Career in Animation Industry
Since animation is a competitive, constantly developing field, it can help to have a background in art. Regardless of what your specialty will be, computer animation, web animation, cell animation, 3D modeling and environment art, clay-model stop motion art, character animation art, or a game specialist, you will need to have a basic understanding of and background in art. Each specialization requires the use of at least some artistic techniques:Requirements
Computer animator-needs all the skills of a traditional drawing/sketching animator and the ability to use software and hardware tools to digitize line drawings, etc.
Cell animation artist-needs excellent drawing and illustration skills and a decent exposure to 2D animation and compositing software.
3D animator-since they are trying to create realistic imagery on the computer, they need to know at least one of the many 3D modeling and animation packages (i.e. 3D Studio Max, Softimage, or Maya).
Job Opportunities
There are many possibilities for animators that most don't even consider. You will need to determine what, specifically, you are interested in, which includes video games, film effects, 3D, illustration, digital media, and more. Similarly, you may be surprised to learn that there are many fields that require the skills of an experienced animator that you will have to choose from: architecture, forensics, product visualization, advertising, and aerospace to name a few. There are a wide variety of opportunities available in the animation field for those who are serious about gaining the education and understanding of both the artistic and the technical aspects involved in this industry.
Money & Other Benefits
As a fresher, you'll be expected to put in long hours of work for Rs 8000-12000 per month depending on your talent. However, once you have acquired the skill in using high-end animation software, the salary increases rapidly. It could be anything between Rs 20,000-30,000 a month.
There is good scope for freelancers. Here you could be drawing more than an experienced animator. Working as a professional in a studio or a firm as a freelancers, you can charge anything around Rs 50,000-70,000 or more for a 30 second film (depending on the animation required).
Career Prospects
In India, the scope for professional animators is mostly restricted to the field of advertising. But then, the film and television segments are growing.
The animation industry the world over is also growing. With the development of requisite skills, Indian companies are bagging orders for animation production from advanced countries due to cheaper costs. As a result, there is a growing demand for talented animators with the right software skills. This trend is expected to continue in the future.