Aimee on 6/3/2011 at 17:57
I'm thinking about pursuing a career in animation.
Is there anyone here who can tell me about the career or know someone who is an animator?
I would like an outline of what a day is like as an animator; that would help.
Any kind of info will help. :)
Kolya on 6/3/2011 at 18:43
"Animator" is possibly a bit vague. There are cartoon animators, Flash animators, puppet animators, crowd animators and in the 80s there even used to be a branch called animatronic, not sure if that's still done, but I'm willing to go on a rant if it isn't. Damn you CGI.
henke on 7/3/2011 at 06:49
Well my official title is "Media Designer" but 3D animation is a (small) part of my job. On the projects where I do get to do some animating the scenes and objects will usually be set up and the characters will be rigged already by the time I get them. Then I do the character and object animations. When I'm done I make a low-quality preview video which is watched by coworkers/the project director. It helps to have someone else look at your work to see if it makes sense, if it conveys what you want it to convey. If changes need to be made I make them and after possibly another preview the animation is deemed "done" and the workfile is passed on to the guy who does the lights, cameras and rendering.
The kinda things we animate are mostly technical instructions, like assembly-instructions for kitchen-drains and mailboxes. No fun Pixar-stuff. Still, animating is my favourite part of the job but sadly there's very little call for it. Over the past year I've been working mostly on static models, websites and coding interfaces in Flash.
Volitions Advocate on 7/3/2011 at 07:26
The lead animator at BioWare graduated from my university. He came to talk about his work on Mass Effect 2 with a bunch of students in a lecture he prepared. It was pretty interesting stuff. He also said he applied 4 times over the course of 6 years or so at BioWare before they finally hired him.
He also said, and I agree with him completely on this one, go get a real Degree. Don't take one of those vocational courses that gives you a certificate after a year of playing with the computers in the lab at school. Go to a real university or college and get yourself a BA in New Media or whatever they may call it. You'll be more valuable to potential employers. and You'll actually know a thing or two about your chosen vocation. Rather than simply knowing how to use Maya or 3DsMax, or whatever program they taught at their technical school.
Aimee on 8/3/2011 at 22:50
Interesting stuff :thumb:
Would math be involved in getting a degree for this field? It's not my strongest area.
I would love to go to a university that offers such programs. Sadly, it's all colleges where I live... and there's the whole thing about college graduates getting lower pay. :erg: (don't know if that's true or not!)
Aimee on 8/3/2011 at 22:51
Henke, what was your education path to become a media designer?
Renzatic on 9/3/2011 at 01:39
Quote Posted by Volitions Advocate
He also said, and I agree with him completely on this one, go get a real Degree. Don't take one of those vocational courses that gives you a certificate after a year of playing with the computers in the lab at school.
I can see where he's coming from, but a degree isn't the only way to get into the business. The only thing any design company will care about is how well you can use the tools. A degree will show that you've run through the gamut with whatever design program you based your education around, but an impressive portfolio, along with a list of projects you've done over the years, can get you just as far if it's good enough.
And even if you spend a chunk of change on a degree, it doesn't necessarily mean you're automatically better than someone who does it as a hobby. Case in point, a friend of mine sent his son through a year of Full Sail a couple years back. Cost him $10,000 a semester. Even after that year of intense 5 days a week of school and homework, I know more about modeling than he does. All I've done is goof around with it on occasion, and spend about $300 on tutorials over a couple year stretch.
Hell, most of the people you see making games or working for Pixar probably started out making mods and doing it as a hobby.
So does a degree help? Yeah. Is it necessary? Nope. With enough dedication, and a little bit of spending cash, you can teach yourself animation just as easily as any school. All it takes is practice and patience.
Mingan on 9/3/2011 at 03:56
While a degree isn't necessary, you'd be surprised at how much it can make a difference in the eye of an employer, especially if you aim for the big-firm-type job. But most important is the portfolio, since you're looking at a very visual media, it can give an employer a very good idea of what you're capable of.
Volitions Advocate on 9/3/2011 at 04:15
Quote Posted by Renzatic
A degree will show that you've run through the gamut with whatever design program you based your education around
Interesting thought. I always saw it the other way. My experience in university isn't "use X program" it's 'learn X concept" whereas most technical schools is a course in a specific software suite, and it ends there.
You are definitely right though, Portfolio is a big aspect.
Renzatic on 9/3/2011 at 04:38
Quote Posted by Volitions Advocate
Interesting thought. I always saw it the other way. My experience in university isn't "use X program" it's 'learn X concept" whereas most technical schools is a course in a specific software suite, and it ends there.
Depends. A tech school will just teach you how to use X program, and maybe touch on animation concepts as a starting point for higher education. A university will more than likely concentrate on both, specially if he intends on getting into 3D animation.
All the theory in the world won't help you if you can't use the tools to put it into practice.
