Hollywood Hello

From Spiderman�s realistic skyscraper slinging to Keanu Reeve�s bullet dodging in The Matrix, computer-aided animation has come a long way in bringing our wildest imaginations to the silver screen. The entertainment industry is raking in big time from the digital effects business, where a single animated movie such as the recent Tom Hanks flick �Polar Express� can cost upto �a million dollars per minute�; NASCOMM estimates global revenues to clock a massive US$70 billion from this sector alone by 2005.

The good news is that the international special effects industry, in particular the studios in US and Europe, is eagerly outsourcing computer graphics (CG) work from its leading film and television series to other cost effective avenues such as Korea and Philippines. In return the companies get high standard CG work done at only 10 to 40 percent of the original cost it would take them to complete the project at home. India too is cashing in, with current earnings tipped at US$150 million according to a recent CNN report. 2008 is expected to be the year when 300,000 of the enormous Indian tech force will dedicate itself exclusively to this trade.

Pakistan, on the other hand, has recently woken up to the huge potential in this area. Presently there�s only one animation house in the country, Post Amazers, that boasts a portfolio of international projects in hand including the Hollywood blockbusters �Exorcist-The Beginning� and �Son of Mask�. On a positive note, the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) has started to show �interest� in this arena and started off on the right chord last June when it invited an internationally renowned CG artist of Pakistani origin, Muqeem Khan, for a workshop in Lahore.

Currently the �daal roti� of all the local animation business combined comes from TV commercials, many of which create special effects that border narrowly on the lines of lunacy. Cases include dancing cows for a washing soap, detergent boxes capable of acrobatic feats and a 2D animation of an annoying fat cat that promotes bubble gum. The last example was actually created by an overseas group informs Asif Iqbal, CEO Post Amazers, who puts the entire earning of the local animation trade down to �a million dollars�.

An encouraging sign is that Pakistan is witnessing a revolution in the electronic medium. Already 12 new local TV channels have sprung up with 34 more in the pipeline. FM radio too is getting a major boost with 55 licenses in the offing from the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA). Ironically, because of this very boom we have ourselves a cart put before the horse situation, where although the medium is there, the trained creative lot required to run the show that includes animators, film makers, script writers, producers, directors, creative managers, actors, radio DJs etc. isn�t.