Mumbai based Fire Films & Media is developing its first animated film Rega Rezza, a 100 minute long 3D animated feature film based on a space fiction. The film is currently in the production stage and is expected to release worldwide in Hindi and English by winter this year while the promotional trailers are expected to release around November.
The IP of the film belongs to its writer and director, Aashu Patel while the producers are Sanjay Saagar and Sanjay Trivedi and the music is by Uday Majumdar. Rega Rezza is a science fiction about life on another planet in the universe and consists of seven main realistic 3D characters from Earth.
Regarding the target audience for the film, Fire Films & Media chairman and producer, Sanjay Saagar told AnimationXpress.com, “The film, being animated is targeted at kids but also at adults, being a space fiction with photorealistic characters. The story has the potential to appeal to audience of all ages.”
“We came up with this unique idea which led to the launch of the new-age virtual film stars. Previously we were planning to sign leading film stars and approached a few stars for their face and voice. But finally we decided to use our own virtual stars in our first film”, he added, “We will launch our virtual stars through a grand function and will be using the same in our next film.”
Budgeted at around Rs 25 crores, the film is done completely by the in house team of Fire Films & Media, which consists of around 200 artists. The 4,000 sq ft large studio, which was set up in 2007 for the production of this film, uses high end technology including Apple systems and software such as Maya, Z Brush etc.
Talking about the creative challenges while making the film, Fire Films & Media – Sunil Gupte said, “The most challenging aspect of the film was to give it a realistic feel. It is difficult to get exact realistic movements in all characters along with the realistic hair, skin etc. A lot of research was done for the same to understand how realistic looks can be applied to animated characters.”
To use as much authentic information as possible in the science fiction, the studio has roped in JJ Rawal, founder and former director of Nehru Planetarium and President of Indian Planetary Society as a special advisor.
“The quality of VFX and the animation of Rega Rezza is as par Hollywood standards. There is no need to travel all the way to LA to get animation done in future,” Saagar commented.
The studio plans to announce three more animation films with the release of Rega Rezza. It also has plans for outsourcing the licensing and merchandising based on the film and is in talks with distributors for the same.
— Sanjay Saagar
