Animation is catching up like a fever all across the continents. It is the most upcoming field, where creative individuals can find huge career opportunities. This is one sector where aspirants can look forward for a lucrative career with an innovative edge.
Since this field is still new to the Indian sector, a huge talent remains untouched. Due to this untouched potential talent pool, and other much talked about benefits, MNCs have routed their way to India and are on a threshold to invest heavily into the Indian market.
Says R Krishnan, Global Head, Arena Animation, “India holds a great potential of talent, the only need of the hour is to groom that talent to the International standards. Arena is a pioneer in this area and is imparting knowledge globally to train professionals, to cater to this upcoming industry. Arena has launched its comprehensive 2.5 year AAASP 2007 course to meet the industry needs. Students can look forward for a complete course package where they are taught right from the basics of animation to the hi – end animation which is in sync with current industry trends.”
Since more and more industries are opening up to the need of trained animation professionals, new avenues and scope of work is being realized in this sector.
What can one look for in the field of animation? An aspirant has a vast scope as a visualizer, graphic designer, video game designer, web designer, creative director, developer, 2-D animator, 3-D animator, art director, character designer, compositor, demo artist, director, illustrator, instructor, layout and background artist, mixed-media animator, producer, stop motion animator, storyboard and concept artist, trainer, technical director etc.
 Adapting to career
Besides proficiency in this field, a professional needs to adapt to demands of this profession.  Pressing deadlines often mean long work hours for an animator. Many animators prefer the freedom and flexibility that freelancing projects offer.
Industry avenues: Growth in the entertainment industry, including cable and other pay television broadcasting as well as motion picture production and distribution, will continue to provide new job opportunities.
Besides the entertainment industry, animators can also see avenues in major studios, smaller production companies, commercial independent projects, courtroom re-enactments, scientific visualization projects, Department of Defense training, education departments, publishing houses, medicine and research sections, advertising, process services, corporates for their web designing or as freelancers.
Animation is one field, which is like a main door to a powerhouse, with many other doors leading to various career options in other industries.
(The author is Manager, Karnataka,  Arena Animation)