Animation Studios to Watch For in 2024
Animation is something that is loved by kids and adults alike. It is a pretty creative and captivating industry that breathes life into characters. When animation is done right, you can witness the magic of motion and moving images. Beyond being a beloved form of entertainment, animation presents colourful visuals, engaging storytelling and memorable characters. The animated films and videos we watch are made by animation studios. These production houses are known to produce diverse animated films. As a student pursuing a visual art and design course, it is important to know of the top animation studios in the world.
Over the years, the world of animation has evolved considerably. New technologies and techniques are helping animators create captivating and visually-stunning projects. A few popular animation techniques being used today are traditional animation, 2D animation, 3D animation, motion graphics, motion capture and stop motion.
Top 7 Animation Production Companies
Learning about the best animation studios will help you improve your craft. Every studio has its own unique style. Most animation institutes in Bangalore have a module dedicated to animation studios in their course curriculum. Along with other countries, India too has marked its footprint in the animation industry globally. Let’s take a look at the most popular animation companies:
Walt Disney
When we think of animation, the first name that comes to our mind is Walt Disney. It is widely recognised for its traditional animation. It is one of the most iconic and influential animation studios in the world. A few classic hits it has given us are Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Lion King and Aladdin. The modern hits include Frozen, Moana, Tangled and Toy Story among others. Walt Disney is known for its memorable characters and powerful themes. Though a lot of animation studios are using CGI, Walt Disney continues to use traditional and hand-drawn animation.
DreamWorks Animation
As a kid, were you a fan of Shrek or Kung Fu Panda? Well, these iconic characters were born in the DreamWorks studio. Founded by three successful animators, the animation house started with traditional animation but soon branched out into 2D animation. Their storytelling style involves comedy and irrelevant plots. As of today, they only rely on computer animation.
Technicolour India
When we talk about animation studios in India, one of the leading names that comes to our mind is Technicolour India. Recognised for its work in films, television and gaming, the animation studio is a name synonymous with top-quality animation, VFX and stop motion. It is an important player in the international entertainment industry. Some of the renowned projects include a few films and TV shows such as Wonder Woman, The Jungle Book and other animated series that have been ranked internationally.
Prime Focus Limited
Founded in 1997, Prime Focus Limited is headquartered in the entertainment hub of India. It’s known for its visual effects, post-production and 3D conversion. They’re also known for delivering the best digital content. This makes them one of the most reliable players in the animation industry. They’re globally recognised for their exceptional work in movies such as Avatar, Gravity, and Game of Thrones.
Prana Studios
Prana Studios is another top animation and visual effects firm in India. Renowned for its superior work in television and movies, Prana has a reputation of collaborating with globally-renowned animation companies such as DreamWorks, Disney and Nickelodeon. They’ve contributed to some notable projects including Transformers Prime, Thor: The Dark World, and The Chronicles of Narnia.
Sony Pictures
Sony Picture Imageworks is another visual effect subsidiary. The company specialises in character-based stories. Their work includes Surf’s Up, Hotel Transylvania, The Emoji Movie, and Spiderman.
Pixar
Pixas is one animation studio that literally brought characters to life. After Jobs left Apple, he bought Pixar and invested $5 million. The firm is widely recognised for its computer-animated feature films. Cars, Toy Story, Inside Out, Finding Nemo and Brave are a few films that are recognised for its ground-breaking 3D technical expertise and powerful visual effects.
Conclusion
The animation industry is flourishing in India and globally. If you’re someone studying an animation course or animation diploma, it’s important for you to know about these studios. The future of animation looks promising as more individuals are looking to enter the creative field. A few trends you must watch out for are AI-assisted animation, cross-platform content, virtual production and sustainable animation.
