In recent years, there has been an increase in the scope of VFX and Animation in India. Many industries such as television, entertainment, and gaming are all reliant on animation and VFX experts to work their magic to enhance onscreen performance. 

According to Zion Market Research, by the year 2025 worldwide VFX market trends are expected to grow over USD 23,854 million. The report also states that the global VFX market accounted for USD 11,333 million in 2018. This means that this industry is booming and has tons of opportunities. 

If you are interested in making a career in VFX and animation, then this article will show you the way. 

What exactly is VFX and Animation?

VFX, which stands for visual effects, is the process of creating a visual element that is nonexistent in the real world. It means manipulating certain imagery to give the illusion of a particular effect. Think of all the movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, all our favorite superheroes flying around and bashing the supervillains. Pretty magical to watch, isn’t it? Well, you have the VFX guys to thank for it. 

On the other hand, animation is a technique of filmmaking that manipulates still images to turn them into moving images. We have all grown up watching our favorite cartoons, including classics like Tom and Jerry, Mickey Mouse or Bugs Bunny. These were all made by animators who use various software to draw, design, and create the illusion of a picture in motion. 

Animators and VFX artists are nothing short of wizards who bring forth the magic and the finesse we see nowadays in our movies, TV shows, video games, advertising, and other fields where their skills are needed. 

Career choices after a VFX and animation course: 

Diverse industries including video games, television, movies, advertising, real estate and so many more offer many different career opportunities. 

Stated below are some of the few primary job opportunities: 

Post Production Artists 

• VFX Compositing Artist: 

They are responsible for giving the final approval to a product. They are an important part of the production process. They catch errors and help in developing strategies to create the final animated film. They are responsible for the seamless integration of CG assets, matte paintings, and live-action footage that makes a single motion picture frame, which is known as a shot. 

• Motion Graphic Designer: 

Their role is to create visually appealing animations for movie clips, trailers, title sequences, animated advertisements, etc. They work with creative teams to include design elements in a project. 

• Rotoscoping Artist: 

Rotoscoping artists use a technique in which animators digitally trace over motion picture frames where CGI characters, backgrounds, or effects will be integrated into the live footage using a set of tools provided in the compositing software. 

• VFX Technical Director: 

They are responsible for creating physics-based digital effects, like billowing smoke, explosions, and flowing water. These effects are then used by VFX artists in their sequences. 

• VFX Artist: 

They create the visual effects for video games, movies, and TV programs. They use the latest technology to create computer-generated creatures, crowds, and other digital characters. 

• Attention to Detailing: 

Their job is to pay attention to the details of the character like the wrinkles on the face of an old lady the goosebumps on the skin or the hair strands falling messily on a character’s face. These details humanize the characters. 

Pre Production Artists: 

• Storyboard Artist: 

They help the head of the story to create a visual representation of any given script. Every storyboard comprises panels and they draw all the significant panels which include directions for animation, like when a character exits the scene or a character starts to walk. 

• Character Animator: 

They design and create characters by the use of different animation software, 3D modeling, etc. They breathe life into CG characters making them more believable, engaging, and relatable by giving them human-like facial expressions, body language, gestures, etc. They research visual style, genre, and software to produce every single project. 

• Concept Artist: 

They develop the initial visual images out of ideas, creative briefs, or a script. Their work will be the building blocks on which the video game, comic, or animation will be built. Their work is utilized in comics, commercials, cartoons, print media, and many more industries. 

• Layout Artist: 

They strategically arrange a movie’s characters, props, sets, and cameras to be able to stage, block and shoot the film. They are in charge of drawing the organizational structure of the visuals. 

• Background Artist: 

They are responsible for establishing the color, style, and mood of a particular scene drawn by the animation layout artist.  

• Lighting Artist: 

Lighting is an important part of any movie, be it animated or a live-action one. As a Lighting Artist, they have to develop an innate sense of how light behaves as a part of the process of storytelling. They work closely with the animation and creative teams to make sure that the lighting in each scene will convey the right atmosphere and mood on the basis of the story and narrative. 

• Rigging Artist: 

Their role is to create digital skeletons for 3D CG characters to enable movement in 3D animation. They need to rig characters before they can be animated. 

Other VFX and animation-related job opportunities: 

• Real Estate: 

The importance of VFX and animation is on the rise in the real estate industry. Headsets with VR technology are being used by firms to give a realistic view of the property to their potential customers. 

• Video Games: 

The gaming industry is huge globally as well as in India. They need artists with a strong foundation in animation and VFX for world design, designing characters, and special effects in video games. 

• OTT Platforms: 

Visual effects artists and animators can enhance content, create an original series, and contribute to immersive experiences. They play a pivotal role in shaping marketing campaigns, global collaboration, and driving continuous innovation in the dynamic environment of OTT platforms. 

• Advertisements: 

Advertising is a multi-billion-dollar industry and they often require VFX to create captivating visuals and bring creativity to ad campaigns, and artistic simulations. They play an important role in creating appealing content to match the brand identity and message. 

Conclusion: 

There you go! Hopefully, now you have enough knowledge regarding the various job opportunities out there for VFX and Animation experts. But keep the following tips in mind to keep your skills sharp: 

• Take inspiration from real life for characters and even objects. 
• No matter how good you get, you can never stop practicing. 
• Keep recycling your previous work to keep track of your skill improvement. 
• Constructive criticism will always help you develop your skills. So try to embrace it.