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Career opportunities in Animation: Where to study and the skills you need as an animator

Remember the days when you remained glued to the screen watching cartoons? It must have crossed your mind at some time or other to create new animated characters as famous as Tom and Jerry, Lion King or Chhota Bheem. You can do that and more as the animation industry is exploding in India and there are multiple roles with different kinds of expertise.

What is Animation

It is a technique by which successive drawings are photographed to create an illusion of movement when the film is shown as a sequence. It could also be a series of frames of puppets or models in different positions. 

Animation works on the principle of optical illusion. The human brain and eye can process 10-12 images a second. If an image appears before the previous one is fully processed, an illusion of continuity is created and so a sequence of pictures can create a whole scene. 

What does it take to be an animator

An animator’s job is to breathe life into the drawings made by a cartoonist. You need to be creative and come up with fresh ideas consistently. Sketching, modelling and basic perceptions have to be at your fingertips. Thinking logically and being curious are the most important skills of an animator. 

The basic skills you’ll need to make a mark in this highly competitive sector are: 

• Sketching and drawing
• Model-making
• Technical skills like computer literacy
• Communication 
• Time management 
• Project management efficiency 
• Teamwork

Different types of Animation:

• Traditional Animation/2D Animation: In 2D or traditional animation, flat 2D characters and environments are created. Each frame is painstakingly hand-drawn and the process is time-consuming. This is a popular choice for a wide range of applications including cartoons, promotional videos and explainer videos.
• 3D Animation: It has revolutionised the world of animation with more immersive and realistic animated experiences. This type is frequently used in feature films, interactive commercials and other marketing materials. It also has applications in fields like medicine, archaeology and architecture.
• Motion Graphics: It is animation with a strong emphasis on text. It is all about bringing the design knowledge of the animator to new mediums by adding time and space elements. It is essentially animated Graphic Design.
• Stop Motion: It is a filmmaking technique in which objects are physically manipulated in small increments between individually photographed frames. This makes it look as if the objects are moving or changing on their own when the sequence of frames is played back.  
• Motion Capture: It is a 3D animation technique that helps create ultra-realistic animations based on live action scenes. In the gaming industry, motion capture is frequently used to create realistic character animations and lifelike facial expressions.
• Rotoscope Animation: It involves tracing over live action footage with a rotoscoping tool, similar to traditional animation styles. This technique is mostly used in situations where the animated character has to interact realistically with the environment.

How to study Animation

You can go for a three-year BA or BSc programme in Animation. You can also opt for a Bachelor's in Fine Arts (BFA) and then do diploma and certification courses in Animation. 

Eligibility: You need to clear your Class XII board exams from a UGC-recognised board with 50% aggregate marks to pursue the BA and BSc programmes as well as the certification and diploma courses.

Some popular courses in Animation:

• BA in Animation and Multimedia 
• BSc in Animation 
• BA in Animation and Graphic Design
• Bachelor of Visual arts
• BA in Digital Filmmaking and Animation 
• BSc in Animation and Gaming
• BSc in Animation and VFX
• Diploma in 2D/3D Animation 
• Diploma in Animation and Filmmaking 
• Certificate in 2D/3D Animation 
• Certificate in CG arts
• Certificate in VFX

Some popular institutes for Animation studies: 

• Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata 
• National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad
• Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics (MAAC), Kolkata
• IIFA Multimedia, Bengaluru
• Chandigarh University, Haryana 
• Karnavati University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat
• Fergusson College, Pune
• Industrial Design Centre, IIT Bombay, Mumbai
• Amity University, Lucknow
• iLEAD, Kolkata 
• Brainware University, Kolkata
• Sister Nivedita University, Kolkata

You can check out these and other institutes here.

Scope of Animation in the post-pandemic world

The pandemic has opened new horizons for animators all over the globe, including in India. The added emphasis on online education has created a boom in Animation in the education sector.  

“The animation industry has grown by 700% in the last 18 months and will continue to grow. The entire educational sector is now reliant on video content that includes animations and stories,” said Ashish S Kulkarni, the founder of Screenyug Creations & Punnaryug Artvision.

What can you do with an Animation degree

A degree in Animation will prepare you for a career in animation, entertainment, art and design, gaming, advertising, filmmaking, digital news media and online learning. These are some of the industries that need multimedia artists. Because of technology, animation will always go through rapid changes and advancements. So, it is important to keep upgrading your skills and have a strong portfolio of assignments. Here are some of the roles that you could choose:

• Character animator: Character animators move the characters of an animated world in 2D or 3D contexts. This is the most important aspect of animation. 
• Art director: An art director will pitch visual ideas to the client based on directions from the copywriter. They also collaborate on different designs to create effective ad campaigns.
• 3D animator: They create three-dimensional movements for characters and develop backgrounds and other aspects of an animated world through their specialised tools
• CGI supervisor: These visual effects experts help compositors create a cohesive image by combining animation elements such as live-action footage, visual effects and computer-generated images (CGI). The aim is to enhance the viewing experience.  
• Video game designer: Video games are designed by animators who create the characters, levels, puzzles and art elements for the virtual world.
• 3D modellers: These animation specialists design 3D characters and environments for animators. They do it by creating textures and surface representations and wrapping them around a 2D digital frame. 
• Special effects animator: They are art and design professionals who use concept art to make films. They create the effects for supernatural creatures or elements, natural disasters and character enhancements.
• Lighting technician: These design professionals help create a realistic appearance in films, video games and all other forms of multimedia. They add light and shadow to animated environments.