‘I had loads of fun at this institute pursuing a programme in animation’

Almost everyone looks forward to college days and the fun-filled days that follow at the campus. The whole idea of finally shedding the school

uniform and being labeled as an adult is a heady feeling. Unfortunately, for a lot of students, this fun was taken away due to the lockdown because of COVID-19. While some managed to enjoy campus life towards the end of their course, others sadly, never got the chance to go to their campus except to collect their degrees.

Rajat Bhatt, an alumnus of Apeejay Institute of Design (AID), said that the days that he spent during his foundation course in Mehruali were amazing. “But once we shifted to Apeejay Stya University (ASU) to complete our programme and get our degrees, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and everything including classes went online. That was something that all of us, the batch of 2018-22 hated. While the teaching was good, what we missed was the fun that we thought we would have. But it was not in our luck,” Bhatt said, who is now preparing to pursue his master’s.

Excerpts from an interview.

How and why did you choose to study at Apeejay Institute of Design?

After I completed my class XIIth exam, I took Commerce, I was looking for a college. This is when I got to know about this programme that was being offered by Apeejay Stya University. I was always good with computers and decided to pursue a career in this sector only. That is why I did a Bachelor’s degree in Animation Multimedia. Some of the things that I gained knowledge about were related to Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects.

My interest in animation was piqued after I watched Kung Fu Panda in 2012; that is when I fell in love with animation and the way the movie was done was brilliant. I did a lot of research and learnt all the technical terms. I did a six-month certification course when I was in school.

Can you recall your days at AID?

The first two years here were amazing. I attended a fest that was organised. My favourite professor here was Jayant sir. He was also our HoD for the foundation course. Another faculty member who was very good was Sukhwinder sir; he taught us Human Anatomy classes. Anjali ma’am, who taught us Nature Studies was also excellent. These classes proved to be interactive and I learnt a lot and had fun as well.

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I was always good with computers and decided to pursue a career in this sector only. That is why I did a Bachelor’s degree in Animation Multimedia. Some of the things that I gained knowledge about were related to Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects

–Rajat Bhatt, an alumnus of Apeejay Institute of Design-Apeejay Stya University

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Does one have to be good at drawing to work as an animator?

While it may not be necessary but if a person is good at it, it helps to hone your skills better as you progress with your programme. One also has to have creative thinking and a good hand when it comes to using the software.

Share your professional journey.

I began my professional career with Ho Jaye Viral, a start-up. I was an animator here. But I worked here only for three months; after that, I joined Uniworld Studios Pvt Ltd and worked as a graphic designer. After working for more than 15 months, I left because I want to do my master’s and learn more and hone my skills. So, I am busy building my portfolio so that I can apply to some of the top institutes in India.

What are some of the jobs that one can apply for in this sector?

There are so many different opportunities in this field. It depends on what your specialisation or preference is. However, it is important to be clear in your head where you want to go, without this you will not be able to become a master in one aspect. For example, if a person is interested in working in the filmmaking sector, he/she has to decide whether it is going to be pre-production or post. It also depends on whether you want to work with 2D or 3D. Like I want to specialise in 3D. The good part is that once you specialise in this, you can work in any sector.

Would you recommend ASU?

I can’t say much about the campus at ASU since I never attended any class there due to COVID-19 but I can say that AID was amazing. The faculty there is brilliant. They were always there to help you and guide you. I couldn’t have been taught by better faculty.