The field of animation spans numerous career tracks and industries.
The demand for 3D and FX artists has exploded in recent years. This is largely due to the significant growth of digital media and web-based platforms along with the increased affordability of hardware and software.
In addition to this demand, careers in animation can be both exciting and rewarding. Animators get to contribute to a variety of creative projects designed to make an impact on their consumers.
Pete Bandstra, the Program Director for the undergraduate computer animation curriculum at Full Sail University, says launching one’s career path starts with showcasing a solid portfolio of work.
According to Pete, students or new graduates who are about to enter the professional animation space should have strong artistic skills and a personality that fits well into the art studios where they’re applying.
“Their portfolio is going to get them the interview, and the interview is going to determine if their personality fits with that studio,” Pete explains.
Throughout their coursework, Full Sail’s computer animation students initially learn the production pipeline. They then develop portfolio assets in a specific area of choice: modeling, animation, look development, character rigging, or compositing. Their portfolios are posted on ArtStation. Students can easily share their animation work on this site with others by sending a link to prospective employers and including it on their LinkedIn profiles. At the graduate level, students who earn a master’s degree in media design from Full Sail will also graduate with a portfolio demonstrating the development of a brand from the ground up.
“It’s all about having a creative foundation and the technical knowledge to put your ideas into motion,” adds Eric Rosenfeld, Full Sail’s Program Director for the undergraduate graphic design and digital arts and design disciplines.
There are several routes graduates can take when starting on their career journeys in animation.
“For those that are just starting out, the role of a production assistant is very important because in any kind of production, that's usually going to be the first thing that you do,” says Dr. Thomas Lucas, the Program Director for Full Sail’s graduate programs in media design and instructional design and technology. “Until you're established, being a production assistant gets you into a lot of different areas in production, which is helpful for those who are not totally sure what direction they want their careers to take.”
Other options are to find positions as a junior designer or junior animator. These individuals generally work with someone who has a lot of experience, allowing them to learn on the job. After entry-level work, professionals can often ascend to roles as graphic designers, producers, modelers, and senior designers. They may then later qualify for advanced opportunities as a creative director, art director, or art lead in which they would typically manage design teams.
Animation truly runs the gamut across a multitude of industries. Full Sail’s courses can help prepare graduates to work in more traditional animation-oriented jobs in film, television, and video games. However, there are also opportunities with hotel chains, hospitals, and even professional sports teams.
“It's not just entertainment or gaming,” Thomas says. “There's [also] a lot of very lucrative work for the military, marketing, and advertising [spaces].”
Michael Cardwell, a Full Sail graduate and member of the university’s Hall of Fame, founded a successful company in Orlando called Digital Brew that creates short, animated explainer videos for corporate clients. Corporate training video design using animation is another avenue that has developed with opportunities across many fields, according to Pete. Other areas that have increasingly seen a demand for animators include accident reconstruction, architecture visualization, live concert production, theme park ride design, and toy design.
“The industry keeps growing and growing, and new opportunities are popping up all the time,” Pete says.
Freelancing is another route to consider, particularly for those who have built up a solid resume of experience in the field.
“Being a freelancer requires a strong intestinal constitution because you are carving the way for yourself,” Thomas says. “Are you daring and want to go out into that great unknown, or do you want the more certain job?”
However, Thomas cites some evidence that many in this field do ultimately become entrepreneurs in due time.
“The history of animation is filled with people who worked at a company for a long time and then created their own. Once they learned how these companies worked, they then went out and [teamed up with] their network of people.”
Eric believes laying a solid foundation in the field initially is a must.
“Once you understand how to work with clients, communicate with team members, and produce high-quality animation, you can grow in this field and potentially start your own art studio down the road,” Eric shares.
Full Sail’s educational approach is different from many other institutions because its courses are built on hands-on learning rather than simply learning theoretical concepts. In its numerous design-oriented areas of study, students also learn to critique their classmates’ work and receive feedback from both their classmates and instructors, a valuable skill to confidently work in this field.
“If you know what you want to do, Full Sail is going to give you the opportunity to learn those skills, practice those skills, hone those skills, and then go out and do the thing that it is that you want to do,” Thomas says.