Daily Life of an Animator

If you’re interested in pursuing a career in animation, you may wonder what a typical workday will look like. This article will explore the tasks Animators complete on an average workday so you can get a feel for what’s involved in this profession before you decide if it’s right for you.

What is an Animator?

Animators bring characters, objects, and scenes to life by placing images in a sequence that suggests movement. They may use hand-drawn or computer-generated images or a combination of both. Animators are often involved in the full scope of a project, from developing new concepts to designing characters and backgrounds and outlining the animation sequence in storyboards. They begin an animation sequence by creating keyframes and the main points of movement, then develop the in-between frames that ensure smooth motion. 

Animators usually report to a Creative Director or Animation Director and might also work closely with writers, other artists, and technical staff. On larger projects, Animators may be part of a team assigned specific roles, such as Character Animation, Background Animation, or Special Effects Animator. Animation is often used in movies, television shows, video games, websites, and other media. In the games industry, animators are known as Computer Graphics (CG) or 3D Animators and may collaborate with programmers and artists. In the animation industry, Animators work from a brief provided by the Director or Animation Director and a storyboard developed by the Storyboard Artist. A Special Effects Supervisor, known as an SFX Supervisor, is usually in charge of the special effects team on a film or television production.

The working environment for Animators can vary greatly, depending on their place of employment and current project. Some Animators work in studios as part of a larger team and collaborate closely with other artists and designers. The team-based environment can be fast-paced, with many brainstorming sessions and group meetings. Freelance Animators work more independently and manage their own schedules and client communications. Being an Animator requires a mix of creativity, technical skills, and attention to detail. Animators need to keep up with the latest animation software and techniques, and they must be able to adapt their style to fit different projects. 

Animator Specializations

Within the field of animation, there are several popular specializations individuals can select from when deciding on a career path. These animation styles include traditional animation, 2D animation, motion graphics, 3D animation, and stop-motion. While some Animators may learn several specializations, others may wish to focus entirely on one.

Traditional animation, also known as hand-drawn animation, is a type of animation that requires hand-drawn frames. It is one of the oldest types of animation and dates back to the 1800s. Traditional animation is time-consuming because it requires the Animator to draw hundreds of drawings for every second of the film. One popular example of traditional animation at work is the movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. 

2D Animators create traditional anime and cartoons in which characters and backgrounds are hand-drawn, then these images are scanned into a computer and placed in layers to create the illusion of movement. Whereas traditional animation requires hand-drawing each frame, in 2D animation, the same image can be repeatedly used. The process behind 2D animation involves creating a storyboard, characters, backgrounds, and a timeline and story sequence. In 3D animation, on the other hand, the Animator works with computer animation software like Cinema 4D, Blender, or Autodesk Maya, to set keyframes for important actions, then fill in each frame that falls between. Unlike 2D animation, in which the audience can only see a character from one side, 3D animation involves creating 3D characters that can be seen from all angles, which makes them much more realistic. Techniques like lighting, shadows, textures, and movements can also be added.

Stop-motion animation is another specialization some Animators choose. This animation form is similar to claymation but differs in that it uses paper or plastic figures instead of clay. Stop-motion animation is a time-consuming process that requires extensive planning since each frame has to slightly move before it’s photographed so the illusion of movement can be created. This also requires planning every camera and lighting angle to generate the intended effect. One popular example of Stop-motion animation is in the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas, which required Animators to animate hundreds of props and puppets. 

What Does an Average Day of Work Look Like for an Animator?

Animation careers take many forms; some individuals work in-house, whereas others are hired on a freelance basis to complete projects and may instead work remotely. While the typical daily schedules of Animators vary depending on the type of animation they’re working on, the project at hand, and their employer, there are several core job requirements common to most animation roles. The following will break down a typical workday for an in-house Animator so you can get a basic idea of what to expect if you pursue an animation career.

Starting Your Day

Animators who work in-house are employed at places like cartoon networks, video game production studios, advertising agencies, film studios, web or graphic design firms, mobile tech companies, or animation studios. These professionals begin their day by setting up their workspace, which may be an office, a cubicle, or a co-working area. Their desks usually have a good computer, one with a powerful graphics card and a significant quantity of RAM, which is essential in helping them complete 2D or 3D animation projects. They likely will have a comfortable chair as well. Depending on the type of animation work and the Animator’s personal creative preferences, some professionals may also have items like sketchbooks, pens, brushes, pastels, markers, pencils, and colored pencils readily available to sketch concepts.

9 AM:

One of the first tasks an Animator will do when they arrive at their desk is see what projects rendered overnight. This may involve checking email or Slack messages for updates. If a team meeting is scheduled for that morning, the Animator may wish to prepare by outlining the progress they’ve made on a specific project, as well as any major roadblocks or hurdles they’ve encountered. At the meeting, the team touches base about what they each hope to accomplish that day, as well as what tasks are important for the entire team to check off the list. This meeting is crucial to ensure all Animators who are working on a project are on the same page about what the customer is looking for and ensure the work being done has a good flow.

If a new project is at hand, Animators may spend a good chunk of their morning developing storyboards or sitting in on meetings in which concept art and storyboards are being discussed. Storyboarding is an essential process that happens before an Animator can start working on the completed animation that will be used for the final film or TV product. On a slower workday, Animators may also look at YouTube channels like TedEd to stay current on the latest animation trends.

11 AM:

By mid-morning, Animators may progress into the time-consuming process of drawing and creating animations. Depending on the type of animation they’re being asked to create, some Animators do hand sketches, whereas others work on computers to design 2D or 3D objects in motion. The animation creation process involves outlining the essential motion of a skeleton frame in a particular scene so that details can be incorporated later. Elements like texture, color, light, and shadow will be added at a later time to bring the animation to life. Most Animators work on one scene before progressing to another. ​​

Animators work with tools like Adobe After Effects, which is an essential program for transforming their ideas and storyboards into moving clips with color. After Effects helps images and designs spring to life with transitions and movements. The process of transforming the images the Illustrators work on into animated clips requires a lot of back-and-forth between different team members, including those who handle music and voice-over. The animation has to be coordinated with audio components, which can take time and patience.

2 PM:

After lunch, Animators will often need to have their work evaluated and checked by their creative supervisor, Animation Supervisor, or Directors, as well as by other Animators involved with the project. This can be a nerve-racking process because it’s when the Animator finds out whether their work is in line with the project’s overall creative vision. During this evaluation phase, Animators are given feedback or constructive criticism, which they can then use to make any necessary changes to their animations. It’s essential for Animators to be able to handle criticism and learn from their mistakes to create a successful end product.

5 PM:

The end of an Animator’s workday may include tasks like editing finished animation work. Often, those who work in large studios will have to engage with an editing team and Animation Supervisor to cross-check their projects. The editing process for projects like video games that include graphic color drawings can be incredibly time-consuming, albeit an important part of the workday.

After Work​​

Most Animators work a full-time schedule and can expect to stay at the office until at least five. If an upcoming deadline is approaching, some Animators may need to work overtime to ensure deadlines are met and that their contributions to the film, show, or video game are being completed on schedule so the project as a whole can progress according to the expected timeline. Most Animators try to avoid bringing their work home with them because it’s important to let their minds refresh before a new workday. They may unwind by watching animated films for inspiration or simply unplugging and taking a walk to stretch their bodies from a long day of sitting at a desk.

Learn the Skills to Become an Animator at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop has several exciting educational opportunities available for aspiring Animators at all levels. In Noble’s Video Editing and Motion Graphics Certificate, participants receive comprehensive hands-on training designed to prepare them to pursue a career in motion graphics or video editing. Instruction is provided on core Adobe apps like Cinema 4D Lite, After Effects, Premiere Pro, and Audition. All participants in this program create a professional demo reel that can be shared with prospective employers. This certificate program includes eight 1-on-1 mentoring sessions. Financing options are available.

Those who want to take their motion graphics skills to the next level can do so in Noble’s Motion Graphics Certificate. This intensive program teaches students to create visual effects and motion graphics using Adobe After Effects. Participants study how to make 3D animations using Cinema 4D Lite. Instruction is provided on how to edit videos with Adobe Premiere Pro. This certificate program teaches students how to develop a project from concept into design and ultimately to fully animated graphics. Graduates of this course leave with a demo reel of motion graphics projects that can be shared with future employers to highlight their skills. Five 1-on-1 mentoring sessions are provided as part of this program.

For those who want to focus their training on a specific Adobe application, Noble offers After Effects Bootcamp. This hands-on program takes students from the basics of animation, such as how to navigate the workplace, up to advanced techniques, including green screen removal and motion tracking. An expert instructor with real-world animation experience teaches this project-based course. Tuition includes a bonus 1-on-1 mentoring session that can be used to drill down on difficult bootcamp concepts or for professional development purposes.

All Noble courses include a free course retake for up to one year. Instruction is provided in person in New York City and live online.