If any industry can lay claim to a renaissance, it’s animation. Almost 30 years ago, the craft was absolutely moribund. Then in the late 80s, movies such as The Little Mermaid, TV shows such as The Simpsons, the video game industry and the World Wide Web created a demand for animators that was unparalleled. This growth is opening new doors and those who obtain a technology degree online may have the jump start on entering.
For instance, there once was a time when cartoon fans would literally wait years for an animated feature film. Last year, the U.S. had 20 animated feature films in theatrical circulation. TV now not only has its Saturday morning madness, but cable also sports over a half dozen networks devoted to the process. The video game industry is a billion dollar enterprise. And with no sign of slowing down for the foreseeable future, this has become very good news for animators.
Being an animator means more than just learning timing and “squash and stretch” these days. A good cartoon animator now must master a number of professional software packages a lot more demanding than Flash and Photoshop. As common as the drawing board, blue pencil and flip book used to be, is how computerized work station has now taken over.
While many new animators come from art schools such as Cal Art, NYU or any school that has comprehensive film and animation departments, they still happen to be few and far between. Online colleges have also become major targets for recruitment, particularly for those studying computer generated animation. As for financial aid, students are certainly eligible for standard grants such as the Pell and local state aid. It should also be noted that Hollywood studios, such as Disney and Dreamworks, have scholarship programs. Also, many a college’s general art grants include animators.
As it happens, almost half the animation jobs in the U.S. are in California. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Hollywood has 9,500 of the 21,000 animators in the U.S. With over 3,500, Greater New York City is a distant second. From there, the field is extremely localized to San Francisco, greater Seattle, Austin, Chicago and Atlanta. Canada does have its share of pros, but then it’s an enlightened country where their federal government finances the art form. It’s also not restricted to mass entertainment. There is work in video games, ad agencies, schools and even the toy industry.
The rewards can be considerable. A Hollywood animator averages $80,000. Outside Los Angeles, animators’ mean salary ranges from $52,000 to $75,000. Depending on experience and track record, studio animators can earn over $100,000 with health/life benefits. If they become supervisors, profit sharing, retirement programs and other perks are possible. It’s also not uncommon for a successful animator to open up his own studio. Others, such as Mike Judge, Tim Burton and Terry Gilliam, move into successful careers in live action films.
There is one important proviso about animation. Many in the field call it the greatest temp job in the world. The reason for this is employment with any particular organization lasts as long as the project the animator is working on. Once the movie is over or the TV series is canceled, it’s time to update the resume and go job hunting. Luckily, as the talent pool is so small, animators usually don’t stay out of work for long stretches of time.
As animation is becoming such a hot industry, many schools are opening up their own animation departments offering your STEM degree. You may even decide to specialize in another science area with your science degrees. If Hollywood doesn’t seem to be a desirable destination, there is a crying need for animators when designing web sites. If this is an area that is of interest to you and you feel drawn to, there is an abundance of material about your online computer science degree available on the internet.