Animation Courses after 12th?

So, what are the best animation courses in India?

This is another question I’m often asked by many students looking to pursue animation courses after 12th in India.

The first popular question is, “How to become an animator in India?” that we have already covered in the previous article. So I request you to check out the same to get more clarity on this subject.

Coming back to your question about animation courses after 12th. Well, for that, firstly, we need to understand that when we use the term animation, it’s a generic word used by laymen for this artistic medium.

What I mean is that, for the common person, everything they see on screen during an animated show or movie is animation.

But when it comes to animation courses or animation as a career, it has different aspects attached to it.

Meaning, there is a huge production pipeline that needs specialized knowledge and expertise to bring a show or movie from an idea to screen.

Basically, everyone has a particular task to undertake, from a scriptwriter who writes the script to a character and background designer who designs stuff to an animator who moves things to the editors who edit and so on.

(To know more about the production process, please read the article, How do we make Dr.binocs Show?)

So when someone says that they want to be an animator, someone from the animation industry will assume that they want to pursue a course in animation that puts life in an inanimate object or puppet.

Animation courses after 12th — Frame vector created by vectorjuice – www.freepik.com

Hence, we will keep other branches of the production pipeline aside and focus only on the art of moving objects alone, that is, animation.

But there is a catch to it as well. Yes, and that is even when it comes to animation alone, there is more than one style, method, or technique to animate an object, five to be more precise. These different styles are best suited for various purposes.

So for someone, who wants to pursue animation as a career, it’s vital to have a basic understanding of these styles to make a better professional choice and have a broader knowledge about the potential of this art form.

So, through this article, we will explore different types of animation courses after 12th and styles available for someone who wants to be an animator by the industry’s definition.

So let us now break down the five different types of animation styles available to you.

TYPES OF ANIMATION STYLE:

1) Traditional Animation:

Traditional or classical animation, cel animation, or hand-drawn animation is an animation technique where each frame is drawn by hand.

It is the oldest form of animation made famous by the Disney Company (not invented, though).

In this form, Sequential drawings are screened quickly, one after another, creating the illusion of movement.

One needs to have excellent drawing skills and a good understanding of human anatomy to execute this style of animation.

This is by far the most challenging and most time-consuming method to animate but also the best form.

All classic Disney movies like Snow-white, Fantasia, Bambi, Pinocchio are good examples of traditional animation.

2) 2D Vector-based animation:

Computer Animation Courses — Pic Courtesy: Green Gold Studios

In general, when we hear the term 2D animation, we think of it as something referring to traditional hand-drawn animation.

But after the arrival of computers, it is also used to define computer-based animations that adopt traditional animation techniques.

In other words, Vector-based animations, meaning computer-generated 2D animations, use the same techniques as traditional animation. But with the help of digital tools like software instead of physical tools like pencils, lightbox, etc., needed to make traditional 2D animations.

This is the most popular animation style in India right now.

All your favorite and not-so-favorite shows like Chhota Bheem, Little Singham, Roll no.21 are created using these techniques with the help of software like Adobe Flash (now Animate), Toon Boom, Harmony, etc.

3) 3D computer animation:

3d animation courses — Pic Courtesy: Tavrohi Animation Studio

This is the most popular form of animation around the globe right now, as almost every movie is made using this technique nowadays.

So what is 3D animation?

In this technique, the modeling artist usually creates a 3D polygon mesh or model to manipulate.

Then this mesh which is like a skin of a character, is given an inner digital skeletal structure called a rig that can be used to control the puppet. This process is called rigging and can be used in connection with keyframes to create movement, i.e., animation.

It’s more like playing with puppets but requires the same understanding of the movements and principles as in 2d or cell animation.

To know more about these principles, please read the article, Hanuman and the art of appeal from my blog series, “The Faults In Our Art!”

The best part about this method is that one doesn’t need to have excellent drawing skills to use this method.

A person with very little or no drawing skills can also become 3d animator with ease if they are willing to put the required amount of hard work into it.

The shows like Motu Patlu, Bhoot Bandhus, and all Pixar movies are excellent examples of this technique.

4) Motion Graphics Animation:

Motion graphics are way different from the other basic styles of animation. Because unlike the other forms in our list, it is not character or story-driven.

It’s the art of creatively moving graphic elements or texts, usually for commercial or promotional purposes—the kind of thing you see during the opening and end credits of a movie.

I know it doesn’t sound that impressive, but trust me, motion graphics has created multiple jobs in the market in recent years.

Now many non-animation companies understand the importance of visually-driven sales pitches and use this method to sell their products and services.

5)Stop Motion Animation:

Stop Motion Animation Courses — Pic Courtesy: Google

In stop motion animation, the object is physically moved in small increments or poses between individually photographed frames. And when these photos are played in fast sequence, it creates an illusion of motion.

Puppets made of clay or dolls with movable joints are generally used in this method for their ease of repositioning. Stop motion animation using plasticine or clay is called clay animation or “claymation.”

But not all stop motion techniques require clay puppets or movable action figures. Many stop motion films can involve using people, household devices, and other things for comedic effect.

Stop motion can also use sequential drawing in a similar manner to traditional animation, such as a flipbook.

An excellent example of this technique will be Shawn the Ship and Pingu the penguin.

So here we go!

These are five different animation courses and styles available to you after the 12th standard in the market. Now it’s up to you to decide which one of these methods suits your requirements. And of course, you can be the jack of all trades too.

But remember, the styles mentioned above are merely tools to execute an animated motion.

What is more important is that you need to know the basic principles of animation to be a good animator. Once you master those key ingredients, then no matter what style, software, or tool you use, you can animate anything.

For more information on Indian animation and the art of animation, please subscribe to my blog. 🙂

November 17, 2021November 24, 2021

How To Become An Animator in India? In 5-Steps!

How to become an animator in India? That’s a question I often get asked by many aspiring artists who want to pursue animation as a career.

Let’s be honest, in a country where left-brainer jobs like engineering, medicine, law, etc., are given more priority. Most right-brainers used to find it hard to make a career choice that could satisfy their inner urge of self-expression through an artistic medium. And at the same time, have financial satisfaction too.

But in the late nineties, making that choice became a bit easier with the introduction of computer animation. And slowly, this field gained popularity amongst the masses.

And today, being a professional animator is a rewarding career for those who dare to think differently.

But unfortunately, despite the volume of information and resources available today, it is still hard to know the exact procedure we need to pursue animation as a career due to lack of personal guidance and paradox of choices.

But no worries, your search ends here. Through this article, How To Become An Animator in India? I’ll give you a step-by-step guide to help you choose a better route for your animated journey and become a professional animator.

So just relax and scroll through this post, and by the end of it, I hope you will gain something meaningful that could help you get a clearer picture of this medium and your future.

But I’m not going to sugarcoat anything and sell you big dreams as this path is not for everyone and anyone. Yes, behind those bright colors and funny gags go immense groundwork, sweat, and tears that not everyone can endure.

No! I’m not trying to demotivate you even before starting, but just being honest about the level of persistency it takes to survive in this field, which brings us to our first step.

1-Choosing Your Passion:

Carreers in Animation — Pic Courtesy: Designed by vectorpouch / Freepik

Before you even take on any course and pay your parent’s hard-earned money to the institute, be brutally honest with yourself. Ask yourself if animation is truly for you or not.

Because your success and failure will depend on the level of passion you have for it.

Yes, if you have the passion for it and are willing to put in the tremendous amount of sweat and hard work required to master the art of life’s illusion. Then comparatively, it will be smooth sailing for you.

But, if you want to take animation as a career path thinking of it as a 9 to 5 job with a handsome package and don’t have enough passion for the art. Then it will be pretty hard for you to make it big in this industry.

I have met many individuals who feel stuck in the field, despite being skilled artists. As they don’t possess the love for what they do and treat it like any other regular job.

I even know many individuals who gave up when things went a little rough in the industry a few years back. I don’t blame them as everyone acts according to their own circumstances.

In fact, I think it was the best decision of their life. It’s better to move on from things you don’t feel passionate about instead of dragging yourself into it. I don’t say that you won’t be earning decent without passion, well you will, but you won’t find meaning in your work.

So, think it through before following this medium, especially when the fee is so high. And if you are absolutely sure that this is the career you want to pursue at any cost. Then, let’s move on to our next step.

2- Choosing A Good Institute:

How To Become An Animator In India? — Pic Courtesy: Designed by upklyak / Freepik

This one is a bit tricky as there is no reliable data available to determine which institute is better than the other.

And in why career, I have worked with people from all walks of life from various regions, schools, and institutes, right from small local classes to big brands.

Generally, NID is considered the best in the business, along with other big names like Whistling Woods, IIT, or MIT, but most of them do not provide a full curriculum course in 3d Animation.

Plus, getting admission into these elite organizations isn’t easy as the admission process is very competitive, with limited seats that can cause a giant hole in your pocket due to their hefty fee structure.

So, depending upon your budget and circumstances, I’ll suggest you opt for a fairly reputed institute like Arena, Big Aims, Toonz academy with a moderate fee range.

I’m not endorsing anyone, but they have courses that you can pursue along with your full-time graduation in any other stream like science, arts, and commerce.

But if you aren’t interested in traditional academics anymore, then you should join an institute like Toonskool, Amity that provides full-time degree courses.

I know having a graduation degree isn’t that vital in animation, but I’ll suggest everyone kindly try to get a degree too, as it helps to attain a management position later on.

But the vital question is, how do you know which institute is good for you amongst all the clutter of options?

Well, honestly speaking, it’s pretty hard to answer this question for a couple of reasons:

First, with so many institutes claiming to be the best in the business, it can be challenging to say which one is actually stating the fact. Because as I said, there isn’t any core data available to back up these claims.

But my general advice would be to ask for their past records, how many students got placements, and where? If they have alumni working for top studios, then it is a safer bet.

Also, you must speak with the former or existing students and try to know their experience over there.

The second major factor is that animation in India is still struggling at the base level. And we are way behind as compared to US and Japan when it comes to providing training facilities, technology, and most importantly, understanding the aptitude required for learning animation.

But still, things have improved in recent years, and various institutes have made efforts to provide better quality training to students as the demand for animation has increased tremendously in recent times.

So I will suggest you, please do your research correctly before joining any institute.

Another crucial factor you should indeed consider before joining is, try to know the faculties there. Try to understand how passionate they are about animation. How much experience do they have? Ask for a demo lecture. Are they cooperative? Are they understanding, and so on?

Because in the end, apart from your own efforts, the kind of faculty you get is gonna play a huge role in your understanding of animation. A passionate teacher can easily pass their positive vibe to the students and make things exciting no matter how complicated they are. So do your research and make a choice.

And once you know that the institute you wanna join. Then comes the next big hurdle of selecting the right course. This brings us to our next step.

3-Choosing The Right Course:

Animator — Pic Courtesy:
Designed by upklyak / Freepik

If you think choosing an institute is difficult, when until you go for inquiry and look at the list of courses available with them.

For someone naive about this industry, the counselors sitting at the other corner of the table will try their best to sell the costliest course available on the menu.

They will sell you big dreams like earning six figures and working on international films or studios like Pixar and Disney. But, I’ll advise you to not get carried away and fall into such traps.

Sure, these are not impossible dreams and can be achieved. But it’s not as easy as the counselor will make you feel.

So, before you hear their sales tactics, you need to know a few things about this industry.

You see, in this industry, everyone has a specific role to play. When I say animators, these are the people who move things.

Yes, in most cases, an animator will only animate the characters while the other tasks are handled by other people who are specialized in one or two things like background or character designing in 2d animation.

Just like different doctors handle different parts of the body. Similarly, different artists operate different sections of the production departments.

And when it comes to 3d, the list can range from modeling, texturing, rigging, lighting, etc. To be honest, these are the things you’ll get introduced to only when you learn the process along the way.

But my point is, if possible, narrow down your choices to either 2D or 3D animation software if you want to become an animator and do not opt for courses that include complex Graphics, VFX, Editing, Sound Engineering, etc.

Sure, it’s good to know a little about everything, and it surely helps, but please remember, our field has specialized people working on just one thing.

So if possible, know what you want and choose a specific course like animation, modeling, designing, etc., instead of going for everything.

But there is a catch to this method too.

Sometimes we only come to know about something when we are introduced to it. So having a course with a plethora of options can work in favor at times if we try something and start to enjoy it.

So unless you are sure about opting for a specific thing, choosing a course with various software can be helpful.

And when it comes to demand, currently, the need for 2d animators and designers is pretty high in the market. So do your research, know your interest and make a choice.

But to help you narrow down your choices, there are two things you can do.

If you want to be a 2D animator, then learn the art of character design, rigging, and animation in a software like Adobe Animate, Harmony, Toon Boom, etc.

And if you want to be a 3D animator or anything related to it, then learn software like Maya, Max, Blender that are commonly used in the Indian animation industry.

And once you are sorted with these major hurdles like choosing an institute and course, your entire focus should come down to the next step.

4- Making the Showreel:

Yes, making a kick-ass showreel or portfolio should be your entire life’s goal and focus throughout your time in the institute.

It’s not your degree, not your institute’s name, or your faculty’s reputation going to help you get an entry in the studio, but your portfolio.

As an animator, you need to demonstrate scenes, ranging from the basic principles of animation to advance acting skills if you want to work on advanced projects.

Following this method indeed helped me get my dream job and work on an international movie in the first project itself.

So make sure to start your demo-reel with a bouncing ball to a character lifting weight and slowly progress to a couple of shorts of advanced acting.

And once you are done with the all-around demo reel, it’s time to move on to the most crucial step.

5- Applying for the Job:

Well, once you have overcome all the needed hurdles of completing the course and making a showreel.

Then comes the final boss stage that lies between you and your dreams. That is, getting a job that will transform you from a student to a professional animator.

Well, I’ll be honest with you, with limited studios in the market, landing the right job in India is pretty tough in today’s time.

So it’s better if you already know someone working in an animation studio who can refer you to HR and ask them to arrange an interview.

But hey, even if you don’t know someone, there is still hope. In the end, hard work beats everything, and that’s where your kick-ass showreel will come into the picture.

All you need to do is, go to these studio’s websites or job portals, see if there are any vacancy and apply for the same.

And once you do that, try to give a call to HR and gently request them to examine your profile. If they find you and your portfolio suitable then, they will surely arrange a test for you.

Then it’s up to your skills, talent, and capacity to perform at the practical test and interview. Don’t worry; the personal rounds don’t matter that much in our industry. The test is your primary gateway into the studios.

But it doesn’t mean you’ll act overconfident or rude in personal interviews. Always be humble, polite, and grounded. This will give you extra brownie points that could make getting a job easier even if you fail to impress in the practical test.

Conclusion:

So here we go! These are five essential factors you need to become a professional animator in India.

1-Choose Your Passion.

2-Choose The Right Institute.

3-Choose The Right Course.

4-Make A Kick-Ass Demo-Reel.

5-Apply For The Job.

But the vital question is, what if you did everything right but still struggling to land your dream job.

In that case, I totally understand your situation, as even I failed around 21 interviews before getting my first break.

So don’t lose hope and be patient, it’s a competitive field, and you are battling against many talented artists.

That’s why I’ll recommend you to read another article, “Jobs In Indian Animation Industry,” to know about the funny yet dark side of this industry by clicking here.

I hope thought this article, How To Become An Animator in India? I was somewhat able to help you with this article. And, I’ll request you to please subscribe to the website to show support and learn about this wonderful art.

STAY ANIMATED, STAY MOTIVATED!

February 27, 2021April 16, 2022

How Do We Make The Dr. Binocs Show?

STEP BY STEP PROCESS.

Hey guys!

Welcome to The Animad World, your one-stop destination for Indian Animation. Myself Nitin Navale and I work as Creative -Head for your beloved educational series “Dr. Binocs Show.” Yes, it’s my job to ensure that the workflow is smooth and our lovely audiences get the weekly dose of their favorite show.

Every day we receive so many emails from you all, thanking us for bringing this show and how it has helped you all in your studies. But another commonality we have witnessed in your emails is that you want to know “HOW WE CREATE IT?”

So I thought, let me take you into this fantastic world of Dr.Binocs and reveal to you the mechanism behind it. Hopefully, it will inspire many of you to become an animator or content creators.

But, before we move forward, let me inform you that this is just a basic summary. In the upcoming articles, I’ll give you the detailed groundwork behind it. If possible, I will also introduce the artists working behind it.

Yes, so do make sure to subscribe by filling the form below, if you don’t want to miss the creative process of your beloved show and learn about the Art of Animation.

Now, let’s ZOOM IN! and look at the first step, and that is:

1) IDEA:

Yes, the first important step in making a Dr.Binocs episode is to develop an idea for the topic. And the inspiration could come from anywhere, by observing things around us, knowing what’s trending, and taking your suggestions through emails.

For example, during such a brainstorming session, one of our co-workers farted. Sure, we laughed our guts out, but it did inspire us to make a video on “Why do we Fart?” You can check the same by clicking on the link.

So basically, the trick is to observe keenly, learn from others, read a lot, and who knows, you might end up creating the next viral video. And once we decide on the topic, we move to the next crucial step.

2) THE RESEARCH:

In this process, we go ahead and do tons of research on the selected topic to write the episode’s script. Research is a critical aspect of the whole process because we have to ensure that the information is correct and according to academic standards.

And once it’s done, we move to our next stage of laying this accumulated information on paper or Ms. Word to write the script.

3) THE SCRIPT AND VISUALIZATION:

As they say, ideas are worthless unless you execute them. And here starts the execution process of the production. A typical Dr.binocs script looks way different than the standard industry format.

The image below is an example of how our scripts look.

We divide it into two sections: In the first section, we write the narration and explain the subject. And in the other section, we write the visuals and action needed for that particular line or sequence.

This is where your imagination skills come in handy. You need to take an ordinary line and convert it into an appealing scene that is easy to understand and entertaining to watch. This is where all the fun elements are planned and added to the script, right from your starting intro to your “Nevermind” gags.

And most importantly, it also serves as guidelines for our next step.

4) THE STORYBOARDING:

And what is it? It is a sequence of sketches that map out the scenes planned for the video. In simple words, it is a blueprint for animators to understand how the Animation will come across and the path they need to follow. Whatever plan was laid on the script, the Story boarding artist goes ahead and makes a step-by-step layout of the visuals.

For example, if the script says that Dr. Binocs and Kitty are flying in the shuttle towards the moon. The SB artist will make few frames of this scene that look like this.

Just like that, we create the key drawings of the entire episode while, on the other hand, the artists start to work on the other elements needed for the episode.

5) CHARACTER AND BACKGROUND DESIGN:

In this process, our gifted designers illustrate the puppets, props, and environments needed for the particular episode. Even for this, the artist needs to have excellent visual skills to execute the designs.

We have to make sure that the characters are appealing and aligned with the theme of the show. By theme, what we mean is the style and look and feel of the show. If you go and see some of the random episodes of Dr. Binocs show. You will notice that in every season, the secondary characters look different.

And while they are busy creating those assets, we, on the other hand, are busy recording the vital step, that is…

6)THE VOICE OVER:

Yes, the soul of Dr.Binocs is in his voice. Here, the Voice Over artist comes to our studio and reads the script. Which is recorded by our sound engineer, who later trims it down and polishes it in editing software.

And once the V.O and asset designs are ready, we send them to the most crucial step, i.e.,

7) THE ANIMATION:

Yes, here, our skilled team of animators put life on those inanimate puppets in software called Adobe Flash, now knows as Animate.

And how do they do it? Well, I’ll try to cover it in detail in the upcoming articles. The animation is a time-consuming process that takes lots of effort, and patience is one crucial factor all artists need to have. So make sure to subscribe by filling the form below.

Once we are done with the Animation, we send those files to our editors for the following process.

8) THE COMPILATION

In this step, our Editor put all those scenes together and add text to them to send it forward in the pipeline for adding music.

9) THE MUSIC:

Here, our sound engineers and composers add those background music and effect and remove any unwanted noises in the video before sending us back for…

10) THE FINAL EDITING:

In this final step, our VFX artists and Editors give the final touch to the video. So that it is ready to be uploaded on YouTube to be seen by millions of Dr.Binocs cutsie wootise family members like you, who adore the show so much, which motivates us to keep making the videos.

So here we go, my friends, that’s how we make the Dr.binocs show, wait, are we missing something, oh yes.

TRIVIA TIME!

“Did you know, the voice behind Dr.Binocs also gives voice to Mr.Bean’s Indian version?”

So, hope you enjoyed reading the blog, guys, and remember a lot of great new information on your favorite shows and Indian Animation is coming soon.

And this blog is for animation fans just like you, so make sure to subscribe by filling the form below, write your opinion in the comment section below, and share it with as many people as you can.

Until next time, it’s me, Nitin Navale, Zooming Out,

“STAY ANIMATED, STAY MOTIVATED!”

February 24, 2021November 24, 2021

Jobs In The Indian Animation Industry!

The Funny Side of Indian Animation Industry: Advice for budding artists for getting into Indian animation.

Finding jobs in the Indian animation industry can be challenging. And if you are an aspiring, young Indian animator, life isn’t fun for you at all. Just a few years ago, you had a dream of a glamorous, fascinating, playful career in your heart. You nurtured it, you believed it, and most of you had also achieved it by getting a job in a studio or company.

Bingo! You had your dream come true, experiencing the best day of your life. Finally, you have proved to the world, especially your parents, that you can face the world on your own without knowing that flames of delight will diminish quickly. And if you haven’t experienced it yet in your life, then ask your dream to wait for some time.

How much? Well, it could be a day, a month or years, who knows? It’s a funny business, after all. Anybody who works in the indian animation industry like I do or will tell you to reconsider your career prospects if you still have time in your life.

But I know it isn’t that easy when you have so much passion for this field. You have always envisioned yourself as an animator or an artist. And more than anything else, you have to recover those green bucks invested in self-proclaimed 100% job guarantee institutes and animation programs.

So what to do now? Well, in my opinion, and many experience talented animators that I work with, we have quite a few options with us to deal with it:-

•1) Change the field: –

If you are not passionate enough about animation, this isn’t a thing for you in the first place anyhow. So the wisest thing to do for you probably will be to pack your bags and move on.

Find your true passion and work on it. You have nothing to lose here except those green bucks, but once you find your true love, money won’t matter at all, and you will earn it back in no time without much effort.

•2) Keep patients: –

If there isn’t anything much you can do about it, then the best thing is to hang on and wait for the tide to turn. Especially when you don’t have added responsibilities on your shoulders.

Spend your time learning more about this art and try to improve each and every day. If possible, spend few more bucks on those reputed animation programs available online.

Many of them can give you valuable insight into this market. It also helps you increase your network on the international circuit. So keep patience and play the waiting game and remember, “Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.

•3) Be the change: –

As the famous quote from Mahatma Gandhi goes and I quote,

“You have to be the change you want to see in the world.”

If you are passionate enough and stubborn enough like me, then the best thing for us is to accept all three points in our life. Didn’t get it? Let me explain it!

The world is unfair, and we have to accept it no matter what. There will be obstacles in our way, and some of them will be intemperate to deal with.

The more we will try to fight, the more there will be an equal and opposite reaction.

So the best advice for us comes from the movie Rocky Balboa,

“Just get hit and keep moving forward.”

We can’t just hinge upon our company to pay us for our daily requisites. We have to keep doing what we love and find an alternate source of income along with it.

By changing the field, I mean changing it for a particular period of hours in a day. This will help us to fulfill our necessities to some extent; a part-time job, an online business, or freelance work is the best option. Because it’s not just about our passion, it’s also about our responsibilities towards our near and dear ones as well.

The things I have elaborated on in point number 2 also apply to all of us, whether you are a newbie or an experienced artist. As they say, we should never stop learning. Well, I won’t stretch it as you are intelligent enough to understand it. And as we accept the first two points in our lives, we automatically become the change we want to see.

Hope it will help you to cope with the situation and make a wise choice for your life. And as far as our industry is concerned, things seem to be improving for good compared to a few years ago. With sound management and government support, things can turn positive. People like us can continue doing what we love to do with rightful returns.

Till then,

“STAY ANIMATED STAY MOTIVATED “!

And If you want to know more about the challenges in our industry, do read the segment “The Faults in Our Art!”