Potential
Career Paths
for People Interested in
Animation
What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘animation’? Is it cartoons and Disney movies? What about your favourite video
games? These all make use of animation techniques to create the shows and games we can’t live without.
There are different types of animation, and different areas in which these can be used, which makes it a popular and often lucrative
career field. If you’ve ever watched cartoons and marvel at how it all came together, or paused your game long enough to wonder if
you could make money creating something like it, take a look at these potential career paths:
Animator - Animators create motion and visual effects for
films, video and mobile games, television, mobile devices, and other
forms of media using illustrations and software programmes such
as Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere, Autodesk3ds Max, and
Autodesk Maya.
The US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics shows
that animation is quite a versatile skill, with opportunities to work in
industries such as:
• Motion picture and video industries
• Computer systems design and related services
• Software publishers
• Advertising and related services
• Specialised design services
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Art or Creative Director - This
position involves some management skills
in addition to an artistic eye, as he/she
would be leading a team and potentially
overseeing budgets and schedules. Art
directors develop the design concepts for
the material that will appear on the movie,
television, computer, tablet or smartphone
screen. They also oversee the execution of
the vision they have outlined. In addition to
animation production and film/TV studios,
art directors can also be found in the areas
of advertising, game design, graphic design,
web design, publishing, and digital media.