3D Animator

What is a 3D Animator?

The following job responsibilities are common for individuals in 3D animator roles:

• Design 3D animations using specialized computer animation programs
• Convert recorded actor movements into 3D renderings using designed characters
• Design animated movies, video games, and TV shows, and add animations to other forms of media
• Work with a team of animators, designers, and developers to turn animations into a fully functional product
• Revise animations based on feedback

A Day in the Life

3D animators work to design realistic, three-dimensional animations for movies, television shows, and video games. They are artists who specialize in translating art into computer code to create moving pictures, special effects, 3D characters, landscapes, and game levels. These skills may lead them to work for major movie producers like Pixar and Disney, for some of the largest video game development studios like Nintendo, Microsoft, or Sony, or for multiple companies as a freelance 3D animator.

3D animators usually specialize in designing a specific type of animations. They may focus on animating characters, or they may focus on animating backgrounds and scenery. Those that work on characters may do a specific type of animation that requires taking the recorded movements of real actors and applying them to character movements. This allows them to create character movements that are realistic because they mimic the gestures and reactions of real actors playing the role.

3D animators almost always work with a team and divvy up responsibilities for projects. Each animator works on their specific portion of the project, and then at the end, all pieces are merged together to create a cohesive whole. For this reason, 3D animators must be effective team players as well as skilled animators because disconnects could lead to disjointed final projects. Additionally, 3D animators who work on video games also commonly work with developers to transform animations to code.

Typical Work Schedule

3D animators typically work full-time schedules during normal business hours. This results in a total of 35 to 40 hours of work logged each week. Having said this, animators are sometimes expected to work late hours, weekends and even holidays to meet approaching deadlines.

While many animators will be hired on for full-time employment, some may work only part-time, while others will freelance or work under temporary contracts. Freelancers can also expect to put in some hours traveling to meet potential clients and promote their work.

Animators generally work in well-lit offices or studios. Some forms of animation, such as stop frame animation, may involve many hours of standing while some demand sitting at drawing boards or computers.

Projected Job Growth

We live in a time when most people are never disconnected from a digital device. Whether it’s a smartphone or ipad, these products give us 24/7 access to a wide variety of entertainment options.

Animated movies, television shows, video games, and mobile games and applications are among the most popular entertainment mediums of our time, so demand for skilled 3D animators is expected to increase in the coming decade to enable businesses to continue producing these forms of media.

Typical Employers

Many 3D animators are self-employed and work on a freelance basis. Other animators will be contract hires that work for major movie and television studios as well as video game producers like Disney, Pixar, Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft.

Because of this, there are definitely certain locations across the country that tend to be hotspots for employment. While nearly every state in the country will have some work for animation and multimedia artists, certain states will offer greater job opportunities than others.

The top 5 states with the highest employment in the industry, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics are:

California (highest)
Georgia
New York
Texas
Washington

We knew California would make that list as the state is home to the biggest film and television production companies in the country and world.

You’ve no doubt heard of Pixar, which is located in Emeryville, CA. Over the years this production studio has produced and released some of the most successful and critically acclaimed animated films of all times.

Then there is Industrial Light and Magic studio located in San Francisco, CA. Founded in 1975 by George Lucas, the studio has been behind every Star Wars film.

There is also the Walt Disney Animation Studios, Cartoon Network Studios, Nickelodeon Animation Studios, And Warner Bros Animation that are all located in Burbank, CA.