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        The animation industry is witnessing severe manpower shortage because of the rapid growth of the market, managing director of Digital Magic Animation Academy (DMAA) Arul Moorthy has said.

        Speaking to reporters in Chennai yesterday, Moorthy said, 'as more and more animation projects are coming into the country and to turn all these business opportunities into reality, we really need well- qualified and employable manpower.'

        Chennai-based DMAA trains professionals in animation industry and it has launched its training division in Kolkata, Madurai, and Puducherry.

        The courses offered include 3D Animation, Visual Effects, Non-Linear Editing, Digital Cinema and Game Programming.

        The managing director said NASCOM had estimated that the total investment in the animation and gaming market in the country would grow to about Rs 2,30,000 crore by year 2009. This had raised the requirement for trained personnel in the industry and Digital Magic had stepped in to fill the gap and hopes to train 1,000 people this year, he said.

        Moorthy said the opportunities in the cinema industry and the rapid growth of various regular channels and multiple channels focussing on animated serials had increased the demand for the content on a regular basis. To produce a half-an-hour animated programme, he said it needs 100 professionals to work for weeks. He said the academy provides one-year and six-month courses in various branches of animation.