Employment Trends in Animation and Related Fields

What does a Storyboard Assistant  do? Where does a Storyboard Assistant work? ACR takes a look:

About Storyboard Assistants

Many aspiring animators gain experience through internships, an entry-level or support position or both. This is also a great way to get your foot in the door at a major studio. Becoming a storyboard assistant is one way to accomplish both. Storyboard assistants provide support to storyboard artists. This position allows the assistant to refine their drawing skills and gain valuable experience with industry graphics, storyboard, and editing software. 

What does a Inbetweener do? Where does a Inbetweener work? ACR takes a look:

About Inbetweeners

The animation historians at Disney say that “at most animation studios, the best animators only sketched a few animation drawings, leaving gaps in between. Later on, a person called an "inbetweener" would finish the scenes by drawing in between the areas that the animator had left.” Well, not much has changed about this key position.

Today most job descriptions affirm that inbetweeners are responsible for the continuity of movement between scenes in an animated production. Inbetweeners decide how animated characters will move when transitioning between major key movement scenes. Many aspiring animators spend several years in the inbetween department in order to gain valuable experience in the industry. 

What does a Key Animator do? Where does a Key Animator work? ACR takes a look:

About Key Animators

After working as an animator for at least three years, some animators may advance to key animator—a senior level position.  Also called “senior animator,” key animators typically advance to even higher level positions after holding this title for several years. Becoming a successful senior animator is the final test before being promoted to director. Although higher ranking than an animator, the key animator still does his fair share of creative work, but this position requires more management and directing than an intermediate animation position.

What does a Visual Development Artist do? Where does a Visual Development Artist work? ACR takes a look:

About Visual Development Artists

Visual development artists design and develop the look and feel of feature films, animations, videos, and other types of productions. These artists may also work in advertising, publishing, marketing, or public relations. In the animation industry, visual development artists imagine and propose ideas for what the animated world should look like based on the story, characters, and action. Visual development artists also work with character emotions to help assist with the storytelling aspect of the animated production.