ANIMATION

ANIMATION

Scope:

The word animation is derived from a Latin word anima, meaning soul i.e. when life breathes into characters. The art of animation started with the cavemen who used to draw pictures on the rocks surfaces. Then who can forget Walt Disney for the creation of his cartoons especially the Mickey Mouse! In the present sense it means linking the series of drawings and simulating their movements together. It is a rapid display of 2D or 3D images to create an illusion of motion. It is an art form in which inanimate objects are brought into life by sequencing the drawn images.
Animation is emerging a special form of media now days. Animation is growing into a multi-billion dollar industry generating a great scope of employment for those who ready to try their skills into it. From a simple flick book to the computer 3D animation of stories, animation involves a lot of hard work and long hours of meticulous planning. This field being new to the Indian sector has a lot of hidden potential and talent, which needs to be properly groomed and exploited according to the international standards. There are many companies like Walt Disney, I Max and Sony who are ready to outsource their cartoon characters and are ready to invest heavily in this sector in India.

 Nature of Work:

3D animation is a complete teamwork and works on the creative ideas.3D animation itself is a combination of wide variety of career combinations. The various steps included in the making of a 3D animation movie consists of:
Story → Story Boarding → Character Sketch → Concept creation → Modeling → Environments → Rigging → Character and Mechanical Animation → Storyboard Animation → Lighting → Texturing → Dynamics → Voice Recording → Digital Editing → Vfx → Final Film
So one can work as a

 Model Layout artist

Clean-up artist

Scanner operator

Digital ink and paint artist

Compositor

Key frame animator

Background artist

In-between animator

Every role is crucial for the successful creation of the Animated project.PersonalityAnimation is a creative thing and one needs to have creativity while handling it. It not being a mechanical subject needs lot of passion and imaginative skills. One should have flair for sketching/drawing. It needs long hours of continuous work with a whole lot of dedication. One should be good at visualizations, choice of colors and acting too. Though this profession seems to be quite unglamorous, yet it is very exciting and unless one has the complete dedication and interest in it one should not enter this field.

Educational Qualifications:

For a diploma and for a bachelor degree in animation one needs to have passed 12th standard from any recognized board with minimum of 45% marks. For postgraduate program one should have a bachelor's degree in any discipline preferably arts. One should have a basic knowledge of handling computers.
Some of the institutes like Industrial Design Center (IDC), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Design (NID) have a strict eligibility criterion-only graduate of architecture, technology and engineering, fine arts can apply for this course.

Skills:

So just who, exactly, can aspire to a career in computer animation?

The answer, quite simply, is you.

Anyone can seek out a career in computer animation, regardless of any measure of artistic talent; all that you need is to know what you want, and to be willing to put in the necessary effort to achieve it. Computer animation is not an easy task; nor is it one that you can learn overnight, or ever stop learning, for technology in the field advances daily. But if the career path of computer animation is one that you truly want to follow, you'll find the effort as well as the end result to be enjoyable, rewarding, and fulfilling.

Know Your Path.

Just where do you start? The first and most important step is to know where you want to go in your career. Computer animation can be applied in a startling range of industries; do you want to work in 2D or 3D animation? Do your interests lie in the entertainment fileld, in gaming, in the the oil and pipeline industry? What about architectural drafting, medical imaging, web and graphic design services, or any number of other fields? If you know what field that you want to work in, it will help you in choosing a school that excels in your chosen specialty.

Hone Your Skills.

Once you've chosen your field and school, that's when the real work starts. The key products of your years of education will be your portfolio and your demo reel; these presentation pieces will be your key to showing employers your best work, and many require them when you apply. Make sure to show your best work and present it in the best light in relation to the position that you're applying for; some animators have even been known to have multiple demo reels, each highlighting specific talents and capabilities. But also, don't forget that you aren't just presenting your work; you're presenting yourself, and your resume and cover letter can weigh just as much as your portfolio and demo reel when it comes to choosing candidates for an interview.

Put Yourself on the Job Market.

So you've got your portfolio and demo reel, and your resume and cover letter are ready to send out; now it's time to start looking for a job. It's time to walk right into Sony headquarters, dazzle them with your demo reel, and demand the position of their key animator. Right?
->Wrong.

Many have the idea that one can jump right out of animation school and into a top-level, high-paying position. While this can be true in rare cases, the reality is that you will probably start off in an entry-level position doing mintor, repetitive tasks that may or may not appeal to you. Even with the convenience and expediency of computers, animation is rarely a single-person process; instead it is accomplished by teams of specialists coordinated by one or more directors. The best productions can be large-scale efforts involving over a hundred people, each a cog in the machine that produces stunning, smooth computer animations.

But don't let that discourage you. Even if you wind up as an intern that spends eight to ten hours a day resizing texture maps, you'll be gaining the most valuable tool of your entire career: experience. This is why, while you  should know where  to look in your job search, you should also never limit yourself to a specific job description, or a specific position; there are too many opportunities out there. Taking an internship or entry-level position in your general area of expertise is a good way to lead in to the job that you really want, and will give you a broader range of experience that will make you more valuable to employers down the line; also, when applying for entry-level positions without any prior experience, you're more likely to be considered for an interview.

Prepare Yourself for Your Interview.

Your interview is your foot in the door; be prepared. While the world of animation seems like it could be all fun and games, don't ever assume that it's all right to walk into an interview in a T-shirt and jeans, even if you know for certain that the dress code is Casual Everyday and Sketchers are part of the company uniform. Unless your interviewer tells you ahead of time that casual dress would be preferable for your interview, try to follow at least the business casual dress code; if you know for a fact that the company that you're applying with prefers a more corporate style, then dress to impress. It's no different from any other interview, from application to interview, follow-up to thank-you letter and acceptance. There'll be time enough later to dress down, once you've settled in and established your place.

And once you've settled in and established your place, you're well on your way. A career in computer animation isn't just a job; it's a learning process, and one that provides new chances for exploration every day. The opportunities are out there; now it's up to you to make the best of them.

References:

Wikipedia

Animation Library

Course Details

Magazines

Challenges:

A career in animation requires strong artistic skills and a solid familiarity with the latest in computer animation technologies. It also requires the ability to turn creative thoughts into compelling images, using them to effectively communicate an idea. Is this industry right for you? Could you become an animator?

There are a number of different career paths for animators. We often think of animators as the talented artists who create the cartoons we love, either for film or movies. Animators continue to work in these areas, but increasingly, many are employed creating animated graphics for a variety of projects.
This can include websites, online advertisements and video games. Animators can find full-time employment with movie or television production companies, with advertisers, web design firms, video game companies or with animation firms. Free lance work is another option for animators, particularly those specializing in web animation. Most entry-level positions will require an animator to have a bachelors degree in a related field such as fine arts or media. There are a number of computer Animation schools that offer course work specifically in computer animation and associated technologies. In addition, a strong portfolio of work which a training program can help you to develop is an essential part of landing a job in computer animation and becoming an animator.

Video Game Animation: The video game industry is just exploding right now, with no slowdown in sight. Nearly all games will need a team of animators to bring the games to life. Motion capture often is being used here as well as in movies to nail down convincing character animation. But there is still a lot of work involved obviously. This is where you could come in. : ) But this of course is one narrow example. Texture mapping, lighting effects, and other special effects are just as important to the success of a video games attempt to draw you in and immerse you. It might sound like many of the same elements in a feature film. That's because technology is closing in the gap, and the paying consumer demands more.
There is an obvious bridge between animation and video game design. This connection is often reflected in video game design programs and degrees that have strong elements of animation in their coursework.

Movie & Television Production: The full spectrum of animation in these areas is quite large. Jobs may include character animation in the form of a cartoon, logo, special effect and more. In case you haven't noticed, 3D really has taken off in the realm of computer animation and animation in general.Movies such as Lord of the Rings, Finding Nemo, the latest Star Wars prequels are all relying extensively on 3D computer animation. What would have looked fake and rigid a mere 6-7 years ago now looks photo realistic and seamless for 3D rendering and animation. A program like Maya can spit out amazingly detailed and convincing characters like Gollum (seen below), Ring Wraiths, and an insane amount of fighting, screaming Orcs. Exciting techniques involving motion capture can really add to the realism of characters. It really is an exciting time to be in the industry. Texture mapping, lighting effects, collision detection and special effects also need to be covered.
TV also offers a fair amount of opportunity in computer animation. Commercials are littered with animated logos, cats that sing, and bottles that dance. : ) Local News always has an animator of some kind doing the logo fly in or that kind of thing. There are also TV movies, and obviously shows that rely on a computer artist to do some digital special effects. Some may start their animation career this way. 

Certifications:

There are no such certifications available for Animations.Just a degree or a diploma from a reputed university will do.Some of the major training institutes of Animation are MAYA and ARENA MULTIMEDIA.