Animation
I am a Plus Two student in the science stream with Computer Science as a subject. I would like to know about the higher study opportunities in animation and the associated job prospects.
Bala
Ernakulam
Animation is emerging as a promising career field with technological advances in film, television and multimedia. If you have good drawing skills and imagination, essential qualities required in an animator, do an animation course after Plus Two.
Animation’s application areas include entertainment business and sales, education, tourism, publishing, Web design and fashion design. The advertising industry has led in the use of animation design. Computer animation is one of the most successful applications of digital technology in the creative arts domain, revolutionising the world of special effects in film and creating an entertainment option called gaming.
Animation courses generally focus on scripting, developing techniques and sound inputs. Computer animators need a combination of art and technical skills, or creative and artistic abilities, with a flair for drawing, sketching and caricaturing. Humour, imagination and power of observation are added advantages. Animation is thus a laborious, highly skilled process and a good career option.
Courses
Several certificate, diploma, degree and Master’s courses are available in animation. There are BA, B.Sc. and professional and postgraduate diploma programmes in animation, graphic design and multimedia. For admission to a diploma or degree course, a pass in Plus Two will do, and for a postgraduate course, a degree in any discipline is required, ideally with basic knowledge of computers. A student may specialise in animation character creation, special visual effects, videogame programming, game art and so on. Training in 2D and 3D animation gives an easy entry into the profession. Choose prominent institutes and professional courses for higher study.
Institutions
The National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, under the Union government, is a premier institution for learning graphic design, animation film design and film and video communication with its four-year professional graduate diploma programme in design. Those who have passed Plus Two may apply. Selection is through a national-level design aptitude test.
The institute conducts a postgraduate diploma programme in design with specialisation in animation film design, graphic design, film and video communication and so on for graduates. Selection is through a national-level design aptitude test and interview. Visit www.nid.edu for details.
The Indian Institutes of Technology, Bombay and Guwahati, offer Master of Design (Animation) programmes for those with a B.Tech. degree. Visit www.iitb.ac.in or www.iitg.ernet.in for details.
The Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi, offers a B.Sc. course in animation and multimedia at its Jaipur and Noida centres. Those who have passed Plus Two may apply. Visit www.bitmesra.ac.in for details.
St. Joseph College of Communication, Changanassery, affiliated to Mahatma Gandhi University, offers a six-semester BA course in animation and graphic design. It is aimed at grooming students for a creative career in the field of animation and films, Internet and new media, game design and entertainment production. The course content includes creative writing, art and visual perception, computer fundamentals, elements of graphic design, drawing animation, English conversational skills, history of animation, photo editing, motion studies, production techniques, scripting, preparing storyboard for animation, interaction design, digital illustration, 3D animation and animation for Web. Entry qualification is a pass in Plus Two. Selection is through an aptitude test and an interview.
The college conducts an MA course in animation aimed at giving creators of animation films theoretical knowledge and practical skills. The course content includes grammar of visual design, drawing motion techniques of animation, character motion acting for animators, 2D and 3D animation projects, elements of magic for visual effects and media ethics and education. Graduates in any discipline may apply.
Details may be had from St. Joseph College of Communication, Kurisummoodu P.O., Changanassery – 686 104; www.sjcc.co.in; ph: (0481) 272 2225.
The Department of Animation of St. Albert’s College, Kochi, in collaboration with Toonskool, Bangalore, offers a B.Sc. course in animation. The Karnataka State Open University, Mysore, awards the degree. The course content includes classical animation and principles, digital art, visual design, animation drawing, 3D modelling, texturing, pre-production, animation layout and design, character design, 3D animation rigging, digital post composting, dynamics and VFX digital, tools and techniques and motion graphics. Those who have passed Plus Two may apply. Selection is through an aptitude test and an interview. Visit www.alberts.ac.in for details.
The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) centres in Pune and Mohali provides training in animation (www.cdacmohali.in or www.cdac.in).
The Keltron Animation campuses at various centres offer diploma courses in animation, visual effects and e-media techniques for those who have passed Plus Two or have an engineering diploma. The Keltron IT Education Centre in Kottayam conducts a BCA course in animation. Visit www.keltron.org or www.keltronanimation.org for details.
The Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-DIT), Thiruvananthapuram, offers a postgraduate diploma course in animation design. Graduates may apply. Selection is through an aptitude test and an interview (www.cdit.org).
Several private institutions offer animation courses and training. A short list is given below:
DC Media School, Kinfra Film and Video Park, Kazhakuttam, Thiruvananthapuram, conducts a postgraduate diploma course in animation design. Graduates may apply (www.dcsmatmediaschool.com).
Amrita School of Arts and Sciences, Kochi, offers an MFA visual media course with animation and content management as specialisations. Graduates in any discipline with 50 per cent marks may apply (www.amrita.edu/asas/kochi).
Toonz Animation India Private Ltd., Nila, Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram (www.toonz animationindia.com).
The Whistling Woods School of Animation, Mumbai (www.whistlingwoods.net), offers a degree programme. Selection is through a national-level entrance test to be held in Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Lucknow, Kolkata and so on.
The Image College of Art, Animation and Technology, Chennai, offers a BA (Honours) course in digital media and 3D animation for those who have passed Plus Two or a three-year diploma course. The University of Wales, U.K., awards the degree.
Toonskool Advanced Animation Academy, Bangalore – 500 080.
Toonz-Webel Academy, Salt Lake, Kolkata – 700 091. (www.toonzwebelacademy.com).
The ZICA Zed Institute of Creative Arts, Mumbai – 400 091.
The Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics, Chennai, Bangalore and other centres with head office at Andheri West, Mumbai – 400 053.
The Image College of Art, Animation and Technology, Chennai, offers a BA (Honours) course in digital media and 3D animation for those who have passed Plus Two or a three-year diploma course. The University of Wales, U.K., awards the degree.
A detailed list of universities, colleges and institutions that offer degree, diploma and postgraduate-level animation courses may be had from the University Handbook published by the Association of Indian Universities, New Delhi, which will be available for reference at the employment information and guidance bureaux of the universities in Kerala.
Job prospects
Animation is a lucrative profession. Qualified animators have excellent opportunities in the fields of advertising, film and television, education and so on. Some of the leading animation design studies offer job opportunities for qualified animators.
India is increasingly presenting itself as a favourable destination for the animation industry, particularly in 3D content development. The nation is an important destination for outsourcing assignments from global studios. Professional animators can get freelance work.
