MAAC 24FPS International Animation Awards in its 20th edition, marks two decades of celebrating and honoring creativity

MAAC, MAAC (Maya Academy of Advanced Creativity), a premier institute and a pioneer in high-end 3D animation, VFX, Game Design and Multimedia hosted its 20th edition of 24FPS Awards- India’s most coveted International Animation Awards. Stalwarts from the Media & Entertainment Industry joined in to be a part of the grand celebration of incredible talents from around the world with this event. With over 6000+ student participation in over 35 categories; this mega event witnessed an audience of over 1800 from across the country at Sahara Star, Mumbai.

24 FPS is one of the most eagerly anticipated events where thousands of students participate in various categories to bring their imagination to life and execute work that is at par with industry standards. 24 FPS also has global zealous participants who showcase their creative flair in the external categories of 24 FPS. Over 100 Industry leaders and professionals attended this glittering awards night to witness the most admired event of the Indian Media and Entertainment Industry. Awards were given across categories such as Best 3D Animated Short Film, Best VFX Film, Digital Film Making, Design Aesthetics etc.

The esteemed jury panel comprised of senior personnel from top production houses & institutions such as IDC (IIT Mumbai), yFX(a division of Yash Raj Films), ReDefine, DNEG, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), NYVFXWaala, Studio, Eeksaurus, 88 Pictures, Technicolor amongst many others. . The 24FPS International Animation Awards witnessed a massive participation of over 3500 creative entries, of which 250 plus independent entries (in External category) from over 31 countries noteworthy amongst these being USA, UK, Italy, South Africa, France, Singapore, Germany among others. The 20th edition of 24FPS witnessed a showcase of exemplary pieces of art in various categories and over 283 participants among those were awarded on the virtual stage.

Within the special “Movers and Shakers” category, the audience was enthralled with the presence of Urvashi Dholakia who was awarded ‘TV Titan Achievement Award’; Shiv Thakre as the ‘Reality Icon of the Year’, Muskan Bamne as the ‘Outstanding Young Talent 2023 in Television‘, Ayush Mehra for his ‘Breakthrough Performance for the movie Kacche Limbu’, RJ Princy Parikh as ‘Popular Content Creator Comic 2023’, The Ourange Juice Gang for ‘Best Collective of Creators Award -Social Media’ and Manisha Rani as the ‘Most Popular Entertainer of the Year, 2023’.

Seasoned professionals and dignitaries from the media & entertainment industry graced the occasion. Annapurna Studios was recognised as Virtual Production Impact Maker Award. Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) were awarded for their outstanding contribution to VFX in Media & Entertainment. Vaibhav Kumaresh, representing Vaibhav Studios was honoured with Animation Impact Excellence Award.

Mr. Pravir Arora, Chief Marketing Officer, Aptech Ltd. said, “We are elated to have hosted the 20th edition of MAAC 24FPS International Animation Awards. This prestigious event marks two decades of celebrating excellence, this year. What excites us every time is the fact that this event remains distinctive, not only for its lively on-ground festivities but also for its unwavering commitment to acknowledging the often-unsung heroes behind the scenes.”

He further added, “MAAC is dedicated to addressing the growing demand in the AVGC industry by fostering the skills of young individuals and nurturing their creative potential to prepare them for the professional world. Celebrating talents, exemplified by events like 24FPS, plays a vital role in forging a robust community of skilled professionals. My heartfelt congratulations extend not only to the deserving winners but also to every student, contributor, and creative mind from around the world who participated. Each participant showcased an outstanding body of work, demonstrating commendable competitive spirit. A special thanks go to the esteemed jury members from the media and entertainment industry who not only graced the event with their presence but also provided valuable guidance and feedback to all participants.”

According to the FICCI EY M&E 2023, the AVGC task force emphasizes developing the 3Ts (Talent, Technology and Tools) to achieve India’s vision of achieving 5% of the global market by 2025. The Media and Entertainment (M&E) sector in India is experiencing substantial growth, with a predicted increase from INR734 billion to INR2.83 trillion by 2025, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.5%. The animation segment grew by 25% in 2022, reaching INR38 billion, while VFX expanded by 30% to reach INR50 billion. Notably, the post-production sector saw a remarkable 35% growth, reaching INR19 billion. The segment (Animation, VFX & Postproduction) is expected to grow at a CAGR of 20% to 25% to reach INR190 billion by 2025. The industry’s robust performance has led to the creation of 60,000 jobs in the visual effects sector over the past two years.

With the best-in class curriculum and 6 edge advantage like technical skills, industry readiness, creativity, teamwork, working under deadlines, resilience, and personality development MAAC is regularly training students in various aspects of Media & Entertainment Industry viz 3D Animation, VFX, Gaming, Multimedia & Broadcast. MAAC believes that initiatives & platforms such as MAAC 24FPS plays a far crucial role in not just skilling the youth, but also preparing them for a successful career in the Media & Entertainment Industry.