Professional Opportunities

The Animation and Game Pipeline

In large studios, creatives are more likely to perform a single job in the pipe line. In medium sized studios, they likely perform 2-4 jobs. I na small studios, they will perform most or all of the jobs. The vast majority of professional animation and game creatives start in small or medium sized studios.

Animation and game industries that hire creatives into an animation pipeline include:

Entertainment

Character Animation

  • Youtube channels

  • Broadcast TV cartoons

  • Feature films


Multimedia Design

Motion Design

  • Education, information, and training

  • Social Media

  • Advertising

  • Youtube channels



Animation and Game Pipeline Jobs

Animation

  • Writing

  • Storyboarding

  • Concept Art - backgrounds and characters

  • Production Design: backgrounds and characters

  • Layout (position assets on the timeline)

  • Lead animator (Key posing)

  • Animator (in-betweening)

  • Musical scoring

  • Sound Design (assembles score, foley, environments, effects, accents)

  • Titles and credits design and animation

  • Director (oversees everything)

Game

  • Game design (produces a document)

  • Wire-framing

  • Concept Art - levels, props, and characters

  • Production Design: levels, props, and characters

  • Graphic user interface design (GUI)

  • Layout (position assets in the game engine)

  • Animator (creating loops and moves)

  • Coding (this is almost never also an artist or animator)

  • Musical scoring

  • Sound Design (assembles score, foley, environments, effects, accents)

  • Director (oversees everything)



Courses at KCAD

Here is a list of courses where a student can focus on the many aspects of the animation and game pipeline.

Foundational

  • DM 231 Sound Design

  • DM 241 Digital Imaging I

  • DM 243 Digital Imaging II

  • DM 250 Digital Character Drawing

  • DM 294 Animation Processes

Developmental

  • DM 321 Concept & Production Art

  • DM 323 2D Character Design

  • DM 331 Applied Music & Sound

  • DM 337 2D Character Animation

  • DM 334 Storyboard Art

  • DM 365 Motion Design

Advanced

  • DM 420 Professional Studio I

  • DM 421 Professional Studio II

  • DM 466 Digital Art & Design Thesis I

  • DM 467 Digital Art & Design Thesis II



Becoming a Professional

Study Animation and games

YouTube is a great resource for this. Use the < and > keys to see frame x progressions and analysis

  • What is puppet-ed

  • How are the characters designed for puppet-ing

  • What is frame x framed

  • How are characters simplified for frame x frame labor

  • How long is each frame held on

  • What is 'smeared'

  • How are visual hierarchies created

  • How are backgrounds designed for multi-planing

Apply your studies

  • Rework old animations

  • Create new animations (by yourself or with a team)

  • Pick-up freelance projects from places like Fivver and Upwork to get experience for your resume

  • Create work that is directly targeted for the specific type of companies you would like to work for.

  • Be flexible when you are starting out. Most creatives working in entertainment start in informational, social, and advertising media.

  • To work in the motion design field, you need some work geared towards adults.