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The
last few years have seen a rapid expansion in growth
and subsequent demand for trained practitioners
within the interactive digital media industries, with ongoing development
in technology and its applications. |
Introduction |
| "Multimedia
is any combination of text, graphic art, sound, animation, and video
delivered to you by computer or other electronic means. It is richly
presented sensation. When you weave together the sensual elements
of multimedia-dazzling pictures and animations, engaging sounds,
compelling video clips, and raw textual information-you can electrify
the thought and action centers of people's minds. When you give
them interactive control or the process, they can be enchanted.
Multimedia excites eyes, ears, fingertips, and, most importantly,
the head." |
Nature of Work |
| As
a multimedia designer or developer, you could be involved in the
design of many forms of interactive media. You could be working
on the development, production and management of web and other internet-based
products and systems, CD-ROMs and DVD authoring, interactive and
networked art, interactive TV and games design. Job opportunities
exist in a variety of sectors, including e-commerce, education,
entertainment and global communications. You could be working for
a large organisation, based within the IT or marketing or public
relations department; within an advertising, publishing, communications,
marketing or software company; a specialised multimedia production
studio, or working as a freelance professional. |
Personality |
Clearly define what you want to be or do. (i.e. a Graphic Designer,
Authoring Specialist, Art director, Animator etc.)
Define the skills you need to succeed in your chosen field.
(Make a list)
Create a plan to acquire the skills you do not possess.
A professional looking, polished portfolio. Keep it short.
Keep it focused
Work experience. Every Human Resources manager looks for
this. Get it, find it, create it! It may be volunteer or part time,
no matter, you need some. |
Specialization
in Work
>>
The main area of work in the MULTIMEDIA are :
|
Animator Game |
Art Director |
Designer Interactive Writer |
Graphic Designer |
Sound Producer |
Video Producer |
Game Developer |
Web Developer |
CD-ROM Developer |
Web Designer |
Web Content Producer |
Presentation Artist |
|
Industry
Markets •
Publishing • Advertising • Museums/Zoos • Education
• Media Companies
• Software Startups • Advertising • Software |
Multimedia
Uses
•
Online games •
Corporate website design •
product introduction •
CD-ROM
games •
Personal
websites •
ATM's/Kiosks
•
Technical
Training •
Arcade
games •
Edutainment
•
MarketingTrade
Shows |
Prospects
and Opportunities
Global animation industry is estimated to grow around US$75 billion
by 2009 and Indian share is expected to be $950 million in the same
period, thereby witnessing annual growth rate of 35% from 2005-2009.
The market for another multimedia product i.e., gaming is expected
to reach $300 million by 2009. In India, there are around 90-100
million TV homes, hundreds of TV channels and over 70,000 cable
operators. They are demanding round the clock information and entertainment
services for TV viewers. These figures shows a promising growth,
bright prospects and opportunities for multimedia industry. The
only factor which hampers the growth of multimedia sector is the
dearth of skilled professionals. It is expected that in next few
years the requirement for multimedia professionals can swell to
2 lakh. Moreover, the IT-enabled services sector, which includes
interactive or digital multimedia, animation and gaming, is expect
to employ around 1.1 million professionals by 2008. |
Work
and skill requirements
The work of multimedia professionals can he described as the generation
and manipulation of graphic images, animation, sound, music, text
and video into consolidated multimedia programs for entertainment,
education or instructional media. Multimedia development includes
a combi-nation of different skills viz., combination art, music,
education and many other areas with comput-ing and information technology.
As such there is no single background that can be considered as
ideal pathway in the profession. But knowledge of more than one
skill in animation, author-based programm-ing, computer-based graphic
design, digital audio-video mixing and editing, educational and
instructional design and multimedia pro-gramming is necessary. Besides,
creativity, pioneering personality, flexibility, mathematical and
analytic art, strong verbal and written communication skill, ability
to work well with others, flair for innovation design and artistic
talent are other traits which can give more advantage. |
Starting
a successful multimedia career
Before starting a multimedia career, you should keep following points
in mind in order to make entry in this career to become a professional
:-
• Specifically think what you want to be or do? Choose one among
graphical designer, art director, animator, video producer, multimedia
desig-ner, cartoon or game designer, CD-ROM developer or presentation
artists etc.
• Make a list of skills you required in your chosen field.
•Join for a course and/or training in the field you have chosen,
keeping in view the skills you have to acquire. But before joining
the course and/or training know the facilities in term of equipment,
faculty and placement records of the institution before you join one.
• Find and get work experience.
• Generate different resumes for different jobs.
• Keep a professional looking, well focused and polished portfolio.
|
How
to start
There
are various courses on multimedia offered all over the country.
For acquiring a diploma in multimedia, one has to pass the 12th
standard examination from any recognized board with a minimum of
45% marks. For the bachelor’s degree program the same eligibility
criterion is applicable, while for the PG program one must have
a bachelor’s degree.
Multimedia
and animation careers
l
Animation
l Author-based programming
l Computer based graphic designing
l Digital video-sound editing
l Multimedia programming or designing
l Interface designing
l Instructional designing
l Production artist
l Website designing or development
l Technical writing
|
|
Animation :
the career is concerned with the design, drawing, layout and production
of graphically rich and attractive multimedia clips. Animators may
use 2D or 3D animators for gaming, instructional programs, CD-ROM
or Web, kiosks and video. Animator may or may not be a great artist.
His/her talent may lie in 3D modeling and following a designer’s
sketch. Those with strong drawing skills could be hired as storyboard
artists who can visualize a sequence of events from frame to frame.
Using laser equipment, computer animators scan images of real objects
onto a computer and convert them to digital form. Usually the animator
has to model the character or object in the computer, drawing curves,
constructing surfaces and using primitive objects (such as spheres
and cubes) to produce a wireframe model. Controls are then added
to the model to allow it to be bent and posed. It is advantageous
to understand photography, lighting and movement for those planning
to work in computer animation. They must be able to visualise how
an object will look in three dimensions and have the know-how to
make an animate object look real.
Author-based
programming : It involves writing scripts or extensions
in order to integrate a variety of images, text animation, graphics,
presentations, and sound before selecting and applying the desired
program structure to produce a multimedia product.
Computer
based graphic designing : In this career, individual
uses computing technology and specialist software packages to mange
production, interface and integration of various graphics and other
mediums into the multimedia package design. The primary role in
this profession is design of art and copy layouts for multimedia
products.
Digital
video-sound editing :
The career is concerned with using computer-based editing systems
to prepare video sound for multimedia products. One should be familiar
with editing and formatting a video or audio, voice-overs and mixing
music.
Multimedia
programming or designing : It involves writing code
to incorporate the range of audio-visual elements contained within
a given multimedia package, and solving problems associated with
conversion between different platforms. One should be having specialization
in video systems development or programming with awareness of various
operating systems and usability issues. The programmer or designer
can use authoring system or programming language. Preparation of
blueprint for project in terms of contents, media and interaction
would be prime responsibility of the multimedia designer.
Interface
designing : The profession is concerned with devising
navigation pathways and content maps. How the screens and dialog
boxes are interrelated and flow together, which buttons do what,
what happened in various situations? Interface designing requires
good ability of programming and familiarity and integration of various
multimedia products.
Instructional
designing : This category of job is associated with
the design of educational multimedia systems. The designer can be
a multimedia designer/programmer or/or interface designer having
ability to transform various educational instructional media in
to a single multimedia product. Instructional designers are used
to target specific learning objectives and audiences through multimedia
productions.
Production
artist : He/she works with the project manager or
designer to scan, format, batch and produce various parts of the
project.
Website
designing or development : The work is associated
with design and development of website keeps focus on the overall
look and feel of a website. Work may be supported by interface designer
and/or graphic designer. Knowledge of image editing tools is pre-requisite.
Technical
writing : This career is concerned with the development
of characters, point of views, scripts for voice-overs, instructional
text, etc. much like in film or video scripting. The professional’s
particular job description is to write software installation instructions
and user manuals.
Major
Multimedia education/ training centers
Some
Universities and Institutions in the country offers long term and
short term courses in Multimedia depending upon the qualification
and depth of training to be given.
National
Multimedia Resource Centre (NMRC), Centre for design of advance
computing (C-DAC), Shivajinagar Pune, has taken lead in multimedia
training programs. They have designed latest academic curriculum
for their multimedia courses. Multimedia training programs covers
the topics like high-end 2D and 3D Animation, Non Linear Video Editing,
Virtual Reality Authoring and Web Multimedia to produce highly trained
manpower in the field of Multimedia. The multimedia tools and technology
development at NMRC covers Multilinguism in Multimedia, Digital
Library Authoring Tools, Content Archival, Usability Evaluation,
Content Editing and Database driven software. The centre is also
engaged in the development of ActiveX components for multimedia
support in applications and extending it in the areas of sensing
devices, Virtual Reality (VR), Human Computer Interface (HCI) design
and multimedia applications of sensing technologies.
Besides,
Panjab Technical University, Jalandhar; National Institute of Design
(NID), Ahmedabad; Industrial Design Center (IDC), IIT at Mumbai
and Guwahati; Film & Television Institute of India; Centre for
Development of Imaging Technology, Thiruvananthapuram; Kerala Cartoon
Academy, Kochi; Toonz Animation India Private Limited, Thiruvananthapuram;
AFA-Animation and Fine Arts Academy, Coimbatore; College of Fine
Arts & Applied Art, JNT University, Kukatpally, Hyderabad are
also providing education in multimedia. Some other leading private
sector institutions are also creating manpower in the area by providing
sophisticated training. The list of Universities and Public Section
Institutions offering various courses / trainings are:-
|
P
R O F E S S I O N A L I N S T I T
U T E S |
NMRC,
C-DAC
Agriculture College Near, District Industries Centre, Shivajinagar,
Pune - 411005
Diploma in Advanced Computer Arts (DACA)
Diploma in Multimedia Creations (DMC)
Low Cost Multimedia Creations (LCMC) |
Punjab
technical technical university (in
collaboration with CABA innovation multimedia Pvt. Ltd.)
Jalandhar, Punjab. www.ptu.ac.in
Courses: • B.Sc in multimedia •
M.Sc in multimedia • PG Diplomat in multimedia •
P.G. Diploma in Multimedia Animation• CD-ROM and Web Design
(15 Months) • Advance Diploma in Professional •
Web Production & Animation(8 Months) |
National
Institute of Design (NID)
Paldi, Ahmedabad - 380 007 Gujarat
Website : www.nid.edu
Courses: Graduate/post graduate diploma in
Film & Video Communication,
New Media Design, Information & Interface Design, Design
For Retail Experience , Design For Digital Experience, Graphic
Design, Animation Film Design
Post-Graduate Diploma Programme in Product
Design (PGDPD),
Graphic Design, Animation Film Design, Film & Video Communication
|
Film
& Television Institute of India
Law College Road, Pune-411004 (Mah)
www.ftiindia.com
|
Image
College of Arts Animation & Technology
MG Road, Besant Nagar, Adayar, Chennai 600020 (Tamil Nadu),
Ph: 044-52113900 Website: http://www.animationacademyindia.com
Courses: • Advance diploma in animation
• Diploma in classical animation
• Foundation program in 3D animation • Broadcasting
animation in 3D
• Certificate in video editing |
| Author:
Shabir Ahmad Mir |
| The List is indicative |
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