ACR Staff
Our fine staff of contributors at Animation Career Review includes:
Shawn Harrell
Deanna Thompson
Jen Lampton
Brad Prescott, Founder
Our fine staff of contributors at Animation Career Review includes:
Shawn Harrell
Deanna Thompson
Jen Lampton
Brad Prescott, Founder
Africa might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think about animation, but it soon might be. According to Eugene Ramirez of Zimbabwe-based YouNeek Studios, "South Africa has seen the emergence of some of the largest animation studios on the continent." Among them are Luma, STRIKA Entertainment, and Triggerfish Studios — "Africa’s answer to DreamWorks, Disney, and Pixar," says Forbes.
If you’re passionate about getting exposure for your animated film, chances are you’ve already submitted to major film festivals such as Sundance, Cannes, Berlin, and Toronto. While there’s nothing wrong with aiming high right out of the gate, narrowing your focus to film festivals dedicated exclusively to animation will increase your chances of acceptance. Fortunately, opportunities for today’s animated filmmakers to get their masterworks in front of a captive audience are endless. You see, there are hundreds, if not thousands of animation film festivals and competitions around the world that welcome both first-timers and veterans with equal enthusiasm!
You’re probably thinking there’s no way an animated film could cost as much as making a live action movie. After all, animated films don’t require building elaborate sets from the ground up, traveling with cast and crew to exotic countries, designing hundreds of intricate costumes, or hiring the highest paid actors in the world, right? Wrong! For every costly component of creating a live-action film, there’s a pricey one for animation too. And an animated film could take even longer to complete—even with talent working around the clock.
Animation is one of the most exciting career fields in the art and design industry. It also offers one of the highest salaries. Animators earned a median annual wage of $63,970 in 2015, with top earners averaging more than $113,600. Certain industries, specialized areas or high-level positions could pay even more than the median. For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) lists software publishers and other information services among the top five highest paying industries for animators. Average earnings are $76,920 and $82,940, respectively.
The size of the global animation industry was $244 billion in 2015. Major contributors are the U.S., UK, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, and Korea. Besides being home so some of the world’s largest animation studios, these countries are known for their exceptional art and design schools.
Just about every degree program available offers the opportunity to enhance the degree by adding a minor, concentration or electives to match students’ career goals. For example, students interested in cinema and computer animation rather than traditional animation might choose a degree in Cinema Art and Science with a Concentration in Animation.
Our 2017 rankings of the top 5 animation school programs in Texas. For an explanation of ranking criteria, click here.
1. Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
Texas A&M University is home to the College of Architecture, which offers programs for animators at all degree levels. Options include BS, MS, and MFA degrees in Visualization. According to the school, “Animation studies at Texas A&M are part of a broader curriculum offered at the Department of Visualization that produces graduates who prepare for success in a wide range of visualization-related fields by developing artistic and technical expertise.” These interdisciplinary programs focus on the processes of “creation, design and development of the visual experience,” and prepare students to work in animation, technical animation, illustration, and many other areas.
With more than 10,000 animation studios, employing more than 200,000 people, China is one of the largest producers of animation in the world. Thanks in part to the Chinese government, which has been subsidizing and investing in the animation industry, along with the explosive growth of internet-based new media distribution channels, total output value of China’s animation industry exceeded RMB100 billion (over $14.5 billion US) in 2014, up 14.84% from 2013.
Our seventh seasonal contest received an impressive 41 submissions. Thanks to everyone who participated for making this contest a success. Below you will find our 2016 Celebrity Short Animation Contest prize recipients.
The 1960s was a breakout decade for animated series, with some already making a name for themselves in the late 1950s. Take The Huckleberry Hound Show, for example. This syndicated animated series, and the second from William Hanna and Joseph Barbera (Hanna-Barbera), made its debut in 1958, but it wasn’t until after 1960 that the industry recognized the show by awarding it one of its highest honors. The Huckleberry Hound Show became the first cartoon to receive an Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Children's Programming in 1961. And then there’s Yogi Bear.