Becoming an animator?

SnowFlag SG

I know many animators not working as animators, cos the demand is much less than the supply.

Also, I seriously question whether there is such a pay that is even close to $15,000 for an animator in Singapore Rolling Eyes

DRAW up your dreams
If animation movies like The Incredibles and Shrek fascinate you enough to make you want to give up your day job, then step this way. Billy Teo charts the path to pursuing a career in animation

IF HARD work puts you off, then don't waste time becoming an animator. But if you are a go-getter who is willing to slog for long hours for his 'art' - occasionally foregoing sleep - and prepared to learn new skills, then read on.

An animator's pay is not bad, there are jobs waiting and there are schools to teach you the skills. So, switching to such a career is not starting on a blank piece of paper.

Said Mr Benjamin Toh, 30, an executive producer at Cubix Communications: 'The salary scale can range from $1,500 to $15,000 depending on seniority and experience in managing a team of animators.'

But he added in jest: 'But the higher up the ladder you climb, the less you sleep!'

He is looking to hire more animators, so are other companies. Local animation companies like Cubix Communications, Peach Blossom Media and Egg Story are also looking for more talented animators to produce original content that can be marketed overseas. Lucasfilm is among several foreign animation studios that have agreed to set up shop in Singapore, and are looking for local talent.

Said Mr Yang Tien, 38, deputy director for animation in the School of Design, Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP): 'Our employment surveys of our students (in animation) show that almost all find work within three months of graduation.'

Passion, say those already in the field, is vital.

Said animation producer Li Yunfei, 28, from Cubix Communications, which is producing a $2-million animated movie called ZodiacÂThe Race Begins: 'You must eat and sleep animation every day. It's not a nine to five job.'

In fact, Cubix has overnight facilities in its office for those who want to keep working to see how an animation turns out, yet need a place to rest.

Said digital media design student Tan Qian Ling, 19, who is specialising in animation in the NYP: 'You have to be really, really interested in animation to join the course, as it is very challenging and tiring.'

The fan of Pixar movies like The Incredibles and Monsters Inc added: 'I took two weeks just to finish a scene for a Gan Cheong King episode that lasted only a few seconds.'

Third-year NYP students like Qian Ling produced the Gan Cheong King series of animated short, now showing on TV Mobile. Another aspiring animator, Mr Kent Wong (above), 26, loves the fabulous 3D figures in games like Final Fantasy so much that he quit his job as a media designer to take up a full-time diploma course with 3Dsense Media School.

His dream: To be good enough to work for a Japanese game company like Square-Enix, animating the stylish characters in role-playing games and movies like the upcoming Final Fan-tasy: Advent Children.