40,000 animators required globally: 'Chhota Bheem' makers

Speaking at the inaugural function of the Green Gold Academy of Animation in Hyderabad on Thursday, Joan Vogelesang (present and CEO of Toonboom Animation, which is widely known for creating the popular animated television serial 'Chhota Bheem' that helped Pogo channel to emerge as the numero uno kids channel) said that an estimated 40,000 animators are required globally.

Green Gold founder Rajiv Chilaka said the academy would assure 100% placement. They offered a long-term one year diploma courses in 2D traditional and flash character animation and 2D traditional and 3D character animation and short term, 3-month courses in digital background painting and post production (editing/compositing).


The company's promoter Samir Jain said they are planning to get into theatrical animation movies very soon. Academy Dean Rosauro Adorable, who has over 3 decades of experience in the field and has worked on projects including Tom & Jerry from Warner Brothers, recalled how in the 80s, no one knew anything about animation.Award-winning Telugu director Indraganti Mohanakrishna said the medium of animation was increasingly becoming important specially by way of attracting the attention of children.

Asus Launches G51J 3D Gaming Notebook

Asus has launched its gaming notebook the Asus G51J 3D that is equipped with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M/GTX 360M with 1GB DDR3 video memory, EAX and CMSS audio technology and Altec Lansing speakers. Powered by an Intel Core i7 processor and 64-bit Windows 7 Operating System, the notebook comes bundled with specially designed 3D glasses.The 3D Vision active-shutter glasses coupled with a wide-range infra-red emitter delivers stereoscopic images with clarity, brightness and depth-of-field (DOP) at full resolution. The GPU driver and a 120Hz 3D panel render each scene twice, delivering up to 60 images evenly to each eye, amounting to a total of up to 120 images at any given time. Gamers can experience total immersion into their games from what were previously flat 2D worlds, to true-to-life 3D.Complementing the immersive visual effects is EAX Advanced HD 4.0 3D audio technology and CMSS surround sound. EAX Advanced HD 4.0 audio technology enhances in-game environments and scenarios by providing corresponding three dimensional sound effects. It can provide up to 64 additional sound effects from its sound library and produces ultra-realistic spatial effects for more than 300 supported games. Together with high fidelityAltec Lansing speakers, the Asus G51J 3D delivers a gaming and multimedia audio experience that no other notebook can match.

Powered by the latest Intel Core i7 processor  for multitasking muscle on-the-move, the Asus G51J 3D features four dedicated physical cores working in tandem with theoperating system and applications for additional performance. It allows users to utilize and launch multiple applications, and to enjoy high definition multimedia and processor-intensive games effortlessly.

Disney Channel acquires 'Ek Tha Jungle'

Disney Channel is all set to reintroduce the younger generation to the centuries old ancient Tamil literature- Thirukkural with the first ever animated TV series based on this celebrated text.

The series developed as animal fables by Accel Animation Studios, Chennai, is titled ‘Ek Tha Jungle’ and showcases couplets from Thirukkural - one of the most important and celebrated works in Tamil literature written by noted Tamil poet, Sri Thiruvalluvar. Each episode has a universal theme presented in modern day, 3D animated format.

Says Devika Prabhu, Associate Director, Programming, Walt Disney Television International India, "Disney Channel is committed to showcase evergreen stories that transcend generations and are locally relevant. ‘Ek Tha Jungle’ is one of the many steps that we will take to enliven Indian storytelling heritage which continues to remain thoroughly entertaining and equally relevant to modern day India."

Set for a premiere on Disney Channel on April 5, 2010 at 9.30 am (Monday to Thursday), every episode of 'Ek Tha Jungle' showcases a universal theme and strong life lessons. The stories are laced around strong ethics and family values with a moral that is applicable to the present and future generations.

"Our endeavor is to introduce the new generation of young Indians to some wonderful stories from our rich history, culture and heritage, presented in a modern day, relatable format", adds Devika.

Thirukkural is considered to be the first work to focus on family values in Tamil literature and has been translated into several languages across the world. Each story of Ek Tha Jungle establishes a ‘Kural’ (couplet) from Thirukkural told through animal characters in a visually appealing, entertaining way. Some popular stories include ‘The Clever Monkey’," The Helping Bear" and ‘The Rabbit and the Tortoise’.

Says N R Panicker, Chairman of Accel and Executive Producer of ‘Ek Tha Jungle’, "When Accel Animation Studios set out to create its own properties for Television media, we decided to embark on socially relevant subjects. There is no better way than adapting the evergreen Thirukkural to narrate stories to the young audience. We are delighted to partner with Disney Channel, to bring this classic work to the Indian audience."

MOVIE REVIEW: How To Train Your Dragon 3D

DESPITE its title, How To Train Your Dragon is not an informative documentary on disciplining mythical reptiles. What it is, however, is a visually stunning animation about a young Viking’s unlikely friendship with one of the myriad of fire-breathing pests which plague his remote village. Past animations by Dreamworks Studios have been hit and miss, with the brilliantly sharp and funny Shrek films followed by underwhelming movies such as Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda. But this charming and frequently thrilling tale of weedy teenager Hiccup (voiced by the dryly comic Jay Baruchel) and his desperate attempts to find his niche in a community of burly, macho dragon-slayers, soars above its predecessors in terms of both narrative and technical excellence.

As is de rigueur now for Hollywood blockbusters, the movie is presented in 3D. It is a money-spinning gimmick which usually adds very little to the film. However, shown on the IMAX’s mammoth screen the eye-popping technology draws the audience into the exciting adventure rather than sending viewers running for the toilet in queasy repulsion at the dizzying effects. While never reaching the heights of sophistication seen in Disney/Pixar’s Up, How To Train Your Dragon has enough fire in its belly to warrant a look.

DreamWorks Bets on 3D-CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg says all new movies from his studio will be 3D

Jeffrey Katzenberg remembers the exact day he saw the future of Hollywood filmmaking unfold before him. It was five years ago, at the screening for director Robert Zemeckis' Polar Express, the Tom Hanks fantasy flick about a conductor who takes kids aboard a magical train to the North Pole. Katzenberg was invited to see the 3D version of the holiday film developed just for IMAX theaters. When the train flew off the tracks at one point, "my jaw dropped," recalls Katzenberg, the CEO of DreamWorks Animation SKG (DWA). "It was the most exhilarating thing I had seen on a screen in a long time."

Katzenberg says he then became a tireless advocate for bringing 3D movies to filmmakers and theater owners. That meant hitting every industry conference on the subject and joining forces with Zemeckis and director James Cameron to proselytize the wonders of 3D. Cameron, of course, was among the believers. He went on to create the 3D blockbuster Avatar for Fox (NWS), which Box Office Mojo says has grossed a record $2.7 billion worldwide. Director Tim Burton recently followed Cameron's Avatar with a 3D version of Alice in Wonderland for the Walt Disney (DIS) that so far has grossed $265.4 million. In each case, higher-priced 3D tickets helped boost the box office take.
That's one reason why Katzenberg wants to cash in on the 3D craze. Every film DreamWorks makes from now on will be made in 3D, he says. Starting with the Mar. 26 release of the computer-animated film How to Train Your Dragon, DreamWorks will release three 3D films, including the latest installment of its Shrek franchise, Shrek Forever After, which is set to make its debut on May 21. Megamind, the tale of a caped superhero who is forced back from retirement to save the world, will be out on Nov. 5, in time for the typically strong Thanksgiving holiday.

An Extra Dimension of Money

More than any other studio chief, Katzenberg recognizes that 3D has added a new dimension to films beyond the viewing experience: higher profits. Making a 3D flick adds $10 million or so to its costs, he says. (That's on top of a computer-generated animation film that can run to $150 million or more to produce, say several Hollywood people who make such films.) But that investment has paid off for DreamWorks. About 60% of ticket sales for last year's 3D film Monsters V Aliens went for the 3D version, says Katzenberg. Those higher-priced tickets likely accounted for as much as 10% of the flick's $198 million U.S. box office, he says. The movie went on to sell another $183 million worth of tickets overseas, playing in both 3D and the traditional 2D formats.

How to Train Your Dragon has a shot at doing even better. A week before its opening, the DreamWorks film recorded a perfect 100% score on the site Rotten Tomatoes, a rarity that means each of the 11 reviewers who have seen it has given it a positive review. Lazard Capital Markets analyst Barton Crockett, who previewed the movie recently with other financial analysts, predicts that it will open to a hefty $61 million weekend and gross $211 million worldwide. Crockett rates DreamWorks a "buy."

I'll leave the predictions of box office receipts to other Hollywood handicappers. But having attended the movie's premiere on Mar. 21, the film features dragons that fly over your head, come up from behind you, and in one scene, seem to be buzzing around your head. It is, simply, a heck of a ride, made all the better by the 3D technology.

Popeye 'to return with 3D movie'

Popular cartoon character Popeye is to return to the big screen in a 3D movie, it has been reported.Trade magazine Variety said the sailor's long-time girlfriend Olive Oyl and his nemesis Bluto would also star in the film, which has no release date. Hannah Minghella, from Sony Pictures Animation, said Popeye was "one of the most enduring and iconic cartoon characters of all time".Robin Williams starred in the last Popeye movie in 1980.Popeye, created by Elzie Crisler Segar, first appeared in the Thimble Theatre comic strip in 1929.
The sailor, who consumed cans of spinach to give him bigger muscles and greater strength, quickly became the star of the strip.

The Green Cell Power in animation view

Nature has its own secrets few of us are in the know

Thousands of iPhone and Android Phones Get Hacked to Form a Botnet

According to anti-virus and security firm, Sophos, 8000 iPhone and Android smartphones were recently hacked to form a botnet. By downloading an app called WeatherFist, unsuspecting users with jailbroken phones became vulnerable. Fortunately, in this case the botnet was not actually harmful. Instead, it was created by two researchers at TippingPoint Digital Vaccine Labs as a proof of concept experiment to prove how easy it is for these smartphones to be exploited, and just how weak the security is for third party app stores.

What Features Would You Want from a Google TV

Now that we've read fairly firm proof  that Google's looking to get into the set-top TV market, we're wondering what they'll deliver that's new and unique. YouTube, a semi-decent browser, sure—but what else would you want on your biggest screen?So far, the only details confirmed by sources at Google's partners through the New York Times' reporting is that Google's TV appliance runs on a version of Android, contains a version of Chrome, and aims to bring certain web apps, and certainly search, to the TV. YouTube, Twitter, and Picasa Web Albums are likely candidates, but it's easy to imagine that Google would have to do a lot more to make consumers want to buy another object to hook up to their TVs.

So, have at it. You're a consultant brought in by Google to advise on their TV project. A swarm of coders and engineers are waiting to make your ultimate web-connected television a reality. What sites or webapps do you tailor the screen for? What Google-connected features do you bake in? File syncing? Video chat?

300 Getting the 3-D Treatment?

300 may be joining the growing list of re-released movies that studios are retrofitting with 3D technology, in order to capitalize on the perpetual Avatar buzz. Recently, Zack Snyder revealed that Warner Bros. gave portions of 300 the 3D treatment in order to convince the director to utilize the technology in his upcoming film Legend Of The Guardian-which is now a 3D animated film. Converting 300 into 3D is not an outright confirmation that movie-goers will get a three dimensional version of the film in the theaters, but it certainly seems plausible, considering the number of titles that are expected to get a 3D re-release in the next few years.

Shilpa, Kareena to get a dancing rival?

Yes! One of India’s most loved Gods, Ganeshji, will now be seen doing an item-number in Rajiv S Ruia’s My Friend Ganesha 3 to be released next week (March 26).

If Shilpa Shetty can 'Shut up and bounce' in Dostana, if Kareena Kapoor’s dil can go'Pyaar Ka Deewana' in Don and Malaika Arora can go all 'Chhaiya Chhaiya' in Dil Se, why should the happy and colourful Ganpati Bappa lag behind! Surprised?The film, which also has the credentials of being India’s first 3D composite animation movie, combining animated characters with real-life actors, will have an animated Ganesha dancing to this special number, sung by none other than the original king of rap, Baba Sehgal, who has also written and composed it. Of course, this item song won’t be the typical provocative types, but a cute and adorable one. Now lets see who the kids love more; Shilpa, Kareena, Malaika or Ganesha

Short film spotlight: The Crane Machine

Created by Vancouver Film School student Leonardo Cubeddu through the VFS 3D Animation & Visual Effects program.

Wipeout: The Game for Nintendo DS and Wii Now Available

Video game Hilarity based on ABC’s Smash Hit TV Show Hits Shelves This SummerActivision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) today announced that it is bringing the Endemol USA produced hit ABC show “Wipeout” to Nintendo DS™ and Wii™ this summer. Wipeout: The Game challenges video game fans to master speed, balance, and precision to overcome the world’s largest obstacle course while enduring the inevitable hilarious falls, sometimes at the hands of your friends and family.