We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Anshul Katkar a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Anshul, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

The risk that I have taken was choosing a field that was discouraged in my community. Traditionally, in India, fields creative fields have a stigma associated with them. I was discouraged by my peers and teachers and was advised to pursue a field that was more conventionally accepted like engineering. However, I knew that 3D animation was what I wanted to do and chose to push through. At the time of making that decision, I was filled with self doubt. Looking back, that was a risky decision.

The road has definitely not been a smooth one. Being an international student, I have always had the added pressure of uncertainty and the lack of stability. This in some ways has pushed me to get better, but has also been mentally draining constantly thinking about the what ifs. The risk I took was choosing a career path that my community often discouraged. In India, creative fields carry a stigma, and I was urged by peers and teachers to pursue something more traditionally accepted, like engineering. Still, I knew 3D animation was my passion, so I decided to push forward despite the doubts. At the time, I was filled with uncertainty and self-doubt, and looking back, I realize just how risky that choice was.

The journey since then has been far from easy. As an international student, I’ve faced the added pressure of uncertainty and instability. While this has motivated me to constantly improve, it has also been mentally exhausting, with the weight of “what ifs” always on my mind.

Anshul, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Growing up, I was deeply fascinated by animated films and the diverse worlds they brought to life. I dreamed of contributing to the creation of such stories, initially drawn to the technical aspects of production, yet equally compelled by the urge to express creativity. This duality led me to the world of CG, a perfect intersection of technical precision and artistic expression, where I could bring characters and stories to life while also understanding the tools and systems that make animation possible.

Coming from India, pursuing this passion wasn’t straightforward. The journey has not been without challenges. Studying as an international student added pressures of instability and navigating unfamiliar environments, but these experiences strengthened my perseverance, adaptability, and resilience.

Over the years, I’ve cultivated a multi-dimensional skill set. I specialize in character animation and rigging, but I’ve also explored other facets of production. I have experience as a co-director, lead animator, and tools developer, contributed to dynamic camera direction during layout, and worked on Motion Capture cleanup. I’m a quick learner who adapts to new pipelines and workflows, combining artistic intuition with technical expertise to create rigs that allow animators to create performances that speak to you.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most exciting part about my work is being able to create personalities and characters solely through the way something or someone moves. Something as subtle as a twitch in the face could express a completely different emotion and these details excite me. I love telling stories and bringing people together through something that a lot of us can relate to. My way of doing this is to animate relatable characters and evoke an emotion within people. As a rigging artist, I love being able to contribute to the technical aspect of the pipeline. Creating rigs that can efficiently enable animators to express their vision is something that I find extremely rewarding.

The fact that 3D animation can simmer down things that seem haunting and yet bring a person to the edge of his seat is challenging and exciting to accomplish as an animator. The fact that my chosen field is a tool that shapes childhood memories, like it has shaped mine is fascinating. My optimism comes from being a part of a field that has captivated and fueled my imagination since childhood.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My childhood was deeply influenced by animated films and they played a huge role in shaping my imagination, creativity, and emotional understanding of the world. As a professional in the animation industry today, my goal is to contribute to that same kind of storytelling magic. I want to create work that resonates with audiences the way those early films resonated with me.

In my career, I hope to be part of projects that explore new and meaningful ways to tell stories through animation. I want to experiment with different visual styles, blend traditional and digital techniques, and challenge the conventions of what animation can look and feel like. Whether it’s developing original concepts, contributing to world-building, or crafting emotionally rich narratives, I want my work to stand out as both visually inventive and emotionally authentic. Ultimately, I aim to help push the industry forward by embracing creativity, innovation, and a willingness to take risks, just like the films that inspired me growing up.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://akatkar7.wixsite.com/anshul
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/

Image Credits

Portrait taken by Tatiana Kireicheva

Thesis Work Credits:
Ausar Johnosn, Sarah Terceros