Netflix has announced a multi-phase programme to train creative talent in India, the Netflix India Storytelling Initiative, following a meeting between the company’s Co-Chief Executive Officer Ted Sarandos and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two discussed the global reach of Indian storytelling and the streaming platform’s long-term plans in the country, the company said in a release.
The initiative will be rolled out through partnerships with Indian institutions and is aimed at building skills across the animation, visual effects, gaming and comics (AVGC) ecosystem, a segment the company described as a key driver of India’s orange economy. Netflix said the programme supports the government’s Viksit Bharat @ 2047 goals by developing a future-ready creative workforce.
Phase 1 of partnership
The first phase focuses on youth skilling and rests on two partnerships. Netflix will work with the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) to co-develop an industry-ready curriculum in visual effects mastery and media technology workflows, with the stated aim of aligning graduate skills with production requirements.
The company will also fund 100 scholarships for Indian students enrolling in in-person programmes at the institute. These cover interactive comics and sequential art, virtual art department content creation, the art of character animation, e-sports and gaming management, and other emerging disciplines.
Phase 2 of partnership
The second partnership, with the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), will build a talent pipeline for jobs created by the government’s accessibility agenda. It includes training for audio description writers and voice artists, so that films and series are more accessible to audiences with visual and hearing impairments. Netflix said the audio description programme will be aligned with international standards while drawing on local storytelling traditions.
“India has always been one of the world’s greatest storytelling nations. Over the past decade, we’ve had the privilege of seeing Indian stories connect with audiences not just across India, but around the world,” Sarandos said. “As we begin our next decade here, we believe our greatest investment is in the people who will tell India’s next generation of stories,” he added.
He added that the initiative reflected the company’s commitment to strengthening India’s creative ecosystem by creating more opportunities for emerging creators.
The company said the initiative is expected to strengthen education and industry linkages and improve creator capability, positioning India as a hub for entertainment production and creative innovation. Netflix did not disclose the financial outlay for the programme or a timeline for subsequent phases.