How to Become a Animator

About Animator

You might have watched movies like Ice Age, Kung Fu Panda, Incredibles, Angry Birds etc. While watching these movies, you many have obsessed with the way the characters were designed, the message that each character carries, comedy, emotions of each character etc. All these things are possible only through a miracle called ‘Animation’. For those who want to create magic through their skills, a career as an Animator is the best option. The animation industry has been growing at a rapid pace in India.

Incredibles 2 movie is the best example of how animation movies are being received by people. The movie has turned out to be a stupendous hit, and become a competitor for general movies. It is the hard work of numerous animators involved in movie making. Today, 3D Animation also offers a lucrative career. 

An animator is basically an artist and creator of multiple images, which are technically called frames. Animators create illusions of movement employing these frames, which is known as animation. Expertise animators can find employment in a wide range of industries ranging from entertainment to advertising. Career seekers in the field of animation can find a rewarding and prosperous career provided they have exceptional artistic skills, talent, and some knowledge in utilizing animation tools and software. Are you interested in making a successful career in animation? Then you are at the correct place where you can find all the information about animation as a career.

Eligibility to become Animator

To establish a career as an Animator, one must meet the eligibility criteria for it. The requirements that you need to fulfil for this career choice are mentioned below.

• For taking up a Diploma course in Animation, a student must be a Class 12 pass out with at least 45% marks.

• There is no entrance test for getting admission in animation courses. Most colleges offer direct admission.

Types of Job Roles Animator

After attaining the required educational qualification and skills to become an animator, there are varieties of job profiles available in the field of animation that you can target based on your interest. The following are some of the job profiles available in the field of animation:

• Beginner Animator: Animator at this stage learns all the basics of animation and tries to attain associated skills.

• Background Artist: The responsibility of the background artists is to paint the background of the characters in the project.

• Modeller: A modeller is a person who has strong knowledge of form, volume and anatomy. Their responsibility is to make models for animation.

• Story Board Artist: People with outstanding drawing skills are eligible for this position. Their responsibility is to visualise a series of events from one frame of animation to another.

• Layout Artist: It is the responsibility of the layout artist to decide the lighting and camera angles. He/ she sketches the background design necessary for animation.

• Character Animator: Usually, these animators bring life into the characters and they must have knowledge of traditional animation and stop-motion animation.

• Special Effect Artist: He/ she is responsible for combining live-action footage with computer imagery.

• 2D Animator: Their responsibility is to create a high volume of separate drawings that define an action sequence.

• 3D Animator: 3D Animators play a vital role sculpturing, texturing and rigging 3D model. The process will help animators to bring life into the 3D model. When it appears on screen, it gives a good experience to the viewers. 

Responsibilities of Animator

Creating animation involves several stages, including idea generation, model construction, and so on.  Animators use software known as computer-generated imagery to create their work. The responsibilities of an animator are provided below.

• Collaborating with clients and creating an animation based on their ideas
•  Making storyboards that depict the script and narrative
• 2D Drawing for the purpose of creating sketches, artwork, or visual representations
• Designing animation environments, models, backgrounds, sets, characters, and objects
• Animators must use modeling clay, plaster, oil paints, watercolours, and acrylics
• Constructing the timing and pace of a character's movements and other objects' movements
• Animators must ensure these movements adhere to the soundtrack and audio requirement
• These professionals should be able to use the latest technical software packages like Flash, 3DS Max, Maya, LightWave, Cinema 4D, Softimage and other software.
• Constructing precise, comprehensive, screen visuals
• Recording dialogue and collaborating with editors to compose the multiple layers of animation like backgrounds, special effects, characters and graphics to create the final product
• Working to meet production deadlines and commercial requirements of clients
• Must collaborate with printers, copywriters, photographers, designers, account executives, website designers, or marketing specialists as part of a larger production team
• Interacting with various business cultures, making presentations, and obtaining funding

Skill Required for Animator

• Animators should have artistic talent
• Should be sound at Technical Skills
• Good Observation Skills
• Great Command in Communication Skills
• Storytelling Skills
• Ability to work with the Team
• Ability to guide the Team
• Dedication and commitment to the assigned work
• Networking Skills
• Adaptability
• Flexibility  to handle multiple projects

Employment Sector/Industry for Animator

Employment opportunities for animators are rising at a rapid phase due to a boom in the entertainment and gaming industry. Animators can find an outstanding career in the following fields: -

• For making an animation movie, it needs at least 500 animators. The moviemakers associate with various animation agencies or companies for this purpose. Therefore, it is apt to say that animators have a good career in the movie industry.

• Animators have more roles to play in advertising industry too. Today, most of the advertisements are relying on excessive special effects.

• Animators are required in the companies that design computer games. A gaming company requires a huge number of animators, as it involves various activities.

• An animator can also start his/ her own institute by getting necessary approvals.

• Animators are also required in the e-learning domain. Today, digital classes require animation effects. Therefore, the scope for employment is high for animators.​

Top Recruiting Companies for Animators:

Some of the leading animation companies where a qualified and skilled animator can find employment opportunities are as follows: -

• Reliance Media Companies Ltd, Mumbai

• Anibrain, Pune

• Padmalaya Telefilms, Hyderabad

• MAKUTA

• Nipuna Services (Chennai – Headquarters)

• UTV Toonz, Mumbai

• Toonz Animation Limited, Trivandrum – Kerala

• Crest Animation Studios, Mumbai

• Pentamedia Graphics, Chennai

• Maya Entertainment Limited

Pay Scale/Salary of Animator

Note: The above figures are an estimate and may vary from individual to individual and company to company. 

Professional development

To grow in the profession, some animators still attend classes or join various courses which will be helpful for them to reach the next level of their professional development.  Animators, who would like to enhance their skills to improve their employability skills, can find various courses at different institutions like the British Film Institute. By pursuing courses like drawing, modeling or software animators can horn their skills. Some of the very well-established organizations do offer training programmes along with packages.  This could include pursuing a Master's degree in animation or working toward a professional qualification in a more specialized field. There are a number of short-term courses and master classes covering specific areas of animation, which also will add up for professional development.

Career prospects

Most animators start out as studio runners and work their way up to junior animation positions. In case, an animator starts working in 2D animation as an inbetweener (tweening in an animation studio), then the animator can progress to key framer. The structure of 3D animation is more hierarchical. Starting as a junior animator, animators will advance to senior animators after a few years, and then to design managers or art directors. Senior positions facilitate more paperwork, staff management, and the generation of new ideas.

Books & Study Material to Become Animator

• Animator’s Survival Kit by Richard Williams

• Animation Form: Script to Screen by Shamus Culhane

• Character Animation Crash Course by Eric Goldberg

• How to Make Animated Films by Harold Whitaker and John Halas

• Humans and Animals in Motion by Eadweard Muybridge

Pros of becoming a Animator

• Globally, the animation industry is huge. Therefore, animation artists have a great career in India and abroad.

• The animation is a lucrative profession where creative skills of a person take centre stage.

Cons of becoming a Animator

• Excessive working hours to complete the work within the stipulated deadline.

• Sometimes, the heavy workload will lead to stress.

Career path for Animator

The best way to take up a career in animation is getting a diploma in animation or graduate degree in animation. However, only a few institutes in India offer a graduate degree course in Animation. Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) offers a good career in animation. Students can take up any of these courses.