In the last twenty or thirty years, only doctors and engineers were considered to be worthy and desirable professions and career choices in India. However, as we now live in the age of technology, digitalization and globalization, a lot of things have changed. Today, we have other options like animation, which proved to be more than a lucrative and fruitful profession for many people. When talking about the animation industry in India, you will be glad to hear that it has had an astounding development – around 22 % in the last couple of years only. What is more, it still continues to grow and develop. Because of that, there are now many professional animators in India today. Thus, if you are interested in some of the best animation courses and fields in India, or you just want to learn something more about this field, keep on reading.
Who Are Animators?
First things first, let us tackle the issue of what animators actually do. Simply said, animators create an illusion of movement by using animation software or some other computer programs.
That is, they create multiple images or drawings, which are then displayed in rapid sequence.
Professional animators can work in different fields. For instance, some animators decide to create movies or to create special effects for movies.
There are also the ones who do the same for television shows or commercials.
Some focus on creating video games and working in the gaming sector.
And some create apps for mobiles and PCs. Recently, as website designing became an absolute must, the need for animators in that field is becoming enormous.
So, yes, as the industry is rapidly growing, the possibilities are becoming endless.
Most often, animators work in a team where each person is in charge of a small portion of the project.
And, when you combine all the pieces together, you get a movie, a game, a visual effect or something fourth.
Be sure that creating an animation is far more complex than creating a cartoon. Alt.tag: A woman working on her laptop.
What Are The Fields You Can Specialize in Animation?
When you take animation courses, you will have to specialize in a certain field.
Some courses last a couple of years and some a couple of months only. It all depends on the one you choose.
Thus, here are some common and rather popular animation fields in India you can choose from:
1. Animation in web designing
Animation is almost an inevitable part of web development.
Yes, many professionals can handle your website design, but only animators can highlight the content by using multimedia animations.
2. VFX Animation
Stands for Visual Effects Animation. By using this kind of animation, you can create different creatures like predators or aliens, and you can also create actions like storms and explosions and so on.
VFX is also great for manipulating the actor’s appearance like age, height, weight and even adding props.
This can be a great addition to movies that would otherwise be very costly and almost impossible to film.
3. Gaming Animation
Gaming would not be possible without animation. Thus, gaming animators have to be really skilled in order to create characters, their patterns of movements, as well as settings and backgrounds.
Usually, making a game is a big task, whereon a lot of animators work.
Thus, in order to work in this field, creativity is not going to be enough.
Animators must also possess technical expertise and expertise in programming as well as work well in a team.
4. 2D Animation
This kind of animation is a vector-based animation where everything is done by using a computer.
Here an animator can draw a design on a computer program using computer-defined vector shapes and manipulate the design easily.
Moreover, in order not to keep redrawing the characters, 2D animators can create the so-called rings used for moving the character’s body parts separately. Examples of 2D animation are The Simpsons and The Family Guy.
5. 3D Animation
Also called 3D computer animation (CGI). It is used for creating detailed and realistic characters and worlds.
It should not be mistaken with 2D animation as 2D animation is based on computer drawings.
3D Animation uses models, fitted with a skeleton which animators can sculpt. This kind of animation is especially in demand nowadays.
Some of the most popular movies using 3D animation are The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Planet of Apes.
6. Motion Graphics
This kind of animation is similar to both 3D and 2D animation, but it is used in a different context.
That is, there are no characters nor stories. Motion graphics animation is used for creating different texts, images, and logos.
Basically, this animation is used in TV commercials, news programs, mobile app ads, sports broadcasts and similar.
The idea of motion graphic animation is to draw the viewers’ attention to the information that the creator wants to share with others.
7. Stop Motion Animation
It manipulates three-dimensional physical objects. However, the process differs a lot from other animation types.
Here, the animator has to photograph the object and keep moving the background in order to make it look like a movement.
This stop motion animation is not that common as it is very time-consuming.
A popular stop motion animations are South Park, and Nightmare Before Christmas.
As you can see, there are many fields you can specialize in when it comes to the animation industry.
And, yes, there are many possibilities for working as an animator in India.
But, according to recent research, around 50% of animators are self-employed.
That means that they are often working from home as freelancers and have contracts with different advertising agencies, web design companies, game production studios, movie studios, etc.
Although many freelancers love working from home, you can also choose to work in office settings. Alt.tag: A man working.
What Animation Courses Should You Take?
Choosing animation courses can be tricky
Studying animation means that you will be training for a professional future in industries such as marketing or fine art.
So, you will have the freedom of choosing your own classes, and develop your portfolio accordingly throughout the course.
This way, you will have the ability to get acquainted with different kinds of animation fields and choose the one you like the most.
However, in order to start, you first have to tackle the basics.
That is you, together with all other students, must start with mandatory classes.
These include life drawing, colour theory, principles of design, drawing form, building form, creating sculpture, and media studies.
Of course, classes may differ from course to course, but the idea is always the same.
After finishing these classes, you should have a great foundation necessary for continuing your studies. But, that is just a beginning.
As previously said, upon finishing the mandatory classes, you can choose the ones you want to focus the most.
Some of the most common classes include story development, principles of 3-D Animation, character design, animation production, action analysis, etc.
Be aware of the fact that the animation industry is very competitive nowadays.
It is competitive not only in India but all over the world. Thus, in most cases, finishing a course will not be enough to land you a job.
Because of that, you should sign up for some internship or practicum work. That is also going to be a great addition to your portfolio.
Knowledge and teamwork are essentials when it comes to the animation industry. Alt.tag: Two women looking at tablets.
What Softwares And Programs Should You Use?
If you wanted to create an animation a couple of decades ago, you would have to create more than ten thousand drawings.
Yes, it was time and energy-consuming. But, thanks to computer software, those days are gone.
Now, it is possible to create more realistic characters and settings faster than ever. But, according to many animators, these types of software come with some drawbacks too.
As there are new programs and updates every day, animators have to keep on learning and bettering themselves constantly.
Thus, when you start your animation course, you will start with some essential programs like
- Adobe Animate and Adobe After Effects– used for creating 2D animations as they are both vector-based.
- Autodesk Maya and Autodesk 3DS Max – used for 3D animations. These two programs can be found in almost all animation studios.
- Blender – quite popular as it is free and offers all the necessary features needed for animating.
- Cinema 4D – great in the field of motion graphics. But, it can not be used for other fields as it is quite limited.
- Dragonframe – used for stop motion animation. It is often recommended for beginners.
A career in animation requires investing in high-tech equipment. Alt.tag: Computers.
What Are Some of The Best Animation Courses in India?
A thorough understanding of the available animation courses will help you pick the one that’s best for you
If you are from India, there is no need to go anywhere else to study animation as there are some excellent colleges that offer top-notch courses in animation.
So, without further ado, let us mention some of the best ones.
1. National Institute Of Film And Fine Arts, Kolkata
This is probably one of the oldest and well-known colleges not only in India but across the borders too.
However, although it is old, this college is famous for its unique and innovative teaching methods and techniques.
Creativity, imagination, and resourcefulness are always encouraged.
Professors here have long careers and different approaches, but they all require one same thing from students – adding a personal touch to their work.
2. St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Kolkata
Another very old college that surprised everyone when it introduced courses in animation.
But, soon, everyone realized that this college means business and that this was a great idea.
Nowadays, it is one of the best animation colleges in the country.
Its animation labs are equipped with the latest technology, which enables students to learn easily and get jobs as soon as they graduate.
3. Whistling Woods International Institute, Mumbai
Founded by a famous film-maker Subhash Ghai. This college is the best in the country, according to many animation specialists.
But, what makes it best are not its labs and courses, but his collaborations. This college collaborates with YouTube, Dolby, and Adobe.
Thus, if you are a student here, you might end up working for some top-notch world companies.
4. Maya Institute Of Advanced Cinematic (MAAC)
This college focuses on employment driven education. That is, its goal is to educate and prepare all students in order to become the best in their field and land a job right after graduating.
Because of that, many students are interested in this college. So, be sure to calculate your GPA before applying to see whether you can compete with others.
5. Mayabious Academy – School of Animation And Visual Effects, Kolkata
This college was established almost 20 years ago and since then it proved to be one of the best in the country.
Their most famous and this required course is graphic multimedia animation.
Of course, besides that one, there are many other courses that always keep up with new technologies and software.
What Can You Do With Your Degree in Animation?
As mentioned in the beginning, having a degree in animation proved to be a lucrative profession.
For example, you can work in-game or web design, studio animation, VFX and similar. Moreover, each of these fields has many ‘sub-fields’.
The industry is growing rapidly, and now, more than ever, the need for professional animators is huge.
Another great thing is that getting a degree in animation in India will not limit you.
That is, with this degree you can work almost anywhere in the world. However, bear in mind that the market is competitive.
Thus, do everything in your power to make your portfolio stand out.
Besides animation skills, talent, knowing how each software works, you must also be a people person and work well in teams.
The reason why there are so many hardworking professional animators nowadays is not only because there is a need for them.
This job is also very interesting and highly paid as well.
P.S: Looking for an animation internship? Apply today and learn from the professionals.
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