Were you among those who got spellbound while watching Mahavatar Narasimha, RRR or Brahmastra? Did you wonder how the movie was made? Or, what went into creating the spectacular panorama that the movie portrayed so artistically?

If you have answered yes to the above questions, then opting for an animation course might be the right choice for you. Animation is nothing short of a miracle. If you learn to animate, you can probably create great motion graphics such as those used in movies like Kung Fu Panda. But that’s only one reason to learn animation.

Today, animation courses have a huge scope in the market and are suited for everyone who wants to turn their imagination into reality. Even though animation courses have arrived late in India, the scope is regularly increasing and the future of animation is very bright.

Even with the pandemic and the global economic crisis hitting the markets in recent items, the scope for animation is increasing rapidly. Every year, thousands of students are enrolling in animation courses and are being successfully placed in various areas of 2D and 3D animation.

The scope of animation will further increase owing to the fact that giants like Disney, Pixar, Warner Bros and Dreamworks Animation among others have been outsourcing their animation works.

With so many amazing facts about animation, you must be willing to learn more about it, like what are the animation courses available in Kolkata, India – what is the eligibility, careers after completion, fees, duration, career scope, top institutes etc. And that’s exactly what we will discuss here. So, read on…..

What is Animation?

Animation is the art of giving life to still images, objects, illustrations, 2D/ 3D generated characters. It is the method of capturing images, drawings, photos of inanimate objects in quick succession to give an illusion of sequential movement. As our eyes can only retain an image for about 1/10th of a second, multiple images moving in fast succession create an illusion of movement.

Traditional animation used pictures drawn on transparent celluloid sheets and then being photographed. Early cartoons largely used this technique. However, today, most animation movies are created with CGI (computer-generated imagery).

An animation course is all about visualizing and creating a world using one’s imagination. Using creative imagination forms a major part of an animation and there are no boundaries regarding what you can imagine and create.

As a student of animation, you’ll need to learn to use a few specific softwares and the latest techniques such as 2D hand drawing, 2D and 3D computer-generated graphics, stop motion, or model animation to create an animation sequence. So, if you have some creative skills, and wish to use your imagination to create something beautiful and unique, an animation course is the right choice for you.

Types of Animation Courses

Animation courses are traditional drawing as well as computer based courses which are meant to train the students to give life to still or inanimate objects. These courses involve the usage of various tools and software by means of which we can create these animation effects.

Animation Courses do not have any definite prerequisite or eligibility criteria. However, most of the animation courses do require a 10+2 examination from any stream, creativity and drawing skills.

Animation courses are commonly available as certificate or diploma animation courses. However at the graduation level, one can pursue B.Voc/B.A./ B.Sc course in 3DAnimation & VFX along with certain specializations such as Graphics, Animation, Gaming or VFX. One may also take up a free animation course online on Coursera or Edx. A Certificate program is however the most popular program in this field because the students can complete the course in a shorter period of time and the studios offer jobs seeing the showreel/ portfolio of the student instead of the degree or diploma.

The animation course fee depends on the institute and the type of animation course, the average fee for the course ranges between INR 80,000 -2,50,000. On completion of these animation courses, various animation jobs available are available in the following sectors – Films, Game Designing, E- Learning, Advertising, Online & Print News Media, Corporate Films, Digital Marketing, Television and OTT platform etc. The average salary ranges from ₹ 2 lacs –₹ 6 lacs per annum.

Animation Courses: Highlights

A course in animation is mandatory to become an animator.

Animation Courses are pursued at different levels. The highlights for few of the popular Animation Courses have been listed below:

Certificate /Diploma Animation Courses

Certificate/Diploma animation courses are available in online and offline mode. These animation courses are extremely popular as most people wish to go for these professional animation courses. You may opt for these courses in any of the top media schools of the country.

• The certificate or diploma in animation courses are perfect for those students who wish to start their career in animation and have no idea of animation. These are also short term and long term courses meant for those students who wish to enhance their skills.
• The students get to know about different professional subjects and tools like Pixel Perfect Painter using Adobe Photoshop, Mastering Digital Illustration using Adobe Illustrator, Cinematic Edits using Adobe Premier, Digital Sound Craft using Adobe Audition, 2DAnimation Mastery using Adobe Animate, AI Art using Gen AI tools, Asset Creation for CGI & Games, Basic & Advanced 3D Modeling & Animation, Lighting, Texturing, Rigging, 3D Camera Movement, Rendering, 3D FX, Dynamics & Simulations using Autodesk Maya/ Blender, Virtual Production using Unreal Game Engine, Character Creation using Meta Human and many more.
• After completing your  course in animation, you are expected to earn an average starting salary of ₹ 2,00,000-3,00,000 per annum.

Some of the courses have been listed below:

Certificate or Diploma courses in Animation are ranging from short-term to long term specialization courses. There are entry-level courses as well as comprehensive courses  through which eligible candidates can step into the field of animation. This course is suitable for students willing to start their learning in animation as well as opt for higher studies in animation in order to grab an appropriate job in the field of animation.

The Advanced Program in Animation with Unreal Engine course is a great choice for developing a basic to advanced knowledge of animation. It is designed to meet the practical requirements of the field. A variety of subjects and the applications of various tools are taught in this Certificate course. The main subjects taught in this course are Animation Foundation, Basic and Advanced Animation Techniques, Principles of Animation, Character Animation, Principles of 3D Modeling, Texturing, Lighting & Animation Usage, Rendering, Digital Motion Graphics along with applications of the most prominent software tools. The most important part is creating a digital portfolio at the end of this course which will help a student to get a job in this field. Most studios evaluate a student based on the student’s portfolio.

This course is designed keeping the industry requirements in mind. The animation industry always requires candidates who can perform some entry-level but significant tasks related to the field. After completing a Certificate course in Animation, a candidate can bag a suitable entry-level job or opt for higher studies in Animation.

Animation Courses Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for pursuing Animation courses vary with the type of course you want to opt for. Normally the eligibility criteria is after having completed a 10+2 from any stream. Undergraduates/ Graduates may apply.

Skills Required for Animation Courses

Animation requires students who have a creative bent of mind along with strong visualization skills. The following are the skillsets that are required for candidates who wish to pursue animation as a career.

1) Visual Imagination:

• Candidates must have in-depth understanding and imagination skills to convert conceptual designs into the actual figure.

2) Orientation:

• Attention to details
• Showcasing these details minutely

3) Aesthetic Skills

• Ability to perceive art in everything

4) Artistic Skills

• Creating fine art works
• Putting them on pen and paper before working on the software’s. Along with the above, the following skills are also required to pursue an animation course and become a professional:
• Incredible sketching and drawing skills
• Ability to understand and catch the expressions of humans, animals, birds etc.
• Exceptional visualization skills
• Flair for using colors
• Dedication, patience, and diligence are required to succeed.
• Originality and Innovativeness
• Soft skills like teamwork and communication skills

Therefore, if you possess the creative skills mentioned above, you can always opt for a suitable animation course.

Technical Skills Required for a Career in Animation

The field of animation requires technologies to bring visualization to life. It helps in developing visual imagery and special effects in commercials, movies, social media, cartoons, etc. And it’s never a misconception to state that employers look for promising designers with enhanced technical and soft skills in animation. Thus, prospective professionals should focus on the following technical skills:

• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe Animate
• Adobe Premier
• Adobe Audition
• Adobe After Effects
• Blender
• Autodesk Maya
• Houdini
• Nuke
• Fusion

Animation institutes & Colleges Offering Animation Courses in the world

These are the best animation institutes offering courses in animation in the world:

Animation Institute of Visual Arts (SVA)

• Location: New York, NY. USA
• Courses: Animation, Computer Animation and Visual Effects
• Tuition cost: ₹ 18lacs – 20 lacs per semester + Department fees (Animation: Rs 90000, Computer Animation and Visual Effects: ₹ 1 lac approx)
• Contact W : sva.edu, E : studentaccounts@sva.edu

Ringling College of Art and Design

• Location: Sarasota, Florida. USA
• Courses: Computer Animation
• Tuition cost: ₹ 18 lacs per semester
• Contact : W : ringling.edu , E : info@ringling.edu

Vancouver Film Animation institute

• Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
• Courses: 3D Animation and VFX, Classical Animation, Character Animation
• Tuition cost: ₹ 26 lac – 28 lacs per semester
• Contact W : vfs.edu  ,  E: admissions@vfs.com

Sheridan College

• Location: Canada
• Courses: Animation, Computer Animation, Digital Creature Animation, Visual Effects
• Tuition cost: $9,356.05 (Canadian dollars) per semester
• Contact W : https://www.sheridiancollege.ca ,  E : studentaccounts@sva.edu

CalArts

• Location: Valencia, California. USA
• Courses: Film/Video (Includes animation)
• Tuition cost:$41,700 Full-time enrolment
• Contact W : https://calarts.edu/ ,  E : admissions@calarts.edu

Gobelins

• Location: France
• Courses: Character Animation and Animated Film Making, 3D Character Animation
• Tuition cost:€6,350 First year, €6,450 Second year, €6,550 Third year
• Contact W : gobelins-school.com ,  E : clil@gobelins.fr

University of California (UCLA)

• Location:Los Angeles, California. USA
• Courses: Animation
• Tuition cost:$33,193 per academic year
• Contact W : https://www.ucla.edu/ , E : sustainability@ucla.edu

Rhode Island Animation institute of Design (RISD)

• Location: Providence, Rhode Island. USA
• Courses: Film/Animation/Video
• Tuition cost: $44,284 per academic year
• Contact W : https://www.risd.edu/ , E : admissions@risd.edu

Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)

• Location: Savannah, Georgia, USA. Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Hong Kong, Guangdong, China. Lacoste, Vaucluse, France.
• Courses: Animation, Visual Effects
• Tuition cost: (In order of locations) $33,795 (American dollars), $261,911 (Hong Kong dollars), $10,983 (American dollars)
• Contact W : scad.edu , E : scadhr@scad.edu

University of Southern California (USC)

• Location: Los Angeles, California. USA
• Courses:  Animation and Digital Arts
• Tuition cost: $48,347 for two semesters
• Contact W : admit.usc.edu ,   E: roski@usc.edu                           

Animation institutes & Colleges Offering Animation Courses in India

Mentioned below are some of the recognized and well-known colleges and institutions offering animation courses in India :

• Industrial Design Centre (IDC), IIT Bombay, Mumbai
• Arena Animation Chowringhee, Kolkata
• Whistling Woods International, Mumbai
• Picasso Animation & VFX Gaming College, Delhi
• VIT University Vellore, Tamil Nadu
• National Institute of Design(NID), Ahmedabad
• Amity University, Mumbai
• PA Inamdar College, Pune
• IIFA Multimedia, Bangalore
• MIT Institute of Design & Art University, Pune
• Frameboxx, Mumbai
• Asian Institute of Gaming &Animation, Bangalore
• Asian Academy of Film and Television – Noida
• Unitedworld Institute of Design, Ahmedabad
• World University of Design, Haryana
• Toonz Academy, Kerala
• FX Animation institute, Mumbai
• Birla Institute of Technology, Noida

Have a look at these seven best places for courses in animation for a fruitful career in this industry.

1. Arena Animation : It is the oldest institute-an arm of Aptech. It has its presence from twenty eight years in Multimedia, Animation, VFX, Broadcast and Gaming courses. They have short term and long-term animation courses. It has courses on Animation, VFX, Gaming, Web , Graphics, Motion Graphics, Multimedia and Digital Marketing. It has its presence in many cities in the country. They have the facility of the classroom and onlinevarsity- the e-learning platform. – arenach.com. Contact : +91 8981005544
2. Zee Institute of creative arts: ZICA is a part of the ESSEL Group. It has its presence in training and has been in the industry for the last twenty years. It has its presence in 15 cities in India. It imparts training in classical 2D, 3D animation, VFX and Gaming. It offers Diploma and certification courses in 2d and 3d animation, design and vfx. It has well-established VFX labs, 2d, 3d animation labs and its training centres give an industry experience in the world of animation. – zica.org. Contact :
3. Maac Institute: It is one of the leading institutes and a media and entertainment wing of Aptech. They have state-of-the-art designed courses in animation, gaming, visual effects and multimedia. They have a variety of short-term courses one can choose from. One can choose courses also from their onlinevarsity an on-the-go learning app. – https://www.maacindia.com/
4. Frame Box Animation and Visual Effects: It is a ten-year-old institute with a vision of providing skilled professionals. They are one of the leading educational brands in the animation industry. They offer undergraduate, degree, and expert and specialized certification courses. They are into 3D, VFX, graphic design, photography, editing, gaming, and motion graphics. – frameboxx.in
5. PA Inamdar College of Visual Effects, Design and Arts: One of the biggest colleges offering courses in Pune. Veda has its presence since 2008 and is an ISO certified comprehensive institute. Designed for visual effects, designs. They offer Masters, Bachelors degree, diploma and certificate courses. Their courses are well designed to suit the animation industry. – veda-edu.com
6. Times & Trends Academy: They are one of the pioneers in the animation and VFX area and are a ten-year-old institute. Their twelve-month course is affiliated to Oxford city-UK and a BSc degree in animation.- com
7. Reliance Education: Reliance Education has various courses in animation, VFX, and gaming. They also have short term courses in 2d animation. – relianceedu.com

Online Animation courses: Animation is a practical field but online tutors are offering animation courses. The best of them are Animation Mentor, Full Sail University, Digital Tutors, IAnimate, Nativepuppets.com. Udmey, Edx also offers some good courses on animation. You will have to choose the one that best suits you.

Apart from these, there are several other colleges and universities offering animation courses :

 Online Animation institutes

Animation Mentor

• Location: Emeryville, California. USA
• Courses: Classic animation, Character animation, Creature animation
• Tuition cost: $2499 for 12 week Character Animation course, $899 for 6 Week Workshops
• Contact W : animationmentor.com/admissions ,  E : admissions@animationmentor.com

Full Sail University

• Location: Orange County, Florida. USA
• Courses: Computer animation
• Tuition cost: ₹ 12-14 lacs approx per semester
• Contact W : fullsail.edu/admissions/tuition , E : www.fullsail.edu/chat

Gnomon

• Location: Hollywood, CA, USA
• Courses: High-end VFX/Games/3D
• Tuition cost: ₹ 14-15 lacs per semester
• Contact W : gnomon.edu ,  E : info@gnomon.edu

IAnimate

• Location: USA
• Courses: Live online workshops
• Tuition cost: : ₹ 16-18 lacs per semester
• Contact W : https://ianimate.net ,  E : larry@ianimate.net

CG Spectrum

• Location: Sacramento,CA, USA
• Courses: 3D/VFX/Animation Diplomas & mentored courses
• Tuition cost: $49992 for Bachelor’s in 3D Animation/ $16664 for Diploma
• Contact W : cgspectrum.com ,  E : hello@cgspectrum.com

CGMA (Computer Graphics Master Academy)

• Location: Hollywood,CA, USA
• Courses: 3D/VFX/Animation Diplomas & mentored courses
• Tuition cost: ₹ 16-18 lacs per semester
• Contact W : www.cgmasteracademy.com  ,  E : admissions@cgmasteracademy.com

Salary After Pursuing Animation Courses

As mentioned, the demand for quality animators is on the rise, so, you can earn a good deal if you are good at it.

As a fresher, you can earn anything between Rs.15,000 to 25,000 per month, after completing an animation course.

With experience, you can easily earn Rs.40,000 to 60,000.

Several different industries, such as the film industry, advertising industry, and others, require skilled animators. The field of animation in films is still in its early stages in India. So, if you are good at it, you can always bag a lucrative job. Animation requires you to be a creative visualizer and use specific software to give your imaginations life. Anyone with the right skills and qualifications can have a successful career in Animation.

A Career in Animation

Pursuing the best animation course in Kolkata can give you a prosperous opportunity to get a progressive career ahead. When you register your name for the top animation course in Kolkata, it will prepare you for a brighter future.

For the entertainment world, animation has become an integral part. This industry lets you scale up your career and get ample opportunities from 3D animation, 2D animation, rendering and storyboard art.

They say success arrive only with excellence. And if you’re planning for a successful career in animation, the aforesaid skills must be excelled. Most companies need a skillful animator. With an accelerating demand of animation professionals, many scholars have got inclined towards animation courses. Thus, with the right qualifications and skills, you could achieve a remarkable career in animation.

Career paths for animators

Film / TV /OTT

The most obvious career path (though not the easiest) is working on movies and TV shows (Disney, Pixar, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network etc.)

Even though the most common perception of what an ‘animator’ does is animating characters like Wall-E or the dog in Up, a lot of animation work in this industry happens in VFX and mechanical animation in live-action films as well. Almost every effect-heavy live-action film you see uses animators to some degree.

Most of the work in the film and TV happens in California, and getting into the major studios might take years of applying before getting in the door.

Commercials

Working in commercials takes a different set of skills than film and TV. Though you might still be animating characters, the timeline of production is much quicker, and you would be expected to do more different tasks rather than specialize.

Also, commercial work will often be motion-graphics rather than character animation. That means knowing After Effects and/or Cinema4D is more relevant if that’s your path.

Animating on commercials might not be what you went to become and animator for, but it can still be a lot of fun, and there is much more work to be had, and locations are almost a non-issue, since most major cities have production companies producing commercial work to some degree.

Pre-visualization (Previz)

A less known field for animators is previz work. Previz animators create a pre-visualization of the piece (commercial, movie, etc…) by animating temporary figures in a mock environment to allow the director get a sense of their shots and composition.

You’ll be surprised how many studios and production houses use previs, and some companies are dedicated to only create previs for different productions.

With the massive growth of the use of previz in both commercial, TV and film, previz animators can get work in a multitude of fields and locations, though as an aspiring animator you might not get to do your best work (since animation has to be done quickly and quality isn’t much of a factor) and your work will not actually be seen by an audience.

Video Games

The video game industry is massive and there is a lot of work for animators in it. The work itself varies greatly from motion capture to full character-animation, to creating animation cycles that loop throughout the game.

If you’ve even played a Blizzard game, or watched some of the cinematic pieces from Final Fantasy games, you know that video games produced some of the greatest pieces of animation, and pushed the technology just as much as films did. Working in this industry could be a lot of fun, and it employs animators in both 3D and 2D and offers a great variety of work.

Motion Graphics

I’ve mentioned motion graphics when I wrote about working on commercials, but motion graphics artists work on a much wider verity of projects. From explainer videos to event projections to software UI demonstrations.

Motion graphics life is often the life or a freelancer, jumping from one project to the next, using mostly After Effects (sometimes in combination with Cinema4D)

Independent

A new rising type of animator is the independent animator. They mostly use YouTube as their main platform and make their living through ads, sponsorships and merchandise, and ore and more of these animators surface all the time.

Other animation filmmakers can use crowdfunding to fund their movies, or get studios to fund their films on an indie budget.

Director

Unlike most jobs, there’s no clear path to becoming a director.

Going to a good animation institute does not guarantee a directing job after, and there’s rarely a job opening under “Director” online. Some people get there at 21, and some spend their whole life trying and never make it.

The same goes for being an animation director. Some start out as animators, some story artists (storyboarding) and some transition from live action, never having animated a day in their life.

The job prospects in Animation are increasing rapidly, thanks to the fact that the entertainment and gaming industries in India are in their development phases. The film and advertising industries too need animators on a regular basis. A full-length animation movie requires many animators to work together. So, if you pursue an animation course, there should be no trouble bagging a good job.

Following are some of the profiles you can work in.

1. Digital Illustrator
2. Video editor
3. Storyboard Artist
4. Motion Graphics Designer
5. 3D Modeler
6. Texture artist
7. Rigging artist
8. 2D/3D Animator
9. Image editor
10. Rendering artist
11. Lightning artist
12. Digital Ink and Paint artist
13. Key Frame Animator
14. Character animator
15. Special Effects artist
16. Compositor

Animation Courses Salary and Jobs

Animation is a very popular career option in India which provides you with the opportunity to build your future in a wide number of fields. Given below are some of the best animator jobs for students pursuing animation course along with the skills required and salaries:

Animator

An animator is responsible for using various techniques to produce moving images that will convey a particular message. They work with project teams and establish various goals. An animator may also refine existing animations. They listen to feedback from the clients and fulfil their requirements.

Starting Salary: INR 2,40,000-3,00,000

Skills Required

• Creativity
• Imagination
• Technical Skills
• Innovativeness

Art Director

An art director creates graphic content for the websites of various companies. The art director is also involved in continuous communication with the senior management team about the progress of their projects. He/She will manage all the different aspects of graphic design and will create a brand image for various companies.

Starting Salary: INR 6,00,000-8,00,000

Skills Required

• Dedication
• Insight
• Creativity
• Responsive Design Skills

Film and Video Editor

Animation students may also take up the role of film and video editor. Their task is to edit the films and the videos until it meets the requirements of the director. The editors will also rearrange all the scenes to create a complete and meaning film. They manipulate raw footage, sound effects and graphics.

Starting Salary: INR 3,00,000-4,00,000

Skills Required

• Communication skills
• Creativity
• Photographic eye
• Patience

3D Modeler

A 3D Modeler uses different types of animation tools to bring models to life. This job has a lot of scope in the engineering and advertisement industry. The 3D modelers will create visual illusions in the minds of users by adding animation effects to the models.

Starting Salary: INR 3,00,000-4,00,000

What is the scope in animation?

The animation industry is witnessing an emergence of newer innovations with each passing day. And it is expected to grow at a rapid pace. For a prospective candidate, pursuing one of the most sought-after animation courses in Kolkata can itself be a significant point to start from. A career in this industry can widen doors of opportunities for a creative individual. Besides handsome salaries, career opportunities can showcase a profession’s creativity.

Animation Courses: FAQs

Q: What is the average course fee for an Animation course?

A: The average course fee ranges between₹ 80,000 to ₹ 2,80,000. Some colleges also provide exciting scholarships to meritorious students. However the degree programs start from around ₹ 4 lacs – 7.5 lacs

Q: Which colleges have the best animation courses?

A:  Animation courses are available in various popular universities of the country like National Institute of Design(NID) located at Ahmedabad, IDC – IIT Bombay(Industrial Design Centre) located in Mumbai, ICAT Design & Media College located at Chennai, Bangalore & Hyderabad, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, Birla Institute of Technology, Jaipur, Christ University, Bangalore.

Q: Which institutes have the best animation courses?

A:  Animation courses are available in various popular institutes of the country like Whistling Woods International in Mumbai, Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design & Technology located in Bangalore, Arena Animation- Chowringhee located in Kolkata and Toonz Academy located in Kerala

Q: What are the courses for animation?

A : The most popular animation course in India are the Certificate or the Diploma courses along with B.Sc in Animation. Apart from that, various popular certification courses are also available.

Q:  What are the common job profiles after completing Animation courses?

A: Top job profiles are animator, film and video editor, art director, etc.

Q: What is the average salary after completing an Animation course?

A: The average starting salary is around ₹ 2 lacs per annum to ₹ 3 lacs per annum.

Q: Can I join animation courses after 12th?

A: Yes, you may either join a certification course or a diploma course or a bachelor degree course in animation.

Q: What are the prerequisite for joining an animation course?

A: There is no specified prerequisites. All you need is a creative bent of mind and a flair for imagination or story telling.