(Rahul is a Post Graduate animation student at the National Institute of Design, Ahmadabad, Gujarat. He will be joining the Animation Workshop in Manipur to share his experiences in the animation medium with participants.)
How did you get interested in animation?
I used to doodle a lot in my notebooks. Most of them were spontaneous and I didn’t give much thought or importance to my doodles. It was later that my friends found them interesting. They realized they could use my skills for their biology drawings, physics diagrams and text book decorations. So, I helped them get good marks by making their books and projects look awesome. On the other side, I was getting worried as I knew good grades/marks are not in my fate. I thought of the most challenging thing that can be done with drawing skills. Animation fitted just right. The fact that you have to draw around 24 frames for a second of animation made me go crazy and then I said, “This is it. I’m in.”
Are your parents encouraging?
There was a bit of a friction when I told my parents that I wanted to do animation. They wanted me to look into other usual options. I took my stand to not stray away from animation. I was then enrolled into an animation-software learning programme. At the same time, I was preparing for the entrance tests for NID. I got through the preliminary written test and then to the studio tests. I didn’t get through the interview but at least, it made my parents believe that there’s a future for me. From then on, my parents have been very encouraging and supporting. Be it either in monetary or emotional terms.
How was it to join NID?
NID has always been a dream for me. Every time I visited there, I felt a sense of calm. I had interactions with the students before I joined. Those sessions really opened my mind and taught me to see things from more than a single perspective. Many unanswered questions have been answered since the time I joined NID. It has given me even more questions to drive me ahead.
The selection process at NID starts with a written test (the format changes every year). Then, after the preliminary selection, the candidates are called over to the institute for Studio tests and the interview. The candidates are graded on their cognitive skills, awareness, attitude etc. There are 15 intakes every year in the Post-Graduate programme. For the Under-graduates, they have to go through an year of foundation and from the second year, they are given their disciplines according to their performance and preferences.
Being an animation student here in NID has made me more open to ideas. It has steered me towards realizing the potential of animation-film making. The interaction with students from other disciplines makes it more possible to open our minds wider. It helps us break away from a tunnel view and look at opportunities that are already there.
How do you feel about being from Manipuri at NID, and as an animator?
I feel very privileged to be one of the few Manipuris here in NID. At the same time, it’s kind of sad because I know there is a lot of potential talent back home. On top of a lack of awareness, there is also a lack of support from parents or families. People normally rely on the success factor of others to decide their future. I would like them to know that learning Animation Film Design or any other design course won’t go waste as long as they put both their feet in.
I would not call myself an animator yet. It’s an awesome feeling though. Imperfections and mistakes happen time and again. Sometimes I feel like, I should just quit. Patience runs out of hand, again and again but when you see your drawings come to life in the end, it’s a total high. That apart, being an animator/film-maker -to-be, I feel it a responsibility to keep alive a culture that’s my own.
What need is there to preserve the art and folktales of Manipur?
It’s okay to have a taste of different cultures but what is homegrown would always be the nearest to grab. It reinforces the identity of the community from where the folktale or folk art is. People feel powerless when their existence is not recognized. The impact is more prominent when people travel to other places, when they meet different people and when they discuss their cultures. We can’t pity ourselves by saying we are a minority in the country. These stories represent us, so, when they die , we die too.
What do you expect from the workshop?
I’m expecting the workshop to be a two-way learning experience for both the participants and also the people taking the workshop. Three weeks is quite a short time for coming up with a 5-minute animated film but enough time to come up with enough ideas to share and start working on them. Also, for me it’ll be a nice opportunity to recollect all the stories that have gone blurry in my memory.
How do you feel the film will be - 2D, 3D, what art style is suited to Manipur?
Normally and usually, I decide the medium after having a look at the script. The other mediums apart from pure 2D or 3D can be considered. Claymation, paper-cutouts (or other indigenous materials), Stop-motion in general can also be nice mediums for maintaining an earthy appeal.
Where can we screen the completed film?
A lot of community centers have been built around Manipur. The screenings might be appropriate there. Also, there’s the “Lai Haraoba” festival. It would be an appropriate time to screen it.
Do you think that there is potential for animation in Manipur?
Animation has a potential to change things if taken in consideration with the right mind and energy. Of course, it might sound impossible as one might say there’s a small market there. The truth is that if the production quality is good and the story clicks, it can cut across markets or political boundaries.
What do you know about the tribes in Manipur?
There are about thirty tribes in Manipur. It is surprising to hear that. If you ask me to name them, I will only be able to name a few. This is a problem for me. It’s like I don’t know some of the members in my family. The reasons for why I don’t know them might be many but personally, I feel that by telling stories from different parts of the state and communities, through the medium of Animation or Cinema would be a great help to bridge the communication gaps and create awareness.
Do you think a tribal story will be best, or a Meitei one?
A story will stand for itself. It’ll have to face the audience. It cannot be judged upon whether it’s of this community or that. So, let’s wait for the stories to gather and then, we can choose accordingly.
How did you get interested in animation?
I used to doodle a lot in my notebooks. Most of them were spontaneous and I didn’t give much thought or importance to my doodles. It was later that my friends found them interesting. They realized they could use my skills for their biology drawings, physics diagrams and text book decorations. So, I helped them get good marks by making their books and projects look awesome. On the other side, I was getting worried as I knew good grades/marks are not in my fate. I thought of the most challenging thing that can be done with drawing skills. Animation fitted just right. The fact that you have to draw around 24 frames for a second of animation made me go crazy and then I said, “This is it. I’m in.”
Are your parents encouraging?
There was a bit of a friction when I told my parents that I wanted to do animation. They wanted me to look into other usual options. I took my stand to not stray away from animation. I was then enrolled into an animation-software learning programme. At the same time, I was preparing for the entrance tests for NID. I got through the preliminary written test and then to the studio tests. I didn’t get through the interview but at least, it made my parents believe that there’s a future for me. From then on, my parents have been very encouraging and supporting. Be it either in monetary or emotional terms.
How was it to join NID?
NID has always been a dream for me. Every time I visited there, I felt a sense of calm. I had interactions with the students before I joined. Those sessions really opened my mind and taught me to see things from more than a single perspective. Many unanswered questions have been answered since the time I joined NID. It has given me even more questions to drive me ahead.
The selection process at NID starts with a written test (the format changes every year). Then, after the preliminary selection, the candidates are called over to the institute for Studio tests and the interview. The candidates are graded on their cognitive skills, awareness, attitude etc. There are 15 intakes every year in the Post-Graduate programme. For the Under-graduates, they have to go through an year of foundation and from the second year, they are given their disciplines according to their performance and preferences.
Being an animation student here in NID has made me more open to ideas. It has steered me towards realizing the potential of animation-film making. The interaction with students from other disciplines makes it more possible to open our minds wider. It helps us break away from a tunnel view and look at opportunities that are already there.
How do you feel about being from Manipuri at NID, and as an animator?
I feel very privileged to be one of the few Manipuris here in NID. At the same time, it’s kind of sad because I know there is a lot of potential talent back home. On top of a lack of awareness, there is also a lack of support from parents or families. People normally rely on the success factor of others to decide their future. I would like them to know that learning Animation Film Design or any other design course won’t go waste as long as they put both their feet in.
I would not call myself an animator yet. It’s an awesome feeling though. Imperfections and mistakes happen time and again. Sometimes I feel like, I should just quit. Patience runs out of hand, again and again but when you see your drawings come to life in the end, it’s a total high. That apart, being an animator/film-maker -to-be, I feel it a responsibility to keep alive a culture that’s my own.
What need is there to preserve the art and folktales of Manipur?
It’s okay to have a taste of different cultures but what is homegrown would always be the nearest to grab. It reinforces the identity of the community from where the folktale or folk art is. People feel powerless when their existence is not recognized. The impact is more prominent when people travel to other places, when they meet different people and when they discuss their cultures. We can’t pity ourselves by saying we are a minority in the country. These stories represent us, so, when they die , we die too.
What do you expect from the workshop?
I’m expecting the workshop to be a two-way learning experience for both the participants and also the people taking the workshop. Three weeks is quite a short time for coming up with a 5-minute animated film but enough time to come up with enough ideas to share and start working on them. Also, for me it’ll be a nice opportunity to recollect all the stories that have gone blurry in my memory.
How do you feel the film will be - 2D, 3D, what art style is suited to Manipur?
Normally and usually, I decide the medium after having a look at the script. The other mediums apart from pure 2D or 3D can be considered. Claymation, paper-cutouts (or other indigenous materials), Stop-motion in general can also be nice mediums for maintaining an earthy appeal.
Where can we screen the completed film?
A lot of community centers have been built around Manipur. The screenings might be appropriate there. Also, there’s the “Lai Haraoba” festival. It would be an appropriate time to screen it.
Do you think that there is potential for animation in Manipur?
Animation has a potential to change things if taken in consideration with the right mind and energy. Of course, it might sound impossible as one might say there’s a small market there. The truth is that if the production quality is good and the story clicks, it can cut across markets or political boundaries.
What do you know about the tribes in Manipur?
There are about thirty tribes in Manipur. It is surprising to hear that. If you ask me to name them, I will only be able to name a few. This is a problem for me. It’s like I don’t know some of the members in my family. The reasons for why I don’t know them might be many but personally, I feel that by telling stories from different parts of the state and communities, through the medium of Animation or Cinema would be a great help to bridge the communication gaps and create awareness.
Do you think a tribal story will be best, or a Meitei one?
A story will stand for itself. It’ll have to face the audience. It cannot be judged upon whether it’s of this community or that. So, let’s wait for the stories to gather and then, we can choose accordingly.
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