The Path to Animation Career

The field of Animation is aptly described by Walt Disney, “Animation can explain whatever the mind of man can perceive. This facility makes it the most versatile and explicit means of communiquéyet formulated for quick media appreciation.” Animation involves high degree of creativity and experimentation. This field is about synthesizing the dynamic images with sound, it starts with a thought that has to materialize into an art form. The scope of this field is as wide as one’s imagination can go. Animators,graphic artists, visual effect artists, designers, caricaturists, cartoonists, and plenty of professions related to creation of live art forms, merge at this point.Students pursuing this field will be exposed to a surfeit of opportunities, as various industries, like fashion, films, application development, IT, education and digital marketing are looking to tap into the enormous pool of creative talent.

The path to an Animation career like any other field requires careful thought and commitment. A newly emerging career, it offers plenty of learning opportunities and continuous options to work with various media, such as video, computers, movies, and music. Following are the preliminary steps one needs to take to start a career in this field.

Step 1: Gain knowledge about the field

Animators are required in a range of businesses which have use of creative material. Animators are associated with production of graphics, right from the stage of ideation to final showcase. The Animation industry in India is growing at the rate of 22 percent per year, according to a recent NASSCOM report. It also indicated that scope of animation is widening from traditional industries, like film, and TV, to emerging fields of scientific research and modelling. To start your journey in this field, you must assess your strengths and skills and pick an area of focus to take an informed decision about the next step.

Step 2: Get the right education

A career in Animation requires one to possess a bachelor’s degree and subsequent training in art and design mediums. The present Animation industry is dominated by use of software, such as Adobe Illustrator, Autodesk Maya, Adobe After Effects, and more, which make the job of creating animations a lot more swift and versatile. Acquiring technical skills to work well with these software is mandatory to progress in the field.

There are both undergraduate and post-graduate degree programmes, including Bachelor of Fine Arts, B.Sc., and M.Sc. offered by prominent institutions all over the country. Some notable universities offering these courses include K.L University, Gujarat University, Kaziranga University, Sharda University, Jain University, and Poornima University. These universities offer full time courses covering subjects such as Fundamental Design Principles, 2D/3D Imaging, Advanced Modelling, Studio Production Techniques, Texture and Lighting, etc.

Step 3: Assemble Your Portfolio

Just like an army needs ammunition, an animator’s arsenal is his/her portfolio. A carefully assembled portfolio with your best work can set you apart from competitors. It should include a bio highlighting personal details and links to your blogs, online galleries, and social media pages. The main body of a portfolio is formed by samples of your work. This section is what showcases your talent and skills, and it helps the potential employer to understand your capability. So naturally, this section should include best examples of your work on a range of medium. Last section of a portfolio requires a detailed resume. Your resume must highlight all the projects that you have undertaken, internships or formal work experience, technical and software skills, and contact information.

Step 4: Know What Employer Want

As vast are the applications of animation, so are the kind of jobs in the field. From a graphic designer to a forensic animator, different fields require different specializations and skills from potential employees. Knowing the market for your focus area and what is in demand are key factors to seek the right job. Employers simply seek to fulfill the demands of their clientele, and as the demand increases, more options crop up.For example, game design and animation sector is on the cusp of significant growth in India as the video game market in India is expected to reach INR 180 billion by 2018.

Step 5: Get to Work

Once you have acquired the right degree and training and have a strong portfolio in place, seeking a right job becomes imperative. If you know what your focus area in animation is, finding a vacancy in the relevant industry is the crucial next step. And if you are fresh in the field, gaining some experience through internships in different domains such as 3D Modelling, Computer Graphics, Publication Art, Game Design, etc. could help to figure out your strengths and proceed from there on.