EASYUNI Ultimate University Guide 2013 Issue 4 | Page 31

CO U R S E S & C A REERS

Am I Right for
This Course?
With a job that needs you in front
of a computer screen for most of
the time, a high level of tolerance
for screen-gazing (and maybe
plenty of eye drops) will come in
handy. In the digital animation
industry, a lengthy modelling
process is commonplace,
depending on the level of
complexity of a certain character
or scene. So, excellent stress
management can help you cope
with this and the tight deadlines.
Your drawing skills, of course,
have to be at a certain level,
without which you are somewhat
handicapped when it comes to
presenting and coming up with
ideas. Most universities assess
students’ drawing skills before
they are admitted to the course.
You may also need to bring along
a portfolio of your artwork as well.

What Will I Learn?
Students will be exposed to
the fundamentals of classical,
experimental and computer
animation in university or college.
They can also improve their
drawing skills with subjects such
as Life Drawing and Concept Art.
From 2D animation of yesteryears
to today’s advanced 3D animation
techniques, students will acquire
the necessary expertise to create
realistic settings and characters.

How Do I Get In?
You will need at least a pass in
your secondary or high school
final examinations. You may then
proceed with a pre-university
course of your choosing such
as a Foundation in Arts or
matriculation programmes. You
can also opt for a diploma directly
after secondary school if you are
certain this is your industry.

They will also learn how to
tell a story with proper flow
and structure to maximise
entertainment value for the
audience. Students will hone their
skills with animation and video
editing software such as Maya
and Adobe Final Cut Pro.

Digital Animation: Then and Now
The industry in Malaysia saw significant growth after 2000 and is said to be
swiftly improving. The most recent development is the establishment of the
Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studio in Nusajaya, Johor.
The term “animator” is subjective. Animation itself has many categories that
include modelling, animation and visual effects. A 3D artist builds 3D assets
such as buildings, vehicles, robots and dinosaurs. It all starts with simple grey
shapes that represent their concepts, with colours and textures applied to
further enhance realism. The final step is rendering and blending them with the
required scenes, whether in live-action footage or fully animated scenes.
Animators will animate 3D assets provided by the modellers. For example,
incorporating moving hands and fingers or even the whole body for various
movements and actions. In the case of animating vehicles, modellers can make
the wheels roll and move cars on roads, or even transform them into robots.
A visual effects artist supervises the entire
project, from behind-the-scenes crew
to frontline animators. They are usually
responsible for providing more depth and
elements to a film or any animation. Most
of the time, they also act as compositors,
patching together graphics produced by
both animators and modellers to create
the final product.

Why Digital
Animation?
If you would love to replicate
or even better the phenomenal
success