Animated films have been around for more than a century. Since then, there have been various methods of making images move, and they become more complex as technology progresses. If you're interested in animation, here are the roles you might want to look into.
1. Animator
This is probably the job you'll think of first when you're looking for a career in animation. Animators are behind the visual effects that bring the elements of the production to life. They work on different projects that range from video games to television.
You will do your work on software like Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere, Autodesk3ds Max, Autodesk Maya, and more. You'll usually follow the direction of clients like game designers, directors, or fellow animators to achieve a specific outcome.
2. Art Director
Being an art director means that you're high up on the animation team ladder. You'll be in charge of several aspects of projects such as character appearance and characteristics, props, the setting in where the scenes take place, and much more.
The creative team will answer to you, as pointed out by NFI, and it will give you more responsibility than most. However, it also gives you more authority to bring your vision to life with an entire team to assist you in making that happen.
3. Stop Motion Animator
Stop motion animation, also called stop frame, model animation, puppet animation, and clay animation, has produced many films and shows you would recognize such as "Coraline," "Corpse Bride," "The Nightmare Before Christmas," and "Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio."
With the role, you will gradually move figures from their positions, taking a picture of each shift. After running them together, the figures will appear as if they are actually moving on their own. All of this is done without the help of digital animation, which makes it a unique art.
4. 3D Modeler
As suggested by the name, a 3D modeler builds 3D characters and environments based on the concept art provided. As a 3D modeler, you will create and apply 2D textures on a digital frame, as well as create character skeletons, as mentioned by Animation Career Review.
The character skeleton that you have created will then be controlled by animators. The finished outcome is usually used in 3D movies or video games. The software commonly used are Maya, 3DS Max, Pixar's RenderMan, and POV-Ray.
5. Color Key Artist
Color key artists play an important role in creating a background that contributes to the animation and the story in general. You will develop color schemes that can set the mood for the scenes in the project, which is a huge factor in the overall outcome of the animation.
You will need to have a good eye for color and how certain elements will affect them. For instance, you will have to create color schemes that are appropriate for certain scenes like underwater, at night or anything that deviates from standard lighting.
