How to become a VFX animator: The Complete Guide!

Animation is an essential part of the filmmaking process. Without being able to capture the movements of your characters and objects through the use of animation, you’d be hard-pressed to bring your feature to life. Thankfully, without having to go overseas or take up a new career path, there’s still plenty you can do to become an animator.

Let’s explore exactly how you can become a VFX ( Visual Effects )animator — and what it takes to make that happen.

What is a VFX animator?

A VFX animator is an artist whose job is to combine stop-Motion and 3D animation to create complex visual effects. The job of a VFX animator can be challenging because the variety of skills required is huge — sometimes requiring hands-on experience with a wide range of software.

Before you apply, it’s critical that you have some understanding of the following:

Art and design
Understanding lighting, shadowing, and the look of the characters you’ll be creating
A good understanding of motion design and how to design visual effects that bring your characters to life

What can you do as a VFX animator?

If you love visual effects and want to combine your love of art and design with your love of visualization and movement, VFX may be the job for you.

VFX is a field that uses computer graphics, stop-motion animation, and other techniques to create visual effects for film, television, and video games.

As a VFX animator, you’ll have a variety of responsibilities. The most important one is keeping track of all the details that go into making a visual effect.

This includes research, development, and scheduling. You’ll also have to create blueprints for your projects so that the visual effects artists have a clear idea of what they’re working toward.

The best part of being a VFX animator

For the most part, being a VFX animator is a cool job. You get to work with some of the best and brightest in the industry, and you can apply your knowledge and passion for all things visual to create some amazing effects.

Here are a few reasons why:

You get to work with some of the best in the industry.

You get to work with the industry’s top talent daily — working alongside some of the most creative and insightful people in the business.

It’s challenging.

VFX work is challenging, but not an impossible task. You just have to put in the work and try not to let expectations get in the way of your work.

It pays well.

After three months as a VFX animator, you could make as much as INR 30,000 per month, which is a great salary for anyone looking to make a change in their career.

Get an Education in Animation

If you’re planning on going into the industry as a full-time animator, it’s a good idea to get a solid education in animation. This will help you see the details and nuances that are necessary to succeed as a VFX animator.

Fortunately, there are lots of high-quality animation programs out there, and it’s really easy to get your foot in the door by using education as an entry-level filter.

Here are a few of the best:

Kshitij Vivan — This is one of the oldest animation programs in the game, but it still offers some of the best instruction.

Other animation programs:

Schools with strong ties to Disney:

Disney University — Disney’s in-house school for aspiring animators, this is a hands-on approach to learning that most Disney animators will tell you is the best way.

NAAC-approved programs — If you’re not sure where to start, check out the approved animation programs. These programs usually have good reputations and provide a great foundation for entry-level work as an animator.

How to find work as a VFX animator?

Part-time job/ Internship for beginners

Once you learn the basics of animation, VFX & design you take on an internship in any animation firm or company, it will give you room to experiment and get hands-on experience.

If you’re looking for part-time work as a VFX animator, you can check out these websites dedicated to finding animation jobs:

Indeed
Linkedin
Internshala

Join a Freelance Agency

If you’re not ready to try out a new job search method, consider joining a freelance agency. These are great places to start because they can help you find work that fits your skills and experience level.

Here are a few of the best Job posting sites:

1) Naukri

2) Monsterjobs

3) Linkedin

4) Indeed

Start a Job in the Film Industry

If you want to make a change in your career and take a chance at a new job, consider starting your job search in the film industry.

The film industry is one of the oldest industries in the world, and it has a long and storied history. It’s also a really good place to find work if you’re looking for temporary or seasonal work. It’s a very flexible industry that allows you to work when you want to work.

Offer your Services as a Pro

To become a full-time VFX animator, you’ll have to put in the time and effort to become a pro. This means having the right mindset, working on projects that you love, and having the right skills.

Here are a few of the things that you’ll have to do:

Get your software use training.

A solid education in animation is essential, and a good way to start is by going to an accredited college or university.

Maintain a consistent work schedule.

VFX work is hard — and having a full-time job is not always the best solution.

Keep your skills top-notch.