Animator Career
Animators are artists who create two or three-dimensional images that depict objects in motion on video, film, computers, or another form of electronic media.
Story development, editing, cinematography, and directing are sometimes applied to develop storyboards depicting animation flow and mapping out characters and key scenes. The final animations are used in products or creations like commercials, music videos, movies, computer games, and television.
Computer Animator Career Assessment
Take our Animator career assessment. This 30 question quiz let’s you know if you’re cut out for a career as a computer animator by analyzing your abilities, skills, and interests.
Animation Snapshot
Computer animators tend to work in office settings. Much of the day will be spent using a computer or meeting with clients or colleagues working on the same project.
Here are further details on a career in animation (statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Onet Online):
is the average earnings for animators per year.
increase in employment between 2014 and 2024
have a Bachelor’s degree in the animation field.
Animation Education
Many colleges and universities offer animation degrees. In addition to the traditional associates and bachelor’s degrees, technical schools also offer certifications in animation and 3-D modeling. Like many art careers, a portfolio is an important factor used to gauge the skill level of the animator as well as past employment and experience.
Animator Job Outlook
Demand for multimedia artists and animators is expected to grow 6% between 2014 and 2024. The popularity of mobile devices will help drive this growth.
Animation Salaries
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for multimedia artists and animators is $63,970 a year, with the opportunity to earn nearly $100,000 a year. Self employed animators have a wider range in salaries.
Animator Duties
Animators typically gain employment in the video game industry, advertising, or motion pictures. They use computer software to form animated images or special effects. Animators typically work a 40-hour work week, but may need to spend evening and weekend time in order to meet deadlines.
Animator Career
Becoming an animator requires special skills and abilities as shown below:
Animator Skill Set: | Required Abilities: | Tools Used by Animator: | Typical Work Activities: |
---|---|---|---|
•Active Listening •Reading Comprehension •Critical Thinking •Time Management •Coordination •Judgement & Decision Making •Complex Problem Solving •Speaking | •Near Vision •Oral Expression •Writting Comprehension •Oral Comprehension •Visualization •Problem Sensitivity •Written Expression | •Digital Cameras •Graphics Tablets •Personal Computers •Pressure Stylus | •Using Computers •Creative Thinking •Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge •Communicating with Clients |
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