Career options in Animation, Multimedia and Web designing

Vijay GarG Retired Principal Educational columnist malout

Of the most sought-after career option generated in the Information Technology sector during 21st-century  Animation,  Multimedia and  Web designing has been the front-runner in terms of manpower inputs to date and still it is only 5% to 10% of the sector’s requirements means there is still a lot of scopes for the aspirants and this phenomenon is neither time-bound nor demographically categorized in fact it is a worldwide process. The popularity of the characters like Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Stuart Little to name a few creations of  animations that are delighting the young and mature equally has made  animation one of the fastest-growing and most in-demand industries in the world. Multimedia and Animation are among the major employment providers of the 21st century. It is a form of art that merges text, images, graphics,  animation, audio, and video to create magic.  At best animation can be considered only as a component of  multimedia. A blend of the entertainment industry and technology animation is concerned with the design, drawing, layout, and production of graphically rich and attractive  multimedia clips and using them to make movies, games, or cartoons by moving the drawings or models of animals or people with the help of  computers or other electronic means taking great care of time and space that play a critical role in  animation.

Animation as a career can be pursued by those aspirants who possess excellent creativity and drawing skills. Animators are talented artists who create characters for a variety of projects like movies, television, advertisements, etc. Job opportunities are on the rise for an  animator and they are in great demand, as it is a growing industry and has become a popular feature in almost all the new generation movies and advertisements. Although to become a successful  animator, one doesn't require any specific academic qualification. Those with basic sketching skills and a passion for  animation can enter this field and make their space easily. However, having a formal qualification like a degree or diploma in  animation or  multimedia can be advantageous while seeking jobs in the international arena and with multinational companies.

Anybody with a minimum qualification of 10+2 or equivalent is eligible for Degree and Diploma courses in animation whereas any graduate could apply for Post Graduation in animation. However, some institutions of high repute like the Industrial Design Center (IDC), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), and Indian Institute of Design (NID) follow eligibility criteria that only graduates of architecture, technology, and engineering, and fine arts can apply for the PG course in these institutes.

Besides these graduate and postgraduate courses, there are several professional courses that focus on various styles and techniques. These courses, i.e., Courses in Traditional  animation, Stop-motion  animation, Rotoscoping,  Computer generated  2D and 3D animation, Claymation, Photoshop, Human anatomy, Drawing, etc., help one to specialize in a particular area. One should also have basic knowledge of  computer handling.

Apart from professional training and basic knowledge of  computers several personal skills a good sense of color, proportion, size, design, etc also play a role in making a good animator.

A good animator should have an artistic bent of mind with a lot of passion and imaginative skills, creativity, and of course a number of personal skills like patience, discipline, and dedication to work for long hours. He/ She should also have a sound understanding of the anatomy of humans, animals, or birds and body movements and lighting effects. Good communication skill is also needed as most of the time he has to work in a team consisting of several specialists.

As an animated feature film is a combined effort of a wide variety of professionals from the  multimedia industry. It requires around 500 animators.

Some of the Jobs Offered in the Industry are:

Content Developer: A professional who develops content for  animation.

 

Modeller: Modeller is the one who makes the models for  animation. They should have a solid understanding of anatomy, form, and volume.

 

Story Broad Artist: Those with strong drawing skills could be hired as storyboard artists who can visualize a sequence of events from frame to frame.

 

Character Animator: They bring characters to life and generally has knowledge of traditional animation, stop-motion animation as well as claymation

 

Background Artist: The background artist is the person who specializes to paint the background of the characters and sets the background for the project.

Layout Artist: layout artist is just like a cinematographer of that  animation project as they decide the lighting and camera angles and he is sketching the background design for the  animation.

 

2D Animator: They involve the creation of a high volume of separate drawings that define a sequence.

 

Compositing Artist: Compositing consists of layering individual frames of animation on top of one another to create final images. These images are then strung together to create complete shots or mini-animated movies.

 

Special Effects Artist

They integrate live-action footage with  Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) or other elements (such as model work)

Audio & video specialist

Visualiser

Texture Artist: They apply a surface to the 3D-modeled character, object, or environment.

Rigging Artist: A rigging artist takes the modeled, textured 3D character or object and sets it up with a skeletal system or joints (if required).

Clean-up Artist: The cleanup artist checks the accuracy and consistency of the designs and drawings. To be a good clean-up artist, he should have good draft-man skills with the knowledge of density, width, volume, and mass.

Lighting Artist: They create variations of shade, color intensity, and shadows

Digital Ink and Paint Artist: It is the duty of a digital ink and paint artist to give colors to each frame.

Compositor: It is the compositor that brings together all the different characters and backgrounds into a single frame.

Keyframe Animator: Keyframe  animator draws pictures of a movement’s beginning and end.

Rendering Artist: They take all the data in a scene such as models, textures,  animation, lighting, etc, and output the correct combination in the form of individual frames of  animation.

3D Animator: They take the sculpted, textured, and rigged 3D model and breathe life into it. This is done by putting them in order the keyframes such that they appear to be in motion.

Image Editor: They assemble various visual and audio components of the film into a coherent and effective whole.

Website designing, CD-ROM production, graphics designing, and three-dimensional product modeling are some other fields where animators can gain employment.  Animation is also needed in other areas like business, sales, engineering, education, and advertising. It has chances in fashion designing and interior designing and even in the medical, legal, and insurance sectors for its presentations and models. The gaming industry which includes video and mobile games is looking forward to good animators.

High pay packages are the most attractive part of this profession. Within years these professionals can earn a six-digit salary. As a junior  animator or trainee, one could get between Rs. 20000- 25000 per month. A three to five-year experienced  animator will get 35000 to 40000. A well-experienced animator who has a good portfolio of excellent  animation work could easily get 50000- 60000 per month.

 Web designing is an integral and important part of the Information Technology industry. Today web services are being applied in almost every walk of life be it industries, business, education, or the public sector. With the booming IT industry,  web designing has a wide scope in India. A web designer can be absorbed in different fields such as advertising agencies, publishing, audio-visual media, design studios, printers and typesetters, manufacturers and department stores, marketing firms, exhibits and displays, and educational institutes and libraries. Careers in  web designing can be the right option for those having a flair for creativity. Various private Technical institutes in India provide a certificate program in  Web Designing. The web designer has to concentrate on designing graphics and layouts. He should be visually artistic with a flair for creating a design flow. If one chooses a career in  Web designing, a degree in  computer science would be an added advantage. Besides these many short-term specific  web-designing courses are offered by many popular institutes.

A skilled workforce of well qualified and experienced students is essentially a pre-requisite now

(Skill integration in higher education is the key step to ensure that the right foundation for students is laid down)

The board results were declared recently, and despite good marks some students seemed far from relieved. The next step for them is to crack competitive examinations and get the perfect combination of course and college of their choice. There are a plethora of options for students today, but the key is to make the right decision at this stage as it will ultimately determine their future. While earlier students preferred theoretically based courses, there has been a mass movement towards courses that lead to employment immediately after the students have finished their education. To prepare students ready for workforce 5.0, we need to give them the right exposure to their chosen field of study, ensuring that they become an asset to the industry immediately after they pass out.

It is precisely why skill-based universities have become the preferred choice for students. Universities lay the ground for preparing students for the challenges that may come up in their professional career, and prepare them well in advance for any scenario that they may come across. A skilled workforce of well qualified and experienced students is essentially a pre-requisite now, where enhanced problem-solving capabilities and hands-on knowledge to do a job to the best of their capabilities will be an added advantage.

UNDERSTANDING STRENTHS AND WEAKNESSES

To choose the right course, a student needs to understand his/her own strengths and weaknesses. An aptitude and attitude towards their chosen career option helps students to excel in their field. Awareness amongst students must be created to encourage them to identify their aptitude as per various career options. One can easily avail such a test from the multitude of online aptitude tests available and have an insight into the career choices that lie in front of them.

If a student has an interest in Medical Science, then, apart from MBBS they have career options in Allied Health Sciences too where one can choose to be a paramedic, emergency medical technician, laboratory technician, anesthesia technician, physiotherapist, optometrist, pharmacist, nurse, radiographers etc who can become an important member of the team in relevant departments like diagnostics, public health as well as patient care. Through research one can contribute to various projects, clinical trials, advancement in technology to reshape the future of healthcare. Likewise, one can find vast options in engineering, agriculture, manufacturing, and other fields.

Skill integration in higher education is the key step to ensure that the right foundation for students is laid down. As universities provide hands-on training and exposure to industry during the span of the course, students become more confident in handling the work pressure and expectations in a professional setup. With industry on campus, universities in collaboration with industry giants like Dassault, Ashok Leyland, Godrej, Schneider Electric, Yamaha etc provide the students with complete know-how even before the completion of their graduation.

The setting up of Applied Learning and Action Learning through Live Production Labs imparts practice-oriented training. Research also plays a key role and setting up of well-maintained labs goes a long way in ensuring that the students are prepared for current scenario, but can also step up in future when things advance further.

SOFT-SKILLS

Another crucial aspect of learning that a student needs to work upon during their college days is their soft skills. Thus, today’s skill-based universities are supporting students to hone their presentation skills, negotiation skills, empathy skills by thinking about the disadvantaged by working in rural areas and also being able to successfully implement an idea from inception to execution. Developing entrepreneurial skills in students will ensure that they are not just studying to become a small part of workforce, but are willing to go the extra mile and contribute positively to the society and economy.

Here, an understanding of networking will also play a crucial role in the progress a student makes in his career. They will be able to look for job opportunities, collaborate with individuals and companies that can further take them forward in their chosen career and, most importantly, build a reputation for themselves that will boost confidence and lead to personal as well as professional growth in the long run.

In totality, when a student opts for skill-based university, they also learn about product designing, developing it, getting it patented and commercial manufacturing. If an engineering student learns to make an e-rickshaw or design a car, a student pursuing a course in agriculture is able to utilise technology to produce the best yield and work as not just a farmer but an entrepreneur, only then can we truly say that our students are ready to take on the challenges that the future may unfold. And universities will become the ground for them to soar high.

Importance of Soft Skills for Job Interviews

Most of the time, while preparing for job interviews, most candidates try to demonstrate their technical abilities, or hard skills. Hard skills are no doubt essential, but soft skills play an equally important role and can literally make or break an opportunity. Learning and working on soft skills will not only help in acing an interview but will also lay the foundation for long-term success in any career field.

What Are Soft Skills?

Soft skills, along with being referred to as interpersonal or people skills, are personal attributes and a set of behaviors that facilitate a person to relate and interact effectively and harmoniously with other people. These skills do not emanate from a particular job or profession; rather, they are universally useful in any workplace. Some of the basic examples of soft skills include the following:

Communication: the ability to clearly convey information to others and listen attentively;

Teamwork: the capability to work in cooperation with others for some common objective.

Problem-solving: ability in spotting issues, and arriving at resolutions that work.

Time management: distribute the use of time wisely according to priorities.

Adaptability: be ready to change or adapt to new situations and challenges.

Leadership: art of guiding and encouraging others to fulfill a goal.

Why are Soft Skills Important?

Better collaboration: The modern workplace calls for collaboration on every level. Effective communication and team working skills are the doors to better collaboration, hence improved productivity, and enhanced atmosphere at the workplace.

Enhanced problem-solving: Employers are looking for candidates who can think creatively and seriously about problems at hand. With good problem-solving skills, you will take lesser time trying to sort the issues effectively.

Better Adaptability: The modern workplace is constantly in flux. Any employee who will be able to adapt to new technologies, processes, or roles is invaluable to any organization.

Increased Leadership Potential: To be a leader means not only to manage people but also to inspire and motivate your team. Good leaders possess strong soft skills that help build trust and move their teams forward toward success.

Soft Skills vs. Hard Skills

While hard skills are discrete, teachable abilities or knowledge sets, relatively easy to measure like coding, data analysis, etc. Soft skills are more subjective and harder to quantify. Both types of skills are imperative, and it is often the soft skills that become differentiators. The reasons why this is so are expounded in the following points: Soft skills don't prove easy for one to undervalue or belittle over hard skills.

Interpersonal Interaction: Even the most technically skilled individual will not perform so well in a role if he/she lacks the ability to communicate or collaborate with colleagues and clients.

Adaptability to Change: That's the thing: hard skills can get outdated as technology and methodologies change. Soft skills, however, stay the same no matter what.

Holistic Development: The employer seeks people who have depth and have the not only technical ability to get the job done but could also enhance company culture.

Ease of Teaching: Hard skills are always easier to be taught by senior colleagues, whereas soft skills—like effective communication, teamwork, and adaptability—require more of a fundamental change in behavior and mindset; hence, they are extremely hard to inculcate in a work environment. Hence, people with already high quotient soft skills have a considerable edge over others.

Developing soft skills takes time and conscious efforts. Some of the strategies to enhance your soft skills are enumerated below:

Self-Assessment and Feedback: Begin by knowing one's weaknesses, asking peers, mentors, and supervisors about the changes they would like them to develop. Self-assessment tools and personality tests prove quite helpful in this regard.

Active Listening: Listen actively by giving full attention to the speaker, asking questions for clarification, and summarizing their points to be certain that one has understood them.

Effective Communication: Verbal and non-verbal communication is important. It encapsulates clear articulation, good body language, and active engagement in conversations.

Conflict Resolution: Learn techniques of conflict resolution to handle disagreements or misunderstandings professionally.

Time Management: Tools and techniques for managing time will consist of to-do lists, calendars, and priority frameworks.

Continuous Learning: Participate in workshops, seminars, and courses to develop soft skills. Read books and articles on leadership, communication, and personal development.

Networking: Engage in networking activities to make relations and test one's interpersonal skills in different environments. Attend meetups, join conferences, and take part in other sector-specific events that will help you introduce yourself to colleagues. These contacts will assist not only in widening the circle of professional society but will also work towards developing communications and social skills.

Conclusion

Soft skills are very vital in a job interview and for your all-round career development. Whereas hard skills show that you are competent technically, soft skills reflect one's inter-relationship abilities, flexibility to change, and leadership skills. Much of your employability and potential career growth depends on the investment you put into building your soft skills. After all, it is not what you know but how you have to galvanize it within a team-oriented environment at work, where things seem to go at a blurry pace.