Introduction to Animation

Animation is the digital manipulation of still images into videos via handpainted caricatures or transparent celluloid sheets. The entire sequence is designed on hard copy and then photographed on film. Animation has existed since the ‘70s and has largely evolved from virtual printing to computer-generated imagery (CGI). The job in animation is all about breathing life into a caricature/object. The job requires a precise blend of entertainment, technology, art, and creativity. An animator design the outlay of a scene draws the characters and scenery and adds layers of production to hyphenate it with graphically rich multimedia clips.

Animation in India

The animation industry in India looks greener by the day and is expected to outpace the IT industry. The reason behind this growth is the diversification of media and the mediums of storytelling. Gone are the days when just three studies controlled the entire animated industry. Today, there are hundreds of production houses, animation outliers, and design houses backed by millions of honest and eager consumers. Students can pursue an animation course diploma after graduation as well.

Before 2015, India’s animation industry largely served as an outsourcing facility. Now it has evolved as a caterer and creator of indigenous intellectual property. As of the early 2010s, there are more than 300 animation studies in India. The VFX industry is also growing at an upward rate of 22%. Indian animation industry serves major production houses throughout the world and has been praised for its works in many notable projects, including HBO’s hit series Game of Thrones.

Scope of Animation in India

Multitudes of job profiles and work opportunities have cropped up for animators in the last decade, making it rewarding and easier to build a career in animation. Quality animators with a knack for creativity can sprain out to the roles of graphic designer, game developers, multimedia developers, character designers, 3D modelers, keyframe animators, and layout artists, among many other roles. Animators who aren’t inclined toward producing creative art can gain employment in advertising, online & print media, cartoon production, video gaming, E-learning, print news media, and theatre.

Both private and public sector employs animators and artists with a degree in animation. Numerous advertising homes in India employ multimedia professionals and animators who can join as a freelancer or per-project basis. Animation experienced professionals can also start their own practice and offer services for graphics, multimedia & gaming, etc.

Although we are at an age in which computers do the majority of work, the requirement for authentic talent never fades away. A single animation film crew consists of more than 500 animators, designated for different roles, which boosts huge employment opportunities in the field. Animation is one of the more lucrative and concrete careers in all art positions. It is also a competitive and demanding career because positions are largely remote, so you are largely competing with the entire world’s animators for the job.

Different Roles in the Animation Industry

In-Between Animator : -

A beginner’s position for handling transitions and arranging sequences of scenes.

Modeller : -

Skilled animator with a strong knowledge of volume, anatomy, and form of animation.

Background Artist : -

Painter of the characters and background of the project and covering the major illustrations that carry the movie.

Layout artist : -

Artist responsible for the camera and lighting of camera angles and sketches for the background of animation.

Story Broad Artist : -

Artists who outline the story and profess strong drawing skills to visualise a series of events.

Clean-up Artist : -

Artists who check up on the consistency and accuracy of the designs and polish the rough sketches of the animator.

Scanner operator : -

Professionals who scan the drawing from the sketch board and onto the computer.

Compositor : -

Artist responsible for bringing all the characters into one animation frame.

Character Animators : -

Artist who gives colour and life to characters through editing and stop-motion animation.

Special effect Artist : -

Artists combining computer-generated images with live-action footage.

Perks of Having a Career in Animation

Creative Pursuit and Freedom : -

Since animators are often experts in their field, they get full freedom to pursue whatever they want. In addition to having the freedom, they also get to explore new tangents and make new milestones in this relatively new field. Being an animator requires you to carve up entire universes just from your imagination. Can any other job be cooler than that?

Personal Expression : -

As an animator, you have the freedom to color the world with as many shades as you want. Only you get to decide the artistic routes of your projects. This liberating, and indeed challenging feature of being an artist is especially poignant in the animation industry. Your personal touch travels the world and gathers fans from across the board.

Networking Opportunities : -

There’s an incredible amount of human resources required in each project. Many great minds in the industry are pooled together to bring animation to life. By being an active part of the industry, you get to network with as many people as you want and can always get new job opportunities based on your temporary connections.

Flexible Working Hours : -

Most, if not all animation jobs are per project/per client, and artists/animators have the freedom to work on their own schedules. You can have the entire day week for yourself and work on the weekends. There are only deadlines, not end-of-day reports. You can start at 2 pm or 2 am — doesn’t matter. The freedom also allows you to pursue passion projects on the side or travel the world.

In Conclusion

If you’re a fan of Kung Fu Panda, Ice Age, and Frozen, and love the Marvel Cinematic Universe, then you have animators to thank for. If you thank you can become one, then the job field is wide open for you. With an animation degree from Mansarovar Global University, Bhopal, you too can get ready for this field. A career in animation comes with attractive salaries, steep career growth, and a chance to work with some of the brightest and most creative minds in the world.