by Sreedhar V T (Founder-CEO, Wiztoonz Academy of Media & Design)
The demand for animation, VFX and gaming in India and globally has expanded with the increase in targeted broadcasting hours by cable and satellite TV, availability of low cost internet access, penetration of mobile devices along with the growing popularity of streaming video. In addition, the demand for Animation and VFX content to power immersive experiences such as Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality is growing exponentially. The rapid advancement of technology has made animation, VFX & games available to the masses, and this industry has become one of the fastest growing segments in the global media and entertainment market.
Consumers are displaying a growing appetite for engaging, high-definition visual experiences. Movie goers are demanding high quality productions with engaging visual effects and realistic animation and studios are including more animation and VFX shots into films. Consumers are consuming more immersive content across channels such as ultra-high-definition TVs, tablets and smartphones to head mounted devices. Animation, VFX and games content is being consumed not only on Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Hotstar, Voot etc., but also on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. With the growing internet penetration and access to multimedia devices, customers are spending more time on streaming digital content.
Who can forget the cute and martial arts obsessed Panda who taught us that self-belief can help us scale great heights or for that matter the ever charming and fascinating world of Narnia! Blockbuster movies such as Kung Fu Panda, The Chronicles of Narnia, Wall-E, Coraline, Up, Bolt, Ice Age and Monsters vs. Aliens and our own Bahubali are striking examples of the miracle, that is animation. Animation industry has boundless scope for those who love to create magic.
The animation industry is on the path of expansion and ready to experience a prolonged period of boom. What is more exciting is the fact that this industry would give employment to thousands of prospective animators or multimedia artists every year. This boom is further going to be fuelled by the outsourcing of animation project work by Disney and other animation giants to India.
The field of animation is sometimes misunderstood with cartooning. Cartooning is simply drawing caricatures of characters which evoke a sense of comedy. On the other hand, animation is the art of breathing life into these characters. Animation is the art with which inanimate objects are brought to life with the help of various modern computer based sequencing techniques.
What does an Animator do, anyway?
Animators, also known as multimedia artists, create special effects, animation or other visual images using computers. Animators help create television shows, movies and video games. But besides the obvious, Animators are everywhere. Animators do commercials, motion graphics, special effects, advertisements on the internet, medical explanations, recreating crime scenes for forensics, designing animated graphics for websites, producing simulations for military practices and creating virtual tours of building architecture or model homes. Put simply, animators do a lot more than just create cartoons and there are too many to list.
Career Prospects and Job Opportunities :
Animation has emerged to become a very popular career choice among Indian students. Previously, this field was pretty much unknown to the masses. But in the last few years, this field has gained much attention and has since developed rapidly. Success of animation films and cartoons has greatly contributed to the growth of this field in India.
Demand for skilled and creative animation professionals is pretty high in India. Studios, Film production houses and animation companies know how big the field is. They have the money to invest, all they need is qualified and skilled animators.
Animators may work under supervised setups, start their own venture or work as a freelancer. Some of the well-known recruiters include :
- Animation Studios
- Media Agencies
- Film Production Houses
- Post Production Houses
- Advertising Agencies
- Web Entities (E Commerce sites, E Magazines, Websites etc)
- Computer and Mobile Game Developers
When to Choose Career in Animation…?
Start Early … There are no special subjects that are needed to be studied at this level. But passion and aptitude in sketching, drawing and deep interest in computers is always considered essential to gain entry into the animation industry.
Is it the Right Career for Me…? For being a good animator you need to possess a great deal of passion, zeal and imagination. You must be good at drawing and sketching. Furthermore, you should have good visualisation skills and flair for using colours. Patience, hard work and dedication towards your work are also a must for this job profile.
A Word of Caution : You should opt for this career only if you have passion, aptitude and attitude to excel as a multimedia artist. If you choose this program as an alternate, just because the animation industry is good or you do not have option to pursue any other formal education, then it could become a disaster. Animation or multimedia is all about skill and passion. You do not require any certificate, diploma or a degree to prove or pursue your career in this industry. You are not judged or recruited by your certificate or marks, but by your works, portfolio and creativity. There is a great scope for multimedia artist or an animator to earn big, provided they have the skill and passion. I suggest if you like to succeed and make a mark in this industry, first you should be passionate, second your focus should be on learning and acquiring skills.
