Career growth in animation and visual effects is connected to the expanding entertainment and media industries, which include movies, TV shows, OTT, video games, and advertising

Many of us still love watching Tom and Jerry, Bugs Bunny or Fred Flintstone? However, amidst the laughter and nostalgia, have you ever paused to wonder about the creative geniuses who are responsible for bringing these beloved characters to life? Both animation and visual effects are currently experiencing high demand, presenting a growing array of job opportunities. The surge in these industries is closely tied to the expansion of entertainment and media sectors, spanning movies, television shows, video games, and advertising. In 2021, the global animation and VFX market was worth USD 167.9 billion. It’s expected to reach USD 401.0 billion by 2030, with an annual growth rate of 11.5%.

“Animation and VFX courses are in high demand across various sectors, from films and television to advertising and gaming. They offer diverse career paths, from 2D and 3D animation to special effects and more. Animation and VFX provide a versatile means of creative expression, enabling the visualization of imaginative ideas and serving as powerful educational tools. These skills offer modern and lucrative career alternatives, satisfying both artists and professionals. Their versatility, integral role in media, and direct engagement of imagination make them crucial in today’s creative industries,” said Nasir Shaikh, Group CEO The Lexicon Group of Institutes, Multifit and Educrack .

One can choose animation courses like Bachelor of Design (3D Animation), Bachelor of Design (Animation and Interactive Media), and Bachelor of Design (Illustration and Animation) after Class XII. “The soaring demand for animation and VFX professionals transcends various sectors, encompassing gaming, film, television, advertising, and education. However, this demand has exposed a conspicuous void in the talent pool - a dearth of individuals equipped with the essential skills and knowledge to meet these burgeoning needs. It is within this context that our B.Des programme in Animation and VFX at MIT World Peace University (MITWPU) emerges as a beacon of distinction. The incorporation of VFX into our programme is pivotal. VFX stands as the linchpin of contemporary animation and filmmaking, elevating storytelling and visual immersion to unprecedented heights,” said Satyajit Mandle, Assistant Professor, Department of Design, MIT World Peace University.

Growing up, Deepanjan Sur was always glued to his mobile phone, captivated by Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America. It didn’t take him long to realise that animation was his calling. Back then, his parents were in the dark about his career choice. Today, Sur is a successful VFX artist in Mumbai, earning impressive perks. Now, his parents truly understand how their son turned his passion into a lucrative profession. “Animation and VFX find a huge application in the field of film and television, especially movies, TV serials, documentaries and game design. A large number of Indian and Hollywood movies like Avatar, Brahmastra, etc. have set a new trend. Also, mobile games, apps as well and virtual games have been extensively using these tools to make them more attractive and engaging. They can also be used in the hospitality industry for giving virtual tours to tourists and guiding them. They can also help in recreating history virtually and hence can have a significant role in enriching communication regarding history, art, and culture, as well as making the museums more interactive. VFX and animation can also create a virtual complex multi-layered system like smart cities, villages, transportation, drainage, waste management, irrigation plans, etc. (that are otherwise difficult to visualise) for troubleshooting the problems,” said Snigdha Banerjee, Assistant Professor, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR.

In India, institutes like the National Institute of Design, Arena Animation, LPU, and MIT Institute of Design offer various animation courses. These include short-term and long-term diplomas and certifications across the country. Job opportunities are extensive, ranging from roles like Multimedia specialist, advertising art director, production designer, video editor, 3D animation artist, 3D modeller, character animation artist, layout artist, finishing artist, compositing artist to flash animator. “There is immense scope for professionals in the fields of animation and VFX. Taking note of the same, the AVGC (Animation VFX Gaming & Comics) Task Force was constituted under the chairmanship of Secretary, Ministry of I & B, Apurva Chandra, to help realise the full potential of the AVGC sector in India. This task force, which consists of key stakeholders from the industry and the government, is looking into developing talent ecosystems by leveraging start-up India. In the future, the job market for animators and VFX artists will be led by active integration with AI-ML. The developments in Metaverse and Web 3.0 will need the support of content creation across AR, VR, XR, character creation, and so on. Professionals who can manage both the worlds of creativity and manipulating machine intelligence will have an edge,” Prof Gangaraju Saladi- Associate Professor of Practice – Film & Television Management, Flame University.

According to Mudita Pasari, Academic Dean, The Design Village, technology will always drive how we interact with our immediate environments. “Like mobile phones are ubiquitous objects today, soon VR headsets, too, would be seen with every individual, and eventually technology we see as rare will be engaged with at a mass scale. The only way for a learner today to stay relevant for the rest of their design careers is to learn how to learn,” she said.

This article includes valuable insights from Prof. Gangaraju Saladi, Faculty of  Practice – Film & Television Management, FLAME University.