Will 2024 be a big leap for AVGC Industry in India?

The rise of VFX, AI and automation in recent years has got the wheels going for the artists and makers in AVGC industries to create something extraordinary.

With the shift in trends and technology, 2024 is definitely going to be a boost year for the AVGC - Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics Industry as we may witness many advancements. Kireet Khurana, the Director of AniMela - India’s first International Animation, VFX, Gaming, Comics & XR Festival sheds light on the sector and what it holds for the Indian brands and industry in 2024. 

How was it last year?

The year 2023 was a gear-changing year for the AVGC sector. We saw some remarkable AI tools being developed to make the animation and Visual Effects (VFX) processes easier and more automated. For India 2023 has been a watershed since its first international Festival AniMela was launched in partnership with the world’s most prestigious Annecy Festival, France and the support of Govt. Of India.

What will this year offer?

“While I feel 2024 is going to be a year of new highs, not only in terms of technology-driven largely by AI and breakthrough chip technologies driven by AI algorithms, but also for writers, developers and artists due to free availability of tools like mid-journey, stable diffusion, script writing software and many more,” says the Director of India’s first live-action & 3D animation combined feature film “Toonpur Ka Superrhero.” Even mainstay software like Photoshop heavily employs AI to generate images and for image processing. But as we move more towards newer technologies, the emphasis on quality and great storytelling will be a lot more as the bar is being raised significantly. 

India being the backend office for the world’s AVGC XR industry, homegrown service benefits tremendously from the emergence of new technologies as it expedites and leapfrogs our ability to catch up with the rest of the world in all domains beyond AVGC and creativity. Events like AniMela will not just expose the young emerging talent, animation filmmakers, gamers, technologists and storytellers to the world’s best films, games and experiential content, but also create a marketplace where they can pitch to the world's top producers, financiers, broadcasters, gaming companies and all stakeholders to create world-beating content that will stamp India’s creative and innovative presence world over. 

He says that the best VFX Oscars for the past few films like ‘The Dune’, Guillermo Del Toro’s ‘Pinnochio’, ‘Life of PI’, ‘Golden Compass’, ‘Narnia’, ‘Avenger’ series and many others have been done largely by Indian artists working out of our country in companies like Dneg, Technicolour, Framestore, Company 3 and many more. Yet we don’t get the glory for this as they are essentially American films and the spotlight is taken away from our artists. This year will be crucial for such artists to come to the forefront and change the paradigm of the industry with the integration of talent and technology.