Arena to offer Discreet’s animation courses

BANGALORE: Arena Multimedia has partnered with Autodesk’s Discreet, engaged in integrated digital content creation, management and distribution tools, to offer training on Discreet Animation courses. Arena Animation Academy (AAA) would be the authorised training centre of Discreet gaming courses in India. The alliance will roll out Discreet’s courses such as 3D Studio Max and Character Studio at Arena’s training centres across India.

Head of Arena Multimedia, Sudhir Mathur, said, "The three decade old Gaming industry is poised to witness a 11 per cent growth in 2001 and 20 per cent for the years 2001-2002, according to Digital Software Association (DSA -US). This would take the total US video game software sales too more than $10 billion and global sales over $35 billion. Our alliance with Discreet is precisely aimed at tapping this market. Arena Animation Academy (AAA) would exclusively impart training on Discreet’s popular gaming course. Armed with this latest courseware, Arena Animation Academy aims to train more than 1000 students by end 2002 in Mumbai alone."

Discreet, South Asia’s, Business Manager for Animation, Raman Madan said, "This alliance with Arena Multimedia offers Indian students the perfect opportunity to train on Discreet’s cutting edge Animation software. Discreet’s courses in India will help impart advanced training on 3D gaming and animation for students pursuing a career in game designing. Being the worldwide leader in 3D software for game development, Discreet takes upon itself the responsibility of training and education potential developers in emerging markets such as India.

"A recent study by Anderson Consulting states that Indian Animation Industry currently pegged at $ 550 million is slated to clock a growth rate of 30 per cent per annum in the next three years and is expected to reach approximately $15 billion by 2008," he added.