6 minute read
Which 3D Animation Jobs Are Right for You?
By Felicity Flesher
You have your degree and a stellar portfolio, but what’s the next step? Although 3D animation is a highly specialized field, the demand for new talent is high. The animation, gaming and VFX fields are steadily growing, and talented artists and engineers can advance quickly. You can now get an excellent starter 3D animation job with zero experience, based on your portfolio alone.
Here are some entry-level 3D animation jobs that you might pursue:
Production Assistant
One of the most common entry-level 3D animation jobs is that of the production assistant or PA. Being a PA generally means no job is too small. That may mean preparing for meetings, maintaining the office, taking notes, ordering food and coffee, researching and being available to help with anything. In 3D animation specifically, a PA may assist in maintaining assets, which can require some appropriate software knowledge. A PA keeps production moving without any hiccups, multitasks and anticipates concerns before they happen.
This role allows you to get to know everyone in the office while developing your skills, and to eventually prove that you are ready for promotion. If you’re unsure what kind of 3D animation jobs you want to pursue, this role can give you a better idea of what each position really entails. While you may not get much hands-on animation experience as a PA, you will still have to showcase your organizational abilities, attention to detail, teamwork and problem-solving, all of which are necessary for a successful career as a 3D animator.
Junior Concept Artist
Concept artists create the first sketches of a project. The early visual look for the project is generated off of a creative brief given to the concept artist. This is an experimental stage where you play around with various ideas before finding the right visual style. The findings will serve as a reference for further designers and animators in the pipeline. The junior artist then reports to the lead artist and uses their guidance to refine pieces of developmental or marketing art. It can take patience and good communication skills to execute multiple iterations of an idea. You should be a skilled artist, imaginative and able to take criticism to succeed in this role.
Junior Previs Artist
Previsualization (previs) artists use concept art and storyboards to create rough 3D animatics of scenes. Animatics are drafts to plan out size, scale, movement and timing for locations and characters. It is also a good way to layout the camera position and identify any problems that could arise during production. The previs artist then communicates to the team. When used in live action, previs artists plan how VFX will work within a scene. Previs artists should have proficient knowledge of cinematographic composition, movement, 3D animation, perspective and VFX software. Knowledge of architecture and coding may also be helpful.
Junior Storyboard Artist
Storyboard artists play a crucial role in the 3D animation world. Creating a storyboard is often one of the earliest steps in production as they take a script or concept and pave the
Onward lead story artist Madeline Sharafian at work. (Pixar Animation Studios) Previous page: An animator working on How to Train Your Dragon 2. (DreamWorks Animation)
way for visual storytelling. The rest of the team will follow these storyboard panels as reference and inspiration. Storyboard artists sketch out scenes, blocking and camera movement, which may be done digitally or by hand. Often, there are multiple artists working together in a uniform style under a head of story, who works closely with a director. An artist may have to work on the same scene over and over until the team is happy with the direction. A junior member of the team may be tasked with cleaning up or detailing more senior artists’ work. This job requires significant drawing ability, some cinematography knowledge and, most importantly, the ability to communicate visually and clearly.
Junior Environment Modeler
The environment modeler creates models to fit the requirements of the production to help build virtual worlds. A great modeler should have an artistic and spatial eye and the ability to accurately interpret 2D reference material. Ideally, a modeler should have technical experience with software such as Maya, Photoshop, ZBrush, Unreal Engine and Substance Painter. You should also have an in-depth artistic understanding of space, texture, color, light and shadow. Software knowledge is important, but artistic knowledge and the ability to be prolific and quick may be even more valuable.
Junior Props Modeler
A junior props modeler applies similar skills as the junior environment modeler to render props assets within the digital environment. You may start with simpler props and then move on to more complex hero objects. A props modeler is able to ensure objects work cohesively from every angle within a space. Although you may want to show off your style in your portfolio, you will work closely with the art department to maintain a consistent vision. Learning to follow direction from your team and create props that work well within the digital environment will make you a better modeler and animator.
Junior Animator
Junior animator is one of the most popular 3D animation jobs to consider due to its responsibilities. A junior animator will work with senior animators, supervisors and directors to recreate believable motion within a scene. You will brainstorm new ideas, research a specific subject’s motion and improve the quality of the overall animation accordingly. An animator should have excellent drawing skills and knowledge of 3D animation software. Additionally: expertise in understanding of anatomy, movement, composition, shot construction, storyboards, timing and continuity. A junior animator should be able to work well by themselves and with a team to create animation for a studio.
Junior Shading Artist
Junior shading artists work to replicate real-world lighting within the animation. Proper lighting, shading and texture will help make an animation look realistic. It will also enhance the storytelling, mood and look of the product. Shading artists must have the same skills as a cinematographer with the additional challenge of translating through digital technology. This role is essential in corralling the many assets and ensuring the quality remains consistent.
Render Wrangler
The render wrangler is a systems engineer responsible for monitoring computers (render farms) and data during the rendering process for animation and turning CG data into imagery. This process can take a lot of time, during which much can go wrong. In the end, it’s the wrangler’s job to keep everything running smoothly. Render wranglers prioritize data and allocate disk space to ensure efficient optimized output. Because rendering happens around the clock, this job often requires after-hours work and may involve a lot of independent problem-solving. Among all 3D animation jobs, this position requires the most knowledge of 3D animation software; a high degree of computer literacy and coding is a plus for this position.
Animation Fix
An animation fix looks for problem shots in animation renders and brainstorms ways to fix them. This job needs an eye for detail in order to review dailies. For example, lipsync or eye line problems, or just details that need polish. This job takes a great animation generalist to understand what elements need finessing and what steps to take to correct them. Quality control is an essential part of the animation workflow.
Among all of the 3D animation jobs, you should look to develop your skills and learn how to work well with your team. It’s only the beginning of your career, but soon you’ll be ready for advancement
