Animation :: Career in animation

Career in Animation

The use of animation and VFX has certainly caught the fancy of audiences young and old, and has changed the way entertainment was perceived before. Trends back home in India are equally promising with at least three or four animated movies being released in popular languages annually -- the most recent being Rajinikanth starrer Robot  that had extensive use of VFX -- and regular animated series reigning television channels. With the technological revolution hitting the sources of entertainment devices and services, a career in animation is certainly a thing of future. To become a successful professional in the field of animation and VFX film-making, it is of utmost importance to understand that the industry is all about the art of effective storytelling. Aspiring youth aiming for a career in animation and VFX filmmaking should have creative aptitude - that is a basic requirement in order to excel in the field.

Why animation?

Currently, Animation, VFX, Comics and the Gaming industry are the most sought-after career options amongst the youth, especially since India has now become an outsourcing hub for international projects, the requirement for trained manpower has increased manifold. To make use of the opportunity, the most important aspect that every aspiring student must aim for is to obtain customised education in the field, which is internationally recognised and high on the employability scale.An integrated live action filmmaking training programme in the course curriculum will always boost the knowledge and confidence of the student.

As per the aptitude and liking of the student, one can choose to specialise in any of the exiting segments of the process flow, like pre-production, which includes character design, background design, colour key, storyboard etc or in the production flow like modelling, rigging, texturing, lighting, animation and then from post-production, one can choose editing, sound designing, visual effects, online editing etc.

Course fees

The courses cost between Rs. 7,000- 11,000 (approximately) per month, depending upon the complexity and the high-end equipment required to pursue them.

Career options in animation

The industry offers excellent career opportunities, as the demand for this field has increased manifold over the last decade.  Initially one has to understand the complete process of powerful Storytelling and Film-Making process. Over the period of getting educated the students with help of faculty member and mentors find their areas of specialization. Right from Script Writing, Pre-Visualization, Character Development & Design, Environment Development & Design, Prop Design & Color, Acting & Animation, Facials, Lip Sync, Effects, Lighting, Compositing, Rendering and Editing, Sound Effects and Background Score…all these areas of specialization are open for the student once they start understanding the grammar of Storytelling and Film-Making. Nevertheless, it is pertinent to note that every single specialization will always start with being a trainee, gaining experience and continue to keep learning, experimenting and grow from being a trainee artist to Senior Artist, Supervisor, Assistant Director and Director or Technical Director over the period of time.

Students today can explore a successful career not only in animation and VFX studios, but also in the fields of advertising, gaming, live action film making, comics, designing and many more exiting media activities that they may be inclined to.

Remuneration offered

The starting monthly salaries range anywhere between Rs 8,000-10,000 depending upon the skills and capability of the student. Within two to three years, as per your performance, one can command between Rs 25,000-30,000 per month. Those who do extremely well and reach Asst Animation/Creative Director/Asst Technical Director or Supervisor level start getting Rs 60,000 and above. Capable and lucky ones may even earn above a lakh per month. Apart from regular jobs, there is also a scope for freelancing which can earn you a monthly income ranging between Rs 45,000-60,000 and above, provided you have a minimumfour or five years of solid production experience and are skilled enough.

The future of animation

Today, people spend an enormous amount of time in front of screens, be it in the theatre, watching television, tinkering with their mobiles or sitting at their computers. One can imagine the amount of quality content needed to feed these screens, so that people can remain engrossed and entertained. In this new digital era, skilled professionals who can contribute to this continuous content creation workflow will always find a great career. For the right candidate with proper skill sets, the sky is the limit. Also, young imaginative minds who wish to make a career in animation with skill sets in painting, music, acting and various other performing arts will always carry an additional advantage, since this medium is a convergence of every form of artistic and creative expression. So if one is creative and has the ability to think out of the box, this will always be the most preferred profession to pursue.