DreamWorks spends a painstaking four years putting together their feature-length animated films. It may be a drop in the bucket compared to animation's 2,000-year-old history, but behind each computer animated film is an army of creative artists. Find out what it takes to become an animator in today's competitive job market and how you can get your foot in the door at Pixar, DreamWorks, LucasFilm, and more.
Animation's First Frames
First, let's start with the history of animation. The Chinese, who brought us fireworks, compasses, paper, and kites, also gave us the first rudimentary animated cartoons. Inventor Ting Huan brought the first animation device into being in 180 AD. This convection-powered contraption caused a series of lamp-lit images to rotate. The images appeared to move on their own when spun at fast rates, creating a magical effect.
It wasn't until 1834 that a similar device was created in the western world. British mathematician William George Horner called it the daedalum, or "Wheel of the Devil." Horner made the grave mistake of not patenting his invention. Thirty years later, American William F. Lincoln patented Horner's invention as the "Zoetrope," meaning "Wheel of Life" (apparently "Wheel of Devil" wasn't a very marketable name).
Animation Industry Builds Steam
From its devilish beginning, animation quickly became an auspicious part of popular culture. In fact, the Zoetrope played an integral role in the invention of motion pictures. It likely served as inspiration in Edison's kinetoscope, one of the first devices that allowed people to watch film and audio together.
J. Stewart Blackton's film production company was inspired by Edison's invention. As a cartoonist, he combined his drawings with stop motion film to create dazzling spectacles. Many of these "first" animated films are available at the Library of Congress.
The rest is history, as they say. Walt Disney's Steamboat Willy heralded a new era in animation, and it became a burgeoning, post- World War I industry. Today, the computer age has dramatically changed animation. You need much more than talent to get a foot in the industry. Let's take a look at the training that the average animator requires.
The Steps to Becoming a World-Class Animator
Back in the early days of animation, all it took was a little talent and coordination with your drawing hand. Today a mouse or stylus is your drawing hand, and a proper understanding of animation software will get you better chances at an animation job with the famed Pixar, DreamWorks, and LucasFilm studios.
The primary piece of software, essential to any kind of animation, is Maya. Each studio also produces software in-house. For example, DreamWorks ' created more than a dozen new custom tools with over 2,300 features and enhancements for their movie, A Shark's Tale. A solid understanding of computer science may help you get your foot in the door. Most animators begin as interns or assistants, become familiar with in-house software, and then work up the ladder to become full-time animators.
For DreamWorks' feature film, Over the Hedge, the secret was in the details. In three years, animators painstakingly added minute details, including 25 million leaves, a cat with 9,899,784 strands of hair, and a turtle with 300 different facial movements. Obviously, patience is a virtue.
Education lays the groundwork for a gig with animation houses. Expect to spend at least two years earning your Associate of Arts in Animation or Visual Communications. You should also consider obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in Animation or Design for the best job prospects. If you'd like to work in software development, work towards your bachelor's degree in computer science. You should also become familiar with Linux; it's the standard operating system for most big-name animation houses.
Putting Your Animation Career into Motion
Prospects in animation are very promising. The Bureau of Labor Statistics cites animation as the fastest growing motion picture career from 2004-2014, with an incredible 39.5% growth rate. Multimedia artists and animators make up the largest portion of art-related careers, with an estimated 94,000 employed in 2004.
There will be a growing need for animators in the film industry; no other artistic career carries the sheer opportunity that animation will provide for years to come. What was once called "The Devil's Wheel" is turning out to be the saving grace of many-a-starving-artist.