HOW TO SUCCESS IN ANIMATION

How to Become an Animator: Education and Career :

Animators use their creativity and artistry to create moving images for video games, websites, movies and television. Aspiring animators can enroll in an art or animation degree program as a first step into the challenging world of animation.


Education Requirements for Becoming an Animator


Most animators earn a bachelor's degree in fine art or animation. Degree programs in this field include courses in 2-D and 3-D animation. In these courses, students learn to develop characters and create storyboards and models. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that those who wish to pursue a career in animation and other art-oriented jobs need to learn computer graphics (www.bls.gov).
Aspiring animators participate in internships in order to learn from professionals in the animation field. In order to be successful animators, students need to possess a high degree of creativity. An artistic eye is also an important asset for designing characters and images that suit each project. Many animators study anatomy to gain a deeper understanding of human and animal structure and movement. Students use this knowledge to more realistically animate characters.


Careers in the Animation Field


Entry-level animators find employment by compiling a portfolio of their best animation work. This portfolio gives employers an idea of an applicant's talent and skill level. Animators find work animating for video games, websites and within the entertainment industry. New animators may find themselves initially assigned to repetitive work, building on the work of other animators; however, over time, successful animators are given more responsibility. They can then become lead animators or creative directors, leading to higher salaries and increased creative opportunities.
Video Games
The video game industry requires the talents of skilled animators who can create cutting-edge characters and animation designed to delight gamers of all ages. Consumers demand realistic video game worlds where they can immerse themselves in the game events and interact with realistic-looking characters.
Websites
Animators create moving advertisements and other colorful images for the Internet. Websites use animators to design interesting pictures to encourage Web surfers to spend time perusing their Web pages. Innovative and sophisticated animation helps to distinguish a website from the plentiful competition on the World Wide Web.
Television and Movies
Whether designing 2-D cartoons, computer animated cartoons or special effects, animators can find steady work creating the moving images that populate movies, commercials and even the evening news.



HOW TO SUCCESS IN ANIMATION



Animation involves the use of rapid frames of images or drawing that create action. Animation as a subset of cinema has grown exponentially since the first mainstream cartoon, Disney's "Steamboat Willie" debuted in 1928. To succeed in animation today, you'll need a vast array of skills and contacts, not to mention old-fashioned enthusiasm. Whether you want to be a director, artist or scriptwriter, here's what you'll need to know




Instructions

1. Learn different animation skills. Computer animation, or CGI, requires knowledge of
software programs like Lightwave 3D and Macromedia Flash. While this is the most visible current animation process, many cartoons and animated films employ hand-drawn frames later transferred to a digital form. Stop-frame animation, used in films like "Chicken Run" and "Clash of the Titans," also needs painstaking frame-by-frame composition by artist




2. Master the basics. Learn drawing and composition and practice sketching different objects, people and animals. You'll need a keen eye to compose your characters in proper ratio and perspective. Succeed in creating great stories, dialog and characters to outlast the competition-and there's plenty of it.



3. Acquaint yourself with technology. Since you'll work with computers most of the time, learn about Linux/Unix and Mac Os operating systems. Consequently, you'll need a basic knowledge of math and physics.


4. Network with your teachers and other animators. Get your work featured everywhere you can, whether it's on YouTube, a website or in a feature film. Draw consistently and become good at your craft. Increase your chance to succeed in animation by having a great work ethic and perseverance as well as top-notch drawing and software skills.


5. Study different animation jobs. You may have exemplary skills as a storyboarder, scriptwriter or layout artist. A layout artist sets the background for the animation with pencil drawings and positioning of the characters and objects in the frame. A storyboarding traces the action by drawing colored panels directing the scripted action.