01 — Film & Animation
VA Studios
VA Studios, our animation and film production arm, is dedicated to delivering world class content that resonates with global audiences, and earns widespread acclaim.
What VA Films does
Live action across the full commercial range. Feature production where we come in as a production partner. Commercial films for brands that need a spot cut for television, cinema and vertical social in the same pass. Documentary work. Corporate films that explain a business without sounding like a brochure read aloud. And spec films — the ones we make because the idea deserves to exist.
The crew scales to the job. A corporate piece runs lean. A feature or a campaign shoot pulls in the full unit, and we hold the same standard on both.
What VA Animation does
2D animation and cartoon production, from character design through to final mix. Our animation work has run as public awareness campaigns on national television and in the national press — including COVID-19 awareness animation covered by The Times of India, and a civic voting awareness campaign.
Animation is where the group's businesses connect. Characters developed at VA Comics come through animation here, then reach audiences through VA Classtoon Broadcast. A character can move from a sketch to a broadcast property without leaving the group.
How a project runs
- Brief — what it's for, who it's for, and the date it has to exist by.
- Treatment — approach, look, references and a costed scope. You approve this before anything shoots.
- Production — shoot or animate, with named review points rather than a black box.
- Delivery — masters in every format you need: broadcast, cinema, web, and vertical cuts for social.
Where the work has landed
Our first look posters have been unveiled by filmmakers including Gautham Vasudev Menon, Karthik Subbaraj, Venkat Prabhu and Mohan Raja. Campaign work has run as outdoor hoardings across Chennai, and the studio has been featured in The Times of India, DT Next and Times Entertainment. There is more on the press page.
At a glance
- Units
- VA Films · VA Animation
- Formats
- Feature, commercial, documentary, corporate, spec, 2D animation
- Base
- Chennai, India
- Typical timeline
- 3–6 weeks commercial · 6–14 weeks animation
- Deliverables
- Broadcast, cinema, web and vertical social masters
Capabilities
What you can brief us on.
Feature production
Production partnership on features — from development support through to post and delivery.
Commercial films
Brand spots cut once and delivered for television, cinema, web and vertical social.
Documentary
Long-form factual work, including sponsored and public-interest documentary.
Corporate films
Company films, plant walkthroughs, founder pieces and internal communication.
2D animation
Character animation, explainer animation and public awareness campaigns.
Post-production
Edit, grade, sound design and mix — finished in-house rather than farmed out.
From the slate
Showreels
See the work move.
Reviews & testimonials
What clients put in writing.
They consider each and every frame to be a painting when it comes to video production, and are constantly aiming to maximise quality in terms of creativity and craftsmanship. Their timely execution and delivery impressed us during the completion of all projects.
Medical illustrations are challenging and require a certain unique creative strength. After going through 15 different illustrators, my search ended at Mr. Vijay’s sense of clarity and distinctive design. At heart, he is an excellent storyteller.
We have engaged the services of VA Studios for corporate CSR and product promotion videos. Mr. Vijay Ashokan has done an exemplary job in timely execution of the product, with best quality and concept.
Mr. Vijay has serviced us in multiple animation films and live action films as well. Our experience of working with him has been very positive, and he is earnest with a desire to present the best quality output in all his endeavours.
Common questions
Before you get in touch.
What kinds of film production does VA Studios take on?
Feature films, commercial and advertising films, documentaries, corporate films, spec films, and 2D animation. Live action sits under VA Films and animation under VA Animation, both within VA Studios.
How long does a film or animation project take?
A commercial or corporate film usually runs three to six weeks from approved brief to final master. 2D animation runs six to fourteen weeks depending on runtime and style. Fixed broadcast or release dates should be flagged at the brief stage because they change how we crew the project.
What does a project cost?
There is no rate card, because a 30-second spot and a 12-episode animated series are priced on completely different bases. Once we know the deliverable, the duration and the deadline, we give a costed scope before any production begins.
Do you work with clients outside Chennai?
Yes. We shoot across India and take on remote-brief corporate and animation work internationally. VA Groups also has a UK base in Chesterfield, which covers enquiries in European hours.
Can VA Studios animate characters we already own?
Yes. We animate client-owned IP, and we also develop original characters through VA Comics if you want the property built from scratch.
Do we get the source files?
Where it is agreed in the scope, yes — project files, layered artwork and source assets are handed over on delivery. It is worth settling this at the treatment stage rather than at the end.
Elsewhere in the group
The other businesses.
Tell us what you're trying to make.
Send the brief, the deadline and a budget range. We'll tell you honestly whether we're the right team for it.