Hi Shaun - Decide what market you are going to chase, product vis, freelance design, architectural etc, then break it down further to see if there is a niche you can lever your way into. Once you have that made up in your mind , then work out the hardware and software. If you are doing special effects and full blown commercial animation then you will need something like Max, fly-bys and pans and zooms etc there is lots of choice, including Rhino which will do DWG very nicely with being pals with Autodesk, and then a licence for Vray or Brazil (I have tried NXT and i don't like it), but there is basic animation in Rhino now.

Martin