Animation demands passion for work and communication

Bhavana Puljal - Televisionpoint.com | Hyderabad
If you've ever dreamt of creating unforgettable characters like Shrek or Aslan of Chronicles of Narnia, animation is the way to go. The media and entertainment industry in itself is very demanding.

However, experts in the field say one does not need to be overly qualified to break into the field. A Plus 2 certification and a diploma/degree from a recognised animation institute should do the trick.

The industry however, requires not only software skills. It needs an eye for detail, understanding in the basics of filmmaking, lighting, puppetry, acting, sculpture, clay modeling and stagecraft presented in digital format, besides soft skills. It also needs skilled professionals in areas of creativity, technology, management and marketing.

Animation finds application across different media - film, TV, advertising, gaming special effects, e-learning etc. Today, animation has also made inroads into a cross section of industries - from IT to medical sciences to mobile phones. So, there is ample scope for any person wishing to join the field.

Anybody can become an animator. The only criterion is passion for creativity and computers. There are people who think that to be an animator, one needs to be an artist. This is not so. True, being able to draw has its benefits in the industry.

However, what is of the utmost importance feel industry gurus is expertise in visualization, passion for the area of work and communication. Once these criteria are fulfilled, interested students can apply to any reputed institute.

In such programmes they are exposed to various scenarios that can emerge at the work place. They are also taught using different state-of-the-art softwares that are applicable to the industry.

There are primarily two kinds of animation - 2D and 3D. 2D animation is not to be misconstrued as an obsolete area of expertise for it will always have takers, according to a leading animation institute, 3D is the way to go for the moment.

With India emerging as one of leading destinations for outsource animation works, the industry currently needs about two lakh professionals, according to FICCI as opposed to 20,000 who pass out each year.

Nasscom says the Indian animation industry is expected to reach $ 1.5 billion in 2009. With such high numbers, this fast-growing industry has its share of perks too. It provides adequate remuneration for fresh young professionals.

Experts in the field say a fresher can expect a salary between Rs 12,000 and 15,000. Persons with added areas of expertise like engineering or a degree in fine arts can expect higher remuneration of Rs 30,000-35,000.

In the industry itself there are various departments to choose from. There are pre-production phases and art direction. Other choices include creative direction and content development. In the production phase, choices are modelers, riggers and animators.

In post production, one can opt for editing, compositing, sound effects and visual effects. This does not include the career options available apart from these, like background artists and junior artists.

An animated film is like an orchestrated performance by drawing artists, editors, copywriters, voice over professionals, cameramen, production managers, among others, all working under strict deadlines. Similarly too for other animation-related jobs. The thrill of running against time to keep deadlines and make clients happy is what drives animators.

Below is a list of some of the leading animation institutes in the city of Hyderabad.

Toonz Animation
A branch of Toonz Animations India, Toonz, Hyderabad runs batches of 30 students. The institute has announced its third batch of one-year diploma in 3D Animation and also the short-term courses in Maya and Visual Effects (VFX).

Students can also attend free workshops held by industry experts. The institute has trained students who have gone on to become the makers of Hanuman Returns and Tenali Raman.

Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics
Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics (MAAC), the academic and training wing of Maya Entertainment Ltd (MEL), has more than 60 centres in Asia and the Middle East with about 10,000 students enrolled this year.

Its flagship AD3D and PD3D courses are certified by the University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE). MAAC has the largest number of Autodesk certified training centers (ATCs) as well as certified instructors in India.

Image Infotainment
A pioneer in animation training and mobile gaming, Image infotainment trains students to be industry ready professionals. With the introduction of faster networks and color java handsets, mobile gaming has become quite a rage and the industry is expected to grow tenfold in the next five years.

In such times a course focused on mobile gaming can actually take students quite far. Image Infotainment is in fact looking forward to recruiting students from engineering colleges for their course. These students will be a part of the campus placement programmes and will be placed in reputed companies like Dreamworks and Rhythm and Blues.

Animaster
Animaster's foundation program (AFP) which trains students on 2D, 3D and Flash animation and other advanced tools like Maya, 3Ds Max, Combustion, Flash and Motion Builder.

Internationally, Animaster has partnered with Algonquin College, Canada, to offer the Advanced Diploma in Animation

Pentasoft
Pentasoft being one of the biggest animation studios in India is now starting its new project and the company is looking forward to appoint 500 members for our project by giving direct on job training for the students. Students with basic animation knowledge can undergo training directly in production studios.

Arena
Arena (Dilsukhnagar) is the first and only autodesk authorized training center in Andhra Pradesh for MAYA and Motion builder. The institute is also the first and only Adobe authorised training centre in the state. The institute also organises seminars and symposia in animation, multimedia, VFX and allied areas to empowering students with the real-world perspectives.

Ants
Ants trains students in specialised animation domains like modeling, compositing, rigging, lighting, texturing, VFX and colouring. These comprehensive courses are oriented towards indepth specialisation in an area chosen by the student, after he achieves a thorough understanding of the basics of animation, right from drawing concepts to software.

The specialisation course focuses on a conceptual understanding of animation that not only arms the artist with tools to do the job, but also an in-depth understanding of "how" and "why" to use them.

Frameboxx
Frameboxx Animation and Visual Effects focuses on providing world class animation, media and visual effects training. The institute also helps students with by training them on soft-skills, organising studio visits and conducting workshops and seminars by experts.

The institute recently tied-up with the prestigious 150-year old Cambridge School of Art at the Anglia Ruskin University, UK for accreditation of courses. Frameboxx offers RedBoxx and GreenBoxx courses.

The former being long-term classroom based career oriented diploma programmes and the latter being short-mid term classroom based certificate programmes based on software and technique proficiency training.