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What Does a Stop Motion Animator Do? Where Do Stop Motion Animators Work? ACR Takes a Look.
| College | City | State |
|---|---|---|
| Ball State University | Muncie | Indiana |
| College for Creative Studies | Detroit | Michigan |
| Columbia College Chicago | Chicago | Illinois |
| DePaul University | Chicago | Illinois |
| George Fox University | Newberg | Oregon |
| Lesley University | Cambridge | Massachusetts |
| Minneapolis College of Art and Design | Minneapolis | Minnesota |
| Pratt Institute | Brooklyn | New York |
| Rhode Island School of Design | Providence | Rhode Island |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | Rochester | New York |
| School of the Museum of Fine Arts | Boston | Massachusetts |
| University of California Los Angeles | Los Angeles | California |
| University of Central Florida | Orlando | Florida |
| University of Massachusetts Amherst | Amherst | Massachusetts |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles | California |
What Does a Stop Motion Animator Do?
Stop motion animators use models, puppets, or clay to create animated films, television commercials, and branded entertainment. Stop motion animation is also called stop frame, model animation, puppet animation, and clay animation.
Stop motion animators combine the art of photography, narrative skill, and the ability to manipulate lighting and calculate angles to create stop motion animation without digitally manipulating it. The animator creates pictures of objects, characters, or scenes that show them in various positions. When the pictures run together, it appears that the object is moving on its own. This creates one of the most unique forms of animation, which is neither cartoon-like nor similar to computer-generated animations.
Some of the highest grossing stop motion movies ever made include Chicken Run (2000), Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005), The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012), Coraline (2009), Corpse Bride (2005), The Boxtrolls (2014), ParaNorman (2012), Shaun the Sheep (2015), Frankenweenie (2012), Kubo and the Two Strings (2016), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), Isle of Dogs (2018), Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), Early Man (2018), and James and the Giant Peach (1996).
Where Do Stop Motion Animators Work?
Stop motion animators work primarily in animation and film studios, for game design studios, and advertising agencies.
What is the Job Outlook for Stop Motion Animators?
Employment for stop motion animators (included in the multimedia artists and animators group, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics - BLS) is expected to grow 8% for the 2016-2026 decade. This is as fast as average for all occupations. The projected employment growth for animators and multimedia artists will be the result of increased demand for animation and more realistic visual effects in video games, movies, and television. However, job growth may be slowed by companies hiring artists and animators who work overseas for lower wages. The increasing demand for computer graphics for mobile devices may counter slow growth by creating more job opportunities in the massive mobile industry.
Despite average job growth, competition for job opportunities in animation will remain strong. The BLS says, “opportunities should be best for those who have a wide range of skills or who specialize in a highly specific type of animation or effect.” Additionally, the U.S. is home to an impressive population of 73,700 multimedia artists and animators, making it one of the largest career fields in the world of art and design.
While job opportunities for animators can be found all over the U.S., five states and five industries have the highest employment levels.
States with the Highest Employment Levels for Animators
- California
- Texas
- New York
- Georgia
- Florida
Industries with the Highest Employment Levels for Animators
- Motion Picture and Video Industries
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services
- Software Publishers
- Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services
- Other Information Services
Industries with the Highest Concentration of Employment for Animators
- Motion Picture and Video Industries
- Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers
- Software Publishers
- Specialized Design Services
- Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services
Within the top five states with the highest employment levels for animators, along with several others such as Illinois, Washington, and Massachusetts, are the top 10 metropolitan areas with the highest levels of employment. They include:
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
- Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
Other Animation Schools to Consider:
Selected Campus Locations:
- San Francisco & Online
Selected Programs:
Animation Career Review Rankings:
- Top 50 Nationally for Animation (#15) - 2023
- Top 50 Nationally for Game Design (#36) - 2023
- Top 50 Nationally for Graphic Design (#40) - 2023
- Top 50 Nationally for Illustration (#20) - 2023
- Top 25 Nationally for Visual Effects (#5) - 2023
Selected Campus Locations:
- Winter Park, FL & Online
Selected Programs:
- Computer Animation - Bachelor's - Online & Campus
- Game Programs - Bachelor's & Master's - Online & Campus
- Graphic Design & Digital Arts - Bachelor's - Online & Campus
- Film & Digital Cinematography - Bachelor's & Master's - Online & Campus
- Simulation & Visualization - Bachelor's - Campus
- Game Business & Esports Bachelor’s of Science - Online & Campus
- User Experience Bachelor's Degree – Online
Animation Career Review Rankings:
- Top 50 Nationally for Animation (#14) - 2023
- Top 50 Nationally for Game Design (#8) - 2023
- Top 50 Nationally for Graphic Design (#28) - 2023
Selected Campus Locations:
- Online
Selected Programs:
Animation Career Review Rankings:
- Top 50 Private Graphic Design Schools in the US (#36) - 2023
Selected Campus Locations:
- Online
Selected Programs:
Animation Career Review Rankings:
- Top 25 International Animation Training Programs (#25) - 2022
How Much Do Stop Motion Animators Make?
The median annual wage for animators is $72,520. The mean annual wage is $78,230. The lowest average salary (for less than 10% of the animator population) is $40,870. The highest 10% earn more than $124,310. At $86,080, multimedia artists and animators working in the motion picture and video industries have the highest annual wage of the top five industries with the highest employment levels for animators.
- Motion Picture and Video Industries - $86,080
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services - $78,850
- Software Publishers - $85,270
- Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services - $73,780
- Other Information Services - $80,070
However, the top five highest paying industries for animators are:
- Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers - $99,790
- Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing - $90,960
- Motion Picture and Video Industries - $86,080
- Software Publishers - $85,270
- Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing - $83,050
It is important to note that salaries for animators also vary by experience, type and size of company, and even geographic location. For example, Connecticut-based animators average $102,630 per year—the nation’s highest average salary for this profession—while South Carolina-based artists average $36,270—the lowest salary for this profession.
In addition to Connecticut, the top five highest paying states for animators are Washington ($90,700), District of Columbia ($89,210), California ($87,960), and New York ($86,490).
The highest paying metro areas for animators are:
- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT - $115,070
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA - $91,850
- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward - $91,840
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA - $91,010
- New York-Newark-Jersey City - $87,320
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA - $86,240
- Savannah, GA - $82,880
- Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade, CA - $80,230
- Raleigh, NC - $79,070
- North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL - $78,980
How Do I Become a Stop Motion Animator?
Most employers of stop motion animators prefer to hire artists with a bachelor’s degree or higher. Common degree paths include a BA, BFA, or BS in Animation, Animation & Digital Arts, Media Arts & Animation, Computer Animation, Computer Graphics, Media Arts & Science, Fine Art, and Computer Science with an Emphasis in Animation. In addition to stop motion, courses common to these degree paths include Drawing, 2-D Animation Production, and 3-D Animation Production. Animators also study anatomy to explore how animals and humans move in order to make character movements more realistic.
In addition to a 4-year degree, many employers look for at least two years’ experience in the industry. Entry-level positions may require only a degree and experience through an internship or other support position. Senior level positions may require at least five to seven years’ professional experience in the industry and possibly an advanced degree. Fortunately, more schools than ever before now offer MA or MFA degrees in Animation, Animation & Visual Effects, Animation & Digital Arts, and more.
Some schools in the U.S., and many in Europe and Asia, even offer specialized degree programs in Stop Motion Animation and PhD programs in Digital Arts & Animation, Multimedia & Animation, Computer Science with an Animation Emphasis and more.
Which Schools Offer Programs for Aspiring Stop Motion Animators?
- Ball State University, BFA Visual Arts/Animation (stop-motion, traditional 2-D animation, 3D animation)
- College for Creative Studies, BFA Entertainment Arts-Animation (stop-motion, motion graphics, and experimental media)
- Columbia College Chicago, BA, BFA Traditional Animation (stop-motion and hand-drawn animation), BFA Computer Animation, BA Animation
- DePaul University, BFA Animation (stop-motion, hybrid, 3D computer animation, modeling, hand-drawn), BA, MA, MFA Animation
- George Fox University, BFA Cinematic Arts, Concentration Animation (stop-motion, traditional hand-drawn, 2D, 3D computer animation)
- Lesley University, BFA Animation & Motion Media (traditional and emerging techniques, from stop-motion to digital CGI)
- Minneapolis College of Art and Design, BFA Animation (animation techniques using stop-motion, illustrated, and computer-generated approaches)
- Pratt Institute, BFA Digital Arts (2D Animation, 3D Animation and Motion Arts, Stop-Motion Electives)
- Rhode Island School of Design, BFA Film/Animation/Video (FAV), (stop-motion, hand-drawn, CGI)
- Rochester Institute of Technology, MFA Film and Animation (stop-motion, 2D, 3D)
- School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University, BFA Animation (stop-motion, digital, 3D)
- University of California Los Angeles, Stop-Motion Animation Summer Institute, UCLA Animation Workshop (MFA)
- University of Central Florida, MFA Emerging Media, Animation and Visual Effects (stop motion, traditional hand-drawn, 2D computer, and 3D computer animation)
- University of Massachusetts Amherst, BFA Animation (stop-motion, media motion graphics, computer animation)
- University of Southern California, MFA Animation & Digital Arts (stop-motion, motion graphics, visual effects, classic character animation, experimental filmmaking and more)
Awesome Animation Fact: Listed among the best stop motion movies of all times, The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926) was not only visually stunning for its time—it was silent. Rendered in filigree detail, this arresting, silhouetted fairytale featured a cameo by Aladdin and his “wunderlampe,” a magical flying horse, a desperate damsel in distress, winged creatures, an evil sorcerer, and a gallant prince made of movable cardboard and metal cutouts postured in front of illuminated panes of glass.