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Multimedia Artist or Animator

Overview and Key Facts

group of artists
Education
Education
Bachelor's degree
Median Pay
Median Pay
$99,800
Job Growth
Job Growth
1.60%
(Below US Average)
Jobs in 2034
Jobs in 2034
58,000

What Do They Do?

A multimedia artist or animator could...

 
image from Disney's Myth: A Frozen Tale
Help develop a 3D, animated motion picture, like Myth: A Frozen Tale from Disney®.
cartoon artist
Create the characters for a new Saturday morning cartoon.
nintendo switch with mario kart
Animate avatars, like those in Mariokart.
family watching tv
Design an animated Super Bowl commercial.
 
image from Disney's Myth: A Frozen Tale cartoon artist nintendo switch with mario kart family watching tv

Overview Listen to this section

If you've ever watched a cartoon, played a video game, or seen an animated movie, you've seen the work of multimedia artists and animators. People in these careers use computers to create the series of pictures that form the animated images or special effects seen in movies, television programs, and computer games.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaQfGUmg_MQ

Do You Have the Skills and Characteristics of a Multimedia Artist or Animator?


  1. Active Listening: ?
  2. Reading Comprehension: ?
  3. Critical Thinking: ?
  4. Speaking: ?
  5. Writing: ?
More skills...

Core Tasks

Think about if you'd like the typical tasks a Multimedia Artist or Animator might do:
  • 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.
  • Create two-dimensional and three-dimensional images depicting objects in motion or illustrating a process, using computer animation or modeling programs.
  • Make objects or characters appear lifelike by manipulating light, color, texture, shadow, and transparency, or manipulating static images to give the illusion of motion.
  • Apply story development, directing, cinematography, and editing to animation to create storyboards that show the flow of the animation and map out key scenes and characters.

Salary & Job Openings

Median Salary (Yearly Pay)

Tap or scroll over map to see median salaries for each state
No data available for some states (white on the map)

Future Jobs

Blast-Off:

How Will Multimedia Artist or Animator Jobs Grow by 2034?
Projected % Growth
Rapid growth
(10% or higher)
Much faster than average
(7% - 10%)
Faster than average
(5% - 7%)
About as fast as average
(3% - 5%)
Slower than average
(0% - 3%)
Decreasing
Average of all U.S. jobs (5.3%)
Multimedia Artist or Animator jobs (1.60%)
Source: https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm

Steps to Get There: Becoming a Multimedia Artist or Animator

High School Subjects to Study

Aim to study the yellow-shaded subjects.
Math
Algebra 1
Geometry
Algebra 2
Pre-Calculus
Calculus
Statistics
Science
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Environmental Science
Physiology
Bio-Medical / Biotech
IT &
Engineering
Computer Science
Applied Technology
Drafting & CAD Training
Core
English
Foreign Language
Business
Psychology / Sociology

Career Pathway Listen to this section

A few entry-level multimedia and animator positions are accessible with an associate's degree, but a bachelor's degree from an art school, college, or university is usually needed. Before searching for work, multimedia artists will need to put together a portfolio of their work to show to prospective employers. In addition, animators will need to create demo reels with footage of characters and objects they have animated.

Education- Typical Degree Needed After High School Listen to this section

Degree
Post
high school credential
AA
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctoral or Professional Degree

Typical degree for an entry-level position: Bachelor's degree ? Types of Degrees and Credentials

At minimum, an associate's degree is necessary, but most positions require a bachelor's degree. Classwork will focus on basic art concepts, technology, and computer graphics. Internships will help build an artist's portfolio and give him or her a competitive edge when seeking employment. Degrees can come from either a traditional college or a university, or a specialized art and design school.

Companies That Hire Multimedia Artist or Animators

Try it Out with an Activity or Project

STEM Activities

STEM activities are fun hands-on explorations that usually take from 10 minutes to one hour and use readily available household or classroom materials while introducing you to STEM concepts common in this career.

Science Project Ideas

Project Ideas are in-depth STEM explorations that have a strong focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data suitable for investigating the scientific method or the engineering design process.

On the Job

Role Models

Patrick Beaulieu is constantly learning in his career since he works in a field that is always innovating.
Being an animator on video games is hard work and not a game. It's a passionate field and implies that you be a social person. Making a video game implies that a lot of people must work together, the game designer, programmers, ...3D artists. 
Patrick Beaulieu, Lead Video Game Animator

Nature of the Work

Multimedia artists and animators work primarily in the movie industry, computer and video games, advertising, and computer systems design services. They both draw by hand and use computers to create the series of pictures that form the animated images or special effects seen in movies, television programs, and computer games. Some artists draw storyboards for television commercials, movies, and animated features. Storyboards present television commercials in a series of scenes similar to a comic strip and allow an advertising agency to evaluate commercials proposed by advertising companies. Storyboards also serve as guides to placing actors and cameras on the television or motion picture set and to other production details. Many multimedia artists model objects in three dimensions by computer. Some artists, usually animators, work with programmers to make their three-dimensional models move.

Work Environment

Many multimedia artists and animators work in studios that are located in office buildings, at desks with computers. Others, usually those who do contract work, operate out of private studios in their homes. Most artists employed in the movie, television, video game and advertising industries generally work a standard work week. However, during busy periods or close to the end of a long project, they may work overtime to meet deadlines. Self-employed artists can set their own hours. They may spend much time and effort selling their artwork to potential customers or clients and building a reputation.

More Information

Ask Questions

Do you have a specific question about a career as a Multimedia Artist or Animator that isn't answered on this page? Post your question on the Science Buddies Ask an Expert Forum.

Sources

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