Breaking In
The good news is that today, there are a number of institutes that offer educational courses in animation. The better news is that most of these institutes provide placements and help their students to secure employment through tie-ups with various animation companies too.Being an animator does not require you to be a rank holder in your class. Nor does it call for colossal knowledge of every scientific theory ever propounded. Creativity and an artistic inclination is all you need to become an animator. The courses you learn help you bring out your creativity.
"You need no educational qualifications to learn animation," says Mundhra. "It is the creativity that counts, and that's all we look for in a student." Arena offers the Arena Animation Academy Specialist Program (AAASP), which is divided into five semesters and covers illustration, graphics, 2D animation, 3D animation and advanced animation. Similarly, MAAC offers advanced and professional diplomas in 3D animation and visual effects. Both courses are divided into six modules and cover wide-ranging subjects in animation. Besides, MAAC also offers short-term and specialisation courses in animation, visual effects and graphics.“AD3D (Advanced Diploma in 3D Animation and Visual Effects) is the latest course from our bouquet, designed after close consultation and discussions with some of the top animation studios in India and offers the most relevant and up-to date technologies and techniques,” informs Gupta. “AD3D introduces three distinct software applications: Pixologic ZBrush, Eyeon Fusion and Apple Final Cut Pro used for digital sculpting, compositing and editing respectively.”
“There are various course formats available at MAAC,” says Sajan Nair, a MAAC student. “But I chose to learn MAYA, Softimage XSI and Combustion, because I had already learnt graphic designing software and 3D Studio Max from another institute.”
Opportunities Galore
On the employment front, opportunities are huge. Cartoon animation, film animation, digital post-production, advertising, gaming, special effects are only some of the myriad avenues that open up before aspirants once they complete a formal training. Money-wise, a good animator ought to earn anything from 10 to 15,000 at the outset.
Cartoon shows are gaining increasing popularity. Earlier, there were only 2D animated shows like Tom and Jerry and Popeye the sailor. Now, besides exclusive cartoon channels like Cartoon Network and Animax, we have cartoon shows on many other channels too, many of which make use of 3D animation. Naturally, there is a huge scope for professional animators.
Besides, animated feature films too offer considerable employment prospects. One animated film alone requires several hundred animators to work on it. Pentamedia’s The Legend Of Buddha, for example, was worked upon by more than 400 animators.
Interestingly, Ghost In The Shell and its sequel Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence were given PG-13 ratings. Also, the animated versions of some Pritish Nandy Communications films like Kaante and Chameli, due for release next year, will be targeted at an adult audience. This just shows that animated films are no longer only targeted at children, but have gained adult audiences too. And the wider the audience, the greater the scope!
Digital post-production, in simple words, means adding special effects to movies. Once the entire movie is shot on camera, digital techniques are used to add a feel of reality to stunts, chase sequences and any other scenes that might require some touching up. All the mind-blowing battle scenes and gravity-defying stunts in the Matrix Trilogy were a result of brilliant digital post-production, and were only possible due to advanced animation. Closer to home, examples can be cited of movies such as Koi Mil Gaya and Krishh.
Animation is also used to add animated characters to otherwise unanimated movies. Space Jam, for example, had Michael Jordan interacting with Looney Toons characters like Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, while Stuart Little had a mouse who walked, talked and acted like a human. The Hrithik-Kareena-Abhishek starrer Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon also had an animated parrot and dog characters.
Advertising too makes use of animation to add special effects, like the animated Fido in 7-Up commercials. Indeed, some advertisements are completely animated, such as the Mortein advertisement featuring Louie the Mosquito or the Fanta Advertisement featuring Zayed Khan.
The gaming industry too is on the rise in India. Here too, there is a tremendous requirement for animators. Gaming companies need animators for various jobs, from character modeling, to working on the game environment and graphics.
“Once you get into the industry, there are lots and lots of opportunities,” says Dhruv, who learnt animation from Arena Multimedia and is now a Gaming Project Manager with The Porting Factory. “You get to identify your areas of interest and choose your department accordingly.”
Website designing, CD-Rom production, graphics designing and three-dimensional product modeling are some other fields where animators can gain employment.
Freelancing is equally beneficial. You can start off as a freelancer till you get noticed and are offered employment. Conversely, you can begin as an employee, and then go on to establish your own studio. Any way you choose, there are opportunities galore. Moreover, many foreign companies are now realising the potential in India and are outsourcing their animation tasks to Indian animation companies.
The scope is huge, the opportunities endless. Hence, if you are fascinated by the idea of making inanimate objects move; it’s time to jump aboard the animation bandwagon.
To learn more about domestic and international employment opportunities, and for an indicative listing of animation institutes log on to
www.educationtimes.com and click on ‘Offbeat Careers.’ And hey, do tune in to MTV at 7:00 pm on Saturday, May 26, to catch the second episode of ‘On The Job’, a career-based reality show that will tell you all you need to know about the making of an animation professional.
Indicative Listing of Animation Institutes
· Maya Academy Of Advanced Cinematics (MAAC)
· Arena Multimedia
· Zee Institute Of Creative Arts (ZICA)
· National Institute of Information Technology (NIIT)
· The Toonz-Webel Academy
· Whistling Woods International
· Escotoonz Animation
· Hearts Animation Academy
· The JJ School Of Arts
Indian Animation Sector Booming up ! Are you ready !
Re: Indian Animation Sector Booming up ! Are you ready !
Re: Indian Animation Sector Booming up ! Are you ready !
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