The lowdown

Having overall responsibility for the quality of an animated product, for keeping it on brief and for delivering consistent performances from the animation department

Is this role right for me?

To do this role, you will need to:

have solid animation experience
have a good eye
possess effective communication skills
be a good people and project manager
be able to meet deadlines and to work to a budget
be able to work as part of the senior creative team
be able to interpret decisions and to communicate them to the animation crew
be able to help the team balance their creative desires with the requirements of the production

What does a Animation Director or Animation Supervisor do?

Animation Directors are responsible for the quality of the animation, for keeping it on brief and for delivering consistent performances by assigning, or casting, the appropriate Animators. The role of Animation Director may only exist on larger projects and is often combined with the Director role on smaller productions.

They interpret the brief from the Director and other relevant departments. They then guide, supervise and review the work produced by the Animators and Assistant Animators. They need to understand the implications of performance, style, quality, continuity, technical, scheduling and budgetary requirements.

When the animation for a production is carried out overseas, the role of Animation Director is often combined with that of the Overseas Supervisor. In principle, the role of Animation Director or Animation Supervisor is similar for all techniques of animation, although certain technical skills may vary.

They are responsible for keeping the animation on model (in style) throughout the production. They often provide the main liaison between the animation department and those who are involved in the later stages of the production process.

On longer format projects, they are usually responsible to the production department for delivering the required quota of animation, on time and on budget.

Will I need a qualification?

It will help you to have an animation or art-related degree if you want to become an Animation Director.

If you are considering taking an animation or art and design/graphics course in higher education, the following courses have been rigorously assessed by the industry and awarded the Creative Skillset Tick for the high standard of education they provide and the degree to which they prepare you for a creative career:

Animation courses awarded the Creative Skillset Tick

Art and design/CGI/Graphics courses awarded the Creative Skillset Tick

What’s the best route in?

This is not an entry-level job. To become an Animation Director you will usually need to be an established and experienced Animator. You will also need to demonstrate leadership, management and organisational skills.

You will normally start out in an entry-level role, such as Runner, before progressing through various animation roles. This will give you first-hand experience of most of the jobs within the department from Runner to Inbetweener and upwards.

Interested? Find out more…

Websites

Animation Magazine – a US magazine about the business, technology and art of animation and VFX
Animation World Network – production news, interviews, jobs and a big archive
Shooting People – community-driven site, founded by filmmakers, and providing opportunities, news and animation jobs
Skwigly Animation Magazine – the longest running UK based animation magazine and community. Offers news, interviews, reviews, podcasts, videos and tutorials
Toonhound – website about cartoons, animation, comic strips and puppets in the UK
Own-it – offers intellectual property (IP) advice, information and learning resources for the creative sector
Animation Nation – Animation industry news and useful links
3D World Magazine – international magazine for CG artists, covering the fields of animation, VFX, games, illustration and architecture
Computer Graphics World – magazine covering innovation in computer graphics technology across various industries
Cinefex – quarterly magazine devoted to motion picture visual effects

Books

The Art and Science of Digital Compositing by Ron Brinkmann (pub. Morgan Kaufmann Publishers)
Digital Compositing by Steve Wright (pub. Butterworth-Heinemann)
Visual Effects in A Digital World: A Comprehensive Glossary of over 7,000 Visual Effects Terms by Karen Goulekas (pub. Morgan Kaufmann Publishers)
How to Get a Job in Computer Animation by Ed Harriss

Producer (Animation)

Industries: Animation
Personality type: Organiser
Departments: 2D computer animation | 2D drawn animation | 3D computer animation | Animation dept

The Lowdown

Managing the animation team during a production
Sourcing and managing the budget
Ensuring the creative process is going smoothly and to schedule

Is this role right for me?

For this role, you will need to:

Have plenty of experience of working in the animation industry
Have a good business sense
Have a great understanding of finance
Make sure creativity isn’t stifled regardless of budget and deadline
Be able to keep yourself and your team motivated
Be a good negotiator
Solve problems in a creative and logical manner
Have an in-depth understanding of the animation process
Prepare and control the production budget
Have excellent communication skills
Have an in-depth knowledge of codes of practice, and ensure everything complies with regulation

What does a Producer do?

A Producer has overall control and responsibility over an animation project’s production. They are typically in charge of managing the artists and directors, making sure everyone is working to the best of their abilities while staying within time and budget constraints.

Producers will also be in charge of sourcing all the assets needed for an animation project to be completed. Whether this is software or art materials, a Producer will need to know what’s needed, where to get it from and how much it will cost.

A Producer may also be required to source the budget as well. This would mean they’d need a key understanding of how much the production will cost, and have great negotiating skills when talking to investors and broadcasters.

While they are the highest authority on a project, they would be directly underneath the executive producers at a studio, and would be their main point of contact. This means if the project is running over budget or is coming in late, the Producer will be the person in charge of explaining the situation and the causes to the executive producers.

However, despite their responsibilities to their bosses, a Producer’s real skill is being able to balance the upstairs demands and restraints with the ability to give the animation team artistic freedom and room for creativity. Being able to balance time, budget and a room full of buzzing creatives is a tough job, making Producer a key role in animation.

Will I need a qualification?

You don’t need a specific qualification to work in production, but you will need experience and familiarity with animation. The following courses have been rigorously assessed by the animation industry and awarded the Creative Skillset Tick for the high standard of education they provide and the degree to which they prepare you for a career in animation.

Courses awarded the Creative Skillset Tick

What’s the best route in?

A Producer will need to understand the working environment of an animation studio, and how best to manage it. One of the more common ways in is starting as an artist or writer, working up through to Head Writer or Director. Someone in these positions that show natural organisational and leadership attributes would be a clear candidate to produce.

There is an alternative pathway through other management and administrative roles in animation, such as production assistants or line producers, but Producers from these paths are less common.

You could apply to be an animation production assistant trainee through Trainee Finder, which gives you hands-on experience in the industry and helps you build those all-important contacts that are essential when competing for a job.

More information about Trainee Finder

Interested? Find out more…

For more information on job roles in the creative industries, take a look at Hiive’s job roles.

Websites

Animation World Network posts production news, interviews and jobs
Shooting People is a community-driven site, founded by filmmakers, and providing opportunities, news and animation jobs
Toonhound hosts information about cartoons, animation, comic strips and puppets in the UK
Own-it offers intellectual property (IP) advice, information and learning resources for the creative sector
Animation Nation offers animation industry news and useful links

Publications

Animation Magazine is a US magazine about the business, technology and art of animation and VFX
Skwigly Animation Magazine is the longest running UK based animation magazine and community, offering news, interviews, reviews, podcasts, videos and tutorials
3D World Magazine is the international magazine for CG artists, covering the fields of animation, VFX, games, illustration and architecture
Computer Graphics World is a magazine covering innovation in computer graphics technology across various industries
Cinefex is a quarterly magazine devoted to motion picture visual effects