December `96

Pipangai delivers 60 x 26 minute episodes to PMMP and Gaumont with a staff of about 150.

Always thanks to Pierre, the transfer of technology was able to happen from CFT Gobelins to Village Titan.

Today, the "Indian Ocean Institute of the Image" has been created. This institute, modeled after CFT Gobelins, is training, of course, in the field of film animation, but also in the fields of television, graphic design and multimedia occupations.

In recent days we were still working with him on the placement of our young interns, who after two years of training would present their work to a professional European jury for approval of their talents and do a rigorous apprenticeship with French and European studios.

Shortening distances and working in the industry at the world level, the introduction of new technologies have proven him correct today. Along with Village Titan at the Cartoon Forum in Arles during a press conference, Pierre was able to show and demonstrate that teleteaching, or long distance teaching, would be a guarantee to facilitate the development of quality teaching and financial backing through and thanks to the institution of a network of different teaching establishments for animated cartoons in Europe.

This was, of course, the great project which motivated him of late, and on the eve of his death, by telephone with us on Réunion, he let his feelings be known about this project of a network of European schools: "This is a project I've been nurturing for 30 years [and] neither distance nor economic reasons, much less administrative constraints, will keep me from finally getting it going."

Thanks to the friendship he shared with us and to his interest in the experience led by Village Titan, Pierre made our island into a meeting place. He was at our side to bring to life "The Crossroads of the Indian Ocean Image" which in `95 gathered over one hundred professionals, producers and broadcasters.

The employees of Pipangai, Village Titan, the Institute de l'Image, [and] the school of Fine Arts of La Réunion can only bow their heads in homage to this uncommon man, and thank him for allowing us to see beyond our volcano, for helping us live the adventure of `toons, and break out of our island isolation.

We can say that with Pierre Ayma we got into film, and that the dream became reality. Pipangai today employs a staff of over 200, and the Institut de l'Image is preparing tomorrow's talents in the field of animation, 3-D animation and multimedia. As part of the schools accredited by the Ministry of French Culture, the school of Fine Arts is becoming the school which trains the auteurs, the directors of animated cartoons and multimedia.

Apart from his passion for animated cartoons, his great professionalism, his conviction in the worth of training people, the spirit of integrity which motivated him, what set Pierre Ayma apart is a great generosity and great sensitivity which emanated from him and which he bore lightly. His friends, his colleagues, his former students, the professional world, we all have the duty to continue, each at his level, the work of a man who knew how to put his energy, his passion and his talents to the service of all. We certainly have more to learn, to exchange, [and] to share so that this profession grows and spreads in France and in Europe.

Such was the fight of Pierre Ayma.

Alain Séraphine
Director
Fine Arts School of La Réunion Island