Let’s start with understanding what Animation really is. Everytime the word animation pops up we think of walt disney, cartoon network or even pogo channels, characters that look like drawings but are wonderfully rendered and have motion. In simple words animation is the illusion of movement from watching cartoons on television and moving to a big screen of a theater to watch animated movies. The field has come a long way. Remember when we were kids we would be given flipbooks which would tell a story, the faster you would flip the book you would see the image moving as if there was an actual movement happening inside the little book but in reality it was just about rapid movement of all the images in a sequence.
The dictionary meaning of “animate” means to give life to. The art of drawing movement is Animation. Animation Design is a career which calls for creative minds to think out of the box and come up with ideas that will not only be still but will be able to create motion which is caught by the naked eye in simple things. Animation as a course helps you create a thought process that opens up your creative imagination skills, helps in story building and uses these areas of creativity to convey messages, stories, etc with the help of 2-D or 3-D effects, characters or even drawings that are showing movement.
Why is Animation now so popular? Looking at the use of animation it now not only targets animated movies or series or cartoons but also has increased its presence in creating content across all social media forums. The recent research has shown how the global animation market size is expected to hit around $642.5 billion by 2030. The popularity of this field has touched television, media, all the entertainment industry sectors, education sector and also the gaming world.
With the world becoming technologically advanced and opening up to all kinds of digital media talent, creative animators are needed to make ideas transform into reality. Animation industry now has increased in size, talent and work programming which means with the popularity and acceptance of digital art and animation the industry is growing at a fast-pace. Young animators need to learn to use a variety of techniques, be digital savvy, keep minds open to new changes and updates in the technological world.
Here’s an Ultimate Guide to Becoming an Animator:
1. Find out everything about animation field
It’s extremely important to know about the field you are planning to pursue a career in. Talk to animators on linkedIn, meet counsellors are INSD, Pune and understand the syllabus and scope of the field, meet the students see their portfolios and get a brief of what you would like to know more in detail about this field. Post which now segregate your ideas of what work in the field you would like to study and what you probably won’t enjoy. It’s important to understand what kind of work you would like to make, what is the history of animation and which movies, advertisements or videos made a difference in the evolution of the field and watch a lot of those clips in order to understand what you are getting into.
2. What Degree and Diploma programmes for animation are available ?
While researching the same look into all the areas of the field in terms of studies and courses. It’s of utmost importance to have a degree or a certification in the course if you are looking at working in this field of design.
Though short courses like certificate, diplomas give you an over all look into the field courses that come with graduate programmes will work on in-depth knowledge of the field and practical work but both types of these programmes help you start your work in the field as they are curated keeping in mind students who are pursuing different degrees, are working in various sectors and are looking at changing their profession apart from freshers.
3. Understand the requirements to be a good Animator
Courses will expose you to the knowledge and practical technicalities of the field but along with those it’s important for students to explore options and learn about the changing trends and softwares that are coming up in the department. Most often we think of the subjects that we must master in design courses but we forget about working on the basic skills in design that start with the art of developing creative thinking, design thinking and also learning about softwares like illustrator, photoshop and so on to lay a foundation that the entire career stands up on.
The range of animation courses offered at different levels at International School Of Design Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad is various with professional mentors helping students to find their existing skills.
Soft skills and personality development are also skills that a designer must work on as presentation of self in front of employers, colleagues and potential employers or business partners is equally important to having a good portfolio. Honing qualities like teamwork, problem solving skills and being punctual are also additional requirements not just in order to be a good animator but to be a good designer.
4. Portfolio speaks louder than words
Whether you want to start your own animation work, work for a company or be a freelancer, having a portfolio is one of the most important aspects of showing that you have a degree, certificate or diploma in animation and your skills are as good as you are trying to portray in the interview. Digital portfolios have created a boom in every design industry but what’s important is to know which platforms are best for animation design portfolios, how to keep these portfolios accessible to brands that you aspire to work with. Let the digital portfolio have the best of your work and short descriptions of what led you to this work and the project. Many times students forget to update their portfolios from time to time which we strictly advise you to change. Your social media handles, portfolio digital and raw should always start with the new projects.
Update your contact information and resumes from time to time and keep them accessible as well on your website.
5. Don’t say a no to opportunity that knocks on your door
If opportunities like small commissioned work comes along as a freelancer or even as one time projects don’t say a no as these opportunities will help you with getting the hang of how work would be in the future and also some projects will be more fun and enticing which will help you understand your niche, strengths and knowledge in each of the topic.
These gigs, experiences and small commissions will help you understand what you want to master and what you want to take forward in the future as work related to animation, this kind of work also helps you form a network with like-minded people and builds a community of professionals which in the future can be an extreme help.
These are a few tips on how you start your career in animation and what you must look out for in order to create your mark in the industry. Social media now is not just a means of uploading pictures and videos but if used in the right manner can also help build a community of professionals and learn from them. This kind of networking can help bring up opportunities that you are manifesting or even bring up things you would like to try your hand at. Go ahead and research, enrol and enjoy the journey of becoming an animator.
