Thai animation and digital media education
to meet market needs
By Jon Fernquest |
A new program at Sripatum University educates animators and other digital media professionals to meet the need for skilled workers in this growing Thai industry.
Today's Bangkok Post business reports on this new program.
Thailand's burgeoning new feature film industry has made the news frequently over the last year or so (See Wikipedia on cinema of Thailand).
Khan Kluay in 2006 was the first full-length Thai animation film to hit theatres. The film was set during the Ayutthaya era and is about an elephant who wanders away from his mother and eventually becomes the war elephant for King Naresuan.
An animation of the Buddha's life was produced with plans to distribute internationally last year.
The epic series of films on the life of king Naresuan and The Legend of Suriyothai are probably the best known Thai films internationally.
See photo on right of young animator next to screen showing Thai animation film "Nak" (See Wikipedia on Mae Nak).
Here is today's article in full:
ANIMATION AND GAMES
Digital industry getting new sources of skilled workers
WORANUJ MANEERUNGSEEMonday April 21, 2008
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"We are tapping into this market since we have seen the fast-growing capability of Thais," says Mr Kamon.
Thailand's growing animation and computer games market, valued at nearly 10 billion baht, does not have enough skilled workers, says Kamon Jirapong, associate dean of the School of Digital Media at Sripatum University.
Mr Kamon said an increase in the number of firms outsourcing digital content to Thailand meant the industry would need at least 10,000 new workers, but only a handful were now available. Meanwhile, local schools can produce only about 100 skilled graduates a year.
He hopes the newly opened Digital Media faculty can produce about 200 students annually with degrees in digital arts, animation and games starting from this year. Mr Kamon is a founder of the faculty, which was upgraded from the Digital Arts Department in the Architecture Faculty.
The faculty provides two major subjects: digital arts, and animation and games. The first strengthens design and creativity and the latter focuses on software programming.
"Each subject has its own career path. But in reality, they must work together to create digital content. At Sripatum University, they will study and work together here for practice," he said.
The school has invested in animation, interactive media and a laboratory with 150 computer workstations. About 10 lecturers are on permanent staff and about 30 guest lecturers have expertise in digital content.
The faculty is the first of its kind in the country, and was founded in line with the government's policy to promote the digital media industry. Some other schools such as Silpakorn University and Chiang Mai University offer the subject at a department level.
"We are tapping into this market since we have seen the fast-growing capability of Thais. Meanwhile, it would persuade Thai students to take a course here rather than abroad," Mr Kamon said.
The animation market is valued at up to 2.5 billion baht currently, with offline and online games worth about six billion.
The school was unlikely to focus on writing software, he added. "Unlike Indians, Thais do not have that sort of skill," said Mr Kamon. But Thais were good at art, he said, citing the reputation for creativity among Thai commercials.
(Source: Bangkok Post, business section, 21-04-08, page B3, WORANUJ MANEERUNGSEE, temp-link)
Vocabulary:
burgeoning - growing and developing rapidly
tap Y - use resource Y to get something that you need
tapping into this market - entering and doing business in a new market
outsourcing, offshore outsourcing - hiring a company in another country at lower cost to do work that used to be done in the company (See Wikipedia on outsourcing and offshore outsourcing)
a faculty - a group of related departments in a university (for example, the faculty of Social Sciences, the Faculty of Architecture)
digital arts - art created on a computer (for example, using vector graphics software and a graphics tablet, or computer generated animation by Flash) (See Wikipedia on digital art)
animation - (See Wikipedia on animation and computer animation)
games - computer games, either played on your computer at home or in an arcade (See Wikipedia on personal computer games and video games)
arcade games - a coin-operated entertainment machine, operating in places such as restaurants, pubs, video arcades, and entertainment centers (See Wikipedia on arcade games)
creativity - the ability to create new and interesting ideas, especially artistic ideas (See Wikipedia on creativity)
a career - all the different jobs and work that a person does during the long period of their work life (after graduating from school til retirement)
a career path - the planned steps or path that a person takes during their woek life
content - the information distributed through media
digital content - information distributed in computer form, over the internet or on a CD
interactive - allows people to react and communicate with each other (rather than just passively listening and watching)
media - the way that information is distributed such as in print (newspapers, magazines), broadcast (television, radio), internet, CD-ROM, etc.
interactive media - media that allows active participation by media consumers
in line with - following, agreeing with (See glossary)
a reputation - being known or remembered for something good or bad (See glossary)
commercials - advertisements on television and radio
