Animator Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of an animator. Feel free to use our animator job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as an animator.
Who is an Animator?
An Animator is an expert who uses special computer programs or software to build two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) images for websites, games, movies, and other multimedia platforms. An animator is an artist who creates multiple images, known as frames, which give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, and video games. Animation is closely related to filmmaking and filmmaking is extremely labor-intensive, which means that most significant works require the collaboration of several animators. The methods of creating the images or frames for an animation piece depend on the animators’ artistic styles and their field.
An animator creates visuals and frames from them. After that, he utilizes software to give the illusion of movement. Animation is the term used to describe these movements. A profession in animation typically necessitates a lot of drawing and a thorough understanding of creative technology. When you can swiftly sketch your designs, it makes your job easier. You’ll need to be highly inventive because you’ll be responsible for transforming motionless photographs into moving and alive creations. It is also vital to have a thorough understanding of how humans/things move.
Animators can specialize in a variety of fields.
Animation Expert in Lighting – This is a person who creates, develops, and changes highlights, shadows, and other lighting effects. If you enjoy coordinating the production of films and have a strong interest in filmmaking, this is the job for you.
Graphics Artist: A graphic artist generates engaging visuals for advertising campaigns, multimedia boards, educational materials, websites, and software programs, among other things. If you enjoy persuading or motivating people to take action after interacting with your designs, this is the field for you. The importance of graphic design in marketing cannot be overstated.
Video Game Designer: A video game designer is an IT professional who creates video games using computer programs. Writing codes, generating and developing characters, situations, and locations are all common aspects of game design. A game designer also creates end-user controls. As a result, in this sector, matching animation skills with coding skills is critical.
3D Model Designer – A 3D (three-dimensional) model designer transforms an ordinary image into something more lifelike and realistic. The designer uses computer programs to create crystal-clear visuals and movies that are usually more appealing than a traditional 2D model. You’ll collaborate with movie producers, music video directors, television stations, and other multimedia companies as a 3D artist.
2D animators, Background artists, Character animators, Clean-up Artists, Digital ink and paint artists, Image editors, Keyframe animators, Layout artists, Lighting artists, Modeler, Rendering artists, Rigging artists, Storyboard artists, Texture artists are some of the other jobs available in the animation industry.
Animator Job Description
Below are the animator job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write an animator job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
- Take comments on your designs and put them into practice
- Present data in a visual format
- Use visuals to tell a story in a unique way.
- Use the most up-to-date computer applications and keep up with the current developments in the creative business.
- Create animation projects that meet clients’ and/or your employer’s standards.
- Discuss clients’ contracts and explain their limits.
- Put frames together.
- Use backgrounds, objects, and sets to create an animated environment.
- Create characters.
- Build storyboard and realistic models.
- Make use of computer software
- Animate a 3D character using pictures of an actor’s movement
- Interact with clients
- Work with a cast of characters that could include actors, directors, and game designers.
- Determine movement time to ensure that it complies with the script/soundtrack requirements
Qualifications
While a college degree is not essential for employment as an animator, most businesses prefer to hire people with a bachelor’s degree in animation, computer graphics, fine arts, or a similar field. You should get a degree in video game design or interactive media if you want to make animation for video games.
Painting, drawing, and sculpting are examples of coursework. Drawing, animation, and film classes are frequently required for animation degrees. Many colleges and universities offer specialist degrees in interactive media and game design.
Self-study: Graphics and animation skills can be refined by self-study, which can help a job candidate’s portfolio. For people interested in learning animation, the website Animator Guide provides workshops, tutorials, and other resources.
Internships: Internships are a fantastic way to gain experience.
Essential Skills of an Animator
You must understand the 12 principles of animation, as well as audio and video editing abilities if you want to be an animator. Your ability to use software such as Adobe Creative Cloud apps, Studio Max, and 3D studios, among others, is critical to your career advancement. The following abilities will go a long way toward determining whether or not you are a good fit for it.
Graphics Designing: Motion, visual, and special effects, as well as making images appear as realistic as possible, are all graphics talents that will aid you in creating outstanding animations. Before you start looking for animation jobs or projects, you must have sophisticated graphics design skills.
Acting skills: Although this isn’t a skill you’d expect to see on the list, it’s really important. You must be able to develop characters who can express genuine human emotions through gestures, expressions, and actions. In film animation, the ability to replicate and bring your designs to life is crucial to creating meaningful animation films. Viewers are supposed to empathize with your characters, just as they would while seeing humans perform in a film.
Colour combination skills: While pursuing a profession in animation, your ability to combine colors and grasp color theory is extremely vital. Characters, expressions, moods, scenes, and every other component that contributes to a project’s aesthetics will be assigned colors that best represent them. You must be aware of these colors, as well as where and when to utilize them in your designs, as they will assist you in conveying your messages effectively.
Analytics ability: In the animation process, even the tiniest detail matters. As an animator, you must always use your thoughts and eyes to select elements that make your characters lifelike. Because a boy’s shoulder is often wider than a girl’s, animated arms and hands must move in unison, just as they would when humans swing them. All aspects of the character you’re attempting to create must be included in the final product. Every animator must conduct thorough character analysis and research.
Spatial Skills: This includes knowing how to space characters and other parts in your design, as well as knowing the ideal dimensions of objects. As you develop your animations, spatial skills will also assist you in time actions, reactions, and motions. It also aids in the appearance of elements to customers or end-users.
Creativity Skills: As an aspiring animator, creativity is without a doubt the most important skill to acquire. Participate in activities that encourage you to think outside the box. Practice and create one-of-a-kind pieces that can become your signature style.
Create unique people, situations, objects, stories, and actions that can only be linked back to you. Sketching and drawing on a regular basis, creating new shapes from your ideas, and developing them whenever you can, is important practice that can help you boost your degree of creativity. As an animator, you’ll be required to be creative and able to come up with fresh ideas.
Communication and interpersonal skills: An animator must be able to work in a team and explain their work to others.
Listening and speaking skills: In order to create the necessary animation, an Animator must be able to absorb and express precise information.
Time management Skills: He must be able to meet deadlines due to his time management skills.
Creativity: An animator should be able to come up with new ideas and see them through to completion.
In addition, an Animator must also be able to take direction, connect with other artists and external contractors, and collaborate with engineers to guarantee that the game’s art and animations are properly implemented.
Animation Skills In Demand
The following animation skills are highly sought-after by most employers:
- 3D modeling
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Cinema 4D
- Interaction design
- Maya
- Motion graphics
- Prototyping
- Social media
- Typesetting
- UX wireframes
- Illustration and storyboarding skills
- Work ethic, character, integrity, and professionalism are all exceptional.
- The ability to prioritize, multitask, and meet tight deadlines are all required skills.
- Strong design, communication, and project management abilities are required, as well as an optimistic mindset and the ability to work well with others.
- Multimedia artists and animators that excel at teamwork and time management may be promoted to supervisory positions, where they are in charge of one component of a visual effects team.
How to Become an Animator
Complete high school: Taking visual or fine arts classes in high school is the first step toward becoming an animator. You must also make a conscious effort to learn and practice your teachings, rather than simply taking them. A good Fine Arts curriculum should include a lot of hands-on activities and homework. Your chores may appear to be excessively large at times, but they are necessary. They help you be more creative in the long run. Mathematics, for example, allows you to improve your spatial, temporal, and analytical skills. You should be a student in English Language, Literature, or an indigenous language class if you want to share stories.
University Degree in Animation: After completing your secondary education, the next step is to enroll in a higher university to pursue a Computer Animation, Fine Arts, or Graphic Arts degree. Your abilities will be brushed up on and correctly improved there.
You will learn how to use the most advanced computer applications used by other specialists during your Bachelor’s Degree program. You’ll also learn about the various specialties available in the industry. There will be space to choose the field you want to concentrate on. You could, for example, specialize in film animation, games, or online animations, as well as special/visual effects, advertisement animation, and so on. Make an effort to take courses in drawing, graphics, multimedia, and 2D/3D animation during your first years at university. As you move through your studies, it’s critical to select courses in which you can learn the specific skills and procedures required for the specialization you’ve chosen. Special effects courses, for example, are frequently distinct from other types of courses you may have to take if you are considering a career in creating interactive film-style animation.
Have a catalogue of your Creations: When you’re in school, having a catalogue of your creations is essential. Demos of animations you’ve generated can be saved on an external hard drive or in the cloud. This way, you can go back and forth between them to see how much you’ve learned and how you may improve on each of your prior works. Surprisingly, your first potential job will almost certainly request to see the animations you’ve previously developed. This demonstrates to them how knowledgeable, skilled, and inventive you are.
Take up Internships Positions in Animation Companies: Internships are a great way to learn new skills. Jobs in the Animation Industry: Practical experience and previous work experiences will undoubtedly qualify you for positions in respectable firms. Internship positions, in fact, will provide the majority of practical experiences. Take on internships at animation studios near your school while you’re studying. As your skills and confidence grow, you can volunteer to produce animations for non-profit groups. Another wise method to expand your portfolio is to get involved in community development projects. Awareness films and civil programs will help you better understand your community, and animations are a great method to discover how to appeal to them.
Find out more about Animation: New trends emerge on a regular basis in the creative business. Even after achieving a high degree of proficiency in the area, you must remain curious and learn every day. Because your competition will always try to outdo whatever you develop, improving your proficiency will help you stay relevant. Participate in discussion groups, seminars, workshops, and training sessions hosted by software companies like Adobe and Autodesk.
Read Animation Publications: Another smart strategy to stay current is to read publications from renowned professionals in the field of animation. Follow them on social media, where they provide industry information and emerging trends.
Enroll in Graduate Animation Programs: While your talents and degree of knowledge will influence the kind of jobs and positions you will receive, it is a good idea to enroll in a Graduate Program, especially if you do not plan to work as a freelancer or start an animation company right away. At this stage, you’ll learn advanced technical animation skills. You can enroll in programs in Fine Arts, Dramatic Arts, or 2D and 3D design to hone your narrative talents. Collaborating on projects with other classmates will help you learn how to work well in a group. You’ll also come across a lot of talented animators. In such an environment, bonding and forming bonds will develop naturally.
Discover a Mentor: Finding a mentor is another approach to go on the right track. Make a list of professional animators with experience. Reduce the number of people on your list by identifying those who will truly bring value to you and help you grow. Attend events where they are likely to appear or send messages via their publicly posted contacts. Apply for internships at a company they run, and cultivate and keep a positive relationship with them. You’ll have the chance to gain job placements, referrals, and insider information on industry trends. You must, however, find a way to give back. You can volunteer to help them on large-scale initiatives for free, discuss ideas with them, or give them honest feedback on their projects and designs.
Where to Work
Approximately half of all animators are self-employed and work from home on projects. In other words, half of them work as independent contractors. The position is primarily found in the film and video sectors. Animators can also work in a business setting, such as a publishing house, ad agency, or software firm.
Film, animation, and video game production studios, cartoon networks, advertising agencies, web design firms, graphic design firms, and mobile technology companies hire these home-based specialists. Project supervisors may place them in a temporary camp with other manufacturing workers and IT professionals during the product development phase. Animators, on the other hand, are frequently sought after by agencies in a variety of fields. You might also work in marketing or a film production company, for example. If you opt to work in a group, your tasks may need you to stay at work for extended periods of time. You might spend your weekends working on projects with other team members and striving to fulfill deadlines.
The following are the top five industries for animators.
- Services in the fields of professional, scientific, and technical expertise
- Services for Education
- Carriers of Insurance and Related Activities
- Industries that deal with publishing
- Industry of Motion Pictures and Sound Recording
Animator Salary Scale
Multimedia artists and animators earned the following salaries in 2017, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics:
$70,530 ($33.91/hour) is the median annual pay.
Annual wage for the top 10%: $123,060 ($59.16/hour)
Annual pay for the bottom 10%: $39,330 ($18.91/hour)
An Animator in Nigeria earns roughly 247,000 NGN per month on average. Salaries range from 118,000 NGN to 387,000 NGN (lowest to highest) (highest).
This is the monthly average pay, which includes housing, transportation, and other benefits. Salary for animators varies greatly depending on experience, talents, gender, and region.
