Nipuna signs US$25 Million edutainment deal with UK�s 4K

Satyam’s BPO subsidary Nipuna Services Limited has announced that that it has signed a USD 25 Million “edutainment” deal. The company is partnering with 4K Animation Limited, UK for the execution and delivery of these projects.

According to the company release, “The contract is one of the largest ever won by a global BPO service provider in the animation marketplace”

Nipuna will work with the 4K Animation team for 18 months on two â€?iconicâ€? European animation projects: the third season of “Marvi Hammer Presents National Geographic World,” an award-winning, 52-episode TV series, and a movie, also featuring Marvi Hammer. More than 120 Nipuna professionals will produce and deliver animation services for the projects.

The series and movie feature a combination of live action and animation. They include actual studio sets used as animation backgrounds, a furry Computer Graphics creature and 2D-animated characters. Hamburg-based YOUA Edutainment, National Geographic, and German broadcaster ZDF will co-produce the series and movie.

Nipuna will provide VFX, CGI, 3D and 2D animation services, including pre-production, production, and post-production, from its state-of-the-art studio in Chennai. Other animation artists will also collaborate from Hamburg and Berlin for this project delivery.

“This partnership reflects a growing trend toward â€?corporatizationâ€? in the animation industry, which is leading to increasingly significant opportunities,” said Venkatesh Roddam, Nipunaâ€?s chief executive officer. “Long-term contracts such as this one show that companies recognize Nipunaâ€?s capabilities in an industry where â€?human resourcesâ€? are integral to quality, and thereby responsible for the success of creative ventures.”

“Nipuna has been a true partner since we began working with the organization in early 2006,” said Jan Schmidtgen, managing director of 4K Animation GmbH. “Its focus on animation services has resulted in significant expertise in creative business practices. Above all, its flexibility and commitment to quality have helped it exceed our expectations.”

Nipuna has been expanding in the last few years and the studio has built a significant VFX, CGI, and 3D pipeline, working on several global and domestic films. Amongst some of the CG and VFX it has done recently include Sainikudu, Stalin, Pokhiri, and Belly Full of Dreams. The studio has expanded its scope of work and provides artwork and visualization services involving 2D and/or 3D animation techniques and processes to customers in the engineering, architectural, and medical industries.

Earlier this year, Nipuna had signed a US$8 Million deal with 4K Animation GmbH to provide animation services for a movie to be produced in Hollywood, California.

4K Animation Limited, UK – is one of the leading Animation & Special Effects companies in Europe. 4K focuses on the development and production of innovative digital special effects and 3D character animation for film and TV productions.

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