Career Scope of Animation in India

India is known as a hub of animation and there is a wide scope for this field in India as well as abroad. According to recent studies, Animation market in India is likely to reach about INR 180 billion by 2024 at a growth rate of 29%. This rise is expected due to the growing audience for animated content across different age groups. A career in animation involves artistic satisfaction as well as financial benefits. Candidates who choose 3D Animation as their career need to undergo specialised training which equips them to enhance their design skills, develop an innovative approach, and learn technical skills which can help them execute their creative ideas.

Do you wish to begin your career in animation? Here are a few guidelines for you-

• Follow a step-by-step approach-

If you wish to pursue a career in animation, then you need to start by acquiring a certification, diploma or a bachelor’s degree in animation. To achieve this, you need to focus on getting admitted to the top 20 animation colleges in India for better knowledge, enhanced skills and also better placement options. To choose the right institute, you need to carry out some research or consult with experts to understand about best animation courses in Mumbai or all over India. Moreover, different courses have different timelines and different eligibility criteria. You might also require to appear for entrance exams in animation to get enrolled in good training institutes. If you choose to get enrolled in BSc in animation and VFX, then this course will last for three years. And a diploma course will range from six months to one-and-a-half-years. For enrolling for a degree or diploma course in animation, the eligibility criteria are 10+2 from an authorised board with a minimum 45% score.

• Equip yourself with the right skill set

You do not need to opt for any special subjects for enrolling in an academic course in animation. However, the skills which you need are an aptitude in character drawing and sketching, interest in computer education and most importantly, strong visualisation skills. These skills will always prove to be beneficial in gaining entry and excelling in the animation industry. Also, it would be very apt to study fine arts as it is an ideal way to give a push to your career in animation. However, it is not mandatory. In such a condition, you must have a zeal to learn, the ability to work hard and the passion to excel in your career.

What would be the ideal attributes for building a successful career in animation?

If you are passionate towards this field, have loads of creativity, and possess a great sense of visualisation, then yes, animation can be the right career path for you! A good animator is someone who can blend his/her visualisation and creativity with advanced technology to create magic on-screen. He/she also needs to be efficient at sketching and drawing, and needs to have a deep understanding of the anatomy, expressions and structural proportions of humans, birds, and animals. All these skills combined with advanced technical knowledge, patience, perseverance and hard work can make you a successful animator. Also, you may require to work with a large team and having good communication and co-working skills will help you to fulfil your responsibilities and excel in your job.

So, if you feel that you possess these skills or are ready to acquire them through training and hard work, then yes! Animation is the right field for you.

Education required to start a career in animation-

You need to enrol yourself for a Professional diploma or Bachelor’s degree course in 2D or 3D animation and multimedia. During this education, you will learn to shape your artistic capabilities and present them on-screen with the help of advanced technology and software. Along with sketching, drawing and caricaturing, you will be trained in the following techniques, skills and software-

1. Flash Software is necessary for animation and in the VFX industry
2. 2D and 3D modelling
3. Surface modelling and texturing
4. Character designing
5. Rigging
6. Lighting
7. Product design
8. Pre-setting the motion of a character

Following are some of the best animation colleges in Mumbai and all over India which offer comprehensive courses for candidates pursuing animation as their career-

1. Arena Animation
2. FX School
3. Frameboxx
4. ITM Institute of Design and Media, Mumbai
5. ZICA (Zee Institute of Creative Art)
6. Industrial Design Centre (IDC), IIT Bombay – Mumbai
7. National Institute of Design (NID)
8. Reliance Education
9. Amity University – Mumbai
10. IIFA Multimedia – Bangalore
11. MIT Institute of Design & Art University – Pune
12. Asian Institute of Gaming and Animation – Bangalore
13. Indian Institute of Digital Art & Animation – Kolkata
14. Asian Academy of Film and Television – Noida
15. World University of Design – Haryana
16. Toonz Academy
17. Thakur ToonSkool Advanced Animation Academy

Apart from these, many more institutes in India offer good animation courses to shape enhance the creativity, technical expertise and innovation of candidates and prepare them for their careers in animation.

Upon completing your 10 + 2 with a minimum score of 45%, the candidates might require to appear for an entrance exam higher animation Training

Programmes such as-

1. BSc in animation and VFX
2. Diploma in animation and multimedia
3. BA in Animation
4. Certification Courses in animation and multimedia

Candidates can choose to specialise in many sub-fields of animations which are given below-

1. 2D & 3D Design and Modelling
2. Game Design
3. Animation
4. Interactive Design
5. Character Designing
6. Product Designing
7. Special FOX Creation
8. Lighting Artist
9. Texturing Artist
10. Background Artist
11. 3D website and Graphic design
12. Key Frame Animator
13. Character animation
14. Image Editor
15. Layout Artist
16. Illustrator
17. Storyboard Artist
18. Rendering artist
19. Clean-Up Artist
20. Digital Ink and Paint Artist
21. Rigging Artist
22. Scriptwriter
23. Art director

What are the multiple employment avenues for an animator in India?

There is a wide scope for employment in animation. A good candidate can get employed in the following fields-

Filmmaking: Animation movie makers approach agencies for employing animators who can design their characters and bring them on-screen according to the storyline. Hence this is an important field that offers amazing job opportunities for animators.

Advertising: Animators also have a good scope of career in the advertising industry thanks to the growing use of special effects and animation in advertisements.

Gaming Companies: An animator also has a good scope of working in gaming companies.

E-learning: Animators can also work in the e-learning domain as there is an increasing demand for animation effects in digital learning.

Freelancing: A candidate can also start his/her animation institute and get established as a freelance animation artist.

What is the monthly salary of an animator in India?

The salary of a candidate working in the animation industry depends on his/her expertise, experience and skill set, as well as the employer in question. Apart from being employed in a firm, candidates can also choose to take up freelance work as a 3D animator, web animator, or graphic designer.

Benefits of having a career in animation-

• Creative satisfaction and freedom to innovate -

Animation is a field that offers optimum satisfaction to creative minds. Also, as animators are experts in their field, many firms offer them complete freedom to innovate on different ideas. This is one of the prime benefits of being an animator and working in the creative industry.

• Freedom to express your ideas and path-breaking innovations-

There is no thumb rule about right or wrong when it comes to creativity and creative expression. As an animator, you can have the freedom to paint the world with as many colours as you want and give shape to the most unique and interesting characters. You can decide the artistic perspective of the projects you are working on and add your personal touch to every character.

• Enhanced teamwork, interaction and networking-

While working on animation projects, many creative minds from the industry come together to bring the conceived concept to life. So, while working in such a dynamic industry, you can get the opportunity to interact, network and work with many innovative and expert professionals and widen your horizon.

• You get to work flexible working hours-

Many animators, if not all, have the freedom to work according to flexible schedules. However, you need to adhere to the deadlines and complete the tasks as expected by the team or clients. This freedom allows you to pursue your hobbies along with your career.

To sum up,

Animation is the best career option for an individual who can think differently, innovate and bring their innovations to life with technical expertise. Such candidates have a wide scope to create a career in domains such as entertainment, game design, the film industry, advertising and more. The best-suited candidates for animation are those who are interested and passionate about art, drawing, designing, gaming and visual content development.

As there is an extensive scope for animators in different countries, it is advisable to equip yourself with versatile skills to excel in this career which has rising demand in the national and international markets. Apart from skill sets, practical knowledge and hands-on experience is also a key factor that helps you to achieve new heights in your career. In a nutshell, animation is an amazing career for creative minds which has a growing market with much-needed satisfaction and endless opportunities to flourish. If you have any questions or want to understand more about a career in animation, get in touch with us right away!

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