Animators are computer graphics professionals responsible for creating movies, video games, or cartoons using electronic means. They bring to life characters such as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Tom & Jerry through immaculately prepared drawings or models, making them move and interact with the help of computer software. Animation is a rapidly growing field in the 21st century, and becoming a successful animator requires excellent creativity and drawing skills.
How to Become an Animator?
Step 1: Obtain the Required Qualification
To become an animator, one should have a bachelor’s degree in fine arts, computer graphics, animation, or a related field. One can also pursue diploma courses in animation, graphic designing, or multimedia from various institutions.
Step 2: Build a Strong Portfolio
To demonstrate your skills, you should create an impressive portfolio that showcases your work. Your portfolio should contain your best animations and illustrations. A good portfolio can help you land an internship or a job in a reputable animation studio.
Step 3: Acquire Relevant Skills
Aspiring animators should have a good understanding of drawing, composition, storytelling, and character development. Additionally, knowledge of software applications such as Adobe Photoshop, Maya, Blender, and After Effects is essential.
Step 4: Gain Experience
After acquiring the required qualifications and skill set, it is advisable to gain some experience by working as an intern or apprentice in an animation studio. This will help you learn from experienced professionals and gain hands-on experience in the field.
Step 5: Network and Build Connections
Networking is crucial in the animation industry. Attend animation festivals, conferences, and workshops to meet industry professionals and build connections. This can help you find job opportunities and gain exposure in the industry.
Step 6: Stay Updated with the Latest Trends
The animation industry is constantly evolving, and it is important to stay updated with the latest trends, techniques, and technologies. Attend training sessions, workshops, and online courses to improve your skills and knowledge.
With hard work, dedication, and perseverance, one can establish a successful career as an animator in the animation industry.
Animator Eligibility Conditions
Educational Qualification:
While basic sketching skills and a passion for animation are sufficient to become an Animator, having a degree or diploma in animation is preferable to work with reputed organizations. The wider the scope of an Animator’s work, the higher their qualification and more experience they possess.
Age Limits:
The minimum age requirement to work in the organized sector as an Animator is 18 years, while the maximum age limit ranges from 25 to 40 years, depending on the organization’s policies.
Animator Job Description
To create characters for various kinds of animation, animators must go through a process that involves reading the script, studying the storyboard, and getting into the character’s skin to understand their personalities and mannerisms. They then create a large number of drawings, scan them into the computer, and import them into software that helps set the timing and layers for the sequence of images.
Animation can be classified into various categories, including 2D, 3D, puppet animation, clay animation, sand animation, and vegetable animation. Animators must have full knowledge of software such as Toonz Harlequin, Adobe Flash, Cel Action, Anime Studio, Toon Boom Animation, 3ds Max, Softimage |XSI, MAYA, and others, depending on the type of animation they’re working on.
Animator Salary
To become an animator, one must be a good drawing artist and undergo special training for six months to a year. Animators work in a variety of projects such as movies, television, advertisements, and more, and the demand for their services is high. A fresh animator can expect a starting salary of Rs.30,000 to Rs.40,000 per month, and with experience and creativity, this can go up to Rs.80,000 or more.