Outsourcing Visual Communication to India: Animation, Architecture, Science and Medical Illustrations

India is fast becoming a preferred destination for outsourcing of visual communication like architectural design, engineering drawings, powerpoint presentations, animated feature films, scientific illustration, and much more.

Which Are The Visual Communication Services That Can be Outsourced to India?

Here's a sample of both generic and industry-specific applications in the form of video/2D/3D or multimedia -including interactive CD-ROMs - that can be outsourced to India.

• Architectural designs: Creation of 3D models, automated mapping and facilities management, layering, conversion of blueprints and other paper drawings into digitized format, etc.
• Engineering drawings: Product models, 3D drawings and mechanical drawings.
• Medical/medico-legal animation: Renditions of medical images and medical and health care processes used in research, learning, and even re-enactments of accidents/injuries for legal use.
• Illustrated science: Renditions of scientific processes and phenomena that are of immense value not only in classrooms but also in research and to market that research.
• Charts and graphics: For use in a sales pitch, in the classroom or anything else that requires visual interpretation.
• Advertisements: For television, print media and for websites.
• Animated television software: Not only are Indian companies doing production and post-production work for foreign companies, but many have bagged contracts to produce material for TV channels, including Turner Networks' Cartoon Network and Italy's Mondo TV. Virtual Room Design - Art Galleries

Why Outsourcing Visual Communication Content to India Makes Sense

Low costs: The cost of getting visual communication material developed in India is half as much as any American or European company would spend getting it done at home. Compare the figures: An hour of animation produced in the US would cost $ 250,000 to $ 350,000. Production costs in other popular animation destination like Korea, Taiwan or the Phillippines, would drop to $ 150,000 to $ 200,000. By contrast, an Indian company can do the same job for as little as $ 60,000, with absolutely no compromise on quality. In fact, a Korean government agency is also exploring possibilities of Korean film-makers using the low-cost, high-quality technical expertise available in India.

Infrastructure & Resources: India has a huge pool of high quality engineers and animators. Apart from big Indian companies mentioned earlier, there are a large number of smaller companies that are dedicated to doing outsourced work and have set-ups designed just for that. All such companies have high-speed Internet links that allow for seamless delivery of digitized content. What's more, both government and private players have set up institutes to tackle shortage of skilled hands in animation. There are over a dozen big and established animation studios in the country and many more in the offing. 2003 also saw the birth of the Animation Producers' Association of India, an indication that the industry is getting organized and ready to take on more.

Proven track record: Though visual communications outsourcing may be relatively new to India, the country does have a proven track record in executing outrsourced IT work. There is also no denying that Hollywood's entry into India is a pleasant side-effect of the image that India enjoys as an IT destination. A recent study by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry clearly hinted at this.

World-class software: Since India is a relatively new entrant to the market, it started off with the latest hardware and software. Unlike the Philippines, which is reportedly struggling to upgrade, Indian studios face no such problems. The larger studios all have SGI, 3DMax and SoftImage, SFX and processing motion capture facilities. Almost all studios have staff trained to make optimum use of basics like SoundBlaster, Video Blaster, digital cameras, FrameGrabbers, MPEG cards and video conferencing solutions. India also offers advanced advanced sound-editing and post-production suites bundled with leased lines for data transfer over ISDN lines.

In the case of the Oscars, Cooper's design elements were sent to India over high-speed Internet links and the VCL team delivered the finished package back to Prologue films in the same way. As Cooper himself said: "We were continually impressed with their creative excellence, with their ability to deliver seamlessly - almost as though they were around the corner, rather than around the globe - and with their hands-on attention in LA."

Transparent working process: Typically, this is how it would work.

(a) Any company looking to outsource visual communication work first creates a wish-list of the content it wants and calls for 'bids'. This can be done over the Internet.

(b) After the client and the supplier come to an agreement over time and cost estimation, the product design is created.

(c) The client can then send over rough sketches or a detailed design document of what they have in mind, and discuss what the end product needs to be like.

(d) A functional prototype is created with templates that mirror the final look and feel of the product.

(e) Both parties then set up a mutually agreed upon time-table to check progress and samples of the work. Penalties for delay and overshooting costs can be worked into agreements to ensure things go smoothly though these rarely have to be enforced.

(f) The time-table also allows the client to closely monitor the quality of the work.

(g) The finished package then goes through internal checks and tests.

(h) After delivery, clients can carry out their own testing and revert for any glitches.

(i) These are ironed out and the product is ready for final deployment.

Language compatibility: Most Indians in urban centers are proficient in functional English. And unlike offshore call centers where employees' verbal skills have come in for questioning, visual outsourcing faces no such problems. Besides, English language training has taken off in a big way to smooth out glitches in understanding American or British English.

End to staffing & investment problems: Producing good quality visual communication content requires investment in costly, hi-tech equipment and qualified personnel. And visual content requirements, though important, can fluctuate over a period. When this is outsourced, it means companies don't have to tie up capital in such equipment or staff. They can simply outsource the job only when it arises.

As NASSCOM president Kiran Karnik said: "(The industry) provides great opportunity for India to capitalize on its two great competencies, viz. computer software and animation." For companies in Europe and America, outsourcing visual content to India not only makes financial sense but also allows them to optimally utlilize their resources. Wouldn't you call that a win-win situation.