A brief Introduction to Animation
Animation is a process of designing, drawing, making layouts and preparation of photographic sequences which are integrated in multimedia and gaming products. Animation is the process that involves the exploitation and management of still images to generate the illusion of movement. The role of an animator is to use his/her creativity and talent to generate rich animation content that is interesting and engaging.
Job roles available after M.Sc Animation
The present article purely talks about the important job roles available after M.Sc Animation course. The recent trends show that the younger generation today are more interested in becoming animators and graphic designers and they are opting to take M.Sc Animation courses in large numbers. Some of the important roles available after M.Sc Animation are:
Animator
Roles of the Animator
- An animator produces multiple images called frames and is responsible to develop a sequence to create an illusion of movement
- The animator is responsible to draw and design pictures, models, characters for creating a meaningful story or a sequence
- The animators use computer generated images to create motion pictures and also responsible to give special effects to the sequence
Responsibilities of the Animator
As an animator one is responsible to:
- Liaise with clients and develop animation according to their needs using creativity
- Create storyboards that depict script and are narrative
- Draw 2D and 3D sketches, artwork and illustrations
- Create props using various techniques like clay modelling, lego modelling, plaster, oil paints, water colours acrylics, etc
- Develop the timing and pace of movements of the character or object during the sequence of images and ensure to follow the soundtrack and audio requirements
- Using sophisticated software packages like flash, 3D max, Maya, LightWave, Cinema 4D, Adobe Photoshop, etc to develop animations
- Build accurate and frame by frame visuals
- Record dialogues and work with editors to composite the various layers
- Work within the deadlines and meet the clients to understand their requirements
Concept Artists
Role of the Concept Artists
- The concept artists are responsible to apply their creative skills and imagination to develop people, creatures, places and moods for an animation sequence or a story
- They are required to provide sketches of characters, environment, according to the sequence
- They are responsible to visualise a story or a sequence and ensure that the theme of the animated film is justified
- They can work in diverse areas of visual media such as animation, comic books and films
Responsibilities of the Concept Artists
As a concept artist one is expected to:
- Create quick and detailed drawings and paintings of environments, characters, buildings, vehicles and props
- Use traditional and technological approaches to create designs in 2D and 3D through drawings and paintings
- Efficiently interpret the briefs
- Use creativity and develop unique characters for an animation plot
- Develop technical skills and confidently work with various animation softwares like Adobe Photoshop, Maya, SketchUp etc
- Create specifications accurately noting dimensions and details for others to follow
Games Developer
Role of the Games Developer
- Students who are passionate about games and game development can choose to become game developer
- As a game developer one should get involved in the creation and production of games for personal computers, gaming consoles, mobiles etc
- As a game developer one is required to focus on one particular area of game programming and try to make it attractive and addictive
Responsibilities of the Game Developer
As a game developer one is responsible to perform duties like:
- Design, develop and deliver systems and high-quality code using programming languages and game development softwares
- Perform code reviews to ensure code quality
- Refactor the code to improve design the game
- Quality test the game code and ensure that no bugs are found
- Collaborate with the game developers and meet the needs of the projects
- Work closely with designers, artists and create quality product
- Design and develop attractive and addictive games
Graphic Designer
Role of a Graphic Designer
- As a graphic designer one is responsible to create eye-catching visuals and show creative skills
- The graphic designers work on variety of products and activities such as websites, advertising, books, magazines, posters, computer games, product packaging, exhibitions and displays, corporate communication and corporate identity
- They are responsible to create promotional content and creatives for posters, brochures, social media platforms, pamphlets, handouts etc
Responsibilities of the Graphic Designers
As a graphic designer one is responsible to:
- Meet the clients or account managers to discuss business objectives and requirements of the role
- Estimate the time required to complete a job and provide designs according to the client requirements
- Develop and design briefs that suit the client requirements
- Thinking creatively to generate new ideas and concepts and develop interactive design
- Use innovation to redefine a design brief with time and cost constraints
- Present finalised ideas and concepts for the clients and account managers
- Demonstrating illustrative skills with rough sketches and working on layouts and make them ready for printing
- Work and coordinate with the printers, copywriters, photographers, stylists, illustrators, other designers, account executives, web developers and marketing specialists
Earning Potential
The M.Sc Animation students are highly paid individuals across the globe. Every organisation requires animation professionals in their business development teams because of their talent and creative skills. They easily earn salaries that range from 4 lakhs to 10 lakhs per annum. The average fresh M.Sc Animation post-graduates can easily earn 4 lakhs per annum. However, the salary varies according to the experience and skills gained in careers.
Conclusion
The M.Sc Animation students are required in every sector of businesses and organisations. They are required in IT companies, product-based companies, service-based companies, schools, colleges and even in universities. The creative skills of animation students are highly valued by the organisations. The students who feel that they have creative bent of mind and want to showcase their talent and creativity can choose to join M.Sc Animation course and land in lucrative jobs across the organisations that are spread across different sectors.