We were lucky to catch up with Prashanth Cavale recently and have shared our conversation below.
Prashanth, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
I believe that investing the right amount of time in learning and specializing in your chosen art form is crucial whether it’s through formal education, workshops, mentorship, or self-study. The more you develop your skills, the more valuable you become. The focus needs to be on creating a strong portfolio that showcases your best work and demonstrates your capabilities to potential clients, employers, or collaborators. It’s important that your portfolio highlights your range, creativity, and technical skills.
Another important aspect is to build a strong network of contacts in your industry to open doors to opportunities. I believe it is crucial to attend industry events, join professional organizations, participate in online communities, and reach out to others in your field. Networking can lead to collaborations, referrals, job opportunities, and valuable advice from experienced professionals.
In addition to the above, promoting your work effectively is essential. It really helps to establish an online presence through a website or portfolio, social media platforms etc. As an artist it is necessary to showcase your work, share your creative process, engage with your audience.
Prashanth, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am from Bangalore which is a city in Southern India. After graduating out of Engineering in 2003, I was headed into the Tech industry like most others around me. It was while interviewing for a top company that I realized I wasn’t wired for a Tech job. That day I decided what I didn’t want to do in life… but I had to figure out what I wanted to. In the past I had discontinued from a course in Computer Graphics. I did this to avoid distraction during my engineering studies but now my inner voice pushed me to give it another shot. There was no plan behind it but I was hoping it would free my mind off the path I was heading into.
Thankfully the institute I had enrolled at allowed me to continue the course and within a few months I found myself addicted to 3 dimensional space and the possibilities it offered in creating different worlds to tell great stories using the medium. The seed had been sown and CG started to feel more like home to me.
I then got my first break in the industry and a year later, I launched a startup with a couple of friends which catered to clients in the Gaming industry and Design Visualization. It unfortunately didn’t survive the recession during 2008 but at that point in time I decided to specialize in an aspect of CG that I felt was most challenging: Character Animation – The art of moving digital puppets and making them emote in believable ways.
As an artist, I always believe that if you choose something that challenges you and pushes your limits, your scope for improvement is limitless. Perhaps the decision to get into CG and then specialize in Character Animation was driven by this thought.
I enrolled for a course in AnimationMentor.com which equipped me with the required skills and helped me develop a portfolio until I got my first big break in the year 2009 with the DreamWorks India Unit that had opened right in my hometown Bangalore .
In the 8 years that followed I grew from being a Junior animator to a Lead and eventually an Animation Supervisor on a Hollywood Animated Feature. It was a fantastic place to work but unfortunately was shut down when DreamWorks was bought over by NBCUniversal.
I then moved to London to work in VFX animation briefly with Framestore until DreamWorks called me back in the year 2018 to join them in Los Angeles CA.
That’s where I am today and these last 4 plus years have been a happy homecoming for me. I’m proud I recently got to animate on the Oscar nominated movie Puss In Boots: The Last Wish and I consider it a true honor to be working everyday with some of the best talents across the globe on some of the best animated feature films.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
Not everyone would be able to fully comprehend the intricacies and challenges of a creative process. Creativity often involves non-linear thinking, experimentation and trial and error. Animation in particular can be a messy and iterative journey, and we may need time and space to explore ideas before arriving at the desired outcome.
As Animators we often have a deep emotional investment in our work. We pour our thoughts, feelings, and personal experiences into what we do, making it a deeply personal and sometimes vulnerable process. Non-creatives may not grasp the emotional significance and attachment that we may have.
We often rely on inspiration and external stimuli to fuel our work. We may seek out new experiences, observe the world from unique perspectives, and draw inspiration from various sources which may not be relatable to everyone.
While animating I experience a lot of self-doubt and wrestle with my own inner critic. We may question the quality or originality of our own work, leading to periods of uncertainty and insecurity. Not everyone would be able to comprehend the internal battles that we face on a regular basis and the courage it takes to back ourselves with our ideas.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
One of the most rewarding aspects of being an animator is having the power to enhance a storytelling narrative by creating moments that resonate with the audience. Collaborating with fellow animators and artists can be enriching and being a part of a creative synergy that is striving to achieve a common goal is deeply rewarding.
Feature Animation industry is rapidly evolving and hence there are a lot of opportunities for learning, exploration and growth.
I love the fact that there is no end to pushing creative boundaries in the medium of animation which lets us animators to continuously evolve with the changing times
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prashanth.cavale/?hl=en
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prashanth-cavale-98219a8/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CavalePrashanth
- Other: Some of the links pertaining to the ‘Panic Attack’ scene that I animated on Puss in Boots : The Last Wish which went viral https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/21/entertainment/puss-in-boots-panic-attack-wellness-cec/index.html https://www.insider.com/puss-in-boots-the-last-wish-panic-attack-scene-making-2023-1#:~:text=The%20%22panic%20attack%22%20sequence%20takes,therapy%20dog%2C%20calms%20him%20down. https://www.mother.ly/entertainment/what-to-watch/puss-in-boots-panic-attack-scene/ https://80.lv/articles/a-closer-look-at-puss-in-boots-the-last-wish-s-panic-attack-scene/