Shiksha Top Questions

For the most part, I would think that creating animation using some software is generally bound to be much easier/faster than hand-drawn animation. Compare adding two keyframes in software, say 1 second apart, to manually drawing the 20-odd frames for that same second. Not to mention the ability of software to easily duplicate and modify the work once done.
Having said that, I do see some advantages to hand-drawn frames. However, specific they may be:
1. The ability to capture some specific motion in a frame-by-frame drawn animation, cannot sometimes be matched by some software blindly interpolating between keyframes. Despite the amount of control offered by software today (eg. using complex hierarchical armature/rigs, controlling time-curves, etc.), it might still be better to draw each frame, in order for the artist to get the exact desired flow of motion.
2. A perhaps more important use is rotoscope. The idea of first shooting an actual video, and then artists 're-mastering' on top of the video frames, leads to some incredible artwork with the ability to do something to each individual frame, the artist can really take the mood conveyed by the animation to a whole new level just by varying the choice of medium (eg. charcoal, watercolor, etc), and also other parameters such as the strength of brush strokes, etc.

No, we don't lag behind at all.
Have you seen Bombay Velvet?
Many outdoor shots in the film are complete VFX.
Here are some pictures worth observing.
Animation studio was Prana Studios.
The main shot of Bombay Velvet: The club around which the film revolves.
One last point: VFX doesn't always mean dinosaurs and robot and aliens. The main point of a film should be to make it realistic. That is the sole reason why a fantasy feel-good film like Forrest Gump feels so real.
Animation and VFX also serve another purpose.
To make things look convincing.
To put it simply most of the directors here lack imagination. We have MBA from IIM serving as the head of animation companies, not someone who has been a part of the game.
Wrong people at the wrong place controlling the right workforce.
Future: Our rich culture is a major advantage for our technicians as they provide fertile ground for imagination, which is essential in this field. If the government too takes an initiative and encourages local talent and content, we could easily turn ourselves into a global VFX and animation hub in the next 10 to 15 years.

Steps to become an animation designer.
Animation designers, also referred to as animators, create the visual effects and animation featured in video games, movies and TV shows, as well as on websites. Created from computer software programs, 2D or 3D animations are used to replicate the features and movements of people, animals, places and things to tell a story or advertise a product. Animators often work long weeks and nights. Working weekends might also be necessary to meet deadlines.
Let's take a look at the steps needed to become an animation designer.
Step 1: Learn to draw
An animation is based on traditional drawing skills, so aspiring animators will want to develop observational drawing skills, especially the use and control of line.
Step 2: Earn a Bachelor's degree
Earning a Bachelor's degree in animation can prepare students for a career in media arts, illustration, Web design, film and television. Students take fundamental courses in drawing, graphics, storyboarding, character motion and art design.
Step 3: Put together a demo reel
While in school, students usually create a portfolio, DVD or website to showcase their best work. Some educational programs feature a senior project for students to demonstrate their creativity, artistry and proficiency in various software programs.Step 4: Consider industry certification
Earning a certification can be a good way to stand out, as only a Bachelor's degree is required for senior animator positions, according to job postings. Certifications in this career field are typically offered by software publishers, such as Adobe.

1. Animation course content: Students looking for a quick route to the animation industry are often lured by the "short-term" courses that claim to teach the nuances of animation over a short span of a few weeks. You should make sure that the college you choose offers quality content that teaches all aspects of animation. An education in animation is quite different from simply learning about animation software. However, you should also confirm if the institute teaches the basic tools and software required by animators.
2. Quality of faculty: Take your time deciding if your teachers are qualified and experienced enough to mentor and train you for the next few years. In medical education, the best surgeons train the medical students in surgery techniques. The field of animation is no different. You should learn from the best and preferably with people who have had industry experience doing the real thing.
3. Placement facilities: The job placement facilities of a college can directly reflect on the quality of the education it imparts. Having professional animators as faculty may also play an important role in the institute's track record for placing students.
You can talk to former students or final year students and understand the college's reputation in the animation industry. Find out if the college alumni are well-placed in the industry. A good alumni network and industry connections may prove invaluable once you graduate with a degree in animation.
4. College infrastructure: You should visit your shortlisted animation institutes and take a tour of their campuses to get an idea about the quality of their infrastructure-computer labs, library, classrooms. Find out if the institute provides internship opportunities or workshops with animation studios or film production houses.

Some more information on what type of animation you wish to pursue would help.
In the absence of that information, I'll assume that you wish to pursue 3D animation, the type that you see these days from the likes of Pixar, Disney, etc.
If so, then you will not be required to have good drawing skills. Instead, you'll probably need to study the art of acting more than anything else.
A 3D animator is different from a traditional (2D) animator in that while the latter was required to draw individual plates/cels, the former is usually handed a model by another artist (a modeller) for animation.
Here is a description of the stages in the creation of a typical (modern) animated movie:
Pixar's Animation Process
A good set of free tutorials on animation can be found on Jason Ryan's website here:
Ramp Up tutorials
Though he uses 2D tools to explain the concepts, it is these basic principles of animation that every animator should focus his energies on first.
If you meant something else entirely, do update your question. I'm sure you'll receive more helpful replies.
Good luck.

The best 3D rendering software products are determined by customer satisfaction (based on user reviews) and scale (based on market share, vendor size, and social impact) and placed into four categories on the grid:
Products in the leader quadrant are rated highly by G2. Crowd users and have substantial market presence scores. Leaders include: Cinema 4D, 3Ds Max Design, and Maya.
Good performers are highly rated by their users but have not yet achieved the market share and scale of the Leaders. High performers include: Thea Render, Blender, and KeyShot.
Contenders have significant market presence and resources, but have received below average user satisfaction ratings or have not yet received a sufficient number of reviews to validate the solution.
Niche solutions do not have the market presence of the leaders. They may have been rated positively on customer satisfaction, but have not yet received enough reviews to validate them. Niche products include: ZBrush, LightWave 3D, and V-Ray.

Designers may need a Bachelor's degree, especially if they're planning to work for a large game studio. Although some schools offer a degree in game design, aspiring game designers can get the necessary training in computer science, software engineering, or related degree programs. The coursework for a game design program covers subjects like 2D and 3D modelling and animation, level and interface design, storyboard rendering, drawing, and scripting.The average salary across the entire game industry is $81,192, hovering near the same level as 2010's $80,817 (reported average). In India, joining salaries are around Rs 4 lakh (Rs 400,000) per annum for programmers and designers and Rs. 3 lakh (Rs 300,000) for graphic artists and game developers. Even within this speciality, there are different types of designers, including lead designer, level designer and content designer. Additionally, game designers have a diverse array of responsibilities that may not immediately be obvious, so aspiring professionals in this field should consider what type of game design career they want to pursue.

Hi,
You can choose jobs like:
1. Consultant or Entrepreneur
When you work for yourself, you are in complete control of when and where you travel or live. The flexibility will allow you to work remote and travel around if you choose. You are also in complete control of how much money you can make.
2. Join a company that has offices abroad:
Consider joining a company that has international offices. Most companies that have a global presence are often lenient to letting you work from other offices as long as you still complete your responsibilities. Just ask your supervisor or human resources if you aren't sure.
3. Digital Nomad
Similar to being a consultant or entrepreneur, being a digital nomad allows you to freely work wherever you want in the world. Become a graphic designer, website developer, or anything else that will allow you to take on clients virtually.
4. Travel (or fashion, lifestyle, etc.) Blogger:
Become a travel blogger or Vlogger (Video Blogger). Successful bloggers can enjoy perks such as free/paid trips, brand sponsorships, complimentary clothes/gifts, and more. Keep in mind though: It's a very small percentage of bloggers who get these perks and definitely not everyone.
All the best.

There are certain best paying IT companies in India that pay their employees the best package in the country and most of the experienced and skilled workers crave to join these paymasters.
1. Google INC. It is a dream destination for many job seekers. The company tops the chart of India's Best Companies to Work for Study conducted by The Economic Times and Great Place to Work Institute, India. It is considered as one of best pay Masters average total salary for a fresher is around INR 6-8 LPA. It pays 38% higher salaries compared to the other similar companies in the market.
2. Juniper Systems
Average salary of Juniper systems in India is around 14 lakhs/annum which is even more than the IT giants google and Microsoft. Juniper provides 30% above the market when it comes to salary of Senior software engineers and developers.
3. Microsoft India
It is one of the world's largest software maker in terms of revenues as well as world's most valuable companies. Microsoft pays the fresh engineering graduates close to INR 4.5 LPA. A senior software engineer gets between INR 5.0 to 15.0 LPA, regional sales manager INR 5 to 24 LPA, program manager draws INR 10 to 21 LPA and INR 4 to 40 LPA for product marketing manager.
4. Adobe
More than an average salary of 9 LPA for freshers as Software Engineer and 8 lakhs/annum for software developer is one of the best salary packages at this time around in India. Along with this growth as an individual is a very big additional perk in Adobe. The salary hike is almost 1.5 times the starting salary in a time of around 6 years. Median salary for a senior software engineer in adobe is more than 13 lakhs/annum.
5. IBM India
IBM has a presence in over 200 cities and towns across the country. IBM typically pays its employees 3% above the market rate. The starting salary package for trainee software engineer is around INR 2 to 4 per annum. The average salary figures in INR are as following for each job profile: 5.3 lakh for software engineer, 4.0 lakh for application developer, 4.5 lakh for systems engineer, 6.6 lakh for senior software engineer and 11.5 lakh for project manager.

Maya is a proprietary scripting language. MEL is highly customizable, and that is one reason why Maya can be found a lot in the film industry because studios like to be able to create their own set of tools that can help them achieve their job much easier. Maya has really been know as the go-to app for 3D animators in the industry for its robust rigging and animation tools and its animator friendly workflow. You also have the choice of Maya LT which is a huge benefit among new game developers as it's a relatively cheap subscription cost, of course, you don't have access to as many of the features of the full version of Maya, but you still have the most important to a game designer, like modeling, animation and texturing.
Where 3Ds Max shines:
3Ds Max has been known for its powerful modelling tools, allowing you to create complex 3D models with a very fast workflow and robust modifiers, with the entire poly modelling tools contained in one area of the UI. It also has some really great architectural visualization capabilities that Maya really doesn't have. If you're brand new to CG 3Ds Max can be a little simpler to grasp, and can seem a little less daunting than Maya, making it a bit more user-friendly.
The big factor:
The biggest factor in choosing between the two actually has nothing to do with the application's toolset, but your operating system. Maya is available for Windows, Linux, and OSX platforms. 3Ds Max, on the other hand, is only available for Windows operating systems, which means if you're a Mac or Linux user, 3Ds Max is probably not the best choice.
The verdict:
You should really know what you're going to use the app for because this can help you decide which program to choose, and each program has different strengths when it comes to the different tasks, like modelling, or animation. If you want to get into character animation, Maya may be the best choice. However, 3Ds Max still has great animation capabilities, but Maya has a slight edge over it with its deeper list of tools. When it comes to modelling, either software is going to get the job done; it really comes down to which workflow you like more. 3Ds Max has a robust modelling toolset, but Maya has recently enhanced their tools as well. 3ds Max has typically been seen as the 3D app for the game industry, and it is known to have a bit more flexibility and options. However, Maya LT is also a great cost-effective choice when it comes to game development.