From PAWs To Pixels | Sujit Das – Animation Supervisor

We continue this series of interviews From PAWs To Pixels with Sujit Das, Animation Supervisor at Mikros Animation in Bengaluru, on PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie :

Tell us about your journey into Mikros Animation?

Well, my journey into the wild world of animation, at TCS-Mikros Animation, has been quite the rollercoaster ride, folks! Picture this: I started out as a humble animator 13 years ago, working on gems like All Hail King Julian, Kung Fu Panda – The Paws of Destiny, The Croods: Family Tree and now, here I am, on the Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie train! It’s like I’ve been riding this animation wave, and I haven’t wiped out yet.

What was your role on PAW Patrol: the Mighty Movie?

When it comes to Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie, I had the honor of donning the prestigious hat of Animation Supervisor. Think of me as the conductor of the creative chaos, bringing together the wildest ideas from our talented artists, molding them into shape, and making sure they all align with the director’s grand vision. Plus, I had to foster a trusting culture in the team—where artists had the guts to throw their craziest ideas into the mix. You know, like suggesting that Paw Patrol might need rocket-powered pup-cycles for their next adventure!

What was your first reaction after learning you’d be working on the Animation for PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie?

When I found out I’d be working on Paw Patrol, I had to brace myself for the fame. You see, kids these days are nuts about Paw Patrol. It’s like a religion to them, and I knew that by working on this project, I’d become an instant hero to the little ones in my family. No pressure, right? I had to live up to their heroic expectations – move over, Superman!

*North West as “Mini” and Alan Kim as “Nano” in Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie from Spin Master Entertainment, Nickelodeon Movies, and Paramount Pictures.*

What were the artistic and technical challenges of the movie?

Picture this: the characters in Paw Patrol are like celebrities. Even if one of them so much as has a bad hair day in a single frame, the audience will spot it, and we’d have a pup-tastrophe on our hands! So, my challenge was to make sure our ginormous animation crew kept those characters on point in every scene. It was like herding cats, but with lovable, animated pups. Plus, we had to get all the movie departments to join forces for the greater good of creating an epic visual feast. It’s like a superhero team-up, but with artists and animators.

Describe the movie in 3 words!

Now, summing up the movie in three words? Well, it’s an “Awesome Pawsome Adventure”! We’ve got a villain who’s off the charts bonkers, making our heroes even mightier as they discover their inner strength and tackle obstacles to restore order. It’s like a rollercoaster of emotions and action, all packed into one movie!

What have you learned since working on PAW 2?

Since working on Paw 2, I’ve learned that the key to success is effective communication and teamwork. It’s like trying to teach a pup a new trick—you’ve got to be crystal clear and work together to get the job done. And remember, folks, a positive team dynamic is the secret sauce to cooking up a Mighty Movie!

Tell us a production memory!

Now, for a production memory that still gives me goosebumps (and maybe a tear or two). We had this epic shot of Liberty and the Junior Patrollers that took us a whopping two months to perfect. We went through more versions than I can count, probably over a hundred! But when that shot finally got the big thumbs up, it was like a cinematic miracle. The whole crew jumped up from their desks and gave it a standing ovation. Some of them were even so moved they had to wipe away a tear—or maybe it was just sweat from all that hard work!

Thanks Sujit! To discover more stories from our teams, visit this link!