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Computer Animation Career Information
by Peter Sakes
The animation industry has changed radically with the advent of computer
animation, and the use of complex animation software. However, the animator
still has to have much of the traditional artistic talents, along with the
ability to pay attention to detail in order to produce animation that is
consistent across a large piece of work.
The kind of animator characteristics you will have to develop if you wish to
become an animator are the ability to be able to work in a team; an animator is
responsible for their own work, but it is a part of a much greater whole, and
the animator may have to subsume their own artistic style to merge in the
general feel of the whole piece of animation. Communication is important in a
team, and as an animator you will have to learn to communicate with the team.
The animation industry is growing fast, as the demand for content for new media
is great. Animators will be in increasing demand, but competition will be
fierce, and you will need to be able to demonstrate that you will make a good
animator. If you have the right animation characteristics, you can develop a
good career in animation.
Animation Tools of the Trade
Animation software has gone through a major evolutionary cycle during the last
ten years. Different packages have concentrated on different aspects of animation,
or have looked at a particular set of applications that can benefit from their
software, and so there is considerable market differentiation between different software.
Perhaps the package that most people will have come across is Flash by Macromedia.
The software is aimed towards animation on the web, and has become the most popular
package in this environment, mostly because it has a quick download time and is
very robust. 3D Studio Max has become quite popular for the video games market,
although it is beginning to make headway in film production as well.
Alias/Wavefront produces Maya, a very powerful and complex 3D graphics program.
This is primarily aimed at the experienced computer animator, and produces
professional modeling, texturing, animation, rendering and paint effects.
Because it is so complex, Maya takes a great deal of time to become proficient
in its use, but the level of professional results makes this investment worthwhile.
There are many other animation tools on the market, but if you are considering a
career in animation, it is worthwhile remembering that animation software is
simply a tool to use, you need to know the basics of animation and design, and
you will need good drawing skills - expertise in animation software is no
substitute for these skills.
Peter provides career information
related services and career counseling. In his spare time, Pete enjoys graphic design,
digital photography, animation, and technology in general.
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