Three award-winning Indian students have completed a three-week internship at New Zealand’s world-leading digital design and animation institutions: Massey University, Wellington Institute of Technology and Media Design School. The interns were inspired by the rich learning experience in New Zealand, the innovative and collaborative approach to teaching and learning, the cutting edge technology available, and the warm welcome they received.
“Education in New Zealand is inspiring, the innovative way of teaching graphics, moviemaking, film design all at the same time and to be able to mold generalists into multitaskers who can contribute in all areas of media production was fascinating,” Unni Sunny from Bengaluru said. Unni is a concept artist at Mech Mocha Games Studio at Bengaluru. He completed a year’s programme in animation and digital arts at Toonz Animation Academy before starting with his job.
Anwesha Samanta from Trivandrum and Diana Fernandes from Pune were awarded a three-week internship at New Zealand institutions as part of an Education New Zealand-led animation showcase challenge ‘My New Zealand Future.’ Diana Fernandes recalls using a 3D printer at Weltec/Whitireia during the internship. “Brian Mclean, director of rapid prototyping at laika studio said: “It is amazing to hold a real character in your hand and know that you have built it using computer software’. I truly understood this when I held my model. It was a great experience.”
Diana is currently in her fourth year of an animation programme at MIT Institute of Design, Pune. Anwesha is pursuing a year’s programme in advanced filmmaking in animation at the Asian Institute of Film & Media Studies Pvt ltd, Thiruvananthapuram. The students enjoyed learning about cross-format design principles such as movement of the eye. A highlight was the opportunity to make comparisons between real-life models and skeletons to get a sense of how exactly muscles worked.