Has it ever occurred to you that the awe-inspiring animation movies we watch so addictively are actually creations on a computer screen? Isn’t it fascinating that a series of still images that have been manipulated to create an illusion of motion can turn billion dollars of business in the movie industry? If you’re the one with a creative curiosity and passion to digitize your artistic abilities, a career in multimedia and animation might just be what you’re looking for.

And as the name suggests itself, the profession is all about combining technical skills with your creative juices and coming up with fascinating stuff.

Who is a Multimedia Professional?

The major responsibility of a multimedia professional is to develop products and applications to inform, entertain and educate the world. Playing with art and bringing together typography, photographs, videos, and sound, you’ll be producing media content for different divisions such as movies, music or advertisers. Your assignments or projects often reflect the company’s value or if you’re a freelancer then they’re your own.

What to Expect?

You will basically be working in an office, studio, production house or media department and as the major function is computer integration, the nature of the job will be in-house or freelancing. It will include meeting clients and understanding their expectations. A wide array of software such as Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, After Effects etc will be used by you to produce as per their demands and lead you to work with other artists such as writers and cinematographers.

Working Hours

The possible working hours if you’re an in-house multimedia professional are 9 am to 5 pm but can be flexible depending upon the company’s policy. If you’re a freelancer, the work timing is flexible or according to the client’s needs.

Salary of Animation and Multimedia Professionals

According to Indeed.co.in, the average salary of a multimedia artist starts from 13K per month and increases up to 40K with a graduation in the same field and a couple years of experience. Full-time multimedia professionals with more advanced profiles and greater experiences can scale their incomes to 200K per annum.

Qualifications

A degree or diploma in the field of animation, multimedia, designing or creative arts can get you started on a career. Relevant internships, work experience, portfolios, freelancing experience will also add on to your pay scale and expertise. The best way to start after 12th standard is to enroll in an undergraduate course in B.Sc Multimedia and learn from the ground-up.

Skills Required in Animation and Multimedia

  • Creative and technical understanding.
  • Knowledge of operating systems and computer technology.
  • Understanding the basics of art functions such as color theory, visual graphics, and animation.
  • Ability to work with software such as Dreamweaver, 3D Flash Animator, Flash Player and Apple Final Cut Pro X.
  • Problem-solving approach.
  • Good communication and presentation skills to deal with clients.
  • Ability to meet deadlines.

Multimedia might sound like the ‘coolest’ profession to tag your name with but students must understand the hard work and ethics that this profession demands. With proper learning and creative desire, this field can help you unlock the exponential potential inside you.