Animate your career

WHEN animation first found its way into the entertainment industry ninety years ago, the scene was a lot different from what it is today. Technology has made great strides in this field contributing to an increase in the rate of production. Talented professionals, equipped to handle new technologies is what the industry is looking for. The visual communications industry- as it is broadly termed as, is all set to woo top class talent with big bucks!

Since it is a labour intensive job, international animation houses are tapping into the Indian talent vein for a cost-effective solution to their hiring needs. Technology has made things a lot easier and computerised drawings or frames have long since replaced the hand-drawn ones, but it still takes thousands of drawings to make one 22-minute cartoon.

Credits also come slow, and hours of gruelling work goes into the making of an animated film. Putting together a series of drawings that can be viewed in rapid succession creates the effect of a movement.

Qualifications
Sound working knowledge of Java, Unix, C, C++, and Open GL is necessary. However, a degree in Fine Arts will not go waste. Knowledge of software packages like 3D Studio Max, Adobe Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Flash, Macromedia Director is also essential.

End-users
Filmmakers and film studios, animation houses, multimedia studios, corporates, websites, advertising agencies, and digital game makers have a great use for animation in their work. While films and advertising use 3-D animation, others like web sites make use of 2-D static and animated graphics. Many Internet Service Providers who want stickiness to their site do so by hosting animated games on it.

Aptitude
Innate creativity, skills in illustrations, caricatures, free hand drawing, ability to visualise and knowledge of colour and painting are very essential. Good observation skills, an eye for detail, colour and resolution and a flair for technology are also important.

Soft skills
You need good communication skills, ability to network, share and gather fresh ideas. Large-scale animation requires co-ordinated team effort and calls for team spirit and shared goals. High levels of discipline and self-motivation are expected, as long hours and a patient rendering of the work is required.

Lifestyle
The life of a creative person, per se is a roller-coaster ride! It involves long and unpredictable hours, which can play havoc with your system. It requires an independent and a totally dedicated professional to make animation a career choice.
Animator's Fact file

Responsibilities

Directors - The initial story line is worked-out by the director while scriptwriters make a rough script for the cartoons. Dubbing artists provide voice-overs to record the voice of the characters and sound editors create the final voice-track. Storyboard artists prepare the storyboard pitch and render a panel of drawings.

Art directors - They create, supervise detailed storyboards, artwork, and layouts, and manage the team of storyboard artists working on the project.

Supervising animators - They share the responsibility of developing any one character and are assisted by a team of trainee animators.

Animators - Animators coordinate with texture artists, background/layout artists, and modellers. Freshers are often given hands-on training ranging from 2-4 months before being assigned projects. Cartoonists are the key people who decide on how each scene and character should look like. Pictures are drawn by hand, and coloured partially. They are then scanned into a digital format to be edited and coloured further using a computer. Clean-up artists polish the pictures, introduce filler frames and do the 'in-between' drawings.

Specialisations
Most specialisations in animation, multimedia and graphic design can be undertaken after graduation or even a post graduation in any discipline. These are usually diploma courses lasting from six months to one year.

Remuneration
Freshers begin at a modest pay scale of Rs 5-6000/- while an experience of oneor two years can see you earning anything between 15-16,000. Experienced animators (with more than two years and above) draw anything between Rs 19-20,000/- and more depending on their work experience.

Institutes
Some of the premier institutes that offer courses in animation, graphic design and multimedia are:

• The Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
• Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kharagpur
• National Institute of Design
• ZICA Studios
• Heart Animation Academy (Hyderabad)
• Arena Multimedia

Top Employers

Talented animators can find employment with companies like:

• Pentamedia Graphics
• UTV
• Regional TV channels and well known international film studios like
• Warner Bros
• Walt Disney
• Hanna Barbera

The following are the related articles for your career in the animation.

• A list of top art colleges, industry scoop, and specialisations. A good read for those interested in pursuing a career in animation. read more...
  
  
• Career related articles from Animation World Network Publications. read more...
  
  
• Find what you need to know and what you need to do to get a foothold in the
  industry. read more...

Archana Jayakar
archana.hyd@cxknetworks.com

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