Computer Animation Careers

Computer animation brings your favorite characters to life.

If you’ve ever seen pictures come to life on a movie screen, you’ve witnessed the miracle of animation.  The animation process used to be far more labor intensive, requiring drawing the same image repeatedly, while adjusting it slightly to mimic movement.  With today’s technology, computers have helped to speed up this process through the use of animation software and allow images to be created digitally, rather than with the traditional paper and pencil.

Critical Career Skills

Important skills for computer animators include an eye for design, color, detail, and proficiency with computers.  It’s helpful to stay up to date on the latest software and be fluent with both Mac and PC operating systems.  Possible software programs that computer animators may utilize include Lightwave® 3D, Autodesk® Maya, Autodesk® Softimage, to name a few.

Other helpful skills include the ability to make valuable industry contacts, complete projects on time, and having a teamwork mentality.

Computer Animation Career Opportunity

With many job areas of specialty within the computer animation industry including 2D animation, 3D animation, web design animation with flash, entertainment animation, and video game animation (to name a few), the field is ripe with opportunity.  A computer animation program will allow you to try out many of the different methods of animation and allow you to choose your niche in the industry while building your professional portfolio at the same time.

Industry Misconception

One of the common misconceptions in the animation industry is that once you graduate with your animation degree, you’ll be able to float right to the top.  Since animation teams involve multiple people who hold various different roles, beginner animators often are required to prove themselves, so to speak, by engaging in mundane and even boring assignments.  While these repetitive tasks may not be as glamorous as you had in mind, it will give you valuable experience.

Salary

The computer animation industry has plenty of opportunity for growth and profit with the average salary at $40,000 – $50,000 annually.  Animators who specifically work with the entertainment industry and video game development make on average $59,000 per year.