Animator Job Information | National Careers Service

Job profiles

Animator

Hours

35-40 per week
Starting salary

£20,000 + per year

Animators bring drawings or models to life on screen. As an animator, your work could be used in animated films or television cartoons. It could also be used for adverts, computer games, websites and music videos. If you want to use your imagination, and have creative skills like drawing or modelling, this job could be perfect for you.

To do this job you will need to have patience and concentration. You will need accuracy and attention to detail. You will also need good computer skills.

Some animators are self-taught, but many start by taking an animation or art-related course to develop their skills before looking for work. Several colleges and universities offer courses in animation.

The work

You could specialise in one of the following animation techniques:

2-D hand-drawn or traditional
2-D computer-generated
3-D computer-generated (known as CGI)
stop-frame, stop-motion or model animation.

Producing an animation involves many stages and processes, from generating ideas to building models and editing the final piece. Each stage can involve several specific tasks and job roles, such as:

development stage – directors and producers create ideas, plan the project and find funding
pre-production – production designers create the look; storyboard artists take the script or ideas and show the story in a visual way; layout artists draw how each shot will look
production – digital painters touch up colours; animators and modellers follow the storyboard and use computer or stop-frame animation to create movement and personality
lighting, texturing and compositing – texture artists 'paint' colour and texture onto digital models to make them lifelike; compositors join the different layers of animation; various editors add the soundtrack and produce the finished piece.

Working on a smaller project might mean that you are involved with several of these jobs, particularly during the production stage. On large or long-running productions, you could be part of a team of animators and assistants working on one stage for several weeks, months or even years.

See the Animation section of Creative Skillset’s website for more detailed information about how an animation is made, and about specific animation job roles.

Creative Skillset

Hours

For many jobs you will work standard office hours, Monday to Friday, but you may sometimes need to work overtime and unsocial hours to meet deadlines.

The work can be based at an office or studio depending on your role and the type of animation.

In stop-motion animation you may spend a lot of time on your feet adjusting models. In other types of animation, you would spend most of your time sitting at a computer or drawing board.

Income

Starting salaries are around £20,000 a year. With more experience and skills, earnings are usually around £30,000 to £40,000 a year.

You may also earn a bonus at the end of a project, particularly in the computer games industry.

Freelance animators are usually paid a fee for each contract or project. Rates can vary based on experience and the type of production. See the Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union (BECTU) for current pay guidelines.

Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union (BECTU)

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Entry requirements

To become an animator, you will need skills in drawing, modelling or using computer animation packages. Some animators are self-taught, but many start by taking an animation or art-related course to develop their skills before looking for work.

Several colleges and universities offer foundation degrees, BTEC HNDs, degrees and postgraduate courses in animation. The most useful courses include practical skills and work placements. See Creative Skillset’s website for details of industry-approved animation courses. You should check content and entry requirements carefully to make sure that the course is right for you.

Creative Skillset

You could also start in the industry with qualifications in other relevant subjects such as:

illustration
graphic design
computer programming
model making or sculpture
3-D design
multimedia design.

You would often start as a studio runner (running errands for people in the studio). You don't need qualifications to work in this role, although many people who start at this level are graduates. You could then progress to junior roles like storyboard assistant, digital painter, inbetweener or assistant animator. Follow the links below to read more details about what these jobs involve.

Employers always want to see proof of your talent and creativity, so you will need a ‘showreel’ DVD or online portfolio of your best animation work and ideas to show them.

You could also show commitment to joining the industry by entering animation competitions, visiting festivals, and sending short animated films or ideas to broadcasters.

Training and development

Most of your training would be on the job, learning from more experienced animators.

You will also need to keep up to date with developments in the animation industry throughout your career.

It would be useful to learn software packages that are relevant to your job, for example:

Flash
Maya
Action Script
Motionbuilder
Lightwave 3D
After Effects.

Many other packages are available, and some companies also create software to meet their own needs. Your employer may organise some training courses for you, or you may be responsible for your own training and development.

You can take short courses in various animation software packages and techniques at several film schools, universities and private training companies. You can search for courses on the Creative Skillset website.

Creative Skillset

With experience and advanced skills, you can progress from junior roles to animator, lead animator and animation director.

Skills and knowledge

To become an animator, you will need to have:

creativity and imagination
good drawing or modelling skills
patience and concentration
accuracy and attention to detail
good computer skills, preferably including graphics and animation software
communication and presentation skills
the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
good teamwork skills.

More information

Creative Skillset (Opens new window)
Focus Point
21 Caledonian Road
London
N1 9GB
www.creativeskillset.org

Creative Skillset Careers (Opens new window)
Tel: 08080 300 900 (England and Northern Ireland)
Tel: 0845 850 2502(Scotland)
Tel: 08000 121 815 (Wales)
www.creativeskillset.org/careers

British Film Institute (BFI) (Opens new window)
21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 1LN
Tel: 020 7255 1444
www.bfi.org.uk

Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union (BECTU) (Opens new window)
373-377 Clapham Road
London
SW9 9BT
Tel: 0845 850 2502
www.bectu.org.uk

Opportunities

You could work for large or small animation studios, computer games developers, interactive media designers, or post-production houses for animated film and TV titles and credits. Freelance fixed-term contracts are common.

The main centres for animation in the UK are London, Bristol, Cardiff, Dundee and Manchester. CGI is the fastest growing sector of animation, but there is still a demand for people with good drawing skills. The more skills you can offer, the more employment options you will have.

Jobs are sometimes advertised on specialist industry websites. However, many jobs are not advertised, as it is common to find work through networking.

You may find the following links useful for general reading, vacancies and making contacts (links open in a new window):

Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.

We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.

Related industry information

Industry summary

The animation industry is part of the creative industries, which is represented by Creative Skillset. This includes: advertising; animation; computer games; corporate and commercial production; fashion and textiles; film; interactive media; photo imaging; publishing; radio; and television.

The animation industry stretches across many of the creative industries. Animated content can be found on television, in feature films, commercials, websites and computer or video games. It can be generally divided into: 2D drawn or traditional; 2D computer generated; stop frame; and 3D computer generated.

Key facts:

The UK animation industry is part of a fast growing creative economy.
UK animation companies provide employment for around 4,700 people.
38% of those employed in the industry are freelance or self-employed.
57% of businesses employ less than 10 people, 8% employ over 50 people.
87% of the animation workforce work three to five days a week, only 10% work, on average, more than five days a week.
92% of people working in animation are graduates and 48% of these hold postgraduate qualifications.

Jobs in the industry are divided across the four animation disciplines:

Development including Director, Producer
Pre-production including Art Director, Character Designer, Production Designer, Layout Artist, Storyboard Assistant, Prop Designer
Production including Animator, Animation Director, Inbetweener, Runner, Model Maker/Puppet Maker, Camera Assistant, Effects (FX) Supervisor
Post-production including Checker, Compositor, Editor, Special Effects Animator, CG Compositor (FX), Key Compositor

National and regional data

With 67% of the workforce is based outside of London, animation production is more evenly distributed around the UK than the other creative industries. The largest number of employees in animation is located in:

London
South East
South West
North West

Across all regions, others may work as animators in other sectors.

In the East Midlands, Loughborough University houses the Animation Academy and Digital Animation Workshop. Hot Knife Digital, Silee Films, advance fxa, Aaron Bradbury and Max Crow are all based in the region.

In London, there are around 1,500 people working within animation companies, with more employed across the creative industries.

In the North West, there are an estimated 600 people working within animation companies, with more employed across the creative industries.

There are an estimated 600 people employed in the industry in the South East.

The South West is known for its strength in animation based largely on the success of Aardman Animations, based in Bristol. There are also a considerable number of smaller animation companies across the region. There are 800 people employed in the industry in the region.

In the West Midlands, animation is growing in significance with companies spread across the region, including The Character Shop in Birmingham, Synthetic Dimensions in Wolverhampton and Spark and Zoom (Brothers McLeod) in Worcestershire. The Lighthouse Media Centre in Wolverhampton hosts an annual animation festival called Flip.

In Yorkshire and the Humber, Ay Up! Animated is a newly established network for people involved in animation.

In Scotland, there are over 200 people working within animation companies, with more employed across the creative industries. Offshoring is a challenge for the industry.

Wales has about 8% of the overall UK animation workforce, and produces approximately 1,500 minutes (25 hours) of animation per year. Animation is a particular strength in Wales with the three leading Welsh animation studios clustered around the Cardiff Bay area. There are around 400 people in the industry.