Specialized Fields and Roles in Animation
– Character animators specialize in character movement, dialogue, acting, etc.
– Special effects animators animate vehicles, machinery, and natural phenomena.
– Stop-motion animators move models or cut-outs frame-by-frame.
– Ray Harryhausen and Nick Park are famous stop-motion animators.
– Hayao Miyazaki is a key animator who handles layout and key animation.
– Inbetweeners make drawings between key poses.
– Cleanup artists redraw rough sketches.
– Young artists often start as inbetweeners or cleanup artists before becoming full animators.
– Visual development artists design characters, modelers build digital polygons, and texture artists add color and texture.
– Technical directors set up rigging for easy movement and posing.
– Animators synchronize movements to dialogue and develop scenes based on storyboards.
Methods and Techniques in Animation
– Historically, animation was a labor-intensive process of hand-drawing frames on celluloid.
– Modern animation methods utilize computers to make the process cheaper and faster.
– Sound is an important aspect of animation, with voice actors and musicians contributing to the soundtrack.
– Animators synchronize their work to the soundtrack for a more engaging experience.
– Animation procedures have become more efficient, allowing for more creativity.
– Traditional animation involves drawing each frame by hand.
– Computer animation uses software and digital tools to create animated sequences.
– Stop-motion animation involves manipulating physical objects frame by frame.
– 2D animation creates the illusion of movement in a two-dimensional space.
– 3D animation utilizes computer-generated imagery to create lifelike animations.
Skills and Qualifications for Animators
– Drawing and illustration skills
– Proficiency in animation software and tools
– Understanding of timing and movement principles
– Ability to create believable and expressive characters
– Strong attention to detail and patience
Job Opportunities in Animation
– Film and television industry
– Advertising and marketing agencies
– Video game development companies
– Animation studios
– E-learning and educational institutions
Salary and Career Prospects in Animation
– The median annual wage for multimedia artists and animators was $75,270 in May 2020.
– Job growth in the animation industry is projected to be 4% from 2019 to 2029.
– Demand for animators is driven by the increasing use of visual effects in media and entertainment.
– The competition for job positions in animation can be high due to the popularity of the field.
– Continuous learning and staying updated with new technologies is essential for career growth in animation. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animator
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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 like 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.
 Scottish Canadian animator Norman McLaren drawing on film, 1944 | |
| Occupation | |
|---|---|
Occupation type | Art |
Activity sectors | Film, television, internet, mass media, video games |
| Description | |
| Competencies | Drawing, fine arts, acting, computer software |
Fields of employment | Animation |
Other artists who contribute to animated cartoons, but who are not animators, include layout artists (who design the backgrounds, lighting, and camera angles), storyboard artists (who draw panels of the action from the script), and background artists (who paint the "scenery"). Animated films share some film crew positions with regular live action films, such as director, producer, sound engineer, and editor, but differ radically in that for most of the history of animation, they did not need most of the crew positions seen on a physical set.
In hand-drawn Japanese animation productions, such as in Hayao Miyazaki's films, the key animator handles both layout and key animation. Some animators in Japan such as Mitsuo Iso take full responsibility for their scenes, making them become more than just the key animator.
