Toonz Animation is the brain child of the late GA Menon. Launched based on
the knowledge and belief Menon had in the untapped creative talent India had
to offer. Today, P. Jayakumar helms the ship as CEO of
Toonz Media Group (toonz.co). Since
its launch in 1999, the company has landed global recognition for its
animation work, emerging as the leader in the Indian animation industry, and
heralded by Animation Magazine as ‘one of the top ten studios to watch.’
Where it all began
It was the U.S.-based entrepreneur and extraordinary visionary, late GA
Menon who pooled the resources to make Toonz a one-stop destination for
creative creation and execution. Jayakumar believes that it was
Menon’s initial instinct to spot and nurture great talent that set the
foundation for Toonz.
“We constantly strive to outdo ourselves by being innovative in our
approach and teaming up with the best.” – P. Jayakumar
Born at a time when creative talents were not looked at favourably, Toonz
was able to change the ecosystem by focusing on artistic quality and
accessible creativity. Creative talents were mentored by expatriates
and other stalwarts of the industry.
Quality artists churned out by Toonz became highly sought after talent
and the accolades Toonz received drove us to give back to the community in
the form of state-of-the-art training combined with hands-on production
experience. – P. Jayakumar
This approach supported training needs to fill the high demand for talent in
the creative animation field, and also re-invest in the animation industry
as a whole, allowing Toonz to build a reputation across multiple groups and
industries.
Lessons in the Journey
It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the Toonz team, but Jayakumar
believes that with perseverance, focus and passion, their team can overcome
any roadblocks in their path.
“Getting team members with the same mind-set, who are passionately
driven, and goal-oriented, regardless of shifting variables and perils,
isn’t something that happens every day. I was blessed with the right team
players. Bettering your arsenal and honing your strategy are key factors
for achievement.”
A domain to dominate
Although Toonz initially ventured into functioning as a service provider for
top production houses like Walt Disney, Marvel Studios, and Cartoon Network;
Toonz looked to expand its wheelhouse taking sure-footed strides in various
genres like live-action, original intellectual properties, and gaming. With
a need to bring its enterprises under one large parent company, Toonz
consolidated its divisions to a single media house under a singular website
– they chose a .CO domain.
“Various branches had to be streamlined into one cohesive unit to keep a
seamless connection in this ever expanding front; we switched over to .CO
as we grouped under one umbrella of the Toonz Media Group.”
