From the drawing board to the big screen, digital created art brings movies, TV shows and computer games to life with illustrations and special effects. Find out more about this growing industry in Singapore.

By Joyce Lin

Do you remember being awestruck while in the cinema, watching movies such as Transformers, Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings? How about switching on your television to watch Heroes before proceeding to play Need For Speed with its top-notch graphic sequences.

What are visual arts?
If you’ve ever wondered how these movies, TV shows and computer games have left such a lasting impression on you, here’s the answer: Visual arts. The graphics in the scenarios listed above are all only possible with digital illustration and animation. Whether it’s special effects or computer-generated imagery (CGI), digitally created art adds a touch of visual excitement to otherwise mundane sights.

The importance of visual arts is paramount – up to 80% of all top-grossing films depend on visual effects to create a winning film. The bill doesn’t come cheap either; according to statistics from the Visual Effects Society, close to half of a movie’s multi-million dollar budget is typically dedicated to creating visual effects.

Visual arts overseas and in Singapore
Surely you’ve heard of Pixar, based in the United States, which claimed box office successes such as Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and the recently-released Wall-E. Closer to home, Japanese production house Studio Ghibli has given audiences animation gems such as Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke while Production I.G. was responsible for the ground-breaking Ghost in the Shell series which inspired The Matrix.

Here in Singapore, the digital media industry is set to experience a boom. According to official figures released by the Singapore Economic Development Board and the Media Development Authority (MDA), the local digital media industry is poised to grow by 10,000 new jobs between 2005 and 2015, contributing S$10 billion to the country’s GDP.

In 2003, MDA launched the Media 21 plan seeking to grow the media industry. Also, the Workforce Development Agency has provided incentives to lure well-known foreign animation companies to establish offices in Singapore.

Their efforts have paid off. In the past five years, Singapore has attracted top production houses like Koei and Ubisoft to set up studios here, along with Lucasfilm which recently released Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

MDA has also shown its support for home grown animated productions such as Sing to the Dawn, created in collaboration between MDA, Raintree Pictures and Silicon Illusions. With such momentum, the digital arts scene in Singapore is only going to get bigger.

Should I venture into visual arts?
If you’ve been toying with the idea of venturing into this field, there has never been a better time than now. “A career in the visual arts is definitely a viable one,” said Mr David Kwok, Chairman of the Singapore Animators Connection.

Where can I go to learn more about visual arts?
There are various higher educational institutes here in Singapore that will provide you with the opportunity to further your knowledge and expand your skill in visual arts.
Local polytechnics offer courses in visual effects, animation and game design, typically with three year programmes.
-Nanyang Polytechnic: Diploma in Digital Visual Effects
-Ngee Ann Polytechnic: Specialist Diploma in 3D Animation & VFX
-Republic Polytechnic: Diploma in Interactive and Digital Media, Diploma in

Game Design
-Singapore Polytechnic: Diploma in Games Design & Development
-Temasek Polytechnic: Diploma in Moving Images, Diploma in Game and

Entertainment Technology
Government-aided schools offer diplomas and degrees as well.
-Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts: Diploma in Multimedia
-LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts: Bachelor (Hons) in Animation Art
Foreign schools have also set up campuses here in Singapore. There include DigiPen, Sheridan Global Animation, and Tisch Asia.

Alternatively, private schools also provide you with the chance to further your interests. These include Raffles Institute and Egg Story Digital Arts School. Egg Story is set up by Mr Nickson Fong, one of the most sought after experts in CGI special effects. He made a name for himself creating computer-generated visual effects in Hollywood blockbusters such as The Matrix Reloaded.

Time to shake things up!
If there’s one thing that industry veterans hope to see, it’s a burst of creativity in the local digital arts scene. Mr David Kwok is Managing Director of Tiny Island Productions and CG Protégé, an animation studio and a 3D animation school respectively. On the development of indigenous artists, he says: “My biggest accomplishment has been to help talents to get into the industry. That said, I hope to see more cool Singapore works in the global market.”

Illustrator Mr Morris Lee hopes to see a more “unified” Singapore style for both digital illustrators and animators. The owner of Momorobo, a local art and design studio, he majored in multimedia studies and was recently honoured by the New York Art Directors Club for his works. He points out: “The biggest obstacle is that the digital art scene in Singapore is still small.”

The nascent state of the industry implies that many people here are still unconvinced of its vast potential. Students may still face pressure from their parents and peers to choose jobs in other more “practical” fields, although the digital arts scene is gradually proving to be a growing one here in Singapore.

As both Mr Kwok and Mr Lee point out however, there is a way to overcome all these obstacles if you want to work in the digital arts field. Both of the industry experts agree that passion is the key to getting far in this field if you choose to pursue a career in it.

Enthused Mr Lee, “You’ve got to be very passionate about what you’re doing. As Steve Jobs said, ‘stay hungry’.”

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