The animation industry is very vast and includes 3D animation and visual effects as well. Visual effects usually involve the integration of live action footage with computer generated imagery or other elements (such as pyrotechnics or model work) in order to create environments or scenarios which look realistic, but would be dangerous, costly, or simply impossible to capture on film. On the other hand, 3D animation uses a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations.

Global Market
The world of animation is big and continues to get bigger.At present,it is a $45 billion industry and is expected to be valued at $75 billion in two to three years' time. According to industry sources, the Indian animation industry is presently valued at $500 million and is expected to be worth $1.5 to $2 billion within the next few years.

Job Opportunities
The employment opportunities in this industry have also seen significant growth. In fact, the financial growth and demand for knowledge capital are directly proportional. At present, in India, we have over 50,000 qualified animators.But,what is more important is the fact that the industry still needs another one-lakh animators. There are approximately 400 schools across the country training aspiring animators through their various short and long-term programmes.

Skill-Sets
Unfortunately, most schools offering programmes in animation are dishing out generalised courses, whereas the industry's demands are very specific and specialised. Studios require specific skills such as modelling, lighting, character animation, artists, and visual effects. Students need to be focussed, as there are various specialisations to choose from.

During recruitment, HR personnel look for a good portfolio and calculate how creative and passionate a person is about his work. Students should opt for programmes that offer a complete package; so that once they graduate they are well versed with animation right from pre-production to post-production, and can boast of specialisation in a particular skill.

Pre-production involves concept art, script writing, and conventional filmmaking, among others. The production stage involves learning software like Photoshop, Autodesk, 3DS, MAX and Maya, and modelling, among others. Post-production includes the likes of Adobe Premier, Adobe After Effects, and Final Cut Pro.

Career Graph