Five Jobs for Animation Technology Grads

Animation Technology Jobs

• Multimedia Animator
• Graphic Designer
• Art Director
• Video Game Programmer
• Cartoon Illustrator

Visual arts majors who finish a bachelor's degree in animation technology will find that many creative animation jobs are available. Since Walt Disney debuted the first full-length animated movie, Snow White in 1937, animation technologies have rapidly advanced to tell stories in stunning detail. According to Pixar, the process of animating films usually takes two to seven years. In fact, The Simpsons Movie took nine years to repurpose nearly 160 versions for the big screen. A tremendous number of animation professionals collaborate to create each narrative sequence with 2D vector-based animation, 3D modeling, motion graphics, sound, and stop motion. Show off your tech prowess for creating art that inspires and entertains with these five jobs in animation.

1. Multimedia Animator

Multimedia animators are bachelor's-trained artists who use computer-generated images to add visual effects to movies, games, television shows, eBooks, and other media. Animators are assigned specific portions of the creative project before blending them together for cohesion. Making their storyboards come to animated life involves drafting realistic designs, mapping out scenes, writing complex tech code, and editing graphics based on client feedback. Multimedia animators can expect employment growth at 6 percent for 3,900 new jobs with a median pay of $65,300 through 2024.

2. Graphic Designer

Animation technology degrees could broaden the skills to create visual graphics like logos, ads, and brochures as a graphic designer. Using cutting-edge computer software, graphic designers often freelance with companies to create a captivating layout that will inform and persuade potential customers. Their projects will require creating digital illustrations, developing a marketing message, picking apt colors and fonts for impact, and incorporating client changes before publishing. Graphic designers are bestowed a mean annual wage of $52,290, but only 3,600 new jobs are projected by 2024.

3. Art Director

Art directors hold a mid- to upper-level management job in animation to oversee the overall design and layout of creative projects that meet clients' demands. Magazines, advertising campaigns, gaming websites, film productions, and more rely on art directors to coordinate the creative process for an artistic team. Their leadership responsibilities include creating the project vision, hiring talent, managing design staff, setting budgets, developing a timeline, and giving client presentations. Art directors expect strong competition with 10-year job growth at 2 percent and a high median pay of $89,820.

4. Video Game Programmer

Studying animation technology will instill the ability to write, test, and implement computer code for functioning entertainment software as a video game programmer. Video game programmers use complex languages like C++, Objective C, and Java to create interactive platforms where gamers play online, via apps, or through consoles. Important duties include creating design flowcharts, coding applications, fixing faulty bugs, using code libraries, and collaborating with software developers. Jobs will drop by 8 percent before 2024, but hired video game programmers will earn a median yearly salary of $79,840.

5. Cartoon Illustrator

Cartoon illustrators have another of the exciting animation jobs to develop editorial, political, comical, and advertising cartoons with dramatic, captioned plots. Illustrators use animation technology to draw images on computer screens or transfer hand-drawn pictures from paper to depict their short story's message. Daily tasks include brainstorming creative ideas, drafting sketches or templates, selecting color schemes, developing their portfolios, and presenting cartoons to publishers. Cartoon illustrators are predicted to have 2 percent job growth through 2024 for 900 new jobs making $48,780 on average.

Animation technology bachelor's degrees are great buys for learning the industry-relevant software used to take artistic projects from conception to fruition. Working at animation studios, such as 20th Century Fox, Disney, or Lions Gate, could be a dream come true for creative, detail-oriented students who thrive despite the tedious nature of animation mechanics. In addition to these animation jobs, search for titles like 3D modeler, compositing artist, effects animator, storyboard artist, filmmaker, matte painter, and user interface designer.

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