Get to know Mumbai Head of Production: Namita Gotephode

With previous projects spanning titles such as Sonic the Hedgehog, The Witcher, The Wheel of Time and No Time to Die, Namita has long been involved on large-scale projects, leading and managing production teams across the globe.  

Namita didn’t start in the production department, however. “I first got into the industry in 2001 when I was introduced to 2D Hand Drawn Animation by the late Ram Mohan Rao who is considered the Father of Indian Animation,” Namita recalls.  

“After this, I was fortunate to be hired as one of the core team members at Rhythm & Hues in Mumbai, when the head count was around 50 employees. It was here that I began my journey into production; I started as a Production Coordinator for the Paint Prep and Roto department. It was here that I really learnt the nuances of VFX Production Management under the expert guidance of experienced mentors and senior management,” Namita continues. 

While Namita was always attracted to film and grew up watching animated movies, it wasn’t until she worked as a Clean-up Artist that she understood quite how much work went into creating the final product. “I realised the behind-the-scenes hard work and painstaking effort that goes into making these masterpieces when I was working on traditional cel animation. I was intrigued by the technology of creating realistic talking animals and creating effects that would be next to impossible in the real world,” Namita explains. 

Since Namita’s early career, she has experienced some incredible highlights. “I’ve helped in the execution and delivery of VFX for some of the Best Academy Award winning titles such as First Man, Blade Runner 2049, The Golden Compass, The Life of Pi. I’ve had the opportunity to hold an Oscar, work onsite in global studios in the UK and Australia and I’ve learnt from so many colleagues in LA, Canada and Kuala Lumpur. The sense of accomplishment and achievement after consistently and successfully delivering shows, mentoring, and building strong production management teams has been truly satisfying and drives me to continue.” 

Namita hopes to bring her varied experience to Outpost VFX allowing her to focus on standardising all production processes, maximising efficiencies and productivity, but mostly to build strong teams that work seamlessly with our global partners. “I am looking forward to helping Outpost extend their approach to India, creating opportunities for the incredible local talent to join a friendly, inclusive and supportive studio on some really exciting projects,” Namita adds.  

“Outpost operates an open-door management and leadership style that I’ve leant into in my time here already. We believe in a transparent, collaborative and inclusive work culture where each artist is given an opportunity to be heard irrespective of job titles.” 

Namita joins Outpost at an exciting time for industry growth in India, and Namita predicts this will only continue to rise. “People are starting to understand that there is tremendous scope for VFX in India and with the advancement in technology, the growth is going to be exponential. The ability of the Indian artist to adapt to advancing technologies, learning, and upgrading skills to deliver high quality work is instilling the confidence and encouraging more work this way,” Namita remarks.