Animation is the art of presenting still photographs with the help of various computer based techniques in a manner which gives an impression to the viewer that it is running like a film. It could be a mixed version of multimedia text, graphic art, sound, animation and video sourced through computer or some other electronic media.
Godzilla spewing fire on the New York streets, aliens roaming on the earth, Spiderman hiking on tall buildings, Hanuman and Ganesh fighting with the demons and children’s favourite Jumbo! All these characters and their unique acts could appear on the screen only due to the animation and multimedia techniques. Hollywood’s Jurassic Park and Bollywood’s blockbuster Krish are two major examples of the success of animation and multimedia technique.
Animation and multimedia is now no more confined to cinema but it has become an integral part of the advertising, TV media, Education, Games, Cartoon serials etc.. Multimedia is a combined version of text, animation, graphics, sound, video etc. In other words, multimedia’s main role is to present the audio-video material in an aesthetic manner. Animation is also related to it, which involves accurate combination of the design, drawing, layout and photography.
Some successful professionals in the field:
• Supreet Bhamrah, Managing Director, Frameboxx
• Ram Mohan, the doyen of Indian animation, His persistence to create an animated version of the Ramayana epic, in collaboration with Japanese filmmaker Yogo Sako, made the international movie industry aware of the immense talent and content available in the country
• Freelance graphic designer Saurabh Pulkit
• Anshuman Misra, Managing Director of Turner International India
• Rajiv Chilaka, founder and managing director, Green Gold Animation Pvt. Ltd. Although an engineering graduate, Chilaka found his calling in animation and today is a successful animation director with films such as Chhota Bheem, Krishna and the very recent Vikram Betal in his kitty.
• Meghna Ghai-Puri, president, Whistling Woods International
• Vaibhav Kumaresh, Director, Vaibhav Studios
• Girish Mahajan, Co-founder and Director, Webitude
• Shekhar Kapoor, Siddarth Kotain and Gotham Chopra,
• Rishi Raj, Character Artist, Mobility Arts,
Other key players in the animation industry include Pentamedia Graphics, Color Chips, Toonz Animation, Purple Image Technologies, Crest Communications, Sriven, Multitech, UTV Toons etc.
Courses & Eligibility for admission:
• 2.5 years Diploma after 10+2 with any stream • 3 year B.Sc after 10+2 with any stream • 2 year M.Sc after Graduation
• 2 year Masters in Design in Animation after Graduation in Engg/Arch/Design/BFA/M.Sc. * 2.5 year PGDPD (Animation Film Design) after any Graduation
• 1 year PGDAM after any Graduation/BE/B.Tech in any stream
The basic requirement is excellent creative and artistic abilities such as a flair for drawing, sketching or caricaturing.
Ample creativity and ability to imagine is paramount to gain expertise in multimedia and animation. Sound knowledge of computers, pleasing personality, flexibility, mathematical and analytical skills, communication skills, ability to work in a team, artistic taste is also necessary.
Today a lot of projects worldwide are being executed using Flash software. People with strong drawing skills should venture into 2D animation based on Flash.
Animation also covers visual and special effects – VFX and SFX that make surreal look real in movies.
With formal education in two dimensional or three dimensional work skills, aspirants can easily become qualified animators.
Professional diploma programmes in animation and multimedia can be taken up for higher study. Aspirants can specialise in multiple fields: three dimensional (3D) or two dimensional (2D) modelling, special FOX Creation, animation, character design, games design and interaction design.
Institutions offering the Course:
Following are some of the prestigious institutions:
• IIT Guwahati, Mumbai
• Jagaran Institute of Management and Mass Communication, NOIDA
• Arena Animation Academy
• Arena Multimedia, www.arena-multimedia.com
• Integrated Management College, New Delhi
• Maya Academy of Advance Cinematics, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi, www.maacindia.com
• Pran’s Media, New Delhi
• Geco Animation Studio, New Delhi
• AFA Animation and Fine Arts Academy, Coimbatore
• Aptech Limited Pan India
• Picasso-Centennial Animation College Pan India, www.picasso.co.in
• Whistling Woods International Mumbai, www.whistlingwoods.net
• The Animation Society of India
• Annamalai University through Distance Education
• Karnataka State Open University through Distance Education
• Punjab Technical University through Distance Education
Job prospects:
According to a random estimate more than two lakh multimedia professionals would be required in a few years. The estimates also reveal that Global Animation Industry has crossed the $ 75 billion mark in 2009 and the Indian share has also risen to $ 950 million. It has grown @ 37 percent annually during 2005-09. Currently, it is growing at the rate of 30 percent per annum. These figures prove that there are ample employment opportunities in this field.
The animation industry in India, though a late bloomer, is considered to be one of the fastest growing sectors in the field of multimedia. According to a recent study conducted by Assocham and Deloitte, it is expected to grow at 20 percent to reach Rs 1,154 crore by 2013 from the current 556 crore, indicating a plethora of job prospects for aspiring animators.
NASSCOM has pegged the turnover for the industry in India at US $ One billion by 2012. In addition, the Indian animation business struck gold with the entry of global giants such as Walt Disney, DQ Entertainment, IMAX, Warner Brothers, Sony and a host of leading cartoon channels in search of content from India and its rich cultural heritage. They are working closely together with big banners such as Yashraj, Pritish Nandy Communications and UTV to create animated movies for the global market.
After completing a course in multimedia and animation, a student can seek a job in any of the following areas: media, multimedia, films, publishing, designing, entertainment industry, video game company, advertising firm, computer company, web designing company etc. A trained professional can make a beginning from the Ad industry. They can become a texture artiste, 3D modeler and Animators etc. Possibilities for self employment are also there.
Leading channels such as Pogo, Cartoon Network, BBC and Nickelodeon, among others, are focusing on localised content for their programming.
Cartoon Network has been on the path of aggressive localisation since the year 2001, with content being the key corner stone of this strategy. Keeping the same in mind, the network acquired its first locally produced shows – ‘Pandavas -The Five Warriors’ and ‘Sinbad - Beyond the Veil of Mists’ from Chennai based Pentamedia Graphics and tales from Panchtantra. “This also made us the first international kids channel to acquire and showcase India made animation productions,” adds Misra. It also has showcased back-to-back episodes of popular Indian animations such as, The Adventures of Tenali Raman (created by Trivandrum based Toonz Animation Studios), The Adventures of Chhota Birbal (produced by Mumbai based CB Media Ventures), among others.
Keeping the modern trends in mind, it can capture the interests of international market too. For instance, ‘Little Krishna’, Big Animation’s first 3D film based on seven years of extensive research, bagged the best animation category in the Asian Television Awards in Singapore.
Shemaroo Entertainment’s ‘Ghatothkach- Master of Magic’ was screened at the Cannes film festival in 2008. ‘Hanuman’ and its sequel ‘The Return of Hanuman’ were a major theatrical success in India.
Arun D’Souza, head, Monitoring and Evaluation, Autodesk India and SAARC, explains that the success in India of animation movies such as Avatar, Kung Fu Panda and Chhota Bheem have inspired confidence among Indian movie makers and the animation industry.
Then there is the gaming including mobile gaming industry. The Indian gaming market is estimated at Rs 1,089 crore and is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of over 50 percent to reach Rs 59,252 crore by 2013.
You can also apply animation in medicine for generating real-life images of human body to help physicians diagnose ailments or even perform virtual surgeries.
Animation is used in sports to show virtual playground to the team and explain various strategies.
You can also use animation in architecture for creating three-dimensional models and building designs.
Animation is also being applied in archaeology, physical science, forensics, online learning and various methods of education.
Relevant Organisations to join:
• Film Industry for animation movies,
• TV Industry for cartoon films,
• Games Industry
• Mobile Industry
• Advertising Industry for publicity of products and services.
The scope of animation in advertising covers areas such as script writing, character designing, art direction, story boarding, sound designing, technical direction, production management and voicing for animation. These days the media is helping generate awareness and enthusiasm among viewers for more and more animated content in advertising.
Look around and one will find a spate of animated mascots such as Louie, the gangster-styled mosquito, selling its own death knell in the form of Mortein, Pillsbury’s cherubic doughboy, Bajaj Allianz’s informative Super Agent, ICICI’s common man Chintamani and the queen of all endorsers – the impish Amul girl, whose charisma is still unmatchable and splashed across all forms of media!
Some of the famous studios are Toonz India, Crest Communications, DataQuest, Prana, Visual Computing Labs, JadooWorks, Toonz Animation, Paprikaas Animation, Padmalaya ZICA, CGI Mantra and Idea Studios, among others.
Remuneration:
A junior animator (after getting on-the-job training at a leading animation studio) earns between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 per month. A senior animator with three to five years of work experience earns between Rs 30,000 and Rs 40,000, while an outstanding portfolio can fetch aspirants up to Rs 50,000 a month. A creative director earns double of that.
Tips for successful career:
It is necessary for students to opt for institutes that give them leeway to build expertise in their favourite field. The course should not be generic; it should offer specialised training in different fields such as modeling, texturing, lighting, storyboarding, scripting, compositing, editing and sound designing among others, depending on the creative abilities of the student.
Before joining a course, one should be able to enjoy the process of making movies besides a basic knowledge of animation.
Imagination, creativity and diligence are the basic pre-requisites for success in multimedia. A student must clearly decide before selecting a course that whether he wants to become a graphic designer or an arts director or animator or the multimedia designer.
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