Now-a-days it is not uncommon to see children talking about mythological stories and epics such as Ramayana and Mahabharata. The re-introduction of the fading Indian culture can be attributed to the fascinating animation movies that have recapitulated the good old Indian epics for our young generation. And who can forget the ever-so-famous characters like Tintin, Mowgli, Tom & Jerry, Stuart Little, and Popeye that were brought to life by animation.
With the expanding world of media, the demand for animators is also on the rise. Be it movies, television, cartoon film making, advertising, media or gaming, good animators rule the roost. In the world of animation, reality meets imagination and impossible becomes possible.
Meet, R. Anbharasi Sudhagar, Founder of XYZ Axis, Saligramam, one of the premier media arts schools in Chennai, offering courses in creative designing, 2D and 3D modelling and animation, character animation, special EFX, editing, web design/development, and graphic design.
“At the school we stress on the importance of creativity in computer graphics. It is not the technology that produces the results. We have faculty, who are industry professionals, who use technology to give life to their imagination,” she adds.
“I started my career in 1995 at the Vector Institute of Visual Arts as a faculty, and later joined as Head of the Department (Multimedia) in Pentasoft in 1997. Then, I joined M.O.P. Vaishnav College, Nungambakkam, as a lecturer in Graphics and Animation in 2002. In 2005, I started XYZ Axis Media School,” says Ms. Anbharasi.
Stating that her husband, A. Sudhagar, who works as a Sound Engineer in Prasad Studios, was her inspiration, she adds, “Our goal has been to create an educational environment to prepare students for their career in animation and entertainment industry.”
Multimedia is like an ocean with varied fields. It is necessary to give importance to extensive research in the categories of multimedia, she says. Multimedia is a creative subject. Teacher-student ratio and practical training plays an important role in professional courses. Teaching faculty should have experience in production.
XYZ Axis also acts as a co-ordinator for companies in projects related to Engineering and Medical Stimulation and Architectural Works.
World Classical Tamil Conference
The interior design of the World Classical Tamil Conference held in Coimbatore between June 23 and 27, 2010, was designed using 3D Animation Architectural Design by Anbharasi and her staff.
When asked about her experience, she says: “It was memorable. The project was given by Siva, a set designer from Thanjavur, at the last-minute. Working on the design one week before the conference proved to be really hectic. The staff and the production members worked round-the-clock for five days.”
“My production members and I paid a visit to Coimbatore to see how the design has shaped up. We were very happy, when we noted that the set designers made no changes in our design. Unlike other sectors, animation is a booming industry. Grasping skills, visual creativity and observational skills plays a key role in shaping one’s career. Visual effects and animation have become an integral part of cinema today. The industry offers an attractive pay package to the aspirants,” she notes.
Most educational institutions in India have started offering multimedia as a regular subject, which, she says, is a good sign.
Anbharasi is the author of “Mayan”, the first Tamil practical-oriented course book on animation. The school provides free training to poor students and placement opportunities for students from other institutes.
“I want to thank my husband, A. Sudhagar, family, friends and students for their full support and encouragement,” she says.
R. Anbarasi Sudhagar was awarded the ‘Women Entrepreneur Award’ as part of International Women’s Day Celebrations by Makkal T.V. in 2007 and was conferred the title of ‘Semmozhi Kalaiarasi’ by Idhaya Women’s College, Kumbakonam, in 2011.
XYZ Axis is at Bharani Studios, 57, Arcot Road, Saligramam. Ph: 4307 2667 / 99620 42841.
