Tuesday 22 July 2014

3 Reasons to Take Up Diploma Courses in Animation

A Short Guide for Prospective Creative Students in Singapore

You’re fresh out of secondary education, and it seems to you that the academic route isn’t really your calling. As a kid, you’ve always been drawn to the Sunday morning cartoons in a different way. While everyone else around you stared transfixed at the screen, you wondered with curiosity on the inner workings behind such light-hearted magic. In school, you enjoyed art classes because it stimulated you, allowed you to create. I know, because I’ve been there.

Choosing to walk a non-traditional path is scary, after all we’d been brought up to believe that it’s important for us to study hard; to be good at Mathematics and the Sciences if you ever wanted to amount to anything. Art? That’s just a past-time. It’s been drilled into our heads over and over again, so much so that we start to believe that it’s true. I took the leap, got frightened, and turned my back on my dreams, only to find myself being drawn back to it, but that’s a story for another time. It did teach me a lesson though, and the first reason why you should take up Diploma Courses in Animation….

Because You Want To. The most important reason, and the simplest. I don’t mean to proceed with reckless abandon, but if being an Animator appeals more to you than say, being a Biochemist, why force yourself? Don’t let future income be a deciding factor in your journey, because to be honest, there are way too many variables in the future that could add or damage your earning power anyway. Do what you love, be good at what you do, and success will follow.

Times are also not what they used to be. The creative industry in Singapore has grown so much over the past 10 years, thanks to the efforts of the government and those within the industry. The growth in the Animation industry in fact, has been rather apparent. The arrival of industry giants, Lucasfilm Animation Singapore (LAS) in 2004 has also paved the way for smaller studios to flourish and boom. I guess what I’m saying is… Strike While the Iron is Hot. Granted, job stability is still something that could be worked in such a dynamic environment, but the industry has not looked as good in a long time, and seems like it is only to be getting healthier.
 
The truth is, if you’re still reading this, it means that you’ve considered this career path to some extent but might still be undecided. There is nothing much else for me to say to convince you though, except that Animation is one heck of a fulfilling industry. What you create is tangible, and the satisfaction of seeing your works being displayed… I met someone from Lucasfilms once, and he told me about how amazing it was to have taken part in the production of the movie, Pacific Rim, and watching it onscreen for the first time, was simply mind-blowing.

With how varied Animation is, you can even choose a specialization. Visual Effects, Character Animation and 3D Modeling Courses are available here at MAGES Institute of Excellence, for those who wish to further refine their skillsets into something more specialized. For example, specializing in 3D Modeling Courses will of course open up more markets for you. Besides the traditional roles of in films and gaming, 3d Modelers are also needed in interior design, architecture, the medical industry and for stage/set design. Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Want to find out more? Leave a question in the comments or drop us a mail-enquiry@mages.edu.sg

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