Animator's Diary
Friday, February 1, 2008
February 1st, 08, 10:50 pm
Our imagination is the only limit to what we can hope to have in the future.
- Charles F. Kettering,
Social philosopher, Inventor
What Fettering said centuries back, is not exactly the most accurate thing considering the 21st century job scenario. Well, at least his quote on imagination is certainly not applicable to the employment scenario in a field that earns its bread and butter on a daily dose of avid imagination.
You all can certainly guess which stream I am referring to; and if not check out my blog title and it becomes fully explanatory. Animation to me is something that breathes life into fabricated images and characters, which could exist only in stories or dreams.
When we hear the story of Moses who parted the Red Sea into two halves with his staff and carried the Hebrews safely across the ocean; some of us (the more cynical/ clinical/ pragmatic variety) might turn their nose up at such a possibility. But when we watch Prince of Egypt, an animated masterpiece produced by Dreamworks Production; for a moment at least many of us begin to ponder at such a possibility.
Why animation only? If you ask me, that movie or for that matter any animated feature film is more powerful in expression in comparison to a real-time live-action film; owing to the simple fact that the characters you watch in the former is purely a creation of one’s IMAGINATION.
One can make real actors speak and perform by directing and instructing them. But that is definitely not the case with CG characters. You can’t scream at them and say, ‘Act like this, jerk!’ or ‘This is how you speak your lines.’
This is the very reason why this world of illusion fascinates me so much and also the reason why I decided to study the subject. However, once you step out of your world of dreams where you might have created and animated hundreds of characters; you come across the coarse fact-YOU NEED TO GET A JOB!
If you get through a campus interview, nothing could be more blissful. If not, then the ordeal begins. And worst, you feel all that you read and hear from people about the flourishing animation industry and requirement for labour, was some kind of a joke.
I cannot tell about other cities in India, but regarding the scenario in Mumbai (one of the most upcoming cities as far as the stream of Animation and VFX is concerned); there are a thousand articles and news snippets you get to read in Google about job requirements. But when you get down to work and send your CVs across to the concerned organizations; most of them do not care to reply, some want experienced lot and some want people with specific software training.
And God forbids if you are a fresher. There are very limited openings for you and imagination is definitely not the only limit. The first thing demanded is a couple of years of experience. You cannot expect a reply from the firms if you do not have that.
Second, some of them want you to know Max and not Maya, or vice versa otherwise you are not invited.
DO NOT, and I repeat do not dream of the big players in the business as a fresher. It is a different case if they recognise your talent in a campus interview and hire you. But if they do not, there is no way you can make them realise. I will not mention names but one such big studio known for its brilliance in animation and VFX answered a fresher saying that there is a mismatch between his/her expectations and skills. It’s another way of snubbing a person with a polished speech or in short it’s telling a person-‘You are not fit for our company.’
Agreed, as a fresher one’s skills are limited and there is an enormous stretch to cover. But for that an opportunity should be given. No one becomes a Walt Disney at birth; it comes with years of practice and dedication. And most importantly, one needs a chance to learn and try his/her skills.
Imagination has wings and it could take you to heights that you might not have traveled to before. But sadly, imagination is not the only limit in this world.
- Charles F. Kettering,
Social philosopher, Inventor
What Fettering said centuries back, is not exactly the most accurate thing considering the 21st century job scenario. Well, at least his quote on imagination is certainly not applicable to the employment scenario in a field that earns its bread and butter on a daily dose of avid imagination.
You all can certainly guess which stream I am referring to; and if not check out my blog title and it becomes fully explanatory. Animation to me is something that breathes life into fabricated images and characters, which could exist only in stories or dreams.
When we hear the story of Moses who parted the Red Sea into two halves with his staff and carried the Hebrews safely across the ocean; some of us (the more cynical/ clinical/ pragmatic variety) might turn their nose up at such a possibility. But when we watch Prince of Egypt, an animated masterpiece produced by Dreamworks Production; for a moment at least many of us begin to ponder at such a possibility.
Why animation only? If you ask me, that movie or for that matter any animated feature film is more powerful in expression in comparison to a real-time live-action film; owing to the simple fact that the characters you watch in the former is purely a creation of one’s IMAGINATION.
One can make real actors speak and perform by directing and instructing them. But that is definitely not the case with CG characters. You can’t scream at them and say, ‘Act like this, jerk!’ or ‘This is how you speak your lines.’
This is the very reason why this world of illusion fascinates me so much and also the reason why I decided to study the subject. However, once you step out of your world of dreams where you might have created and animated hundreds of characters; you come across the coarse fact-YOU NEED TO GET A JOB!
If you get through a campus interview, nothing could be more blissful. If not, then the ordeal begins. And worst, you feel all that you read and hear from people about the flourishing animation industry and requirement for labour, was some kind of a joke.
I cannot tell about other cities in India, but regarding the scenario in Mumbai (one of the most upcoming cities as far as the stream of Animation and VFX is concerned); there are a thousand articles and news snippets you get to read in Google about job requirements. But when you get down to work and send your CVs across to the concerned organizations; most of them do not care to reply, some want experienced lot and some want people with specific software training.
And God forbids if you are a fresher. There are very limited openings for you and imagination is definitely not the only limit. The first thing demanded is a couple of years of experience. You cannot expect a reply from the firms if you do not have that.
Second, some of them want you to know Max and not Maya, or vice versa otherwise you are not invited.
DO NOT, and I repeat do not dream of the big players in the business as a fresher. It is a different case if they recognise your talent in a campus interview and hire you. But if they do not, there is no way you can make them realise. I will not mention names but one such big studio known for its brilliance in animation and VFX answered a fresher saying that there is a mismatch between his/her expectations and skills. It’s another way of snubbing a person with a polished speech or in short it’s telling a person-‘You are not fit for our company.’
Agreed, as a fresher one’s skills are limited and there is an enormous stretch to cover. But for that an opportunity should be given. No one becomes a Walt Disney at birth; it comes with years of practice and dedication. And most importantly, one needs a chance to learn and try his/her skills.
Imagination has wings and it could take you to heights that you might not have traveled to before. But sadly, imagination is not the only limit in this world.
