Compositing Artist - Career Profile

What does a Compositing Artist do? Where does a Compositing Artist work? ACR takes alook:

About Compositing Artists

A compositing artist is one of the most important players in the production process. They are responsible for helping create the final finished animation or film project by detecting errors and developing compositing strategies, which results in an overall balanced look. Compositing artists may use compositing software such as Adobe After Effects, Nuke, Shake, Clipgenerator, IFF, Motion, Combustion or others to help with the final touches.

Compositing Artist Jobs

Compositing artists work with lighting directors and FX artists to help create the final finished animation project. According to DePaul University’s career center, compositing artists, FX artists, and lighting director’s work together to develop compositing strategies and achieve an aesthetically balanced overall look. The compositing artist corrects errors that may not have been anticipated by other departments. Compositing artists may also work with lighting and digital or live action elements. Compositing artists may find work at film and video production studios, animation studios, gaming companies or advertising agencies.

Compositing Artist Salaries  

Compositing artist salaries vary by location, company, experience, education, and benefits. According to career and salary information websites such as Simply Hired and Glassdoor.com, compositing artists may average anywhere from $66,000-$121,000 per year. Compositing artists on the higher end of the pay scale usually work in upper level positions such as senior compositing artist or lead animation compositing artist.

Becoming a Compositing Artist

A degree in animation and visual effects, compositing and visual effects or visual effects is the minimum requirement for entry into this field. This is a competitive industry, so employers expect a minimum of three years’ experience for intermediate positions. It is possible to secure an entry-level position as an assistant (or other support position) with limited experience, as long as you have a bachelor’s degree (in the right field) from an accredited college

Job Trends for Compositing Artists

Compositing artists are an important part of the production process for videos, feature films, and shorts. Without them, the final look may not be polished enough for release. As such, the demand for talented compositing artists is high. Employment growth in the film and video industry overall (and in the animation industry) is expected to average 14 percent for the 2008-2018 decade.