The world has changed a lot. Only those who think out of the box will survive in this new world. To prepare our children for a technology-driven future, it is important to equip them with the right skills they need to thrive. Toonz Academy, the animation and visual arts training wing of Thiruvananthapuram-based Toonz Media Group, has recognised the importance of creative and lateral learning methodology.

Toonz Media Group launched Ri8brain, an edtech platform exclusively for training in creative arts, in May 2021.In just two months, the platform claims to have registered 1,000 users across age and skill levels.

"Ri8brain is a very agile online education platform, working in the tradition of Toonz Academy, a pioneer in animation training in this part of the world.With Ri8brain, our vision is to transform the lives of creative people and artistsP Jayakumar is the CEO of Toons Media Group.

Since its inception in 1999, Toonz Media Group has been involved in IP development, production, distribution of digital and gaming content, augmented and virtual reality experience creation, and animation training.

Toonz Media has been a part of award-winning international projects with the world's leading entertainment studios, channels, and networks, including Marvel, Nickelodeon, Turner, Disney, Netflix, DreamWorks, Lionsgate, 20th Century Fox, Paramount, Sony, BBC Universal, Amazon, Google, Hulu, HBO, and Exodus Film Group.

“Creators have always thought outside the box. Now, with EdTech platforms, they can easily connect with learners, providing opportunities to discover something previously unknown to everyone. With the advent of technology-driven learning, possibilities are endless. The days of relying solely on textbooks and schools to prepare us for real-world challenges are over. Now, these problems are being solved by minds not limited by the boundaries of imagination or ability,” says P. Jayakumar, CEO of Toonz Media Group.

Ri8brain is an EdTech platform dedicated exclusively to training in the creative arts. It offers online collaborative learning across diverse creative segments. Industry experts curate the curriculum tailored to the specific needs of targeted groups. The platform features leading instructors from various industries with production and training experience. The content used for training is sourced directly from ongoing studio projects, making it uniquely exclusive.

Among their professional courses, the most popular are comprehensive animation filmmaking, character animation, character designing, environment designing, background and props modeling, and compositing. These skills are highly sought after since they open up numerous job opportunities. There is strong demand for animators and asset creators in animation films, live-action films, games, augmented reality, and virtual reality. Specifically, for VFX, the platform also offers programs in highly demanded specialties such as rotoscoping, roto paint, and match move.

Beginners typically choose courses like mandala drawing, doodling, life skills, flip, and animate. These courses aim to develop young learners’ abilities and help them understand that opportunities for creativity are limitless.

“Toonz Media is quite new to the EdTech space, so we hesitate to call ourselves fully established. However, we are excited to translate our expertise in ground-level teaching into an e-learning model. Ri8brain has a core team of around 20 people, including academic staff, and we expect our advisory board to optimize and enrich the learning journey. Staying relevant in the industry is challenging, but we promote ourselves through digital campaigns across social media and other digital media platforms. We collaborate with various institutions and partner with like-minded, reputable organizations in higher education and vocational training to increase our market presence. Our instructors develop case studies based on real-life situations and experiences, enabling learners to apply what they learn in their daily lives. To optimize their experience with us, we employ course-specific assessments and recommend effective learning methods,” explains P. Jayakumar, CEO of Toonz Media Group.

To understand the platform’s vision, let’s look at some user reviews. Dr. Poppy Dath, an assistant professor in the Microbiology Department at St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore, signed up her son for the life skills sessions. After the course, she says her son was creatively influenced and motivated to excel in all areas of life. She observed many positive changes in his behavior—from tidying up his toys after playing to showing kindness to friends.

Another parent, Priyamvada Gajaraj, enrolled her nine-year-old daughter in the doodling class. Her daughter enjoys sharing her doodles with her grandmother and friends and has adapted very well to the class environment, which brought them great joy. They are grateful to the platform for opening a new creative avenue for their daughter through this unique model.

Committed to continuing creative learning as their specialty, they plan to add more courses to the platform. Although currently focused on India, Ri8brain is a global platform with aspirations to expand worldwide within a year. As the parent company, Toonz is a globally renowned family entertainment company with offices worldwide and a network spanning five continents. Their partners, customers, and collaborators include some of the best brands and names in the entertainment industry, which they believe will help Ri8brain succeed globally.