Career prospects for Animation and VFX graduates

Almost all of your favourite TV cartoons or animated movies have used some or the other kind of animation and VFX tools and techniques. While animation refers to the simulation of movement in still images, VFX refers to the creation, manipulation or enhancement of special imagery, stills or effects for any film or moving media.

Animation can be grouped into five different types: Traditional animation, 2D animation (Vector-based), 3D animation, motion graphics, and stop motion.

VFX can be organised into three main types: Computer Generated Imagery or CGI, compositing, and motion capture.

Animation and VFX, thus, refer to two different arms of the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) industry, and they are expected to grow at an exponential rate over the next decade, especially with the advent of over-the-top (OTT) platforms like Netflix and Amazon.

One study suggests a market reach of USD 401.0 billion by 2030 and a CAGR of 11.5% over the next decade for animation and VFX.

This promises to open a slew of opportunities, both nationally and internationally, for talented digital artists and animators.

Animators and VFX students mostly land job roles such as compositing artist, rotoscoping artist, motion graphics designer, FX technical director, VFX supervisor, rigging artist, matte painter, storyboard artist, character animator, background artist, layout artist, and concept artist.

Apart from these, they can also work as multimedia specialists, advertising art directors, production designers, film directors, music producers, film/video editors and TV production coordinators/producers.

A degree in animation and VFX can help you get an opportunity to work with large studios like Disney, Dreamworks or Pixar. Or you could work in the TV industry or even start your own business.

And it is not just the TV or the film industry that requires animators.

Their services are much sought-after in fields such as publishing, advertising, marketing, data visualisation, real estate, insurance, architecture and medicine. For example, data visualisation needs the help of an animator for creating models of election results. Similarly, the insurance industry requires animators for simulation of accident scenes.

But no matter what the job designation or which sector they work in, an animator or VFX artist will be required to perform some or all of the tasks mentioned below as part of their job role:

• Budgeting: Analysing the client budget and deciding upon the set of activities to be completed within the financial parameters.
• Planning: Creating a plan of activities based on the client budget and requirements.
• Conceptualisation: Planning and designing the required special and visual effects.
• Coordination: Liaising with other stakeholders such as producers, lead artists, supervisors and/or any other department that is involved.
• Collaboration: Collaborating with other departments and seeking their direction or feedback to improvise results
• Organisation: Organising meetings and communicating information effectively and quickly to meet deadlines
• Editing: Handling the edits and working in sync with the editorial department.

UPES’ BDes in Animation and VFX provides students with a strong foundation in design, video, and audio capabilities, as well as modelling, rigging, texturing, lighting, digital cinematography, digital colour grading, and 3D digital graphics.

In addition to compositing, 3D tracking, particles, and dynamics, the training courses include motion graphics and virtual studio abilities.

This four-year curriculum is structured into eight semesters, each with distinct subjects. After completing this programme, you might work as an animator, game developer, illustrator, web designer, concept artist, graphic designer, or VFX artist.

Apart from a degree, however, one needs to be creative, detail-oriented, passionate, and organised, as well as have good visual awareness and a strong sense of team spirit, if one wants to be successful in this highly competitive field.

Note: The views expressed in this article are that of UPES and do not reflect/represent those of Shiksha