Internationally acclaimed animation filmmaker Varun Mehta recently got to set up his very own first animation workshop in Aligarh city. The workshop was organized by Phatta Talkies also featuring Hollywood trained actor Aayushya Krishnatey in a joint workshop of acting with animation. The event was held on 22nd of November. We decided to have a small chit chat with Varun over the occasion.
Q. First of all congratulations on your first workshop. Briefly describe the experience.
VM : Thank you so much. First of all I would like to thank the entire team of 'Phatta Talkies (Mr Kumar Chandrahas and Mrs Kalplata Chandrahas) for serving me this honour. My workshop was jointly conducted with that of an important acting workshop led by the very talented aspiring actor Aayushya Sharma.
- The experience was unbelievably awesome to say the least. I was actually a bit tentative about the outcome of the event because I don't see much of a heat for animation in the city. Several Institutes have been closed and people barely understand what it's about. So I planned an interactive session with the young people instead to draw their attention towards the need and Importance of animation.
I am glad it came out very well. I had an instant connect with most of the youngsters in the crowd and felt their enthusiasm over the lunch breaks when we got to interact personally. It was definitely refreshing to see a bunch of young people driven with a different set of talents and ambitions.
Q. What is the importance of such workshops and how can they make a difference in the long run.
VM : Of course, they are very important. First of all, they are important for informative purpose alone. People need to know what animation really is, what's the scope, what are the possibilities, what can be really explored out of it. Animation is certainly not about the obsession for 3D and CGI. It has a lot of depth and many varieties we are yet to explore.
Q. What exactly you performed in the workshop and how it was perceived?
VM: I realized that I must begin with an interactive session and speak to the audience about my experiences because I was not hoping for much excitement. I had initially planned a frame to frame animation process tutorial to guide the students but I was uncertain about the result and thought It might bore them. Hence I explained my journey and told them how to pursue your passion further. After that a video presentation was followed where my award winning work was showcased.
Q. Despite animation being involved in most of the sectors, it does not get its due in this country. What do you think?
VM : I think it has to do with the 'technique' part. When people talk about animation they only think about the working process involved, most of them. Animation is something which should be made compulsory in all schools and colleges for education purposes because it's almost involved everywhere. In schools, teachers use animation on computers to highlight diagrams. In corporate offices, animation is used for presentations. Animation is used in the entire entertainment industry. After all this, there is a scarcity of jobs, the industry facing losses, independent studios and institutes gets closed. It always has to do with the general interest in audience. Animation is definitely growing each and every passing day. But the potential is still untapped. It has a lot to do with acceptance. We can only hope to experience a difference in few coming years.
