Tim Burton: Animator, Genius

When I think of animators, the first name that pops in my head is Walt Disney. But I’ll just attribute that to the extreme popularity of Disney (well-earned, of course, but when you see the name flashed about everywhere there’s no way your brain doesn't pick up on it and register it better than any other). So, the second name, now that’s more important for me: Tim Burton.

Tim Burton, that crazy and twisted fellow makes some of the best animations of today. A director, producer, writer, animator and artist, he’s an all-rounder when it comes down to it, and the ace in his field. But first let’s give you a little background on his roots. Tim Burton attended the California Institute of the Arts (most renowned for its animation, it did also offer other multimedia courses) where he did an animation course. His talent wasn’t picked up for a while, but when it was, all hell broke loose (quite literally, seeing as his films are more often than not fairly dark and twisted).

His movies like Edward Scissorhands, Batman, Sleepy Hollow, Ed Wood, Sweeney Todd, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory have all been big hits. Burton’s animated films take on a dark, gothic, macabre theme that’s got fantasy, quirk, humour and horror all at the same time. That’s what sets him apart. Despite his seemingly off-beat film ventures, he comes out at the forefront of the mainstream as well. Tim Burton’s stop motion pictures creep under your skin, but you’ll love it. Movies like Alice in Wonderland Corpse Bride are the epitome.

So if you're as inspired by Tim Burton as I am much as I am (and are actually able to do something about it if you have the necessary technical and artistic skills, unlike me) then pick an animation course or choose one of many multimedia courses available worldwide, and kick start your animation career. If it’s anything like Tim Burton’s, you’ll be sure to have at least one fan in me!

The Inherent Love of Cartoons

So here's the thing about animation, whether we'd like to admit it or not or even be unaware of it altogether –we love it. I’ll tell you why. We've all grown up watching cartoons, haven’t we? From watching Cartoon Network to all the myriad cartoon channels that followed, every kid of the generation in question spent half their childhood glued to television sets. With the advent of television and its skyrocketing growth, gone were the days of children going out and about playing outdoors all day long! Generation X would understand what I’m talking about, while parents ceaselessly attempted to drag you away from the ‘idiot box’ whilst lecturing you about how back in the day, they were more active and curious about the outside world. Did your world revolve around the 47 inch, or what have you, television screen? Then riddle me this, what was it that you whiled away your childhood with? Easy breezy: cartoons. Ergo, case and point!

And thus grew our unknowing love for animation. Watching Tom ceaselessly attempt to chase and capture Jerry (knowing full well that it was never going to happen) is something I believe everyone cherishes as a fond memory of childhood. Or perhaps Mickey Mouse, who’s been around since times immemorial, so just about everyone has watched it, I’m sure. Say the evolution of Mickey Mouse over the years has inspired you and sparked an interest in animation and creating it; then there a number of excellent animation studios and Animation Institutes In Delhi that you can enroll yourself in and learn the intricate art of animation. With the knowledge and skills you pick up form an education from one of the various Animation Institutes In Delhi, perhaps one day you can hope to have your very own animation studios¸ and give back to the next generation, what you cherished about yours!

Animation and Creativity as a Calling

Computer Graphics and Animation is a promising industry. Animated movies tend to score over the non-animated ones. And it is not only the movies that amass acclaim, but games, themes parks, virtual reality and scientific and medical research that make use of computer graphics and animation are gathering steam.  The extensive use of graphics in design sector including automotive design, consumer products, industrial design and interactive design has only perked up the utility and efficiency of the animation and multimedia courses.

Graphic designers are known for having an attention to detail, design sense, problem solving skills and knowledge of the latest software and hardware pertaining to design and animation. Most design schools start with conceptualization and sketching before jumping onto 2D and 3D software which comes up in the advanced stages. They begin with the good old drawing concepts and then move on to the design fundamentals of colour theory, graphics, typography, scanning, colour correction and printing, says a student of animation course. Character modelling, set modelling, texturing, lighting, animation, visual effects and rendering are some of the other exciting aspects of a design course.

Many D-schools focus on basic education required to learn and unlearn the rest that keeps springing up in the profession. The curriculum and development team from design schools are adept at collecting inputs, interacting with the industry related personnel to keep themselves updated on the current trends and updating the curriculum in parallel to improve upon the employable skills of the students. Group discussions form an essential and an indispensable part of D-schools and they pep up the knowledge by providing all vital creative design inputs, asking students to analyse the concepts and inspire them to engage in innovative activities.

Becoming An Animator

Animation is probably the most sought after career choice today. Sought after-- because the very idea of creating graphics and cartoons is captivating. The work normally involves blowing all the creativity on a set of software tools to conjure visually stimulating graphics that are an immediate eye-catcher. As riveting as the work may sound, hopping into an animator’s shoes might not be that facile a task, says a student of an animation institute.

True, there is a lot of fame and money in the job, yet making a plunge into the untested waters might be risky in case you are simply curious to do something ‘different’ and ‘happening’. Don't blindly chase your curiosity just because a jazzy, shiny advertisement in the newspaper caught your eye. Do yourself a favour and ask a simple question-why would you want to go for animation?  Do your skills cater to the requirements needed an animator's task off?

Once you are done answering, it’s time to reflect upon the next step-the time to contemplate your next move.

Here you go!

Do an in depth research about schools, colleges, universities or animation studios and understand their curriculum, their faculty, their teachers and the kind of work they make their students do. Knowing the job placement rate of the animation studio is equally important.

Animation is a rapidly carving a niche of its own. What used to be done behind the few closed doors within the confines of a shallow establishment has become a thriving industry. You can either work in electronic entertainment (gaming, that is), Broadcast or film industry, or even professional visualizations for that matter.

There is a tremendous demand for 3D animators, character animators and lighting artists and matte painters in the ever expanding industry. If you are serious about the animation profession, go ahead, and embrace it. With a composed and a dedicated approach, there is no possibility that you can go wrong.