Choosing the Best Animation Job for You in a Growing Industry
by Joe Cooper
joe.cooper@animationschoolreview.com
Animation School Review Columnist
Different Skills for Different Jobs
Ever wonder what it takes for a job in 3D animation? Mastering a variety of techniques is required in order to succeed in animation, and those techniques can vary from one job to the next. Some jobs in animation are very creative, while others are very technical. Some jobs involve dedication and focus on one specific aspect of 3D animation, while others operate in a large picture view of the overall project.
Jobs in Animation
Most jobs in animation operate in the production phase, although there are a few in pre- and post-production. Jobs in production include roles like the modeler, who creates 3D models of characters and settings based on preliminary graphics. There is also the “render wrangler,” who manages the “render farm,” the group of machines that actually render the 3D models into working animation.
An example of a post-production job would be a roto artists, who overlays animation onto film or other graphics to enhance their 3D quality in a specific way.
Growing Industry Means More Jobs in Animation
The 3D animation industry has experienced rapid growth over the past ten years. In the US, Happy Feet did better at the box office than Casino Royale for two weeks in a row. In China, animation is even more popular than live action film.
With so much opportunity in the animation industry, and 3D animation in particular, it’s important to have an idea of the variety of jobs in animation out there, and which ones interest you. This will help define what qualifications you need, what 3D animation software you need to know, and what positions you should apply for.
Sources:
Skillset
The Brunei Times
About the Author
Joe Cooper is a freelance education and technology writer and edits medical literature. He holds a bachelor’s in American Literature from UCLA.
