India's visual effects director here

India's leading visual effects director Biju Dhanpalan visits Colombo for the first time in order to conduct a seminar on vfx, animation and film. Biju D, who is a graduate from IIT Powai is an educationist who is into reforming the education system prevailing in the varied disciplines of visual arts. The seminar conducted is also a part of spreading awareness among the present generation about the scope and trends prevailing in the areas of Animation & vfx. "The industry lacks manpower with sensitivity and intense knowledge about the industry. This happens mainly due to the lack of proper Education in the field of visual arts," says Biju D.

Biju D, who has directed vfx for more than 85 feature films in the Bollywood, won screen award for the best vfx in the year 2008 for the movie Bhoothnath. Suppandi, the first 3D stereoscopic animation movie in India, which is being directed by Biju D is expected to release in November 2011. The students of iMET VFX & Animation School are also going to be part of the big budget production.

Seminar is organized by iMET VFX & Animation School in association with Adventure Lanka, who, for the first time in India introduced an alternative learning methodology in Visual arts. It is conducted at Edex Secretariate at Royal College.

Biju D's take on Education Why does Biju D educate students from different parts of the world? We know, a candle loses nothing by lighting another candle. But for Biju D, it becomes the responsibility of the lit candle to light another candle. He says: "Learning should happen with one's full involvement and it should never be imposed on a student. Individual differences and individual interests should be taken into consideration while providing education. Parents should also be aware of this while assisting their ward towards finding a suitable course. This is very important when it comes to visual arts.

For example, an animation student may not always end up being an animator. But he can be a visualizer, a modeling artist, a rigging artist, rendering artist etc. It would depend on what the student is interested in and good at. The best education would invoke the sensitivity in a student rather than just providing him/her a technical know-how. I will be fulfilling my responsibility as a vfx director or an animator only when I impart my knowledge to the younger generation in the way it should be. I believe that Students interested in visual arts should be exposed to varied forms of arts as it would help them evoke the artists in them.

The training should be focused on helping them think freely along with giving them the best technical education." Biju Dhanapalan or Biju D as he is popularly known is one of the pioneers of Vfx in the Hindi film industry. Starting his career in the field of computer graphics and animation more than 15 years ago, Biju D has successfully executed visual effects in more than 85 full length features. Today he leads a team of visualisers, animation and compositing artistes.

An Electronics Engineer by training, Biju D accidentally stumbled upon the magic of graphics and animation while studying Product Design at IDC, IIT Powai. Biju D's engineering proficiency coupled with his formal training in Design makes an enviable concoction that lends an edge in this exhilarating and demanding discipline of film making.