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.
