Please note: The festival reserves the right to modify, cancel, add – sessions / speakers / timing / content and structure etc., at its discretion. Speaker confirmation is as per respective personal availability as conveyed to the festival.
Please note: The festival reserves the right to modify, cancel, add – sessions / speakers / timing / content and structure etc., at its discretion. Speaker confirmation is as per respective personal availability as conveyed to the festival.
With a rich background spanning over 18 years in music production, Advait Nemlekar is a seasoned composer specializing in creating emotionally resonant music for a diverse range of content formats. As a music director, he has contributed to theatrical films, OTT shows, ad films, animation shows, and independent short films. – Tom and Jerry, Lamput, Naal and Special Ops, to name a few.
His session at AI24
Embark on a journey into the world of music creation with our exclusive workshop with a seasoned composer with 18 years of experience. From learning the keyboard at age 3 to
scoring for iconic shows like “Tom & Jerry,” “Lamput”. His session will cover:
This workshop includes an exclusive opportunity to gain insights from a seasoned music director. With collaborations extending to brands such as Cartoon Network, Disney Hotstar, and Prakash Jha Productions, participants will explore the depth of expertise honed through these partnerships. Elevate your understanding of the seamless synergy between visuals and music for an enriching and immersive experience. Delve into the art of storytelling through music, unraveling the layers that enhance the audience’s connection to on-screen narratives.
Animation Filmmaker
Co-Founder, Studio Zeng
Studio Zeng is an animation and design studio based in Guwahati, which was founded by Amalendu Kaushik, Vipul Barla and Rejath R. Over the span of 4 years, Zeng has been producing animated films, designing for brands and making both In-house IPs. Zeng is also engaged in various design interventions in the northeast in the form of workshops, exhibitions and community interactions.
Zeng comprises a team of talented filmmaking directors, animators, designers and artists who work in a super charged creative environment.
His session at AI24
Panel Discussion: Business of freelance & Independent animation studios (vision, approach, challenges & solutions)
Managing Director at PhilmCGI with over 22+ years of experience in the animation industry, Anand has worked with high-level studios on many projects large and small. Anand handles hi-end technical challenges adroitly, with no production puzzle being too problematic to solve. A technical director and visionary, Anand also looks after the overall day-to-day operations of the studio.
His session at AI24 – Parents & Students
Doctor, Engineer, Chartered Accountant, Lawyer, MBA, IT !!!!! Superb Choice Beta!
Animation, VFX, Hobby Hai !!! Part Time Kar Lo.
Watch the amazing life journey of Anand, MD & Co-Founder, PhilmCgi – one of India’s leading visual effects studios. And yes, he still doesn’t wear a tie!! :)
Senior Animator at Ubisoft India, Arun started his career as an intern facial animator at Paprikas Animation Studios, Bangalore (Currently, Technicolor India Pvt Ltd). He pivoted into game animation and has over 15 years of experience in creating animation for video games.
His session at AI24
Creating animations for games involves a comprehensive pipeline that includes several stages from idea to execution. The session would be a good overview of a gaming animation pipeline.
Avichal Singh is a Co-Founder at Nodding Heads Games along with Ian Maude and Shruti Ghosh, where he and the team designed one of India’s first successful premium console and PC titles, Raji: An Ancient Epic. Nodding Heads Games was able to create its own niche in a market flooded by mobile games . With the mandate to put India on the game dev map. To date, Raji is accredited with 32 international accolades, of which nine are wins. These include prestigious events such as E3, The MIX, SXSW, Taipei Game Show, The Games Awards, Pegases and many more. Avichal co-wrote the story of Raji while working as a game designer, level designer and project manager at Nodding Heads Games.
His session at AI24
This session offers an exciting opportunity to learn about the inspiring journey of Nodding Heads Games and their team members as they created Raji. The co-founders will provide insight into their inspirations and objectives, as well as the challenges and hurdles they overcame to create a top-quality premium game in India. They will also discuss how Raji faced funding challenges in its early years. They will also talk about the exclusive release of Raji on Nintendo’s Indie Game World, followed by its global launch on all platforms, including the most recent launch via Netflix on iOS and Android. The co-founders will also share key takeaways from their seven-year journey and discuss the future of Nodding Heads Games and Raji. The session will conclude with a Q&A session, providing an opportunity for attendees to engage with the co-founders and gain further insights into their journey.
Currently, a Chief Technology Officer at one of the leading Studio’s of India, Annapurna Studios, Mr. CV Rao, is Post-Graduate in Economics from SV University, Tirupati, India. Before taking up the prestigious position of a Post-Production General Manager, CV Rao had started his career as a Graphic Designer in an advertising agency and his interest towards new-age technology made him a Master of complete Post-Production Services and recently added Brain Child of his at the Annapurna Studios is the Virtual Production Stage. He not only manages but also knows the work of each and every department.
To his credit, CV Rao has an international award for editing for one of the short films and is
one of the backbones in delivering, India’s Biggest Movie Baahubali Sequels & RRR in time
with quality and also behind some 500+ movies for post-producHon works.
His session at AI24
The session will have detailed information on virtual production workflow and its shooting
possibilities from start to end along with few case studies from the projects already released in the market, Following with Q&A.
– Pipeline
– Storyboarding
– Previz
– Techviz
– Art and lighting
– Principal cinematography
– Finishing
Animation Filmmaker
FOUNDER, GOPPO ANIMATION
Debjyoti Saha is an Animation filmmaker and Founder of an Independent Animation studio in Mumbai, Goppo Animation. After graduating from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad in 2019, he has built a rich experience in the Kids and Sport entertainment sectors at Disney India and ESPN India, respectively.His work comprises of all things Animation across the digital medium, including Animated Music Videos for notable Hip Hop Artists, Animated title sequence Feature Films, Short Films and various other advertisement work.
Apart from commissioned projects, Goppo Animation has also been simultaneously involved in developing, producing and pitching animated content since 2022.
His session at AI24
Panel Discussion: Business of freelance & Independent animation studios (vision, approach, challenges & solutions)
A Games Creator and Co-Founder, CTO, Godspeed Games, Druhin was the first Indian to win a video games BAFTA in the year 2012. Over the years he was also awarded the Asia Pacific 30 Under 30 in 2013. He has worked and interacted with multiple international clients such as GREE , DECA , Sodesco , Assemble etc. Druhin has been balancing making games and mentoring startups. He has also spent 3 years in Auckland, New Zealand as a Senior Lecturer in the Games department at Media Design School. Druhin has even written a games development book in C++ for beginners.
Druhin has also keenly started angel investing in startups and holds Advisory positions in some of them. He also holds a Corporate Advisory position in LPU, to give guidance on curriculum on the AVGC Sector.
His session at AI24
He will orient prospective entrants to opportunities in the AVGC sector is also a Mentor for the portfolio review sessions.
Gaurav is currently working as a Solutions Architect at Epic Games, drawing on over two decades of experience in CG Content Creation for Motion Pictures, TV, and Games. His diverse background includes roles in both artistic and technical capacities at Animagic, Rhythm & Hues, Dreamworks Animation, Animal Logic, Double Negative, and, most recently, The Mill, where he served as the Head of 3D.
His session at AI24
Develop an intuition for Unreal’s cutting-edge real-time rendering technology, enabling lightning-fast iterations and mind-blowing visual fidelity. Uncover the essential elements of building an efficient and collaborative animation pipeline that fuels your artistic vision. Whether you’re creating previsualization or cinematic sequences, storytelling remains the driving force in any animation production pipeline. This talk will help you introduce Unreal Engine into your production pipeline, supercharging existing animation workflows.
Let’s turn your ideas into animated masterpieces, real time.
Gaurav Wakanakr is a skilled 2D Character Animator and Director from India. Having spent his early years as a member of Ghost Animation, he now works independently as a freelancer on various projects from the USA, Europe, and Korea. He specializes in 2D character animation and acting performances. Gaurav is eager to tackle new challenges and always seeks opportunities to collaborate with diverse directors and teams. He takes pride in contributing his animation skills to every project while embracing unique designs and styles.
His session at AI24
Panel Discussion: Business of freelance & Independent animation studios (vision, approach, challenges & solutions)
Harsh is a VES(2022) award winning character, creature and facial (FACS) asset supervisor working in the Film and TV industry. His studio experience includes Lucasfilm Singapore, Framestore, MPC, DNeg, Mill / London and currently Head of Assets at Milk VFX London.
Currently he is supervising creatures for a non-fiction show called Surviving Earth by world renowned director Tim Haines (Walking with Dinosaurs 1999). He is passionate about bringing asset teams together for any character / creature driven shows. He works closely with Modeling, Texturing, Lookdev, Rigging and Animation supervisors to help produce key character design and facial performances.
Career highlights include leading assets team for Disney’s new Lion King, Rocket Raccoon for Guardians of the Galaxy, facial shapes for Gnarlak the goblin in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Avengers Endgame, Fantastic Beasts 2, Wonder Woman 1984 and VES winning CG Albert Einstein for Mill. He is a creature supervisor who is artistically driven whilst being a technical problem solver. He is passionate about teaching and spreading the knowledge he has acquired over the years in VFX.
His session at AI24
He will talk about character creation for films on which he has worked including Rocket Raccoon for Guardians of the Galaxy, Paddington bear, Lion king and few others.
Affectionately known as “Grandpa” within the team, has over two decades of experience in the gaming industry. He started as a junior 3D artist with Stainless Software (creators of Carmageddon) after graduating from the University of Teesside with a BA (Hons) in Graphic Design & Illustration. Ian has worked for well-known companies such as Rockstar, Ubisoft, and Acclaim, becoming a Senior Lead Artist and Art Director. For The Chinese Room, he oversaw the prototype development for “Everyone’s Gone to the Rapture,” which won three Bafta awards. Ian later became a lecturer in video game art and met Shruti Ghosh and Avichal Singh, who later teamed up to create Nodding Heads Games.
His session at AI24
This session offers an exciting opportunity to learn about the inspiring journey of Nodding Heads Games and their team members as they created Raji. The co-founders will provide insight into their inspirations and objectives, as well as the challenges and hurdles they overcame to create a top-quality premium game in India. They will also discuss how Raji faced funding challenges in its early years. They will also talk about the exclusive release of Raji on Nintendo’s Indie Game World, followed by its global launch on all platforms, including the most recent launch via Netflix on iOS and Android. The co-founders will also share key takeaways from their seven-year journey and discuss the future of Nodding Heads Games and Raji.
The session will conclude with a Q&A session, providing an opportunity for attendees to engage with the co-founders and gain further insights into their journey.
Ishan has been involved in comics, theater, and films since an early age. He discovered animation while pursuing engineering at BITS Pilani. The love for animation films intensified and he dropped out to pursue it as a career. In 2008 he got a diploma in animation from Singapore’s 3dsense Media School and started his career as a CG artist there. He later took a sabbatical and returned to India to work on his first animated short in 2016 that won 33 international awards in more than 120 film festivals. It also won ‘Best in Show’ in SIGGRAPH Asia and ‘Best Animation’ in LA Shorts that qualified the short for the Oscars. Subsequently, he founded his own studio Red Cigarette Media to focus on creating original animated feature films.
In 2023, he directed and wrote a short for Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 – the celebrated Star Wars animated anthology streaming on Disney+. He has just finished his debut animated feature film ‘Schirkoa: in lies we trust’ set to hit festival circuit in 2024. An official Indo-French co-production the film is created entirely in Unreal Engine.
His session at AI24
Ishan will recount his journey, spanning from crafting a short film on a home PC during his spare time to transforming it into a full-length feature. The session’s first part will offer practical insights into scriptwriting, pitching, planning, and collaborating on a large international co-production. Shifting focus in the second part, he will explore real-time animation filmmaking, discussing the technological breakthroughs in game engines that have made this advancement possible. Lastly, he will delve into the challenges and risks associated with long projects, sharing his troubleshooting strategies.
VFX Supervisor at MPC, Jateen’s expertise in VFX has been honed over two decades working with major studios in a range of artistic and leadership positions on a plethora of feature films and varied media formats. His portfolio spans content for major Hollywood and Bollywood motion pictures, commercials, streaming platforms, and theme parks.
Having worked as BgPrep, Compositor, Lead Compositor, Compositing Supervisor, Sequence Supervisor, and VFX Supervisor, Jateen has a deep-rooted understanding of the craft and is able to translate this into his role as a leader.
His session at AI24
Leo is a Kollywood blockbuster for which MPC created the stunning CG hyena. The hyena is tamed by the protagonist, played by Vijay, in a seminal scene which sets the stage for the story which unfolds, and the hyena also appears throughout the film. In this session, Jateen will share insights into the process of creating the CG hyena and the seamless interaction between the creature and the environments it is in.
Foley artists reproduce the everyday sounds heard in films, television shows, and video games – noises like footsteps, a sword being drawn from a sheath, or the swishing of clothing as two people walk past each other – that often are missed by microphones during principal shooting, or don’t sync with the picture after scenes are reshot and edited, or need to be created for a film soundtrack. Using an arsenal of props, Foley artists devise and record sound effects that are integrated into a soundtrack during post-production to make a movie, show, or game sound as good as it looks.
Karan is one of the most talented Foley Artists, Sound Engineer, Sound Editor and Sound Designer based in Mumbai, India. He over 30+ tyears experience working for the Indian Film Industry and has more than 3000 films to his credit. Using new age technology in Foley and Sound Design, he promises to make the sound post production easier, smoother and the best.
His session at AI24
He, along with an a associate Foley Artist, will perform live on few video clips.
A Creative Supervisor, with a diverse experience in VFX, CG, and TVC, Madhur has assumed many responsibilities, namely Creative director, Animation Director, CG Supervisor and has also been a Director for TV commercials, Animated Music Videos and Infomercials. With an experience of 23 years, Madhur has worked with top international studios like The Mill, Company3 Method, Prana, Crest and 88 pictures. He has experience of working in VFX as well as CG, in Long format i.e. feature films and high end OTT series, as well as fast paced TV commercials and music videos.
His role included supervising everything right from concept art to shot production and sound design. Other than working on multiple Disney films and OTT shows, Madhur has also worked on over 200 commercials. Latest work (2023) includes Marvel’s WHAT IF?! (Animation director 3 episodes), TED the series(animation supervisor) with Framestore VFX.
His session at AI24
She completed her B.F.A and M.F.A from Kala Bhavan, Santiniketan and started her career as a large-scale textile-artist and educator in the field of art. She always had a love of stories and realised that games are an excellent medium of expression. Therefore she pivoted into game development and has 8 years of experience working on games. She and her partner Mridul started Niku Games with the goal of making story-rich and cultural games. They are currently working on ‘The Palace on the Hill’, a slice-of-life adventure game set in 90s rural India.
Her session at AI24
She will talk about her game The Palace on the Hill, a slice-of-life adventure game set in 90s rural India with a coming-of-age tale of ambition, struggle and friendship. The talk will deal with how the game uses game design to tell an emotional story and how it creates an authentic and nostalgic experience of an Indian village with a story of an ordinary kid who wants to follow his dream.
She will also be presenting a Show & Tell – Career orientation for Gaming
Over the past few years, we have developed and contributed to several animated products for shows, advertisements, music videos, and organisations
His session at AI24
Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) is a groundbreaking tool, revolutionizing the game industry by providing an unprecedented level of creative freedom. Its intuitive interface empowers developers to craft immersive experiences with unparalleled realism, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in game design. UEFN’s robust features and dynamic capabilities are reshaping the industry landscape, fostering innovation and setting new standards for interactive entertainment. This session will explore how UEFN is a game-changer, unlocking a new era of creativity and pushing the limits of virtual worlds.
Experienced programmer and entrepreneur with specialization in web and video game technologies. Created and scaled up web and mobile app products for the media industry in India with millions of daily users. Now at Niku Games, creating story-rich, multi-platform adventure games with the award-winning debut The Palace on the Hill.
His session at AI24
Sen will be talking about his game The Palace on the Hill, a slice-of-life adventure game set in 90s rural India with a coming-of-age tale of ambition, struggle and friendship. The talk will deal with how the game uses game design to tell an emotional story and how it creates an authentic and nostalgic experience of an Indian village with a story of an ordinary kid who wants to follow his dream.
Sanjay Patel is an illustrator, animator, and director, as well as the creator of Ghee Happy, a collection of books, animation, and paper products that marry his whimsical style and graphic cuteness with the awesome universe of Hindu deities. During his 20-year career at Pixar Animation Studios, he worked on numerous feature films and directed the short film Sanjay’s Super Team, for which he earned an Academy Award nomination. Most recently he created an animated preschool show for Netflix called Ghee Happy. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and their two sons.
His session at AI24
Pixar to Hindu Deities – Discovering your artistic point of view while keeping your day job. Deep Dive into SANJAY’S SUPERTEAM – Development to Production to losing an Oscar Disney to Netflix – Development at Disney to creating Ghee Happy for Youtube
A serial entrepreneur and an avid gamer Ninad has over 25 years of experience in gaming and interactive media. As co-founder of India’s first gaming company, Indiagames Ltd., he played a vital role in establishing it as a leading global mobile game publisher. Ninad’s ventures over the years have spanned across games, apps, early-edtech, AR, VR, and more.
Currently, he is the Senior Vice President at Reliance Games, overseeing corporate development, strategic alliances, and business expansion, particularly in India and emerging markets through Zapak. Over the years, he has held leadership positions in renowned gaming companies and actively participates in industry associations, speaking at conferences worldwide on gaming, app development, and immersive technologies.
His session at AI24
Panelist: What do studios look for in students
A seasoned Licensing Professional with 18-years of experience in Brand Licensing. Having worked with STAR TV & Animation International managing IPs like The Simpsons, Ice Age, Doraemon, Shin Chan, Hello Kitty, WWE, Garfield, Marvel, Charlie Chaplin & many more, he brings to you insights about the world of Brand Licensing with his vast experience. Currently working as Head of Brand Licensing at one of Saudi Arabia’s oldest business companies – Al Faisaliah Group in Saudi Arabia, he will conduct the session using course material from Licensing International, of which he is an active member.
Awarded the “Brand Licensing Leader 2018” by Licensing International, he has nurtured licensing careers of several individuals in his career and is constantly on the look out for talent to enter this amazing industry. He is also a successful Logotherapist and acts as a Life Coach and Mentor to several people across the globe and is soon launching his first book on Mental Health this year.
His session at AI24
Are you an IP creator? Do you think selling content to Broadcasters or OTT platforms is the only way to monetize your IP? Have you heard of Brand Licensing?
Get an introduction to the wonderful world of Brand Licensing and learn of several ways to monetize your IP. Get real case studies from around the world, know how IP owners use “OPM” – Other’s People’s Money to build their own brand and make additional and sustained revenue.
He is a Sr. Animator at Ubisoft India Studios. He started his career in 2011 and worked on various animation projects. After working for 6 years in TV series, commercials and animation film production, he joined the gaming industry in 2017. Onkar has worked on multiple game projects including mobile games and AAA games.
His session at AI24
As technology advances and gaming experiences become more immersive, the demand for skilled animators who can breathe life into virtual worlds has never been greater. This session is designed to provide valuable insights and guidance mainly for the students who are eager to enter into the game animation.
A self-driven and motivated entrepreneur, Prasad Ajgaonkar is the Founder and Managing
Director of iRealities Group, one of the pioneers in producing indigenous animation films and among the best providers in successful disruptive strategies, gamification solutions and humanoid services. Among the most recognized and reputed voices in digital disruption in India, Prasad has given some of the most expensive, most watched and most innovative television serials and films to the digital world in the last 27 years.
His session at AI24
The presentation delves into the personal journey and experiences of Prasad Ajgaonkar an accomplished animation filmmaker, in the creation of renowned animation films.
Over 10 years of experience in server programming and DevOps handling with a proven track record of working in game industry as backend lead, data analytics engineer, handing technical art in unity game engine and overseeing game liveops.
His session at AI24
Live workshop of a Game Character design
Over the last 25 years Prosenjit Ganguly has made award winning Short films, created IPs, Directed and Written multiple animated feature films and has taught Animation and Design at more than 30 Schools, institutions and Universities across the country including IIT Bombay and NID Ahmedabad.
His session at AI24
A little guided tour into some of the best classrooms that nurture the brightest animated minds in India. A session that could help make serious career decisions for aspiring animation students.
He will also be reviewing portfolios as a Mentor
GodSpeed Singh, a seasoned veteran in the realm of game development and production. With over a decade of experience steering the ship at GodSpeed Games, I’ve navigated the thrilling waters of the gaming industry, transforming a modest team of two into a powerhouse of over 100 professionals, contributing to over 1000 titles across various platforms. As an expert in sales and business development, I have generated revenue with clients across different countries. I am a confident and dynamic team manager with a track record of providing high-quality deliverables and creating value for organizations through innovative solutions and strong leadership. I like to play Puzzle, Adventure, Real Time Strategy and RPG genres of games.
His session at AI24
Panelist: What do studios look for in students
Animation Director, Coach, Educator and India’s first published author in the animation space with his maiden book The Art of Animation Production Management (Macmillan Publishers (India) Pvt. Ltd., 2012). His 35+ years experience spans across the Creative Media, Non-profits, Manufacturing, Education and Training domains.
Over his career, he has Produced, Directed and supervised several hundred 2d/3d animation and mixed media TV commercials and he specialises in operations and productivity management. He has a keen sense of music, story, pre-post production, editing, sound stage and audio recording. He has developed toolkits and training manuals, guides for facilitators and trainers and has been honored with the Lionheart of Animation and well as the Movers and Shakers of Animation awards.
Tony is a vocal advocate of holistic learning and an active educator of human skill training programs, visual storytelling and design management. A guest faculty at various animation institutes, colleges, university programs and studios, he is an active volunteer for non-profit organisations and a founder Trustee of The Animation Society of India and Fouder Director of TASI Animation Association.
His session at AI24
The often overlooked but one of the most critical roles in a production environment. A role that bridges art and technology, customers and suppliers, artists and technicians. What is production management; what are the skills required for this role; what are the responsibilities of this role in companies – big and small. The importance of production management in an increasingly digital and virtual production world. He will talk about the professional and personal growth opportunities in this role.
Artist, YouTube & TV personality and Indias only real-life kids icon, known for inspiring creativity in children through his award-winning Art and Craft show on Pogo called M.A.D, Rob is now also recognized as a popular YouTuber and Social Media Influencer, a Designer and Installation Artist par excellence, because of his awe-inspiring, interactive and thought-provoking expressions of Art. At the very core of his creativity, lies his passion for recycling, reuse, and DIY. He experiments and works with simple everyday trash material – be it bulbs, paper cups, newspapers, books etc – which he turns into amazing visually stunning art pieces lending his very own and exceptional brand of creativity to every project he works on.
He is a recognized Public and Motivational Speaker for todays youth, who have grown up watching and being inspired by his DIY Art and Craft, and a CSR and Sustainable Development Practitioner.
His session at AI24
An interactive workshop
Production designer, Visual development artist and Educator, she holds a BFA degree in Applied Art from Raheja School of Art, Mumbai, and is a professional calligrapher. She began her animation journey as a background artist at RMUSL (Ram Mohan – United Studios Ltd.) in 1997. Rupali now works as an Environment Designer, Production Designer for animation and live action projects including Feature films, Ride films, Ad commercials & Stop motion projects. Having worked with respected filmmakers in India and abroad, she also handles Visual development, Key art for script development, Story pitch art for presentations, and Visual style guide preparation for animation production.
Her session at AI24
She will talk about the importance of pre visualisation & visual development in the AVGC industry, showcasing work from Animation & Live Action projects. She will also discuss about choosing one’s area of specialisation and the importance of learning traditional media & film design.
Group COO, VC Studiioz, Mumbai.
With a 30+ years association with advertising post production, Sabu is a VFX veteran based out of Mumbai. At Famous Studios, he was instrumental in building the studio from one Smoke and one CRT based telecine machine to multiple Flames and high end visual effects hub with virtual production capabilities. Since April 2021, he has played a pivotal role in building VC Studiioz, Mumbai, which is both a post-production studio and an ad-film production house.
His session at AI24
Various departments in Post production studio & job positions in a studio. Visual effects in Advertising and as a Director how he delivered an ad-film using Unreal for back grounds. Time permitting, he will also present the visual effect breakdown for Ghoomer (Feature film) and the use of Autodesk Flame in Feature film vfx.
Comic Artist, Animator
Co-Founder, Studio Sideline
Studio Sideline is an animation studio based in Bengaluru, formed with the express intention of creating a versatile-yet-balanced group of artists and animators with the ability to produce high quality animated and illustrated content that can compete in the global industry.
His session at AI24
Panel Discussion: Business of freelance & Independent animation studios (vision, approach, challenges & solutions)
VFX Supervisor at NY VFXWaala studios, Sanjiv is a fine arts graduate from Goa University, whose professional journey in the world of visual effects commenced in 2003 with USL-WOA. Over the years, he has collaborated with prestigious studios and media houses, adding his artistic vision to more than 100 major film productions. His impact extends across borders, with notable mentions in both Hollywood and Bollywood. Notably, his work played a significant role in the success of the Hollywood film “The King’s Speech” and the Bollywood blockbuster “Jagga Jasoos,” the latter earning the prestigious IIFA Award for Best VFX.
The recognition continued with the Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards in 2023 with the Best VFX award for his contribution to “Ponniyin Selvan – Part one. His journey has been closely intertwined with NY-VFXWAALA since its inception, where he has evolved professionally and currently holds the position of Senior VFX Supervisor.
His session at AI24
Ponniyin Selvan – VFX BTS – the making of magnum opus right from the script level to the final execution. Understanding the requirement of visual effects from the Director’s point of view. The technical aspect of shooting the film and post-production and integration of live-action to CGI to create realistic imagery.
Sanjiv is the Director of Ice Candy, a studio he started to cater to the increasing demand of creating original Indian content for the media and entertainment space. He has been in the Animation Industry for the past 30 years and has a wealth of experience in this business. Son of National Award winner Shree Ram Waeerkar – a renowned artist and the pioneer for the Indian comic book series Amar Chitra Katha, based on Indian mythology, history, and folklore. Sanjiv Waeerkar is also the creator of successful titles “ Cat and Keet”. “Kaun Banega Superhero”, “Bhagam Bhag”, ”Simple samosa” and others. He has been a Business partner of Padma Shree Ram Mohan, fondly considered to be the father of Indian animation, and later a partner of Mr. Ronnie Screwvala, in UTV Toons, a pioneer in starting the outsourcing animation business in India.
Sanjiv has worked on the best of shows and with the best of producers including from Disney, Dreamworks, Sony, Nickelodean, CN, Prana, and Graphic India. He is also on the Advisory board of Parul University in Baroda, Gujarat and is regularly invited as Jury for most International and National events catering to animation in India.
His session at AI24
He will be reviewing portfolios as a mentor
A game developer with a decade in the gaming industry he has developed games for all platforms (TV, PC, Mobile, Web, Arcades and Consoles). A geek who loves to develop games as much as he loves to play them.
His session at AI24
Join us on a transformative journey as we embark on the metaverse odyssey, exploring the future possibilities and impacts on the world. Understand what is the Metaverse and role of individuals and businesses in a bid to crafting the future.
Shruti obtained a 1st Class degree in Fine Art from Rabindra Bharati University and has over a decade of game development experience. She is a specialist in hand painting, which is evident in the game’s art style. Shruti has worked on titles such as Burn Out Open World & Dominator and VC Arts – Fantastic Four and served as Art Manager for EA Games India for titles such as Bejeweled Blitz, Monopoly Slots, and Tetris Blitz.
Her session at AI24
This session offers an exciting opportunity to learn about the inspiring journey of Nodding Heads Games and their team members as they created Raji. The co-founders will provide insight into their inspirations and objectives, as well as the challenges and hurdles they overcame to create a top-quality premium game in India. They will also discuss how Raji faced funding challenges in its early years. They will also talk about the exclusive release of Raji on Nintendo’s Indie Game World, followed by its global launch on all platforms, including the most recent launch via Netflix on iOS and Android. The co-founders will also share key takeaways from their seven-year journey and discuss the future of Nodding Heads Games and Raji. The session will conclude with a Q&A session, providing an opportunity for attendees to engage with the co-founders and gain further insights into their journey.
Shyam is an illustrator, animation director, storyteller and an adjunct professor & consultant at the IDC, IIT Bombay. He is a director of varsity junior series by Zerodha. And he enjoys telling stories and drawing in his spare time.
His session at AI24
Catch Shyam share his journey of capturing beautiful memories and experiences through his art.
Interactive Storyboarding workshop – 3 hours
Draw your own Story! – A live, interactive storyboarding workshop
Shyam will guide you in creating your own comic illustrations and stories. His goal is to help others communicate their own stories through drawings. He will share his expertise of what he has learned from years and years of drawing stories.
A proficient illustrator, painter, sculptor & installation artist with a career sharp as the artist’s pen spanning over fifteen years. He has collaborated with numerous prestigious individuals and organizations during this time. Somneel’s journey as an artist began with his renowned portraits of iconic personalities worldwide, including Saint Teresa, Bill Clinton, Sachin Tendulkar, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Pt. Ravi Shankar, Maqbul Fida Hussain and Diego Maradona. His work as an Installation artist was recognised by the West Bengal Government as a Maa Durga mural & sculpture made by him was permanently installed in the City of Joy.
Presently Somneel is the owner, co-founder and Studio Head of Createon Games, a digital game art studio intricately involved in the game industry, working on substantial game projects worldwide.
His session at AI24
Live workshop of a Game Character design
Srinivas Mohan is an Indian Visual Effects Supervisor with 25 years of experience. He is a member of ‘The Academy’ and has received several awards for his work including four National Film Awards for Best Special Effects. He has worked on a number of notable films, including RRR, 2.0, Baahubali – The Beginning and Endhiran The Robot.
His session at AI24
He will present a behind the scenes look at the visual effects transformation of ‘RRR’
Suresh Eriyat is a 1997 graduate of the prestigious National Institute of Design. His
journey in the world of animation began when he arrived in Mumbai in search of opportunities to create animated films. In the late 1990s, the landscape for animated storytelling in India was still in its infancy, with Indian companies primarily known for providing backend services to foreign studios. In collaboration with Famous Studios, Suresh established Famous House of Animation in 1999. This pioneering venture marked a turning point in the Indian animation industry, where he produced numerous animated ads, shorts, and music videos, breaking new ground and garnering both national and international recognition. His work redefined how animation was perceived in India.
Suresh’s dream of creating original animation films came closer to realization as he embarked on this journey.
In 2009, he founded Studio Eeksaurus, partnering with his wife Nilima. This studio continues to raise the bar for quality Indian animation content on a global scale. Eeksaurus is also renowned as one of the top advertising film production companies in the country. Suresh’s contributions to animation have been widely acclaimed. He received the first-ever Annecy Cristal for India in 2005 and has won the President of India’s national award for the best animated film in 2016, 2018, and 2021. He has served on the jury panels of prestigious awards and festivals such as Clio, D&AD, Apollo, One Show, LIA, Promax, Adfest, and Krok, among others. Additionally, he has been actively involved in educating students, corporate teams and aspiring filmmakers across India. With a remarkable portfolio of over 500 films and more than 200 national and international awards, Suresh Eriyat is not only an accomplished animation filmmaker but also a trained Carnatic musician and a gifted artist. His interests extend beyond animation into the realms of philosophy, anthropology, and culture, enriching his creative perspective.
His session at AI24
Join us for an exclusive behind-the-scenes journey into the making of ‘Sri Aurobindo: A New Dawn‘. In this session, delve into the dynamic team collaboration, the visionary directorial approach, and the unique challenges faced in bringing this extraordinary film to life. Discover how every frame of this 28-minute film was meticulously hand-painted, a testament to the dedication and artistry of the team. Learn about the intricate balance between meeting client expectations and staying true to the artistic vision. Gain insights
into the powerful impact of music and sound design in storytelling. This session is a must-attend for event professionals and students alike, offering a rare glimpse into the world of innovative animation film production and creative storytelling.
Upamanyu is an animation director and illustrator based in Kolkata. He’s a founder and partner at Otter Studios. He co-directed ‘Wade’, an animated short film, and is currently working as writer-director on his first animated feature film, ‘Heirloom’.
His session at AI24
Time flies when working on an animated feature. This session will be an open book discussion about the creative processes that have gone behind the project so far (art direction, animation, story, etc), but more importantly, the logistical and mental implications of mounting a project of this nature.
Director, Vaibhav Studios, Mumbai, Vaibhav is an International Emmy nominated animation film maker and Founder, Director at Vaibhav Studios, Mumbai.
Founded in 2003, the studio has created some of India’s favourite animated content in the field of TV commercials, episodic series and channel promos: the Amaron Battery ad campaign, Chulbuli for Clinic Plus, Buladi’s AIDS awareness campaign for the West Bengal government, the Vodafone Zumis, Simpoo the angry sardaar math teacher on Channel [V] and Lamput the globally acclaimed, International Emmy nominated micro short series for Cartoon Network to name a few. The studio’s maiden animated feature film Return of the Jungle, premiered recently at the IFFI 2023 in Goa.
A Fine Arts graduate, Vaibhav studied animation film making at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. He is an active committee member and the Honorary Secretary of The Animation Society of India (TASI) and Founder Director of TASI Animation Association. Vaibhav also teaches animation and is a visiting faculty at various animation and design schools across India.
His session at AI24
Panelist: Indie film makers – vision, approach, challenges & solutions.
Vichar BN is a sculptor based out of Bangalore India and holds a Masters degree in sculpting from the Chamarajendra Academy of Visual Arts. Over the years, he has worked in a wide array of projects in terms of style and media. During this time he has worked as a personal sculptor for the King of Mysore. His career in art spans various different genres and roles – Assistant Art Director for Tele-Serials, Illustrator for magazines, Interior and Exterior Designer, Event decoration, backdrop artist and Traditional freelance sculptor.
He has been working in the animation industry for 18+ years and currently works as Art Director at Technicolor games.
Among his many engagements he is also:
His session at AI24
Simplify complex structures and learn anatomy in a hands-on, enjoyable way using clay.
– A brief presentation of Vichar’s work
– A quick live sculpting demo by the master sculptor
– Participants build their version #1 models in clay (plasticine)
– Review by Vichar
– Participants break and remake their models – version #2!
– Feedback & conclusion
He will also be reviewing portfolios as a Mentor.
Founder of Variate Studio, Vishwas brings an extensive blend of creative and technical abilities and a thorough understanding of producing the highest quality visual effects for any screen. Big screen feature films , OTT films, episodics and ad-films, this industry veteran in Visual Effects, has incredible wealth of knowledge & experience in the latest in CGI technologies and practical understanding of VFX production planning.
Vishwas has worked as creative head on films like Baahubali2, Kedarnath, Sahoo, Soorarrai Putturu, to name a few. Vishwas received recognition for Best VFX – Filmfare and ITA awards for prestigious project ROCKET BOYS – [Sony Liv] and Indian Academy award for Adhura [Prime video Ott series] in 2023.
His session at AI24
He will present the visual effects magic behind the acclaimed series Mumbai Diaries – Season 02.
An animator by training, Vivek founded AUM Animation Studios (formerly Bluepixels Animation Studios) in 2009. He directed the witty non-dialogue series “ANDY and PIRKI” and recently directed Asia’s first “Tom and Jerry” series produced by AUM.
His session at AI24
Aum Animation Studios reveals the making of ‘Tom and Jerry’ in India: From Script to Screen. Join Vivek Bolar, the director of the series, as he guides us through the enthralling journey of bringing the cherished characters Tom and Jerry to life in India. Explore the process from story and storyboards to the final animation on the screen, delving into the behind-the-scenes narrative of creativity, animation, and the iconic duo’s adaptation tailored for Asian audiences.
Vice President & Business Head, CTO, Heads of Emerging Media initiatives, Chaitanya has had a multi-faceted 2-decade career in the Film, Media & Entertainment industry. He currently serves on several public policy and innovation bodies like India’s Media & Entertainment Skills Council (MESC) and the AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming & Comics) Task Force established by the Government of India to draft India’s national policy for the AVGC industry. He also serves on the Board of Governors of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE).
He has written extensively in Indian & global media outlets and is an active speaker at global seminars & conferences on the Filmed Entertainment Industry, with special focus on Education and Technology. He is also a strategic advisor to several startups in the M&E, Technology & Education verticals.
His session at AI24
A deep-dive into the Immersive Industry, VR, XR, Virtual Production, Photogrammetry, Metaverse, etc. We have all heard these phrases a lot, over the past 5-8 yrs. However, we still look at them as separate, disparate technologies / workflows, while they are, in-fact, all linked together as they are a part of the Immersive Industry – the world’s 4th content production & consumption platform, after Cinema, TV & OTT.
This session will do a deep-dive into the immersive industry as a whole and understand each of these areas a little better.
Senior Character Animator / Director at Vaibhav Studios, Ajit holds a BFA from Sir JJ School of Art, Mumbai. Over the past 17 years, he has worked on features films, TV series, TV Commercial and channel promos and is currently lead animator on the studio’s maiden feature “Return of the Jungle”.
Apart from his professional work he has conducted several stop motion workshops with children and adults and is a visiting faculty for animation in various schools across India.
His session at AI24
Ajit will be part of the team that is going to demonstrate the art of Pixillation – it is a form of stop motion animation which uses human characters as puppets that are animated frame by frame.
A senior modelling / layout artist, Tapas specialises in modelling digital 3D characters and layouts. He is also a passionate stop-motion filmmaker with a Fine Arts degree from CAVA, Mysore, India. Tapas manages the scene setup, layout, armature & set construction on stop motion projects at Vaibhav Studios, Mumbai.
His session at AI24
Ajit will be part of the team that is going to demonstrate the art of Pixillation – it is a form of stop motion animation which uses human characters as puppets that are animated frame by frame.
3D Generalist at Vaibhav Studios, he is a highly experienced and versatile artist specialising in 3D design, rigging and animation. He is expanding his technical skills in managing the production pipeline. Abhijit is passionate about supporting the animation team by providing them with highly flexible options and controls on digital assets.
His session at AI24
Ajit will be part of the team that is going to demonstrate the art of Pixillation – it is a form of stop motion animation which uses human characters as puppets that are animated frame by frame.