Foreseeing the huge demand of 2D animators for the rapidly growing animation industry in India, Toonz had launched its first 2D Animation Academy with an international faculty in Thiruvananthapuram to train eligible candidates at international standards. Having its first batch successfully graduating the six-month 2D animation course from the academy, Toonz has now announced 80-per cent job placement for the first batch.

Now, according to Toonz chief operating officer P Jayakumar, Toonz, being the industry leader in India and an international player, strongly feels a great shortage of 3D talents in the country to meet the international standards. "To overcome this, we propose to start a full-fledged state-of-the-art 3D Animation Academy with the same standards provided in the academy''s 2D sector."

The academy will offer a six-month 3D animation course at a fee of Rs 60,000 payable in installments. The state-of-the-art 3D academy will have an international and national faculty comprising veterans from the animation industry and within the company. Special 3D consultants from the industry will develop the course curriculum, which will comprise an intensive training in classical, 2D animation and 3D animation, using the latest technologies and software.

The intake of the candidates will be based on an aptitude test and interview. Toonz will use its industry linkages to provide placement assistance for the successful candidates. Those selected and successfully graduating from the academy will have a lifetime chance of working along with the award-winning talent at Toonz and also will be involved in all the international and in-house projects. The academy, which will be housed at Technopark, will take in 25 students in its first 3D batch.

"The purpose of the Toonz academy is to provide the rapidly growing animation industry with creative and budding talents and promote animation as a career in India," says Jayakumar.

Toonz Animation India is rated among the top 10 animation studios in the world. Opened in the fall of 1999, Toonz Animation occupies more than 10,000 square feet of space inside Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Toonz Animation is the most advanced studio to open in India since the country emerged as a potential player in the international animation industry.

With a staff of over 400 Indian and international artists, Toonz is the host of Week with the Masters. Toonz is also a publisher of comic books and comic strips. Toonz''s own television series entitled The Adventures of Tenali Raman can be seen on TV screens throughout the region and its series on Hanuman titled Adventures of Hanuman has moved to the pre-production stage. Recently, Toonz improved its presence in Europe, Japan and Australia, setting up offices in Tokyo, Brisbane and London.