Animation is more than just bringing drawings to life through movement. It’s about crafting immersive worlds, telling compelling stories, and pushing creative boundaries. With the rapid advancements in technology and an ever-growing demand for visual content in various industries, an animation degree opens up several exciting career prospects. Whether you’re passionate about sharing stories through animated film, designing video game environments, or developing visual effects for marketing and advertising campaigns, an animation degree provides the skills and knowledge to turn your artistic vision into reality.
Is Animation a Good Career?
Employment opportunities for special effects artists and animators are on the rise. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual pay for jobs within the special effects and animation field was $99,060 in 2023. Between 2022 and 2032, the job outlook for these careers is projected to grow at 8%, 5% faster than the average growth rate for all occupations. Now is a great time to pursue an animation degree and find your place within the industry.
Types of Animation Jobs
Because students learn about and work hands-on with so many different aspects of animation and design, an animation degree prepares you for several different career paths.
“I consider myself a generalist because, during my time at Villa, we had to create three short films from start to finish. That means coming up with each story, doing all the storyboarding, the animations, sounds design, script writing, everything,” said Villa animation graduate Dilan Chrysafides. “That process really helped excel my overall knowledge of the field and be more creative,” he shared.
Animator
So what does an animator do? In short, these professional artists draw and design a wide range of 2D and 3D art for the entertainment, marketing, and advertising industries. Using computer software programs and different animation styles, they create art and add motion for anything from character models to background environments or objects. Their work is essential for films, television, video games, social media, commercials, and other visually dynamic platforms.
Art Director
An art director is a creative lead who coordinates visual concepts, resources, and team members to design unique graphics or art. Based on a client project or prompt, they review goals and develop a plan to create visual elements and campaigns that resonate with target audiences. Art directors may have a creative role in these projects or review concepts designed by other artists to identify areas for improvement and ensure the work adheres to guidelines.
Concept Artist
A concept artist creates the first visual concepts for a project based on their interpretation of a script or creative brief. Their work sets the tone and style for the characters, props, vehicles, environments, and other essential elements needed to develop an immersive experience for audiences. Once approved, these concepts are referenced throughout a project to maintain consistency.
Motion Graphics Animator
Tien Nguyen, Villa animation graduate, currently works as a motion graphics animator at Crowley Webb in Buffalo. “I work within the video department with other animators, video editors, and cinematographers. My role is to develop a wide range of animated video content for our clients,” Tien shared. “Sometimes that involves creating a video using animated visuals entirely, and other times I use animated graphics to enhance footage that was filmed by other team members. Examples of my work include animated informational videos, social media ads, logo animations, and TV commercials.”
Multimedia Designer
Dilan works as a multimedia designer at Fisher-Price in East Aurora. “I’ve worked on both the pre-production and post-production side of things. I help storyboard, design client pitches, and create content or support items for many different projects,” Dilan said. “Having a broad skillset and working on a smaller team, I regularly handle motion design, editing, animating, and illustration tasks, including bringing all of these elements together to put a final polish on a project.”
Video Game Designer
A video game designer creates different components of video games, including the game’s plot, character models, environments, and layouts. They often collaborate with other creatives like animators and concept artists to get the look and feel of key game elements down. These professionals may also work on more technical elements of game design, such as coding and programming.
Visual Effects Artists
Also known as a VFX artist, this artist uses computer software to create realistic elements within videos that wouldn’t be possible to produce in real life. This might involve creating and animating CGI animals to interact with humans or create the perception that a person is defying gravity. VFX artists must have a strong understanding of physics, especially as artists must apply to mechanics behind movement as well as how lighting changes with movement.
How to Become an Animator
Passionate about animated art and storytelling? You belong in Villa’s animation program. Our program provides students with all the latest software, equipment, and facilities needed to create and share their stories their way. At Villa, you’ll grow as an artist in a community of other like-minded creatives eager to learn and collaborate. Get in touch with us today to learn more!
