Job Roles
The Media industry is huge. It has many departments
Creative
Creative -
Writer
Scriptwriter
Designer
Concept Artist
Soundtrack Composer
Technical
Technical -
Location Sound
Camera Operator
Marketing
Marketing -
Advertising Co-ordinator
Mangerial
Mangerial -
Runs a Film Company
Legal
Legal -
Deals with Contracts
Copyright
Financial
Financial -
Accounts
Cash Flow
- Employment Types -
Full time
Voluntary
Part-time
Fixed term (employed for a set amount of time)/Temporary
Freelance (self-employed)
Employment Opportunities
Media Industry
National press
Trade press
Trade fairs
Personal contacts
Recruitment Agency
Networking
Word of mouth
Internet
Animator - The following information will be all about the role, entry routes, professional standards and required skills for the role of an animation animator. I will then have a short concluding section on my own skills and other skills I would need to apply for this job.
An animator makes moving videos by creating and editing many still images together in sequence. An animator is a starting level job but has many different parts e.g. sometimes an animator has to be an actor, understanding the emotions and actions of the character they are creating. Animators know to how to create characters, backgrounds and graphics. They know how to follow the briefing given by a director and how to work with other animators to make the different parts have the same visual style. They use sketching techniques to create the characters, using their imagination, the visual briefing from their director and inspiration from books and the internet.
To become an animator, the main entry routes are through a level 3 qualification and then apprenticeship or university. You can do all the necessary learning through school and college or through art classes. University courses in animation help to teach you how to use software and can be a good route into work experience. A level 3 qualification is the minimum needed o get you into an apprenticeship or university course. It is always important to evidence all of your learning by keeping a portfolio of all the work you produce to show to employers or to support an application for apprenticeship or university course.
The Institute for Apprenticeships has a description of the job role and professional standards for a junior animator. I've picked out some of the examples that I think are most important. They can be found in their 'core duties' section.
Working together with other colleagues to make an overall project through teamwork. I think this duty is important to make the final animation a success. It is important to ask questions and help others so that everyone is at a good level.
Plan and present ideas, plan shots and demonstrate action though out the production process so that clients are able to see the progress made. I think this is important because it is like my portfolio, showing the work I have done and the progress of the project.
The final example is creating animated products that are in line with the production requirements and to the deadlines set in the production plan. This is the point of all the planning and preparation, having a finished animation project that meets all of the requirements successfully is the best outcome.
An animator needs to be skilled in art i.e. drawing or modelling clay; they need to have good communication skills to understand the briefing from the director and work with other animators on a project and organisation to keep to a production schedule and manage their time.
My own skills are close to matching the role of animation animator. I am completing a level 3 qualification at college and have done some work experience in animation. I have a BSL interpreter to help me to communicate with others, this is important as teamwork can be quite difficult without an interpreter. I have a portfolio of different characters and all of my artwork and projects. I will also use this website to add to my portfolio. Finally, I just love to animate!
Character Designer - The following section will be all about the role, entry routes, professional standards and required skills for the role of Character Designer. I will then have a short concluding section on my own skills and other skills I would need to apply for this job.
The choosing of a good character can be the success or failure of a TV show or Game. Can you imagine if Sonic the Hedgehog was actually a rabbit?! Character designers visualise and create the look of individual characters. Their role informs the animators and storyboard artists on the design that they will be working from for the rest of the production process. The role involves close consultation with the director to gather the key traits, personality and period the animation is set in.
Art is the key skill for this job as the designer has to create a variety of designs for a single character, using their artistic abilities to demonstrate the emotions and expressions of the character. Once a design has been agreed by the director the designer then creates a series of 'model sheets' so that the animators and storyboard artists can remain 'on model' and consistent across the production.
Professional standards for character design would largely follow the same standards for animation in general. In particular a high level of communication with the directors of a project to make sure that all of the requirements are met. The work a character designer will do has a large effect on the whole project. It is important to get it right.
Entry routes into becoming a Character Designer vary, you could gain a degree in graphics or fine art or choose to build a portfolio of work that demonstrates your talent. Level 3 qualifications and apprenticeships will help to understand the working environments as well as improving the quality of your artwork.
The most important skill in character design is to show you have excellent drawing skills. Continuously improving your drawing skills through practice and building a portfolio of work is a great way to get started.
I have been practising my drawing for many years and have already improved in lots of areas. Further practice and adding to my portfolio as well as completing my level 3 qualification will keep preparing me for a role like this one.
Storyboard Artist - A Storyboard Artist works alongside the Head of Story to create visual panels of the story. The artist brings a script to life, it is a technical document that does not always require a high level of skill in the art. They can be as polished as a comic strip or just a sketch, as long as they demonstrate the vision of the director. A storyboard artist will begin work with a Director but can also bring in a cinematographer or production designer.
Once the key bits of information has been communicated, the artist will then go away and create panels filled out with the detail. They will use rectangles in the ration that the production will be filmed in e.g widescreen. The artist has to think about the shot as a whole, placement of characters and the background, everything that fills that rectangle. It will inform all kinds of things like placement, lighting, props and background. Use of arrows helps to indicate movement, movement within the frame and movement or the frame itself.
If the movie is very visual then the storyboard can act as a script, if the movie is based on a comic the original artwork can be used to create the bulk of the storyboard. It usually depends on the genre of the project you are working on and the requirements of the director.
Entry routes into the job of Storyboard artist can be direct from school as it is traditionally an entry-level role. a Level 3 qualification in media, art or graphic design could get you the right knowledge for the job but like all art-based job roles, a portfolio is the best way to showcase talent for artwork, your own ideas and how objects move. Having panels of your own either copying your favourite storyline or something completely original will demonstrate creativity, ability to direct movement and ability to be consistent in style and genre.
The timely delivery of the first draft and final drafts of panels is a really important professional standard in the role of a storyboard artist. following the project timeline at the early stage of a production is really important to keep the whole project in time and budget. Good communication and delivering good quality work is also a standard to follow as a Storyboard artist is being paid not just for the quality of their artwork but also the good listening and following the instructions from the director.
My own skillset would mostly be a good match as I have a good level of skill in art and I have practised comic strips so I understand how you show a characters emotions and movements across a set of drawings. I have work experience with animation but not drawing storyboards, this would be a good way to improve my skills.
Level designer - A level designer in the gaming industry is responsible for a key aspect of the game known as a level. They take a set of instructions or specifications outlined by a gameplay designer and get into the detail of design. They work with a range of artists to look at the setting of the level, the challenges, events, actions and overall environment.
They have to imagine playing the game and decide the different options a player can choose and what happens after wards. With some levels the seasons change or the environment changes depending on your selections at the start. This means there are many layers of level design to choose from within one level.
They have to understand the logic of the gameplay and decide what happens after a player makes a decision and how the character can move, shape or change objects. This requires some understanding of logic or physics in the real world to help create a realistic imaginary world.
A level designer is an entry route into the games industry, qualifications in media, graphic design, physics and computer science could really help to get work experience in this area. A university qualification would be really helpful as you would learn more about programming and different software but it is not essential.
Working in collaboration with other artists and designers is important for a good gameplay experience. A good level of time management and organisation will help to break down one large level design process into many easier parts. Imagination and the ability to change an develop ideas is important. Resilience and a strong enthusiasm will help to bring a level together through to completion.
My own skills in level 2 and 3 media studies have helped me to understand different software and their different uses. I have a good imagination and play games often so understand really well what good gameplay should be like. I could improve my programming and physics skills in future to help me be better suited to the role of level designer.