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Career Exploration

Special Effects Artists and Animators

Also called: Animator, Artist, Graphic Artist, Illustrator

What they do:

Create special effects or animations using film, video, computers, or other electronic tools and media for use in products, such as computer games, movies, music videos, and commercials.

On the job, you would:
  • Design complex graphics and animation, using independent judgment, creativity, and computer equipment.
  • Create basic designs, drawings, and illustrations for product labels, cartons, direct mail, or television.
  • Participate in design and production of multimedia campaigns, handling budgeting and scheduling, and assisting with such responsibilities as production coordination, background design, and progress tracking.
On the job, you'll need:

Engineering and Technology

  • computers and electronics
  • design

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Communications

  • multimedia
  • telecommunications

Business

  • customer service

Basic Skills

  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • reading work related information

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Verbal

  • listen and understand what people say
  • communicate by speaking

Ideas and Logic

  • notice when problems happen
  • use rules to solve problems

Artistic

People interested in this work like activities that include creating, designing, and making your own rules.

  • Attention to Detail
  • Cooperation
  • Integrity
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Adaptability/Flexibility
  • Dependability

Graphics or photo imaging software

  • Adobe Creative Cloud software
  • Trimble SketchUp Pro

Video creation and editing software

  • Adobe After Effects
  • YouTube

Development environment software

  • Adobe Creative Suite
  • C

Video courtesy of CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for this position is Bright.

New job opportunities are very likely in the future. This career will grow rapidly in the next few years.

Median Annual Salary: $98,950

Education

Bachelor's degree or some college is usually needed.