Tips on Becoming an Animator in Worcester, Massachusetts

The quaint little city of Worcester, Massachusetts has as many as 18,000 commercial businesses and many hundred local artists.  Technological advances in digital design have increased the local demand for animation professionals.

Worcester Schools and Training Programs for Animation

Worcester, Massachusetts features several good colleges, Universities and training facilities with classes and degree programs in animated design.  Aspiring animators enrolled at local colleges study visual arts, often in addition to computer science and mass media.  Popular accredited Worcester animation schools include Assumption College, Becker College and College of the Holy Cross. 

Alternatively, a whole new generation of Worcester artists are acquiring animation skills at virtual design schools.  Popular accredited online art colleges with animated design programs include the Academy of Art University, Post University, Full Sail University, Stratford Career Institute, University of Phoenix, DeVry, The Art Institutes and ITT Tech.  Some cyber animation schools maintain physical campuses as well.  University of Phoenix has training centers in Braintree and Westborough.  ITT Tech has locations in Wilmington and Norwood.  The Art Institute has a campus in Brookline.

Working as an Animator in Worcester, Massachusetts

Quite a collection of commercial companies in Worcester, Massachusetts enlist the services of professional animators.  Local businesses that hire animation design professionals include colleges, advertising agencies, consultants, real estate firms, online news syndicates, photo labs, software engineers and many others.  Some Worcester animators work at local animation studios like Video Zone Animation.  Others team up with local motion picture companies.  Major Worcester movie makers include Bigboom Productionz, Booth Productions, Pierre Mirland and Transvision Productions, not to mention many more in Boston.  Some Worcester artists work for graphics IT corporations.  Award-winning Worcester info tech firms include Avatar Computing, Dovetail Internet Technologies, Mike-Web-Design-Hero, New England Web and Whole Health.

The average annual income for a professional animator living in Worcester, Massachusetts and employed full time by an American business is about $59,670, with an average hourly rate of about $28.70.  However, this data does not reflect the incomes of part time artists, freelance professionals and Worcester animators employed offshore.    

Skills of a Professional Animator

Professional animators are highly skilled illustrators, adept at creating detailed scenes and expressive characterizations.  They are also masterful storytellers with a well-developed, universal humor.  However, sheer talent is not enough to produce successful animated motion pictures.  Crucial visual arts-related qualifications include the creation of innovative digital artwork and a solid understanding of photography, sculpture, lighting and set design.  These days, professional animators are also fluent in one or more programming languages and familiar with all major computer operating systems.