Career in Animation

With the advent of new technology, the world of art and entertainment has changed for the better. Animation Industry too as an auxiliary is on the path of expansion with every new success that it achieves in personifying imaginations into life like reality. Animation is often misunderstood with cartooning. Cartooning involves sketching caricatures of characters. On the other hand, animation is the art of breathing life into these characters by computer based sequencing techniques.

How To Be An Animator

Aspirants can opt for a diploma or degree in animation, the eligibility criteria includes a 10+2 from a recognised board with at least 45% marks.

Career Opportunities in Animation

Animators have become essential in the present scenario as imagining entertainment and gaming industry without animation and special effects is impossible . Animation has bridged the gap between imagination and reality in fields of movies, television and advertising industries. Full length animation movies are kid’s specific entertainment, hence they become instant hit. A single animation film requires as many as 500 animators; hence great employment opportunities are not limited. Skill, talent, interest and expertise can find opportunities in the following avenues:

• Animation & Visual Effects in Movies, Television and Advertising
• 3D Visualization – Medical Animation, 3D Architectural Walkthroughs and Product Visualization or simulations
• Animated e-learning content
• Online animated content for websites & portals
• Games for Mobiles, Touch Pads, Console & PC

Roles as Animator

 The different roles of professionals in the animation industry are as follows:

• In-between animator – In-between animator is a beginner’s position in the animation industry where one can learn the basics of animation.
• Modeller – A modeller prepares subjects for animation.
• Background artist – Background artist bring colours and depth to the background of the characters in the project.
• Story Broad Artist – Story Broad Artist visualise a series of events from one animation frame to another.
• Clean- up Artist – Clean- up Artist assist animator by tracing the animator’s rough drawing and checking the accuracy and consistency of a design.
• Compositor – Compositor binds all the different characters and backgrounds in to a single frame.
• Character animator – Character animator breathes life to characters.
• Special effect artist – Special effect artist combine live-action footage with Computer Generated Imagery(CGI).
• Digital ink and paint artist – They paint the frames by adding different shades to them.
• Key frame animator – Key frame animator keep track of the subject’s movement in the pictures from beginning to end.
• 2-D Animator – 2-D Animator creates bulk of separate drawings that define an animated sequence.
• Texture Artist – Texture Artist create surface to the 3-D modelled character, object or environment.
• Rigging artist – Rigging artist encorporates skill that helps the 3-D character to talk or move fluidly and correctly.
• 3-D animator –  3-D animator take sculpted, textured and rigged 3-D model and breathe life into it by sequencing the key frames in such a way that they appear to be lifelike .

Remuneration

The starting pay package of these animators can be in a range or Rs.10,000 to Rs.15,000 per month.After 3 to 5 years of work experience an animator can get a monthly salary as much as Rs.30,000 to Rs.40,000.A creative renownened artist can earn over Rs 55,000.

Top Employers in Animation Industry

Top companies in the field of Animation

• Toonz Animation India
• Pentamedia Graphics
• Maya Entertainment
• UTV Toonz
• Heart Entertainment
• Padmalaya Telefilms
• Nipuna Services Ltd
• Jadoo Works
• Crest Communications
• Silvertoon Studio, Mumbai

Top Institutes For Animation Studies

Institutes are offering courses in Animation are as follows

• The National Institute of Design (NID), Paldi, Ahmedabad  
• The Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi
• The Film and Television Institute of India, Pune  
• The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs),Mumbai
• The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) Guwahati
• Tekno Point Multimedia
• Maya Academy Of Advanced Cinematics (MAAC)
• Arena Multimedia, Zee Institute Of Creative Arts (ZICA)
• National Institute of Information Technology (NIIT)
• The Toonz-Webel Academy

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