Animator and Cartoonist

The salary of an animator depends on lots of factors such as their experience and the field of work. A beginner can earn anything between Rs. 1.2 lakhs per year to Rs.4 lacs per annum, which may or may not include bonus of up to Rs.1,00,000/- on a yearly basis. With a few years of experience in their bags, animators can earn very high indeed.

India is comparatively new to the animation industry, but that does not stop the possibilities for animators. As India is moving forward in the direction of animation, lots of companies and firms are showing great deal of interest in animators. Animators can become part of the film industry as well. This exciting field provides with lots of career opportunities. Infact these days, a lot of Film Production houses of Hollwood, outsource the animation work to people in India.

The role of an animator calls for a completely innovative and creative head who can think out of the box. World has witnessed several such personalities who dedicated their entire life to animation. 

R K Laxman was one of the famous cartoonist's of India. He was the creator of " Common Man " that used to appear in Times of India for decades. Sudhir Dar is another famous cartoonist of India. 

Walt Disney is one of the most renowned animators of the world. He, along with his brother Roy O. Disney, have had immense influence on the world of animation. Walt Disney would be always remembered for his immensely popular character of Mickey Mouse.

Akio Watanabe is a Japanese animator, animation director and character designer who is famous by the name Poyoyon Rock. He has provided Japan with some of its most memorable animated characters.

Aaron Augenblick is a well known animator from the United States of America who is widely recognized for his animated films “The Midnight Carnival” and “The Wire”. He is currently involved with a project by the name “Ugly Americans”.

Another personality who has earned lots of respect for himself over the years is William Denby Hanna. He is an American animator known worldwide for lots of animated television series.

A typical day in the life of an animator largely depends on their specialization and where they are working. The following is the schedule followed by a lead animator at a leading game studio.

08:00 - 10:00 am: Arrive at the studio, check mails and catch up with the team.

10:00 - 10:30 am: Meeting with leads from different disciplines and project director to decide on the goals and tasks to be performed during the week.

10:30 - 11:00 am: Stand up meeting with animation team.

11:00 - 12:00 pm: Open game engine and packages and either continue with previous day’s work or implement the new tasks. Play and test the games for improvement and to see how the same looks.

12:00 - 01:00 pm: Lunch time

01:00 - 02:00 pm: Go around and oversee the work others are doing, advice any changes desired and try to influence them to make a better game and even better story.

02:00 - 02:15 pm: Afternoon coffee break

02:15 - 04:00 pm: Group meeting in a dark room with projector to watch the animations. Group critique is carried out where everyone learns different aspects.

04:00 - 05:00 pm: Meeting with designers and programmers to work on a new game plan or iterate an existing one or make necessary changes in the same.

05:00 - 06:00 pm: Go to desk and continue with animation or the technical tasks. It can be anything from gestures to a final moment in the game.

06:00 - 06:30 pm: Play the game, admire the animations and work done on it and make notes and use the same to inspire others.

06:30 - 07:00 pm: Done with the day’s work, time for home.

Is animator not the career you are looking for? Check out detailed descriptions of various other career options available on the MapMyTalent career list page.

Also, one must always remember to take Aptitude Test and Personality Test to get the best suited career path along with expert career guidance and career advice.

You may also like to read up on other such careers as:

Fashion Designer

IT specialist

Event Management

Graphic Designer