CHP10: The Sense Of Humor ( The Art Of Cartoon Comedy)

CHAPTER 10

THE SENSE OF HUMOR

( The Art of Cartoon Comedy)

AND WHY DO WE STRUGGLE?

“Comedy is a serious business. A serious business with only one purpose – to make people laugh.”

― W.C FIELDS

Cartoons and Comedy are synonyms for each other. And especially children’s show goes way beyond putting a compelling story and exciting characters together. It needs the element of fun in it that has to be witty, intelligent but, at the same time, equally dumb.

Yes, the essential part of any cartoon is the jokes, and more precisely, the visual gags, in other words, a good dose of sense of humor.

Anyone who grew up in the nineties was fortunate enough to witness the looney tunes and Hannah barbara era filled with a genius-level of dumbest things that could crack up even the gloomiest person in the room.

Looney Toons — Pic Courtesy: WB and Hannah Barbara

Although cartoon shows today in the west still follow the same pattern as ’90s shows, at the same time, it has progressed in bold new ways.

But unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the great Indian animated shows.

Yes, if you ask any teen or adult if they find our shows funny, they will surely laugh at the question and give you a sarcastic response.

But what are the factors that make the western shows so humorous compared to the Indian shows and make people judge you if you are a fan of one of the most prominent characters of the Indian animation industry?.

We understand that making people laugh is difficult, and that’s why western animated shows depend upon the people who make a living out of it. Yes, some of the best shows are written by professional comedians who also work on stand-up and late-night shows.

And this is the most crucial difference between them and us that hinders us from creating shows that work for all ages. Most of the animation writers in India are good storytellers, but unfortunately, they are far away from the rules of cartoon comedy and struggle with the art of gags.

Animation writing is not easy, and writers are bound by the rules of the world that they need to follow. But what I have witnessed in almost all the shows is that we shy away from the fundamental element of kid’s shows, and that is cartoon gags. And focus on the activities that are more organic or what we call natural jokes.

Even some of the best comedians like Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Steven Chow never hesitated to incorporate the cartoon comedy/gags in their line of work no matter how non-sensible it may come across.

The cartoon comedy/gags are a very tricky form of the medium as the joke does not follow the rules of the world, but the sudden shift in the situation makes you laugh.

And in India, we see that jokes are usually played down in patterns where it takes away the most vital element of the comedy, and that is “the Surprise.”

Yes, there are several ways to create a humorous gag. But one of the most effective methods is to use the element of surprise or say something unexpected. You can say something that causes the person to think you are going to say or do but ends up telling or doing the opposite of it.

For instance, here is a gag we used in an upcoming chase comedy called B Bah Boo. You see a butterfly hovering around Chameleon as it waits in ambush.

Comedy Writing — Pic Courtesy: Toonz Media Group

And as soon as the tiny butterfly reaches near the Chameleon…

“SNAP,” the butterfly sticks its tongue out and swallows the Chameleon, a hundred times larger than its size.

I am sure it took you by surprise, isn’t it?

So basically, it’s about building the expectations and then breaking them, and the whole Looney tunes relied on this principle. We often see a character attacking the other one, more often the weak one, just to get harmed due to its ineptitude or failure of their products.

Sure, logic is a big part of cartoon gags as well, but just like anything else in this art form, we need to push that logic at the extreme level and switch it at the least expected moment.

So if we want our audience to laugh instead of cringing upon what they are seeing, keep in mind to surprise them to a level that they use their own mind to solve the joke, keep it short and snappy, don’t spend too much time explaining it and quickly move on to the next scene.

But in most Indian shows, we see the same types of gags forced into the scenes to balance the humor quotient, which generally involves someone crushing on someone from the top, characters bumping into each other, and the sidekicks hiding away in the face of terror. Sure, this can be played well and make people chuckle, but it is often poorly timed, and the choppy animation takes the fun out of it.

But in the end, we understand that comedy is subjective; the things that make me laugh might not work for you, and vice versa, it could be very exhausting for the writers to do something they aren’t equipped with.

So the serious question is, how do we find the missing sense of humor from our shows that can make people laugh despite their age, gender, or culture?

Well, the simple answer to this complex question is what we discussed earlier in the chapter. And that is by bringing people on board who understand the art of writing gags on all levels.

professional comedians — Pic Courtesy: Man vector created by macrovector – www.freepik.com

Cartoon Comedy, like any other form, comes naturally to a few fortunate ones. When someone who isn’t blessed with this skill attempts to write something funny ends up doing the opposite, that comes across forced, unnatural, and at worst, totally cringe.

But the biggest challenge with this is finding people who are not only naturally funny but passionate about animation writing as well. Because without the right set of passion, it won’t be very easy to find the right balance, and without the right balance, it won’t be very easy to earn the respect of the audiences looking for better content.

But, it is just not limited to our writers having a sense of humor. It’s essential to encourage and educate everyone else involved in the storytelling process, right from the directors to producers to broadcasters, about the art of cartoon comedy and gags.

Because in the end, it’s not just about focusing on the story, the characters, and the look and feel of the show, but it’s about putting them all together with an element of surprise.

(Imp Note: This is one of the reasons behind the struggles of Indian Animation. In my blog series, “The Faults In Our Art! We will explore ten major factors that are keeping Indian animation behind. So I request you to please support my initiative by subscribing to my website by filling the form below)

November 28, 2021November 28, 2021

CHP 09: The Storytelling And Why We Struggle?

CHAPTER 09

THE STORYTELLING

AND WHY DO WE STRUGGLE?

“The stories we tell literally make the world. If you want to change the world, you need to change your story. This truth applies both to individuals and institutions.”

― MICHAEL MARGOLIS

Despite the optimistic and vivid portrait painted by fancy media reports, Indian Animation is still striving at its core. On the surface, it’s the happiest place to be in, but the truth is far stranger than the fiction it depicts on the screen.

And the most critical part is, hardly anyone is willing to make an effort to enhance its condition to reach a point that will help the industry and animation shows rise above their current state.

Sure, animation as a business has shown steady growth in the past few years due to the availability of a wide range of platforms to reach the intended target audiences. But we need to look beyond the technical and commerce to emerge as original creators at the global stage.

In the previous chapter, I wrote about how the lack of attention by our viewers in this medium has affected the growth and condition of better homegrown shows. But this is just one of the factors that need to be addressed out of many.

So let’s go deeper into this illusionary world of life and explore another but most vital component that must be discussed for the betterment of Indian Animation as a whole, and that component is STORY.

So much has been written about the ingredients of good storytelling, but few organizations can match the standards of soulful storytelling, especially in animated films like Pixar and Ghibli Studio.

On the one hand, Pixar has nearly twenty-two principles or rules for impactful visual storytelling that we see in all of their work. Whereas when it comes to striking a balance between fantasy and reality, Ghibli has been successfully able to cast its spell over audiences for more than four decades.

So what is it about Pixar and Ghibli’s storytelling techniques that stand them apart?

Well, it might sound overly complicated process, but it’s actually something simple, and that is their stories are relatable and focus on socio-emotional development.

They are the masters in creating captivating characters resonating with human emotions and sociological elements. Even in a superficial world, the central idea always revolves around basic human sentiments such as humility, compassion, and honor with a definitive motive.

And the character’s internal journey is given equal importance as its outer goals. And this vital element makes all the difference in the storytelling process.

Whereas most of the characters we see in Indian animated series lack defining internal motivation. They are good or bad just for the sake of it, with no strong driving force behind their undertakings.

And it’s a bit surprising to see our storytellers failing to depict such essential elements in the land where epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata have already set standards years ago.

A typical episode in most Indian shows involves the hero along with his sidekicks saving the day for everyone. Sure there is nothing wrong with that, as that’s where the soul of the superhero genre lies.

But Indian channels are flooded with these action-packed dramas between the hero and the villain with almost no emotional conflict between them.

And because of the protagonist’s invincible characteristics, there is nothing much at stake for them because we know in the end he will rise victorious with just one punch on the face.

We need to understand that conflicts are much more complicated than an asteroid approaching the earth or two people battling for a magic potion. The more unique and muti layered these conflicts are, the more they will be able to capture the viewers.

Let’s consider Batman’s conflict with the Joker in the Dark Knight. Batman represents the most ideal version of us, with utmost morals, values, and respect for order. In comparison, Joker stands for anarchy and disorder and has no moral values whatsoever. In simple terms, they have different goals that conflict with each other.

These internal differences lead to an external battle between them as both the characters try to get across their point of view, ultimately provoking an emotional reaction from the audience.

I understand kids’ content doesn’t have to be this complicated. Still, some level of psychological motivation for the characters will surely help our kids to grow mentally and emotionally, along with their beloved characters.

But that’s just one aspect of storytelling as another major flaw with our industry is that, at times, Indian animation tends to underestimate the intelligence of our children.

It ends up oversimplifying the message by neglecting the importance of friendship, honor, bonding, empathy, patience, and other such values our kids should be learning while growing up. This doesn’t in any way mean poor storytelling, they are still entertaining, but these characters have so much more potential.

All we need to do is focus on all aspects of the character’s journey and give our kids a chance to sneak into human emotions. All we need to do is show our kids that animation is more than just action; we need to show the space where we see these characters reflect their circumstances without any explanation or dialogue.

We need to show them that it isn’t always about happily ever after. Things do not always go the way we want them to. And that’s okay!

Sure comparing Indian animation with Pixar’s, Nolan’s, and Ghibli’s standard of work will be harsh on us considering the lack of budget, audiences, technology, etc.

But creating better stories does not require any of the given factors but merely an intention to do so.

The time has come for the Indian Animation industry to push its limitation in innovation and every aspect of the art that will help it build a stronger foundation to inspire a new generation of artists.

And fortunately, in recent times, I have seen the change in this pattern of our shows, and the stories revolve around the day-to-day issues of life, which is far better than what we have been served so far.

Golmaaal Jr. — Pic courtesy: Reliance Animation Pvt Ltd.

Shows like Bhoot Bandhus, Sub Jholmaal hai, and Golmaal Jr., in which I had the unofficial opportunity to write the pilot episode to set its tone and structure for upcoming episodes brought a refreshing take on the usual pattern of our animated shows by focusing more on the internal conflicts and desires of these characters.

I am not really sure that if we are too late to acknowledge such content. But by looking at the mild success of these franchises, I am a little optimistic about the future of Animation in India and appreciate the creators, storytellers, and broadcasters for taking a chance with it.

After all, Animation is a costly business with millions of rupees at stake. So it’s courageous of our people to start accepting the change we want to see, and I am sure we are on the right track for now.

(Imp Note: This is one of the reasons behind the struggles of Indian Animation. In my blog series, “The Faults In Our Art! We will explore ten major factors that are keeping Indian animation behind. So I request you to please support my initiative by subscribing to my website by filling the form below)

November 21, 2021November 21, 2021

CHP 08 THE INDIAN AUDIENCE AND WHY WE STRUGGLE?

CHAPTER 08

THE INDIAN AUDIENCE

AND WHY DO WE STRUGGLE?

“I made mistakes in drama. I thought drama was when actors cried. But drama is when the audience cries.”

― FRANK CAPRA

Walt Disney and Pixar set the measure for 2D and 3D animation. Japan has crossed all the conventional barriers with its anime and is constantly stretching its limits in this form of entertainment.

But when it comes to India, we are still struggling to get the basics right, we are still struggling to understand the true potential of this medium, and most importantly, we are still struggling to embrace the art of animation.

Animation is undoubtedly the most flexible form of film-making with the ability to go beyond the expected and truly justify your imagination without any limitation, boundaries, or complications of physical and technical resources. In short, a perfect medium to explore stories, subject matter, and character development.

But despite its liberty to look beyond conventional film-making, India can still not impress the globe with the quality of our home-grown productions.

Sure it’s easier to jump to the conclusion and blame the budget, creators, and the lack of latest technologies for the condition of our content.

But let’s not point out the obvious today as we really need to look deeper to find one of the most vital faults in our creations. We really need to stop turning our heads and quit pretending as if we don’t see because the real issue is embedded within us.

The faults in our art — People vector created by pch.vector – www.freepik.com

Yes, the animation is often overlooked by Indian audiences as it generally comes with a connotation of childishness.

Unlike in Japan, where anime is such an integral part of their culture, we are still unable to delve deeper into this vast world of cartoons. We are unwilling to explore outside usual Bollywood films and TV shows.

Americans, at one point, had the same thick attitude towards animation. But constant attention and open-mindedness towards the art by a large number of audiences forced the makers to come up with better concepts that can appeal to everyone with a soul and hunger for great stories.

Some time ago, the number one You tuber PewDiePie reacted sarcastically on one of the most popular Indian animated shows and pointed out some technical, creative, and conceptual absurdities that anyone with a basic understanding of this medium can identify.

But what bothered me the most is that he was shocked that we are exposing our kids to such content, which we, as viewers and specifically as parents, should not ignore. But guess what? WE DID IGNORE IT!.

Generally, when someone passes a ridiculous opinion towards our nation and things related to it, we quickly respond and defend ourselves. But this time, nobody came to the rescue. Why? Because he was right to a great extent.

But not wholly correct, sure most of our TV shows look below par and are quantity driven than quality. Still, it does not mean that we don’t have the potential for being amongst the best as we had proven it in the past when one of our films was running the race for being in the academy awards.

Yes, for many, it might come as a surprise that in 2011, a 3d animated film, Alpha and Omega, produced in Mumbai by Crest Animation Studio (a studio I had the privilege to work in), was included in the list of movies eligible for Oscar nominations.

The indian audience — Pic Courtesy: Crest Animation Studios

It’s a film about two young wolves falling in love despite all the odds, but unfortunately didn’t manage to go ahead in the nomination race, and much deserving Toy Story three got the honors that year.

Still, competing and finding a spot between the likes of Disney, Pixar, and Dreamworks is an outstanding achievement on its own. And the academy was kind enough to acknowledge the measure of the efforts that went into making this film.

But unfortunately, over here, it was brutally slammed by critics for its dull, predictable plot, unimpressive visuals and was entirely neglected by the audiences as it didn’t manage to bring out the required emotions.

In a nation where even sending a Bollywood masala film as an official entry for Oscars draws so much publicity and reaction from the media and general public, Alpha and Omega failed even to find any space in the page three section of the entertainment industry.

But worse, instead of receiving any praises and attention over here, it managed to do the exact opposite. I remember when one of my colleagues went to see the movie with her family, the man sitting at the ticket- counter advised her not to see it and said it was rubbish and a complete waste of time.

I know it cuts like a knife to hear such words. However, I would still welcome his critical views and, in fact, would encourage everyone to openly share their constructive feedback on this subject because, ultimately, the audiences are the actual alpha and the omega of this art form.

Like any artistic work, the animation is a medium to tell stories to reach people, touch you emotionally, make you forget your life’s dilemmas, and submerge you into this fictional world where everything seems possible.

And without audience support, it won’t be able to re-invent, renovate, and even reject the conventional ideas for the better good.

I know it’s not all dependent on the viewers, but the creators also have specific responsibilities. The creators need to understand the possibilities and potential of their secondary audiences.

In India, we have difficulty understanding the basic fact that the animation is just not limited to kids, but adults are the secondary audiences. When a kid is watching a show or a movie on Tv or theater, parents and guardians are forced to sit through it.

So we need to cater to them and put something in for them as well if we need to fall in that category of family entertainment.

I am often asked to remove a gag or dialogue because kids won’t get it, although I completely agree with that and I have no choice but to follow it, but in my mind, I am always like, that’s not for kids, that’s for the adults forced to watch along with him.

Unless it’s breaking any S&P rules, the producers should not worry about one or two jokes skipping a child’s brain or understanding capacity.

So we really need to find a way to bring a balance to our content. And if not, then we have no choice but to take an extreme step. The surest way to find some audience for animation is by creating mature content like Adult Swim did back in the nineties.

This channel revolutionized the entire cartoon watching experience and even helped to launch the careers of many artists through its interactive formats, spontaneity, and unique experience.

But, this will take some tremendous risk-taking ability, out of box thinking, and open-mindedness towards the potential of animation.

In the end, we can say that if we want to bring a revolution in Indian Animation, we as audiences need to alter our approach towards this art form. And demand a better quality product by raising our voices against the current supply.

And, more importantly, show our support and faith in our highly talented artists and creators. Because we have the potential, we have the talent; we have the passion. All we need is “YOU,” all we need is your attention, and all we need is your love.

Because once you get involved, step by step, little by little, we will be there at the grandest stage of all, AT THE OSCARS!

(Imp Note: This is one of the reasons behind the struggles of Indian Animation. In my blog series, “The Faults In Our Art! We will explore ten major factors that are keeping Indian animation behind. So I request you to please support my initiative by subscribing to my website by filling the form below)

November 14, 2021November 17, 2022

CHP 07 ROADSIDE ROMEO MOVIE AND WHAT WENT WRONG?

CHAPTER 07

ROADSIDE ROMEO MOVIE

AND WHAT WENT WRONG?

“I think it’s important to have a good hard failure when you’re young. I learned a lot out of that.”

― WALT DISNEY

When Yash Raj Films collaborated with Walt Disney for Roadside Romeo movie, it was hailed as the first film of its kind and was seen as a project that would pave the way for animation films in India and raise the bar for artistry and innovation.

It’s a movie about Romeo, a rich dog who is abandoned by his owners. He then finds himself embroiled in various situations and even ends up falling in love. It’s a romantic comedy, a genre in which both YRF and WD are undisputed champions.

But despite massive brands, big star-cast, a generous budget, and decent animation, Roadside Romeo failed to woo audiences.

So what went wrong with Roadside Romeo movie despite all the technical amenities?

Well, the important factor behind its downfall is that the creators lacked the insight to look beyond the technical and concentrate on one of the most vital components of movie-making i.e., THE CHARACTER ARC AND RELATABILITY.

So what is a character arc?

“It is a transformation or inner journey of a character over the course of time. In other words, the character begins as one sort of person and gradually transforms into a different sort of person in response to changing development in the environment.”

This is where Pixar is great at because every movie they make, they tend to give the protagonist’s emotional journey equal importance as the outer. The character we see at the beginning of a film will be a radically different person by the end of it.

All great artist is aware of this metamorphosis a living being undergoes during an existence, so they always try to incorporate this in their creative work some or the way, whether it’s movies, novels or even in music.

Take, for example, the album “THE WALL” by Pink Floyd.

The songs in the album constitute a rough storyline of incidents in the life of the protagonist, Pink, whose father was killed during the Second World War. Pink is abused and tormented by the people around him. All of these traumas become metaphorical “bricks in the wall.”

The protagonist eventually becomes a rock star, but his relationships shatter due to his controversial lifestyle. As his marriage decays, he finishes building his wall, forming his detachment from human contact.

Hidden behind his wall, Pink sinks into a deep depression. In order to get him to perform, a doctor medicates him. Upon recognizing the horror of what he has done, Pink becomes overwhelmed and wishes for everything around him to cease. Showing human emotion, he is tormented with guilt and places himself on trial, his inner judge ordering him to “tear down the wall,” opening Pink to the outside world.

As the listener, we can clearly see the dramatic shift in Pink’s perception and nature, even through songs and music.

And Roadside Romeo simply failed to understand this basic principle, as from the beginning to end, the protagonist didn’t show any changes in his personality despite changing circumstances.

Even when he is abandoned by his owner and thrown into the world of isolation, or yet when he faces his nemesis to wipe the slate clean.

Also, the makers didn’t give the audience enough reasons to care for the protagonist, even though there was enough time to build it.

For instance, instead of showing his lavish lifestyle as the opening sequence, it would have been great if they would have displayed his struggle to come to terms with his new unfortunate ordeal and give the audience a chance to empathize with him.

But what surprises me about this movie is that it’s created by YRF, a studio responsible for producing one of the greatest romantic Bollywood movies of all time “Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge.”

Even though the plot is a typical boy meets girl clichéd one, we can plainly see the development in Raj’s character both emotionally and externally. As he transforms from reckless spoilt brat to a mature and responsible person and travels across the oceans all the way from London to India for his love.

And due to this inner and outer transformation, we got involved with him and, in a way, became a part of his journey. His life became our life, his problems became our problems, and his success became our success so as his failures.

Now, that’s good storytelling due to good character arc.

And with Roadside Romeo apart from him being left alone, there was nothing much going with him. As throughout the movie he was shown as an epitome of perfection, who is a great hairstylist, singer, dancer and is good with “bitches” (literally).

In the end, when he does show some emotions to save the bad guy, it comes across forced as his actions clearly lacks the motivation to do so and it was too late for the audience to root for him. But even after that, he goes back to who he was in the beginning of a film, a careless playboy.

The audience doesn’t want to see this, they want to view these characters cope with the human experience through these films, an experience with which audience members can identify.

Observers see a part of their own reality on the big screen through these figures, as we know that nobody is perfect.

This is what makes the characters so relatable and inspirational to the viewer, and that’s one reason why superhero movies are so big amongst us because we see the inner struggle they go through despite gifted with powers beyond human abilities.

Because we see their vulnerability to deal with the change surrounding them, and because we see their lack of control over certain circumstances, “JUST LIKE US.”

So, what are your thoughts on Roadside Romeo movie? Please share your comments below.

Also, through “The Faults In Our Art!” blog series, we will explore the various factors responsible for poor quality of Indian Animation as an art. So I request you to please have a look the section (by licking here) to learn more about this wonderful subject.

November 10, 2021November 10, 2021

Top 10 Best Indian Animated Shows (2021): Number 3 will Shock You!

Welcome to AnimadWorld, today through this article we will explore Top 10 Best Indian Animated Shows made so far.

Alright, before you jump to a conclusion and scream, “The Jungle Book” from the ’90s is the best or perhaps the greatest Indian animated show of all time.

Then, I’ll ask you to please hold your excitement as many of you’ll be shocked to know that it’s not an Indian series but made and produced in Japan.

We have already covered this topic in detail in my “The Faults in our Art” blog series, so I’ll request you to please read the same by clicking here to know more about it.

Now, let’s come back to explore the best Animated shows made and produced in our country. I understand that ranking the best series ever can be an impossible task as it’s hard to go through every show made so far.

Plus, as we know, art is pretty subjective. What you find interesting, the other person might not second that.

So, the closest we can get to have an accurate ranking is by referring to IMDB ratings given to the series by the beloved audiences.

But the problem with solely relying on these ratings is that they cannot be accurate as most shows have very few voters to compare with. So to qualify for that criteria, the show must have at least 70 votes given by the users.

I know it’s not a huge number, so for that reason, I might add my reviews about it as an animator, writer, and, most importantly, an audience.

At the same time, we will consider the quality of animation, storytelling, and popularity quotient, too, as it is a significant factor in kids’ content.

Sure, there are chances that you might disagree with the list and punch your screen or throw away your cell phone.

But, instead of getting annoyed by my reviews, I’ll request you to kindly mention your opinions in the comment section below.

So, let’s pull up our shocks and have a look at the Top 10 Best Indian Animated Shows of all time:

10/10 Golmaal Jr. (2019)

IMDb ratings: 6.7 (40 votes)-N/Q

Animation Quality: 5.5/10

Story Telling: 5.5/10

Popularity: 4/10

Average score: 5

An animated version of a famous Bollywood movie starring Ajay Devgan and directed by Rohit Shetty, Golmaal Jr. was an experiment that paved the way for such content of transforming live-action films into animation.

It was a much-needed change the Indian Animation industry needed as most shows were based on kids with moral values saving the world. In comparison, this show explored the naughty side of children that made it so relatable and fun to watch.

It is also a special show for me as I started my television writing career with this series. And penning down the pilot episode gave me the confidence to pursue this medium.

09/10 Motu Patlu (2012)

IMDb Ratings: 5.4 (670 votes) -Q

Animation Quality: 3/10

Story Telling: 3.5/10

Popularity: 8.5/10

Average score: 5.1

best indian animation — Pic courtesy: Comos Maya Animation

Telecasted On Nicklodean India in 2012, Motu Patlu has retained its popularity amongst the masses since its debut.

Sure, Pew-die-Pie was shocked to see some of its scenes and criticized its quality and execution. But there is no doubt that Motu-Patlu is a hugely successful show in terms of demand and business in India.

It was released when Indian animation was still trying to make its presence feel amongst the foreign shows.

And there is no doubt that along with Chhota Bheem, Motu-Patlu ki Jodi did play a vital role in pulling the audiences towards home-grown content.

So considering how famous these two characters are and the role this series played in changing the industry, it surely deserves a place in our Top 10 Best Animated Shows of all time or so far.

08/10- Little Singham (2018)

IMDb ratings: 3.6/10 (75 Votes)-Q

Animation Quality: 5.5/10

Story Telling: 5/10

Popularity: 8/10

Average score: 5.5

Best Indian cartoons — Pic courtesy: Reliance Animation

Alright, I know the IMDb ratings aren’t that impressive, but there is no doubt that Little Singham is perhaps one of the most popular shows made so far.

Another character based on Ajay’ Devgan’s popular movie Singham once again directed by Rohit Shetty, Little Singham, is co-produced by Reliance Animation.

This show was an instant hit amongst the audiences, which can be seen in Discovery Kids TRP ratings after its debut.

And that’s why despite the limited animation and simple storylines, it deserves an honorable spot in our Top 10 Best Indian Animated shows of all time.

07/10 Pinaki & Happy – The Bhoot Bandhus (2020)

IMDb ratings: 8.1 (22 Votes)-NQ

Animation Quality: 6/10

Story Telling: 6/10

Popularity: 5/10

Average score: 5.6

Winner of the best 3D animated show award recently, Bhoot Bandhus indeed pushed the boundaries of our imagination and animation content in India.

With a catchy title track written by great Gulzar, this show became an instant hit amongst kids due to its refreshing style, detailed storytelling, and fun animation.

Comparatively, the show’s quality is way better than many 3d animated shows available until now.

Hence, it deserves to be on our list of top 10 best India animated shows so far.

06/10 Bandbudh Aur Budbak (2015)

IMDb: 7 (201 Votes)-Q

Animation Quality: 4/10

Story Telling: 5.5/10

Popularity: 6.5/10

Average score: 5.7

Well, the high IMDb rating of this show is excellent evidence of Bandbudh and Budbak’s success amongst the audiences.

When period shows like Chhota Bhee, Krishna, Arjun, etc., were ruling the Tv screens with their high spirits, brave acts, and moral messages.

These two naughty kids were taking punishments, bunking classes, eating tiffins during lectures. A concept that most of us can relate to.

Maybe being ahead of time didn’t work in their favor, and it was taken off air just after two seasons. But it indeed left a mark within our memories with its unique design, look and feel, and relatability.

05/10 Roll No. 21 (2010)

IMDb ratings: 6 (195 Votes) -Q

Animation Quality: 6/10

Story Telling: 6/10

Popularity: 6/10

Average score: 6

I’m sure everyone remembers this semi-human rendition of Krishna with a new twist in the old tale of popular mythology.

Debuted on Cartoon Network during the channel’s good old times, this show had everything to succeed during that period. High-quality animation, engaging storytelling, catchy title, and relatability factor as the show was based on a school premise.

Plus, as it targeted an audience already aware of Krishna and Kans’ back story, the show made the most out of the classic rivalry.

It showed the audiences that we can take the existing characters from mythology and make something different.

This creative idea was very novel for kids at that time and opened the doors of our imagination.

04/10- Disney’s Bhaagam Bhaag (2019)

IMDB Ratings: Not available.

Animation Quality: 7/10

Story Telling: 6.5/10

Popularity: 4/10

Average score: 5.8

Please don’t get confused and think of it as another show based on a Bollywood franchise. Disney’s Bhaagam Bhaag is an entirely independent series produced by Cosmos Maya Animation Studio and is telecasted on the Disney channel.

I know, what you are thinking, but there are no ratings available to it, so how can I judge the show?

Well, that’s because I worked on it as a Writer for a few episodes. And based on my experiences, I can surely tell you that Bhaagam Bhaag was quality content with top-notch animation, funny gags, and multi-layered storytelling.

Sadly, it didn’t manage to garner the popularity it deserved, but it is undoubtedly a top-five material in a true sense in our list of top 10 best indian animated shows.

03/10 Chhota Bheem (2008)

IMDB ratings 4.4 (747 Votes)-Q

Animation Quality: 4.5/10

Story Telling: 5.5/10

Popularity: 10/10

Average score: 6.1

Shocked! Right? Well, if there has to be a list of the most popular shows, then Chhota Bheem will undoubtedly win the race by a significant margin. It is indeed one of the if not the most famous animated series ever produced in India.

And more than that, it played a massive role in transforming the Indian animated industry and opened the door for many shows.

I have already written about its significance in our industry in my “The Faults in Our Art!” blog series. For more details, please click here.

But despite its outstanding achievements, the reason it’s in the number three spot is due to its low IMDb ratings, unimproved animation style, and repetitive storytelling format.

But hey! It’s still a podium finish in our top 10 best Indian animated shows ! And this show deserves every bit of success.

And personally, I really enjoyed working on Chhota Bheem’s many episodes as a writer, and we did experiment few new things.

The Green Gold production team working on it is excellent, and hopefully, they will be able to bring the change we all want to see.

02/10 Titoo (2020)

IMDb ratings: N/A

Animation Quality: 6/10

Story Telling: 7/10

Popularity: 6/10

Average score: 6.3

There is something about Titoo that makes it such an incredible show to watch. I remember seeing it for the first time and instantly thought it would be a hit show.

It kinda reminded me of Shinchan at first, considering the main character’s mischievous nature, back-answering, and knack of getting into trouble. But it is a more trimmed-down version that can suit the Indian audiences and censorship.

Overall, the animation quality is more than decent, the writing is fun, and overall execution makes it worthy of the number two spot in our list of top 10 best Indian animated shows so far.

01/10 The Adventures of Tenali Raman (2003) & Mighty Little Bheem (2019)

Yes, there is a tie for number one spot in our top 10 best Indian animates shows list, and it’s so hard to choose one between these two shows. The best part about them is considering the period between these series; it somehow shows the journey of commercial Indian animation.

Tenali Raman is when it all started in early 2000, and Mighty Little Bheem rose to fame just a couple of years ago. Let’s talk about them one by one.

The Adventures of Tenali Raman (2003):

IMDb ratings: 7 (71 Votes)-Q

Animation Quality: 9/10

Story Telling: 8/10

Popularity: 5.5/10

Average score: 7.3

Pic Courtesy: Toonz Media Group

This show is exceptional in all sense. It showcased the potential of Indian animation to us and paved the way for an industry trying to find its place.

In the hundred years long history of animation in India, we finally had something we could call our own.

I remember watching it for the first time on cartoon networks in my teens and was instantly captivated by the animation, storytelling, and execution. I was so impressed by it that a little voice in my teenage heart wanted to meet the people working behind it.

And I was just in school, not knowing that I’d be pursuing animation as a career in the coming years.

And luckily, after a few years, I got my first writing project with the same company responsible for making such a masterpiece. That company is Toonz Media group, and they are one of the pioneers of commercial animation in India.

Unfortunately, due to high production costs and limited demand for Indian content during that time, this series didn’t run for long and was taken off air after just one season.

But if you ask me personally, this is indeed one of the best shows our country has produced so far, and it has a level of content we can be genuinely proud of.

I hope all our animation programs would have followed their footsteps and kept the quality as high as The adventures of Tenali Raman.

But sadly, Indian animation was not able to match the standards due to many restrictions and limitations we will discuss in our “The Faults in our Art!” blog series.

Mighty Little Bheem (2019):

IMDb ratings: 6.5 (233 Votes)-Q

Animation Quality: 9/10

Story Telling: 7/10

Popularity: 7/10

Average score: 7.3

Pic Courtesy: Green Gold Animation

Well, what was started with Tenali Raman was finally matched by Mighty Little Bheem. This show is perfect in all senses, and it’s something that demonstrates the potential of artists and creators in this country.

Impeccable animation, funny gags, engaging storytelling, cute characters are a few reasons this series became an instant international hit.

But the real secret of its success lies in the same principles applied in the movie Hanuman released in 2005.

If there is any show that fully utilizes these principles to the best of its abilities, then it’s “Mighty Little Bheem.” And hence, along with Tenali Raman, it rightfully deserves the number one spot in our list of top ten best Indian animated shows so far.

But the vital question is, what are these principles I’m giving so much credit to?

Well, to know about this wonderful secret, please read my blog “Hanuman the animated movie Part one” by clicking here. And trust me, you’ll gain some wonderful insight into this incredible art we call animation.

So here we go, these are the best-animated shows our country has produced so far. I tried my best to rate them, but please share your thoughts in the comment section below if you don’t agree with anything.

November 5, 2021November 6, 2021

CHP SIX HANUMAN MOVIE (2005) AND THE ART OF APPEAL PART TWO

HANUMAN MOVIE

AND THE ART OF APPEAL PART TWO

“Hanuman is like a super superhero. We have tried to go beyond Superman,”

― V.G SAWANT, DIRECTOR OF HANUMAN

So in the previous article, Hanuman Part One, we learned about the first six principles of animation that made Hanuman a movie to remember, right from the squash and stretch to ease and ease out.

Now, let us continue to peek behind the curtain of the animation process and proceed with the seventh and one of the most vital principles that make the animation look so realistic, and that is “THE ARC.”

7-Yes, one thing we will see around us is that most natural moments tend to follow an arched trajectory, and that is also true for animation as it adheres to the laws of physics.

This can be seen in our day to days lives by just observing our limb movements, or by merely following the visual path of a bouncing ball.

An object in motion that moves out of its natural arc for no apparent reason will come across as mechanical, stiff, and erratic rather than smooth, which can work for robotic characters.

But, for the rest, it is essential to respect the principle of arc added with ease in and ease out with a little bit of squash and stretch to make the action look authentic and fluid.

And to add more life in your characters, our eight principle plays a crucial role in it, and that is a secondary action.

8-The job of secondary action is to support the main action, and it helps to add more dimension and personality to your character.

Hanuman’s tail is an excellent example of characterization through this principle as we can see that it can move freely from the rest of his body, and it gives a little insight into his feelings and emotions, which can also be examined through our next principle, and that is “Timing.”

9-Alright, like the art of magic, Timing plays the most crucial part in creating the best illusion that can awe the audiences.

In general, Timing refers to the number of drawings or frames for a given action, which translates to the speed of the action within the scene that gives meaning to the movement.

It is divided into two parts; the first is the physical timing, which is determined by the weight and the mass of an object and gives you the idea of the material of the object.

For example, if you throw a paper ball and a rubber ball, both things will travel at a different speed and reach their destination at a very different time frame.

The next is the theatrical timing, which is behavioral and determined by the performance of a character or object. This can be observed through the way a character moves, which brings out its unique personality that can be pushed further with the help of our tenth principle, that is, Exaggeration.

10-When we hear the word “Exaggeration,” we think of something that has been pushed or amplified to a greater extent. And the principle of exaggeration is exactly what the word stands for, and it is used to increase the amount of impact on the viewer.

Because in animation, the closer you are to a realistic movement or expression, the duller it looks, so in animation, we take a different approach and raise the intensity of broader actions, enhancing the emotions and making the expression look as large as possible for better clarity and entertainment.

You can see the difference between an exaggerated one as compared to a realistic one in the image below to understand what a huge difference this principle can make in the entertainment quotient of animation.

While you can take the creative freedom to push the boundaries of an action or expression, but you still have to respect the limits of our anatomy and stay accurate that can be achieved by our eleventh principle, Solid drawing.

11-The principle of solid drawing means taking into account forms in three-dimensional space or giving them volume and weight as it will give your character a sense of tangibility.

In other words, it is about making sure that your character has a clearly defined body structure consistently without losing its sense of weight, balance, anatomy, shadow, light, etc.

The structure need not have to be completely realistic, but it has to be believable. And it is this believability that is absolutely important to achieve our last principle, the Appeal, the culmination of everything we learned so far.

12- THE ART OF APPEAL

So when you saw the movie Hanuman what was the first thing that instantly pleased you. And I am sure most of the people will say that the Character design of the baby Hanunam was cute beyond measures.

Yes, and that is where the principle of Appeal comes into the picture. It is a technique animators use to make their design stand out.

Although it is very subjective in nature, but one thing is sure that animated characters should be pleasing to look at, and just like live-action actors, they need to have some charisma into them.

And oh boy, the baby Hanuma’s character is a perfect example of it as the audiences we quickly captivated by its attractive design and animation backed by good storytelling and direction.

Hanuman’s entertaining movements and unique style were perfectly complementary to its physical traits like chubby cheeks, big innocent eyes, anatomically accurate body structure. And if you can pull that off all together, then you have a design that is appealing in every sense.

And it’s because of Hanuman’s watchability and attractiveness this movie left a significant impact not only on the animation industry but if you notice, since its release, even live-action series and films depict Hanuman’s character inspired by VG Samant’s version.

You will see the traces of it everywhere, in children’s fancy dress parties, other animated shows, festivals, comic strips, etc.

Such was the influence of Hanuman that left a massive legacy behind it that we are still struggling to replicate in terms of the blockbuster success, quality, and, most importantly, its Appeal.

November 2, 2021November 5, 2021

CHP FIVE: Hanuman And The Animation Principles.

Hanuman

And The Animation Principles PART ONE.

“ Live-action performers have charisma, an animated character has appeal.”

― FRANK AND OLLIE, THE ILLUSION OF LIFE

If I’ll ask you to go down memory lane and choose one Indian animated movie that you absolutely loved watching and adored as a viewer.

Then most probably, the one film that will instantly appear in your mind is none other than “Hanuman” released in the year 2005, directed by V. G. Samant and produced by Percept Picture Company and Silvertoons.

Hanuman, by far, is said to be the best full-length animated feature film in India, and no other movie managed to attain the popularity and success as it did.

As soon as the movie hit the silver screen, we were immediately swept away by the flawless direction, exquisite animation, and iconic characters.

And on top of that, the end credit song Mahabali Maharudra sung by Sonu Nigam and Kailash Kher adds a sense of inspirational touch to the film that helped it to establish its sound identity, making it a complete family entertainment.

We have all the reasons to love this movie as it possesses all the elements of a blockbuster. But what makes it so unique, and why no other film is still able to re-create the same supernatural experience and power we felt with Hanuman despite the age-old storyline we grew up hearing or watching.

And the answer to that question is “THE PRINCIPLE OF APPEAL.”

Animation works on some essential tools and mechanisms known as “The Twelve principles of animation” that were first led down and published in the animation Bible “The illusion of Life.” Written by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, two of the key animators out of nine old men at Disney during the Golden Age of animation.

The animation principles they presented in the book have a universal framework that can fit in the mold of any design and process and has been used since then in the art of animation.

Before we try to comprehend how the principle of appeal contributed so immensely to the success of Hanuman, let us first have a brief look at all other animation principles to have a better understanding of the working process of this craft for everyone interested in exploring the groundwork needed in this discipline.

1-Lets us start with the most versatile and fundamental techniques called Squash and stretch.

The purpose of squash and stretch is to provide a sense of weight and flexibility to drawn objects like something as simple as a bouncing ball or more complex constructions, like the musculature of a human face.

In simple words, this effect gives animation an elastic life-like quality to imitate the real-life quality of a distorted object when it is acted upon by an outside force, but with a hint of an exaggeration to give it a comical effect.

2-Next comes to the animation principle of “Anticipation” which helps audiences to prepare for what’s about to happen.

For example, imagine you’re about to swing a cricket bat. What’s the first thing you do? Do you pull your hands back to wind up? Twist your shoulders in the opposite direction? That’s anticipation!.

As the action in animation can be very fast that can be missed and can get unnoticed. Anticipation draws the viewer’s attention and enables them to clearly see the character’s action and understand what the character is planning to do so that each movement does not come as a sudden surprise.

3-And every action the character undertakes should be carefully matched within the scene with the support of the next principle, that is, “Staging.”

Now, staging isn’t just limited to animation; it’s a core part of any artwork and filmmaking. Its purpose is to direct the audience’s attention and make it clear what is the most important thing in a scene that effectively advances the story.

In simple terms, it’s the combination of the position of the camera angles, colors, contrast, characters, and the props we need to show within the scene and blurring out what’s not important.

4-Once the stage is set, we move forward to the next animation principle, called “Straight Ahead Action and Pose-to-Pose.”

Now, this principle is related to actual work that goes into animation and deals with the technical aspect of it, but it’s relatively simple to explain. There are two ways to animate anything; the first is the Straight ahead method.

In this approach, animators draw each frame of an action one after another from start to finish. Whereas in the pose to pose way, animators draw the extreme poses, that is, the beginning and end drawings of action, then they go on to the middle frame and start to fill in the frames in-between.

5-And once the key actions are choreographed, follow-up movements are added with the help of the fifth principle, called “Follow through and overlapping action.”

This is the part where the laws of physics are obeyed, which help to render movement more realistically. The basic idea behind this is that when an object or a character stops after being in motion.

The loosely attached part of the body, like long hair, clothes, and hanging accessories, will continue to move beyond the stopping point of the main object or character and take a longer time to settle down and come into a state of rest.

6-The follow-through and overlapping action really help to make the motion look organic, which is assisted by the sixth animation principle called “Ease in and ease out.”

Ease in is a slow acceleration into motion, and ease out is a slow deceleration of that motion. The simple way to understand this principle is by imagining how a car works. It will start moving slowly, before gaining momentum and speeding up.

The opposite will happen when the vehicle comes to a stop. In animation, this moment is achieved through the proper spacing of the frames that is the distance between each frame.

For example, if you look at the picture below, you will see that more lines that represent the keyframes are drawn near the beginning and end of action, and very few in between them.

This effect helps to achieve more real-life-like motion, which, if blended with our next principle, works very well that we will have a look at in our next chapter.

Yes, the animation principles laid down here are just halfway road leading to the destination we need to arrive at. But there are a lot more subtleties and world-building we need to explore to achieve the experience the creators of Hanuman undertook to make it so memorable.

So I will encourage you to read this chapter once again until you grasp it to the fullest before turning the page to the next chapter that will reveal the following six animation principles without which animated movies wouldn’t be what we see today.

March 7, 2021October 5, 2022

CHAPTER 03 RAMAYANA: THE LEGEND OF PRINCE RAMA AND THE BATTLE TO RELEASE IT

“Anyone can tell a story because Ramayana is a plot-oriented tale, but the key to Sako is that he finds humanity in his characters.” ― Krishna Shah, Co-Director, Ramayana

Anybody who grew up in the ’90s will recognize the animated film Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama, which was made as a part of the 40th anniversary of the India-Japan diplomatic relationship. This mythological tale was recreated and Directed by Yugo Sako along with legendary Indian Animator Ram Mohan.

The Hindi version featured dubbing voices of many big stars, including Arun Govil as the voice of Rama, Legendary Amris Puri as the voice Ravana and powerfully narrated by Shatrughan Sinha, added the interest in the audiences.

And after its release, it left a tremendous impact on a generation who already had a set perception about this sacred text through one of the most popular television shows in the history of the Indian entertainment industry that aired on Doordarshan.

And miraculously, the anime managed to create its own identity with its fusion of U.S., Indian, and Japanese style animation, brilliant screenplay, impeccable characterization, design, camera angles, and, more importantly, by staying respectful towards its cultural significance in the Indian civilization that managed to capture the attention of both kids and the adults.

But just like the actual tale of Ramayana, the movie also fought an epic battle for its existence and survival to reach its viewers. Yes, the creator of the film has to overcome various forces, to turn this religious work of stunning antiquity into an animated movie. So let’s have a brief look at Yugo Sako’s journey into the sacred world of Indian mythicism and his sincere efforts to make this animated retelling of an iconic story.

It all began when Yugo Sako was working on “The Ramayana Relics,” a documentary in 1983; he was so highly enticed into its spiritual theme that he researched more in-depth into the subject and went on to study 10 versions of Ramayana in Japanese. After extensively researching the epic mythology, he aspired to adapt it into animation. Because he didn’t think a live-action movie could depict the true essence of Ramayana, “Because Ram is God, I felt it was best to depict him in animation, rather than by an actor.” Said Yugo in an interview.

And that’s when the struggle began.

A leading newspaper misunderstood Yugo Sako’s documentary and wrote that he was altering the Ramayana. Soon after that, a protest letter based on the misinterpretation from the Vishva Hindu Parishad was received by the Japanese Embassy in India’s capital. Which said that no foreigners could arbitrarily cinematize Ramayana because it was the great national heritage of India.

After the misconceptions were clarified, Yugo Sako suggested the idea of an animated Ramayana to the VHP and the Government. He told them that animation was an earnest art form in Japan, and it would help bring the Ramayana to a broader global audience.

The Government agreed initially but later declined his proposal for a bi-nation collaboration, saying the Ramayana is a very sensitive subject and cannot be portrayed as a cartoon. Also, the fact that the movie was being made at the height of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement added to the controversy and axed the prospects of producing it in India.

With no choice and support left, The movie was ultimately produced in Japan, with nearly 450 artists from both the nation contributing to its creation. Indian animators guided their Japanese teammates with Indian customs and traditions depicted in the film, like how dhotis are worn and how the children receive blessings from their elders.

Now when the production process was sorted, the quest was to take it to a global audience. After eight months of negotiation, Yugo finally convinced a big Hollywood studio to release it to U.S. audiences.

But next came the tricky part: The studio wanted to alter the storyline, sending Ram and Sita into the forest for their honeymoon and substituting the entire myth of fourteen-year exile or Sita’s abduction. They wanted to turn it into a straight adventure concept despite it being a perfect plot in all sense. The producers and Yugo disagreed with it and parted away with the studio as it was clearly against their sensitivity, which eventually prevented it from gaining a wider release.

This whole saga is such a great example of choosing art over commerce. Sako precisely understood the sentiments attached to it and devoted a decade of his life to bringing this eternal mythology on the big screen. Sako believes his exposure to India has taught him to see the larger picture rather than worry about short-term goals. In an interview, he said, “If I pass away, then this work can be done by others, and if I die, I can be reborn and continue the work.”

So the current generation of artists needs to learn from Yugo Sako’s work ethics and should not easily bow down to the demands of commercialism. The passion portrayed by him is something that needs to be embraced by each one of us that will eventually reflect into our movies and shows and will assist us in doing better artistic work.

The biggest lesson for Indian animators here is to learn the importance of patience to do justice with our art, especially when dealing with such divine subjects. In India, we often see that we really underestimate the importance of detailed research and are more focused on delivering the half-hearted output that eventually gets the half-hearted response from the audiences. This approach of quantity over quality has been a big hurdle on the path of our animation that needs to address as soon as possible.

Sako taught us that in our pursuit of purpose and goals, just like Prince Rama and Mighty Hanuman, we will face the demons, but it’s essential not to compromise with our morals and ethics and continue to walk towards the bigger vision we have. Indeed, it is such a kind of dedication from an artist that influences a generation to come. It is such a kind of commitment that helps to overcome obstacles and hurdles in the creation process, and it is such kind of devotion that makes the art and the artist immortal, just like the real “Ramayana.”

Do make sure to read other articles in this series by clicking on the link: The Faults in our Arts!

March 6, 2021November 16, 2021

10 Life Lessons From 90s Cartoons. :)

For anyone who grew up in the 90s, cartoons were a way of living, or should I say they were, in fact, our whole life. Unlike today, where kids are glued on multiple platforms for their amusement, back then, animated shows were a significant source of entertainment that brought a glimpse of complexity in our mundane world.

Yes, on the surface, most of these characters came across as goofy with eccentric behavior stuck in an abnormal situation. But deep down, they were layered with wisdom, knowledge, and philosophical aspects of day-to-day life. All we need to do was to look beyond their exaggerated actions and focus on how they use these actions to deal with their existing problems.

And it won’t take you much time to discover the true essence of their existence, which revealed that just like us, they were struggling too. But unlike us, they were good at dealing with these problems.

So here are ten essential lessons our animated mates taught me and many who grew up in the nineties.

1) It’s Okay To Get Rejected:

Even a character as eccentric as Johny Bravo taught us that harsh flirting is never a way to win a woman’s affection, and overconfidence isn’t going to take you long in life.

But more importantly, no matter what, constant rejection shouldn’t deter you from loving yourself.

2) Courage Matters:

Sure, it was evident by looking at those superheroes who selflessly sacrificed themselves for the greater good. But Courage, the cowardly dog, taught us that it’s okay to be scared. However, you have to face it head-on.

Life’s spookiness will haunt you, but if you stick around for longer than usual, then you can win over things beyond your control. All we need to do is, show a little courage, take that daunting step, and see ourselves becoming the hero we want to be.

3) Be Yourself:

Alladin taught us to be ourselves. Being someone else will not help you in the long run.

Once you discover your true self, even your wildest dream can turn into reality.

4) Happiness Is Choice:

The Flintstones is an excellent example of how life can be fun without technology.

Despite the lack of comfortable amenities, they were happy beyond the measures and used their creative mind to turn obstacles into opportunities.

5) Dream a Little Dream:

Dexter’s laboratory explored the concept of having a worthwhile goal in life and working towards it. Sure the cheerful banter between the siblings was its most relatable part.

But deep down, Dexter’s ambition and passion for science surely inspired many kids to wear those gloves and change the world, even if a little.

6) It’s Okay To Make Mistakes:

One of the most beloved characters, “Scooby-Doo,” taught us to never be afraid of screwing up. Because making mistakes proves that you are trying something and you never know, those mistakes can help you solve the biggest mystery surrounding us.

7) Eating Vegetable Matters:

Let’s face it, as kids, most of us hated eating those green food items, but Popeye managed to change our perception, at least towards spinach. It wasn’t the tastiest vegetable amongst the lot, but we indeed ate it in the hope of gaining some big biceps and beating our bullies.

Sure, this vegetable does have a beneficial impact if consumed on a regular basis. But later, we realize that Spinach was just a metaphorical way to show that, no matter how much life seems complicated. We can turn it around in seconds by sere willpower.

8) Planet Matters:

Sure, our schools tried their best to make us understand the impact of environmental issues on our lives. But Captain Planet motivated us to take concrete actions for protecting our mother earth through small steps like recycling and reusing.

This was the show that created that spark in our innocent hearts to care about our environment and showed us, by doing so, how anyone can become a hero.

9) Equality Matters:

Before Powerpuff girls debuted, we were not used to seeing a show led by female protagonists as we never envisioned them kicking asses and breaking jaws.

But this series changed our perception and showed us that girls are as powerful as boys, and it’s wrong to judge anyone based on gender. This show was a great advocate of equality and broke all the traditional barriers of animation storytelling. Apart from these badass heroines, this show also featured a villain, a transgender character, the first of its kind to be featured in a kid’s show, to the best of my knowledge.

10) Fear Matters:

I can go on and on about the valuable lessons that have been bestowed on us through these shows and still fall short. But if I have to choose one character that impacted my life and a whole generation more than anybody else, then it has to be “THE BATMAN.”

I remember myself as a child, running around wearing a mask made from paper, draped in a cape made of a towel. Back then, I was too small to understand the dark knight’s philosophical and psychological side until I started gaining some maturity to look deeply into his personality.

No other character has profoundly influenced a generation and their identity like Batman. Because it deals with one of the most critical aspects of human emotions, “FEAR.” It taught us that everyone has fears, but conquering them is what matters. It taught us that fear is a necessity; it helps us grow. It taught us that it takes courage to accept your fear.

Another essential aspect of human nature the dark knight deals with is “loss.” The older we get, the more things we lose; that’s life. But losing your near and dear ones at an early age can be daunting for anyone. Even though the incident of his parents being assassinated right in front of his eyes destroyed him from within. He didn’t choose to use it as an excuse to blame everyone and everything around him.

Instead, he made a conscious choice of taking the matter into his own hands and help those in need by wearing the mask and saving the needful from unholy acts. That’s how he taught us how the choices we make in our life can seal our fate and determine our destiny.

On a personal level, I can’t say that Batman has changed me because it’s continuously changing me even today in some other ways. It’s still teaching me the essential lessons life has to offer, it’s still helping me grow, and I am always surprised every time I reflect on the bright side of the Dark Knight.

I will leave you with one of his quotes which will showcase his ability to inspire and motivate you:

“All men have limits. They learn what they are and learn not to exceed them. I ignore mine.”

-THE BATMAN.

Which is your favorite show and character that made your childhood special? Do share your experience in the comments section below. And to know more about me, please check the About Me section! 🙂

February 27, 2021April 16, 2022

How Do We Make The Dr. Binocs Show?

STEP BY STEP PROCESS.

Hey guys!

Welcome to The Animad World, your one-stop destination for Indian Animation. Myself Nitin Navale and I work as Creative -Head for your beloved educational series “Dr. Binocs Show.” Yes, it’s my job to ensure that the workflow is smooth and our lovely audiences get the weekly dose of their favorite show.

Every day we receive so many emails from you all, thanking us for bringing this show and how it has helped you all in your studies. But another commonality we have witnessed in your emails is that you want to know “HOW WE CREATE IT?”

So I thought, let me take you into this fantastic world of Dr.Binocs and reveal to you the mechanism behind it. Hopefully, it will inspire many of you to become an animator or content creators.

But, before we move forward, let me inform you that this is just a basic summary. In the upcoming articles, I’ll give you the detailed groundwork behind it. If possible, I will also introduce the artists working behind it.

Yes, so do make sure to subscribe by filling the form below, if you don’t want to miss the creative process of your beloved show and learn about the Art of Animation.

Now, let’s ZOOM IN! and look at the first step, and that is:

1) IDEA:

Yes, the first important step in making a Dr.Binocs episode is to develop an idea for the topic. And the inspiration could come from anywhere, by observing things around us, knowing what’s trending, and taking your suggestions through emails.

For example, during such a brainstorming session, one of our co-workers farted. Sure, we laughed our guts out, but it did inspire us to make a video on “Why do we Fart?” You can check the same by clicking on the link.

So basically, the trick is to observe keenly, learn from others, read a lot, and who knows, you might end up creating the next viral video. And once we decide on the topic, we move to the next crucial step.

2) THE RESEARCH:

In this process, we go ahead and do tons of research on the selected topic to write the episode’s script. Research is a critical aspect of the whole process because we have to ensure that the information is correct and according to academic standards.

And once it’s done, we move to our next stage of laying this accumulated information on paper or Ms. Word to write the script.

3) THE SCRIPT AND VISUALIZATION:

As they say, ideas are worthless unless you execute them. And here starts the execution process of the production. A typical Dr.binocs script looks way different than the standard industry format.

The image below is an example of how our scripts look.

We divide it into two sections: In the first section, we write the narration and explain the subject. And in the other section, we write the visuals and action needed for that particular line or sequence.

This is where your imagination skills come in handy. You need to take an ordinary line and convert it into an appealing scene that is easy to understand and entertaining to watch. This is where all the fun elements are planned and added to the script, right from your starting intro to your “Nevermind” gags.

And most importantly, it also serves as guidelines for our next step.

4) THE STORYBOARDING:

And what is it? It is a sequence of sketches that map out the scenes planned for the video. In simple words, it is a blueprint for animators to understand how the Animation will come across and the path they need to follow. Whatever plan was laid on the script, the Story boarding artist goes ahead and makes a step-by-step layout of the visuals.

For example, if the script says that Dr. Binocs and Kitty are flying in the shuttle towards the moon. The SB artist will make few frames of this scene that look like this.

Just like that, we create the key drawings of the entire episode while, on the other hand, the artists start to work on the other elements needed for the episode.

5) CHARACTER AND BACKGROUND DESIGN:

In this process, our gifted designers illustrate the puppets, props, and environments needed for the particular episode. Even for this, the artist needs to have excellent visual skills to execute the designs.

We have to make sure that the characters are appealing and aligned with the theme of the show. By theme, what we mean is the style and look and feel of the show. If you go and see some of the random episodes of Dr. Binocs show. You will notice that in every season, the secondary characters look different.

And while they are busy creating those assets, we, on the other hand, are busy recording the vital step, that is…

6)THE VOICE OVER:

Yes, the soul of Dr.Binocs is in his voice. Here, the Voice Over artist comes to our studio and reads the script. Which is recorded by our sound engineer, who later trims it down and polishes it in editing software.

And once the V.O and asset designs are ready, we send them to the most crucial step, i.e.,

7) THE ANIMATION:

Yes, here, our skilled team of animators put life on those inanimate puppets in software called Adobe Flash, now knows as Animate.

And how do they do it? Well, I’ll try to cover it in detail in the upcoming articles. The animation is a time-consuming process that takes lots of effort, and patience is one crucial factor all artists need to have. So make sure to subscribe by filling the form below.

Once we are done with the Animation, we send those files to our editors for the following process.

8) THE COMPILATION

In this step, our Editor put all those scenes together and add text to them to send it forward in the pipeline for adding music.

9) THE MUSIC:

Here, our sound engineers and composers add those background music and effect and remove any unwanted noises in the video before sending us back for…

10) THE FINAL EDITING:

In this final step, our VFX artists and Editors give the final touch to the video. So that it is ready to be uploaded on YouTube to be seen by millions of Dr.Binocs cutsie wootise family members like you, who adore the show so much, which motivates us to keep making the videos.

So here we go, my friends, that’s how we make the Dr.binocs show, wait, are we missing something, oh yes.

TRIVIA TIME!

“Did you know, the voice behind Dr.Binocs also gives voice to Mr.Bean’s Indian version?”

So, hope you enjoyed reading the blog, guys, and remember a lot of great new information on your favorite shows and Indian Animation is coming soon.

And this blog is for animation fans just like you, so make sure to subscribe by filling the form below, write your opinion in the comment section below, and share it with as many people as you can.

Until next time, it’s me, Nitin Navale, Zooming Out,

“STAY ANIMATED, STAY MOTIVATED!”