Blogging task- Jobs

Here are a list of various jobs that interest me in the animation/illustration industry. 

In my opinion a job isn't worth having unless you enjoy what you do and get up in the morning with a spring in your step thinking something along the lines of "Oh it's Monday morning…YAAAY I get to go to work for a whole week!" 

Unfortunately, it it difficult to get to this stage considering in every profession you need to make your way up the ranks. But by starting out doing a not so brilliant or well paid job can give you invaluable experience as well as allow you to gain contacts and get an insight into what the workplace is like in your desired industry. For example, most animators start out as "Runners" and the most stimulating thing they do all day is ask their boss if they would prefer a chocolate bourbon biscuit or a custard cream with their morning coffee. But this is a foot in the door as it were and that same boss may end up being your mentor once you show enough enthusiasm to be promoted to a junior role. You might still have to get coffee but at least you will be paid more for it!

As for the top jobs out there in the creative industry, I can't say for certain what role I would consider at the moment. I'd just be grateful to be in the creative industry at all and get paid for it! Although I have decent leadership skills and a passion for what I do and I enjoy seeing other people feel just as passionate about art so perhaps a managerial role would suit me once I'd gained enough experience and had figured out how the industry functions.

Of course my dream job in a perfect world would be to sit all day in my studio with a cup of tea and some sushi coming up with character designs. As far as I know there are jobs like that but I think you would probably need to do something else on top of it to pay for the essentials like teabags and electricity bills (The kettle needs to boil after all)

Who knows where I'll end up but having a browse through these job roles gave me a better idea about the sorts of paths you can take in this industry and if given the chance, I would try each and every one of them! :)

Production Designer

Production Designers are responsible for creating the 'look' of a project, visually interpreting the script, developing characters and environments that will both illustrate the narrative and enable Directors to realise their vision.On some smaller productions, the Production Designer's role may be combined with that of Art Director which means an ongoing involvement with the project. They may also function as the Character Designer and/or Background Designer.

Key Skills include:

• design talent;
• good people management and leadership skills;
• good communication and presentation skills;
• ability to manage schedules and prioritise their own work and that of others;
• ability to take direction, give direction and work as part of a team;
• ability to work without supervision;
• ability to receive and address comments;
• ability to interview and assess work of potential art department members;
• ability to work long hours and, if required, function under pressure;
• knowledge of the requirements of the relevant Health and Safety legislation and procedures

Many famous artists have created production designs not only for opera and theatre but also for animation. However, an understanding of both animation in general, and the technique of a particular project, will be extremely helpful.

Essential knowledge and skills
Production Designers need imagination, artistic flair and talent to produce the design solutions for a project. They must be able to understand not only what will be appropriate in terms of design, but also what is going to be achievable further down the line by the animation and post-production teams.

They need to be able to work to a schedule and budget and, in some cases, provide budget information regarding art department costs to the production team. If Production Designers do not have an animation background, they should ensure that members of their team are able to provide any technical expertise that they may lack.

Career route

Ideally, Production Designers will have worked their way through the Art Department, possibly starting as character or set designer and working their way up to Art Director.

Director 

Skills

Creativity, imagination and artistic flair are all essential, combined with storytelling skills and film literacy. Project management and leadership abilities are necessary to direct and manage the story, design, layout, animation and technical teams. Excellent communication and presentation skills, and the ability to keep to deadlines and respect budgets, are also required. Directors may need huge reserves of tact and drive in order to achieve a balance between creative desires and production requirements while still managing to deliver the best possible products. 

Runner (Animation)

This is usually an entry-level role in Animation studios. Runners are employed on low salaries, and are expected to cover a multitude of, sometimes menial, tasks. They are often a combination of handyman/woman, production office dogsbody, relief receptionist and messenger. However, many people with successful careers in all aspects of animation started their careers as Runners. 

This route into the animation industry has nurtured the potential of many individuals, and produced some very talented practitioners who may otherwise never have had a chance to progress in the industry. While working in this role, Runners can demonstrate their abilities, prove that they have a good attitude, and discover where their main interest or talent lies. 

Depending on their aptitude, skills and interests, Runners may be promoted to junior or training roles in Editing, Camera, Animation, Model Building, Scanning, Digital Colouring, Digital Compositing, Rendering, or in the Production Office, among many other departments.

Responsibilities

Runners provide support and backup wherever it might be required within the studio, but particularly at the request of the Production Office or Editing Department, and it can be very varied work. They check and, where possible, maintain studio equipment, including carrying out 'housekeeping', or office management duties, such as replacing batteries or light bulbs; fixing chairs; hanging pictures on walls; keeping track of materials and ordering new supplies; keeping the kitchen and other areas clean, tidy and well stocked; making tea or coffee, etc.

Skills

Runners must be bright, helpful, presentable, articulate and have basic literacy, numeracy and communication skills. It is helpful if they already have an interest in animation and, to get the most out of their time in the job, they need to develop an understanding of the production process. Runners must be able to cope under pressure, accept instructions from all quarters, show initiative and problem solving skills, respond quickly to requests and know how to prioritise their tasks. 

Qualifications/Experience

In general, there are no requirements for Runners to possess degrees or other academic or training qualifications. However, this is often a practical route into a studio for graduates of Animation degree courses or comparable Art, Computer or other technical courses. Most companies are more interested in the attitude and personality of applicants but a promising showreel, or a portfolio which demonstrates their talent and abilities, may improve the chances of success. Working as a Runner offers not only the opportunity to learn how a studio operates, but also the time for both Runner and employer to assess their strengths and to discuss the job roles which may suit them best.

Junior Animator;

What is the job?
Junior Computer Animators work under the supervision of a more senior Animator. They are often assigned secondary animation, such as small characters in the distance, crowd scenes, in-animate objects, etc., to give them an opportunity to develop their existing skills. The junior would be required to add extra detail such as wardrobe, hair, tails, etc, without disrupting the movement of the character. Depending on the structure of the production, the role is more likely to exist on larger projects or as a permanent job within a company. Ultimately Junior Animators in CGI work to acquire the necessary animation and technical knowledge which will enable them to become useful members of the animation team.

Essential knowledge and skills
This role can offer a good opportunity to gain professional animation experience and learn more about using the software within a production environment. In most cases, the following will need to be demonstrated within a portfolio or showreel submitted for a Junior Computer Animator position:

• evidence of animation talent;
• evidence of experience on relevant software;
• for some studios, evidence of life drawing skills and knowledge of anatomy.

Key Skills include:

• good understanding of the principles of animation;
• good movement and timing skills;
• good observational and acting skills for character animation;
• ability to think in 3D;
• ability to concentrate and focus on the work for extended periods;
• good communication and team skills including an understanding of the work of other departments;
• ability to take direction and address comments willingly;
• ability to be flexible and adaptable;
• ability to deliver on schedule, working under pressure if required;
• respect for the procedures and requirements of a particular production or pipeline;
• knowledge of the requirements of the relevant Health and Safety legislation and procedures

The Dream Job- Character Designer

Salary Range

$34,000 – $100,000

What do Character Designers do?

A Character Designer creates the look and feel of animated characters. Character Designers are only found in certain cases where characters are complex and important enough to merit specialized attention. When that happens though, a Character Designer is hired to blend skills from across fields to create vivacious, well rounded characters. In this role, you work mainly in video games, animation, and illustration.

At this position you are a cross-breed between several different (and more common) positions. You are an Illustrator, Concept Artist, Animator, and Game Artist meaning that you (respectively) design your characters, bring them to life, then flesh out their look.

In the beginning stages of your work you imagine and sketch out the first draft of characters. As this is happening, you storyboard your character by writing their past and their future, and place them within the context of the narrative to give them life and depth.

If you are working on a virtual character, you then use computer graphics and 3D modeling to design and animate your form by adding in color, molding its movements, and adding its sounds. You continue to refine your characters throughout the game, making sure the way it roars and flips its mane is correct.

To do this work you must be very imaginative and creative, and have the breadth and depth of animation knowledge to make your creation come to life: You are responsible for a character from conception to death, so you must be well versed in all technical proficiencies that are generally split between several fields.

Should I be a Character Designer?

You should have a bachelor's degree or higher and share these traits:

Detail Oriented: You pay close attention to all the little details. 

High Achiever: You love the challenge of tackling difficult work.

Reliable: You can always be counted on to do a good job.

• Assists in establishing style for production art

• Maintain consistent style under the direction of the Art Director

• Create production designs for assets

• Work with production leads to create concept art relevant for project

• Actively participate in technical and artistic problem solving

• Be able to identify inefficiencies in the concept-to-production process and help formulate resolutions

• Produce a wide range of highly creative character, creature and environment concept art

• Seek feedback from the Art Director in style and mood

• Communicate with co-workers, including designers, programmers, and game artists 

• Follow the schedules set by the producer

• Must demonstrate a diversified portfolio 

• Excellent drawing and conceptualization skills with an ability to adapt to established styles.

• Understanding of fundamental illustration skills including composition, perspective and color theory.

• Understanding of surface texture, anatomy, and architecture.

• Digital illustration skills with an Advanced understanding of Photoshop using the Wacom tablet 

• Understanding of form, composition, and use of detail.

• Solid interpersonal and communications skills

• Self-managing — organized with good time management. Must be able to identify and meet goals.

3. Checklist of Illustrator’s expenses

Expenses will differ from individual to individual and some of the constituent parts may need to be estimated. The aim is to arrive at a total figure for your annual expenditure. The following checklist is not necessarily complete but does cover the main areas of likely expenditure:

Studio/Premises: Rent. Rates. Heat and Light.

Promotion: Source Books. Mailers. Website.

Communication: Phone. Mobile. Internet. Email. Postage. Stationery

Equipment/IT: Computer. Printer. Scanner. Camera. Disk drive. Software. Consumables. Other.

Art Materials: Paper. Paints. Pads. Brushes. Other

Research: Books and Magazines. Materials. Courses.

Travel: Car (business percentage). Train. Tube. Bus. Delivery. Parking.

Professional & Advisory: Accountancy. AOI subscription. Legal.

Finance: Bank charges. Equipment/Studio insurance.

Although not strictly business expenses you may want to include other items, which would normally be covered by an employer such as pension contributions and national insurance.

As a rough estimate let’s say the expenses total £8000. Our illustrator of 5 years would therefore be looking for a gross annual income of £32,500.

3. Estimating your annual working hours

Total days per year	365
Less the following:
Weekends	104
Bank holidays	8
Annual holidays	20
Interviews/meetings	11
Sick leave	10
Total	212
Working day	8 hours
Less lunch	1 hour
Less administration/research and development	2 hours
Total	5 hours

Multiply the total by the number of working hours per day, e.g 212 days x 5 hours = 1060 working hours per year

4. Final Calculation

Divide the gross annual income by the number of working hours a year. In this example:

£32,500 divided by 1060 = £30.66 per hour