Effect of Recession on Animation Industry

The month of Engineering campus placements was over, of course I didn’t sit for them , I had made my decision for Character animation . I was reading “Disney Animation Illusion of Life” in class alone on bench, guys in my class were discussing about how in IT industry the jobs are being cut down in major companies and they were not so sure though they have got place in companies. It was all because of recession.

I thought to myself , how will the recession will affect  Animation Industry ? I just smiled actually I knew the biggest threat for animation.

We are in Entertainment industry so as far as animation is concerned . We are not as much affected as the IT industry.
Though capital investment may  have been reduced to some extent. We are in one of the most coolest business. And You talk about recession then just check out the First week collection of Wall-e, Bolt and The Dark Knight.

Though they wont launch expensive cars and all. But still we have got to sell hair oil, tooth paste, pen , salt and hundreds of products.. I’m talking about advertisements. Ha ha 🙂

When I checked in major studios there wasn’t no jobs cut down.

Actually the biggest threat I was talking about  is World war 3.

Because during World War 2 , Disney studio and many other major studios were stopped working and all animators left for home for I think a year or some. When war was over everything was back on track like it was before.

So as long as all upset (wise) guys are not planning for next World War we are cool. 😉

I was listening to my mentor during program “Lessons in mastery”. And one of the skill to master that all masters have is “Learn To anticipate the Change” before it occurs.

He says you cant predict the linear changes  that come in one night and changes all the rules of  game but good thing is that you can adapt the new change if you are flexible enough and not bound by the your comfort zone. The kind of thing happened because of CG in animation but still  almost all Classical Animators are at there best.

May be few CG animators have fear of MoCap guys ..  I’m kidding 😉

(You know sometimes I feel the our First Movie Toy Story tells all those guys who thinks classical animation is no more . Just try to put classical Animation in place of Woody and CG in place of Buzz , but you know  like Woody says “ Nobody is getting replaced” )

So basically Tony  tells that  there are some changes which occurs periodically like a cycle or like seasons we have in year. For example Recession (this program was recorded almost 4 years ago I guess) and we can anticipate such changes , may be there are some periodic changes which occur after 5 or 10 years, so you don’t have to wait for them you can anticipate them before they occur and also  the best thing is that its periodic ,when we look at past we realize that its going to change.

Also in difficult times there were some guys who became hugely successful like Sir John Templeton

About the Animation in India, Everybody says there is going to awesome scope for all and all that. Actually I really don’t know whether its going to happen or not.

So it happens or not I have some thoughts that I want to share.

Sit James Baxter (Animator on Who Framed Roger Rabbit,Spirit, Lion King, Beauty and Beast,he Prince of Egypt, The Road to El Dorado, Shrek 2,  Madagascar … so many) told in his interview   ,

(and its my personal belief too)

“ No matter where you live on the planet , if You are the Best , they are going to  find You”

We have to make sure to build a strongest Foundation with all animation skills. That no matter what change occurs we are sure that we are going to animate in any drastic change industry. (Like all Classical Animators did for CG when they had to adopt)

Actually here in this industry we have huge competition and if there is going to growth in India means   lots of competition.

Most the times there is question that which area has maximum scope in Animation?

I want to say the one you are best and passionate at!!

We make 24 frames for 1 second, for 2 hr movie. There will be damn hard times and then only Passion can make us through them.

There comes time where you have to be unique and irreplaceable that’s why concentrating and working on one thing helps lot.

I know it may sound general but choosing one option (Storyboarding Modelling, Rigging, Character Animation, Sfx…)  striving for that one skill set definitely will make a huge difference!!

I hope that helps!!

Finally I  want to thank  Uday, who suggested such awesome topic

Don’t forget to share your thoughts guys, i would really love to here your opinions … 🙂

“We are committed to CANI! 🙂 ” click here