyderabad.
Nodal agency
The Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge (TASK) would be the nodal agency on behalf of the State government on all operational issues and implementation of the programme. As a knowledge partner, the VFS would bring the desired courses with full curricula and support the entire teaching and training programmes by sending teacher trainers and guest lecturers.
Besides conducting offsite training and classes as well as examinations, the VFS would provide scholarships and incentives for students at the Indian campus to attend VFS Canada. The partnership with TASK is also to create incubation centres to develop local IP and attract larger organisations to Telangana.
