Build a Career in Animation (Complete Study Guide)

According to research, India’s animation market increased by 15.5% in 2022 to reach Rs. 15,976 crores. Just imagine getting paid for developing cartoon characters like the Ice Age, Bolt, and Batman. Yes, that’s an animation- turning real-life characters into animated cartoon form. Want to build a career in animation? Read till the end to know about the pros and cons of a career in animation, career paths in animation, top universities to consider for building a career in animation, and more.

Must Read: Top Animation Courses

What is Animation?

Earlier, cartoons were static. Do you remember reading comics? Animation has brought life to such static cartoons used in comics and made them dynamic. In a simple manner, we can say that animation is a process that allows us to create an illusion of motion with the help of static pictures. We just simply put them in such sequence or apply such techniques that make the pictures move in a natural way.

Having a career in animation would be rewarding because technology always tends to rise since the very first existence of human beings. Can you determine what can be the next trend? No, Right? Look at the pattern- first Disney came into existence in the year 1923 and after that, Cartoon Network also became popular with it in the year 1992.

Once you develop a character, it may also last for a lifetime in someone’s heart as Walt Disney did with Mickey Mouse. And if you love to draw out things, you should opt for such a career because there are few artists who get success on paper. So we recommend you to move towards trends not away from them. 

Must Read: 3D Animation Courses

Skills Required for Building a Career in Animation

Those who are in the animation field are crackerjacks in so many skills. So our Leverage Edu team has worked hard to show the reality. Without these skills, it would be difficult for anyone to pursue animation as a career:

• Drawing
• Good Communication Skills
• Storytelling
• Basic Knowledge About Computers
• High Imagination Capability
• Continuous Learning Attitude
• Precision 
• Patience 
• Attention to details 
• Computer literacy 
• Strong creativity and imagination
• Organization skills 
• Self-motivation 

Some of the technical skills that are in demand in the market for an animator are:

• Adobe Acrobat®
• Adobe AfterEffects®
• User experience wireframing
• Adobe Photoshop®
• Adobe InDesign®
• Graphic design
• Adobe Illustrator®
• Interaction design
• Motion graphics
• Prototyping

Also Read: Animation Course after 12th- Top Courses in 2021

Career In Animation: Pros

Establishing a career in Animation enables you with various perks. Have a look at the below mention pointers and know more about the advantageous field you are about to step in-

• Freedom To Show Your Creativity – If you are drawing out something you have seen in your dreams, believe me, it’s totally okay. Nobody is going to stop you. And you can even get hired because of the cartoon that you have created just for fun.
• Inspiration – Our ultimate purpose in life is to make an impact. After all, we are here to learn, teach and help each other. A career in animation will give you this opportunity to inspire. Like any other artist, you would be able to portray your feelings and thoughts to the real world.
• Flexibility – If the project is all yours, you may work on your preferred timings. You will have full control over your work life but the situation may vary if you work as an employee or with a client.
• Freelancing – For over the last few years, people are transitioning from jobs to freelancing because it offers them flexibility so that they can go outside to get inspiration for the next characters and stories. Moreover, they can either work for a corporate client or get in touch with the entertainment industry.

Must Read: Creative Technology Careers

Career in Animation: Cons

Despite the fact that it is one of the preferred fields among the youth, a career in Animation can sometimes be tedious. Here we have listed some cons that you may face while working as an Animator.

• Strict Deadlines – You will have to deal with stern deadlines if you are working as an employee in a company. Moreover, you will have to follow the demands of the employer. They won’t give you the level of flexibility that you may get in doing your own projects in freelancing.
• Patience – A single aspect of the project may consume a lot of time. You have to be very patient when it comes to making a complex character. Sometimes animators just end up embellishing the hairs of the character for days.
• Up-to-Date – As you know technology is changing intensively and you will have to keep yourself updated in this career because technology directly affects the nature of this field.
• Restrictions – Being an animator or having a career in animation is not an easy cakewalk. It also comes with a lot of restrictions and rules to be followed especially when you working for a specific company or organization that is catering to a specific market segment. Employees and interns have to always work and act in compliance with the company’s rules, laws, and standards.

Also Read: How to Make a Career in Online Gaming?

Courses in Animation

To kick-start your career in Animation, here are some of the popular courses that you may pursue-

Bachelor’s Courses	Master’s Courses	PhD Courses
–Bachelor of Design Innovation- Animation and Visual Effects  –Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation  -Bachelor of Design (Animation and Interactive Media)  -Bachelor of Design in Animation -Bachelor of Arts in Art 2D and 3D Animation  –Bachelor of Creative Arts (Animation and Motion Capture)  – Bachelor of Interactive Media focus on 2D Animation (Standard)  –Bachelor of Film, Television and Animation  –Advanced Diploma in Animation  -BA Animation (Hons)  –BSc (Hons) Computer Animation and Visual Effects	-Master of Arts in Animation  -Master of Arts in Animation- Motion Graphics  -MLitt Media and Communication  -MSc Animation and VFX  -Master of Arts in Illustration and Animation  -MA 3D Computer Animation -Master of Arts in Animation- Technical Artist  -Master of Arts in Animation- Motion Graphics  -MA Animation  -MSc Digital Visual Effect	-Ph.D. in Animation and Visual Effects  -Ph.D. in Creative Arts and Media  -Ph.D. (Informatics)- IPAB: Robotics, Computer Vision, Computer Graphics and Animation  -Ph.D. of Animation Design  -Ph.D. Animation and Multimedia  -Ph.D. Animation and Digital Arts

Also Read: Career in Multimedia and Animation

Top Universities Abroad at a Glance 

S.No.	University/ College	Location
1	Massachusetts College of Art and Design	USA
2	School of Visual Arts	USA
3	Laguna College of Arts and Design	USA
4	Florida State University	USA
5	University of Pennsylvania	USA
6	Ohio State University	USA
7	Columbia College of Chicago	USA
8	Pratt Institute	USA
9	Brigham Young University	USA
10	Maryland Institue College of Art	USA
11	University of Hertfordshire	UK
12	DePaul University	USA
13	Loyola Marymount University	USA
14	University of Southern California	USA
15	Sheridan College	Canada
16	Bournemouth University	UK
17	RMIT University	Australia
18	Emily Carr University of Art and Design	Canada
19	University of Teesside	UK
20	University of Technology, Sydney	Australia

Must Read: Animation Courses in New Zealand

Career in Animation: Top Universities in India 

S.No.	University/ College	Location
1	St. Xavier’s College	Kolkata
2	National Institute of Film and Fine Arts	Kolkata
3	Arena Animation	Delhi, Bangalore, Noida, and Mumbai.
4	FX School	Mumbai
5	Maya Institute of Advanced Cinematic	Delhi, Mumbai, Pune
6	Picasso Animation College	Bangalore
7	Mayabious Academy- School of Animation and Visual Effects	Kolkata
8	Zee Institute of Creative Art	Bangalore
9	Whistling Woods International Institute	Mumbai
10	Toonz Academy	Thiruvananthapuram
11	National Institute of Design	Ahmedabad
12	Vellore Institute of Technology	Vellore
13	Birla Institute of Technology	Jaipur
14	Vogue Institute of Fashion Technology	Bengaluru
15	Delhi Film Institute	New Delhi
16	Academy of Animation and Gaming	Noida
17	Indian Film & Television Institute	Meerut
18	Amity University	Gurgaon and Lucknow
19	ICAT Design and Media College	Chennai
20	Picasso Animation College	Bengaluru

Know more about Animation Colleges In India: 2021 

Career in Animation: Trending Job Profiles

Animator
An animator is the most traditional career path in this field. So an animator basically makes animation and produces a series of visual effects for media using various software programs and illustrations. He acts as a planner, creator, and coordinator. Primarily, an animator works in video industries, games, advertising agencies, motion pictures, and specialist design companies.

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3D Modeler
As the name suggests, 3D modelers usually construct visual images and models in 3D shapes. A 3D modeler works in the following industries:

• Aerospace
• Environmental agencies
• Firms
• Automotive industry
• Real estate
• Government Agencies
• Forensics
• Interior Design Firms
• Technology firms.

Character Rigger
The work of a Character Rigger is to regulate the geometry of characters and fundamental skeletons. Therefore, one has to be quite technical, precise, and focused. A character Rigger often works in visual effects houses, design firms, animation studios, and game design companies.

Animation Director
The animation director is the position of director who elucidates a brief of the project. He ensures that the team that includes assistants and various animators is working as per the brief needs or not.

Forensic Animator
A Forensic Animator indulges in the process of recreation of events to extract the data out of the observations taken from police officers, forensic experts, shreds of evidence, and eyewitnesses. Such animators usually work for law enforcement agencies, attorneys, the government, investigation firms, or science labs.

Mathematical Modeler
Well, the mathematicians are also here! The work of a mathematical modeler is to analyze and debug mathematical errors in animation modeling. Sometimes a mathematical modeler introduces new concepts to various animation-related industries.

Stop Motion Animator
Stop-motion animation requires an impeccable amount of skills that comprise attentiveness, details, and patience. Commonly, it’s called clay animation or claymation. Stop motion is an animated-film-producing technique in which objects are manipulated physically. Unlike 2D or 3D animators, Stop motion animators have to set up physical rigs.

FAQs

Have A Bright Creative Career in Animation

Even though work becomes challenging sometimes but this field will give you a space to showcase your creativity. What? Do you still have any specific questions? Contact Leverage Edu at +91-8826200293 now and we would look to doodle a career map for you.