Arena Animation Strengthens Industry Links with New Advisory Board
Arena Animation, a leading training brand under Aptech, has announced the launch of its Academic Advisory Board in Mumbai, designed to align its curriculum with the fast‑changing demands of the animation, VFX, gaming, AR/VR, and digital media sectors.
The board brings together seven renowned industry professionals, including:
- Jayakumar – Founder, KYNZO Media Group
- P. C. Sanath – Co‑founder, Firefly Creative Studio
- Naveen Paul – Founder & Creative Head, NYVFXWAALA
- Prateek Sethi – Creative Director, Trip Creative Services
- Pradipto Sengupta – Head of CFX, DreamWorks Animation
- Jayanti Mahapatra – Creative‑tech leader
- Rituparna Sarkar – Founder, Visual Sarkarsm & Co‑founder, Animators Guild India
Why It Matters
- Curriculum Alignment: The board will advise on frameworks, tools, and workflows to ensure students graduate with production‑ready skills.
- Mentorship Access: Students gain direct interaction with industry leaders, bridging the gap between academia and real‑world studio practices.
- Future‑Proof Training: Focus areas include VFX, gaming, extended reality (XR), and digital media, where pipelines evolve rapidly.
Industry Context
India’s AVGC‑XR sector is expanding, with studios demanding talent trained in cutting‑edge software and workflows. Arena Animation’s initiative reflects a broader trend of industry‑academia partnerships to ensure graduates meet hiring expectations.
Arena Animation’s Legacy
Operating since 1996, Arena Animation has trained 450,000+ students worldwide. Alumni have secured placements at leading studios such as DNEG, Rockstar Games, ILM, NYVFXWAALA, and Green Gold Animation.
Leadership Statement
Sandip Weling, Chief Business Officer at Aptech, emphasized:
“The Academic Advisory Board ensures our curriculum remains relevant, forward‑looking, and validated by industry experts. Students will benefit from practical exposure and insights into evolving industry practices.”
