Animation Courses: Who hasn’t watched cartoons while growing up and does not love them? The very first exposure of a child to television is through cartoons. Cartoons narrate simple and thoughtful things through very innocent and funny stories. Mother is the child’s first teacher, they say but surely Cartoons are the child’s second teacher. Mickey Mouse, Dora- the Explorer, and Peppa Pig are some examples of educational cartoons airing on TV these days.
Ever wondered, how they are made? How do they imitate human behaviours so perfectly? How do they make us laugh and teach us things at the same time? The answer to this is one simple word “Animation”. Animation is the art of storytelling using visual arts. It is a sequence of many still pictures played at a very high speed so as to create a vision of moving objects.
Animation and VFX (visual effects) go hand in hand. VFX technique is used on real things or people so as to create a particular scene, for example, Hrithik Roshan flying in Krrish 3. Animation is more of an art that is implemented on the 2D or 3D drawings, for example, Tom and Jerry.
In this technology-driven era, the success rate of animation and VFX is blooming. A career in this will do wonders as seeing its recognization in India and around the world.
Animation Courses Scope
It is a very popular notion “Enjoy your work”. Being in the animation field you can actually enjoy your work. There will always be a new idea, a new story to tell which is to be presented in a way better than the last. You always prosper. There is no such thing as “I know everything” in this field. There is always a new challenge that awaits you. There is always a sense of competitiveness with yourself to prove yourself again and again with every new day.
With the advancement and elevation in the digitalization world, India offers many opportunities for animators to showcase their skills. Today, there is no field without animation. Departments like education (e-learning), real estate, and medical care utilise animation and visual effects to present their upgraded 3D models. Even Political rallies are availing some of the animation professionals to exhibit their motives and agendas in an attractive way.
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The film and entertainment industries are also fast pacings these days. With a sudden upswing in OTT platforms, the entertainment industry is outdoing itself to create the best of content. Disney movies and Marvel Series are some of the best examples of the work of Animation and VFX professionals in Film making.
Courses Available
There are various Animation courses available for each level- Certificate, Diploma, Undergraduate, and Post-graduate. Aspirants can choose the level of course accordingly.
Level | Courses Available |
Certificate (3-12 months) | 2D Animation 3D Animation Visual Effects (VFX) |
Diploma (1-2 years) | 2D Animation 3D Animation Digital Animation Animation and Film-making |
UG Bachelors Degree (3 years) | B.Sc. in Animation and Multimedia B.Sc. in Digital Art and Technology BA in Digital Film-making and Animation BA in Animation and VFX BA in Animation and Graphic Design |
PG Masters Degree (2 years) | M.Sc. in Animation M.sc. in Game Technology MA in Animation and Multimedia |
Animation Courses Admission and Eligibility
Course Level | Eligibility |
Certificate | High School (10th) pass out from any recognized board |
Diploma | Intermediate (10+2) pass out from any recognized board |
UG | Intermediate pass out from any recognized board with qualifying marks as per norms of the institute |
PG | Bachelor’s degree from any recognized board with qualifying marks as per norms of the institute |
Aspirants can choose the institute of their choice after fulfilling all the eligibility criteria of the institute.
Top Institutes offering Animation Courses
- National Institute of Film and Fine Arts, Kolkata
- Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics, Mumbai
- Zee Institute of Creative Arts, Mumbai
- The Toonz Academy, Tamil Nadu
- Whistling Woods International, Mumbai
- Indian Institute of Digital Art and Animation, Kolkata
Career and Jobs
After obtaining the desired qualification, you can choose your area of interest and find a job profile according to that. Remember, you can be an animator only if you have creativity and interest in the field. The animation industry generates an immense amount of workload and pressure, you will only be able to pass through that level of stress if you enjoy your work and really wanted to create animations. Otherwise, it will be a mere hectic job that you just wanna be done with.
Some of the popular job profiles are –
- Production Department: responsible for handling the funds required
- Producer
- Director
- Production Coordinator
- Development Department: responsible for planning thoughts and ideas for a project
- Writer
- Concept Artist
- Pre-Production Department: lays out the picture of the characters and plots
- Art Director
- Storyboard Artist
- Character Animator
- Modeller/ Model Maker
- Production Department: Finalizes each shot
- Rigger
- Animator
- Animation Technical Director
- Layout Artist
- Lighting Artist
- Special Effects Artist
- Post Production Department: adds the final touches like music and sound effects
- Sound Designer
- Composer
- Editor
- Distribution Department: sells the product
- Sales Executive
- Marketing Executive
Skills Required
Any career requires a certain set of skills that one must possess to excel in her field. As for any animation-related career path, some basic skillset that an organization looks for while hiring some candidates are:
- Creative Aptitude: Animators must have high creative and imaginative power to transform simple arts into innovative ones.
- Computer Skills: Animators must have good command over different applications and software used in creating animations.
- Attention to Details: Animators must have a keen and precise eye to notice and improve the minute details
- Illustration Skills
- Time Management Skills
- Flexibility and Adaptability
Salary
The salary of an animator entirely depends on his job profile, work experience, and qualification. Since it is an applied and professional course, an animator hardly sits idle at home. Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, and Hyderabad are the cities that hire Animators in large numbers.
On average, a fresher in the field can earn up to INR 16,000 per month. After work experience and gaining expertise, one can earn up to INR 50,000 or more per month.
Books and Study Material
For a better understanding of the basics and concepts of Animation, aspirants should refer to the following books: