ANIMATION AS A CAREER - PART 2

We have already seen that animation is one of the new-age careers but how can one be trained as an animator? What are the eligibility criteria? What are the job roles that an animator can consider?

So, you have watched cartoons from your childhood, later on, started watching anime and, so you feel that you are qualified enough to be an animator. Are you Sure???? Think again!!!

Give it a try.... Try creating a short, few seconds, animated film... What are the things you need to consider??? Let's see!!

So, do you have the story in mind?? Good!! Start writing the script. Next to the storyboard. Oh! Don’t forget the characters, prop, location design. Let’s work on the audio, camera angle, perspectives, lights, etc. What should the background layout be like??? Select the tools and software you want to use. Do you know how to sculpt, render, etc.? Too much jargon??? Losing interest??

Fear not!! Go, get yourself enrolled in some course. But, first things first! Find out your aptitude and interest level for animation. Take an aptitude test. Well, if the results show that you not only have interest but also an aptitude for it then start preparing yourself. As animation is fast infiltering various fields so it has created some requirements for skilled manpower. Certificate and diploma courses till now have been trying to fill up this vacuum. But in recent years there are quite a few universities and institutions that have started degree courses. The quantity and quality of knowledge in this field will obviously differ according to the type of course you choose. Diploma and certificate courses are good for upgrading your professional skills while degree courses may be the minimum requirement for entering this industry. So, I will basically talk about the degree courses.

Degree courses can be of 4 yrs. or 3 yrs. duration.

BFA and B. Des in animation are of 4 yrs. duration while B.A. and B.sc in animation are of 3 yrs. duration.

For all of the above courses, the minimum eligibility criterion is the completion of 10+2 with at least 50% marks. You may also need to qualify for some entrance exams. The requirements for the institutions may vary. Most of the courses accept students from any stream but some may ask for PCM in 10+2.

Entrance exams

Some of the well-known entrance exams to keep in your mind are UCEED, CEED, SEED, NID, NIFT, etc. You need to have a very good rank in these entrance exams to secure a seat in any of the premier institutions like IIT Guwahati, IIT Mumbai, NID, etc. These exams usually test your design thinking and problem-solving ability, analytical and logical reasoning capacity, visualization and spatial ability, etc. There are a few coaching institutes that prepare a student for these exams.

JOB ROLES

So, you have obtained your degree in animation. What job roles can you expect as an animator?

The job roles may include but are not limited to:

1. Animator

2. Storyboard artist

3. Rigging Artist

4. Texture Artist

5. 3D/ 2D Animator

6. Rendering Artist

7. Image Editor

8. Lightning Artist

9. Key Frame Animator

10. Digital Ink and Paint Artist

11. Special Effect Artist

12. Character Animator

13. Compositor

14. Concept artist

15. Game developer

16. VFX artist

17. Graphic Designer

18. Modeller

19. Background Artist

20. Clean-Up Artist

The relevant sectors where your degree can be useful have already been discussed in the previous week.

Though in the present scenario a bachelor’s degree will suffice as an entry level qualification in this industry, but if you wish, further education in animation is possible. You can go for a master’s degree in animation, but as of now, very few institutions in India offer master’s in animation. Most of these courses are offered abroad.

Good Luck to all the budding animators. Let your imaginations run high and don’t ever lose that dream of yours. We are waiting for your creations to come along.

Next week I will be back with another new-age career. Till then, Goodbye.

[*** Career-related or aptitude test queries can be mailed to iasakolkata.wb@gmail.com or WhatsApp to 9674384433 ***]