Production management

Entry level Entry level The green stamps show Entry level roles are the routes in. ones that you can Remember, you do straight after can move from education, whether one department Follow the that be school, to another. arrows to college or university. learn how an Most entry level animation is roles are in made. production. Some companies look for new entrants in all Production Production Multiple Producer Director Runner entry routes the production roles manager coordinator listed.

Development Pre-production Production

Entry level Entry level

Film or literature route

Animation Layout Lighting Head of Storyboard technical Rigger Junior Writer story Art director artist director artist artist artist

Animation, art, graphic Entry level Entry level Entry level art routes

Art, film, graphic design route

Effects (FX) Concept Character Background Junior Junior Modeller Animator technical Compositor artist designer designer animator director compositor

Post-production Delivery and distribution

Art, graphic Entry level art, film Entry level routes

Music, audio, art routes Multiple entry routes Sound Edit designer Composer Editor Sales Marketing Marketing assistant executive executive assistant

Go to ScreenSkills for more details: Animation industry career map www.screenskills.com/careers-in-animation Explore the roles that might be right for grammar and writing are important too. markets and conferences and go to Develop yourself The animation industry you. Go to screenskills.com/careers-in- them. Find animation groups on sites The animation workforce is highly Whichever route you choose, take an animation to fi nd all the job roles listed like Facebook and LinkedIn. Start having qualifi ed, with 93% of workers having active role in your own career progression. Looking for further advice? Animation is an industry in which the UK excels. Think of the on this map with full details of how to get conversations. a degree and 26% also having a post- Developing your skills, experiences and plasticine characters in Early Man, the hand-drawn fi gures in The into each role. If you’re interested in a career in the animation industry, check out these websites graduate degree. If you want to take a Look at the websites of animation networks will be just as important as Tiger who Came to Tea or the computer-generated Digby Dragon. gaining qualifi cations. to fi nd out more: What animation employees earn degree, make sure you take one that will companies and see if they offer work These productions, and many more, have established the UK best equip you for a job. Have a look at experience. If they don’t mention it, then The median salary within animation is ScreenSkills’ Select list of recommended write to them and ask. ScreenSkills, for information on careers and courses: screenskills.com/careers-in-animation animation industry as one of the best in the world. £42,280. That means that if you lined courses at screenskills.com/courses and the salaries up in a row, starting with the Pixar in a Box, where Pixar artists explain how they make their animations: select one in animation. We recognise Production management is lowest and going up to the highest, then What animation is courses where they offer training in the the department that keeps khanacademy.org/partner-content/pixar £42,280 is the mid-point. There are wide relevant software, dedicated time to the ideas and assets moving Animation is the process of displaying still images in a rapid sequence to create the variations depending on job role and level NextGen Skills Academy, Courses and apprenticeships: nextgenskillsacademy.com building a portfolio and have strong links The animation pipeline through the pipeline. illusion of movement, using knowledge of the way that a character or object moves to of seniority. Entry level roles tend to be with the animation industry. Animation UK, part of the UK Screen Alliance, represents the animation industry: make them believable, and showing emotion to tell a story. between £16,000 and £20,000 and there’s Development the potential to earn considerably more as ukscreenalliance.co.uk/about/animation-uk The different categories of animation include: Get an apprenticeship your career develops. This is where the idea is generated, a script is drafted, a budget is worked Alternatively, you might be able to get a online magazine with information on events and opportunities: • Hand-drawn animation, in which each frame is drawn by hand out and the look and overall vision are thought through. The target Show me the Animation, It’s worth noting that a large proportion job as an apprentice. An apprenticeship audience is defi ned. Finance is raised to fund the project and the right showmetheanimation.com • Stop-motion animation (also known as stop-frame), in which different materials, such of people who work in animation are is a job combined with training, so it’s a people get onside. Getting the right people involved can mean travelling as clay, puppets, paper and photographs, are used to make objects that are moved and self-employed. It’s estimated that half great opportunity to earn as you learn. to trade markets, fi lm festivals, and networking events – all over the world, Children’s Media Conference, UK meet-up for everyone involved in creating content for kids: photographed frame by frame the people are fulltime staff (53%), 4% are Apprenticeships as junior animators and when required. thechildrensmediaconference.com interns, 3% are part-time employees and storyboard artists are in development. • Computer-generated animation, in which frames are drawn on a computer, either in 2D, 1% are apprentices. The other 39% are And there are apprenticeships available Pre-production 3D or a mixture of the two, and then altered using animation software freelance. for 2D artists, post-production technical Produced by ScreenSkills Once the funds and the legalities have been agreed, an animation project operators, content producers, marketing Though the technical skills needed to create the frames vary depending on the type of is greenlit and goes into pre-production. This is where the script is honed, Start creating assistants, project managers and Supported by National Lottery funds awarded to ScreenSkills from the British Film Institute animation, the understanding of the performance, characters, emotion and story is the animation is storyboarded and design work for everything in the script accountants, all of which are needed in the to deliver its Future Film Skills programme the same. If you want to be an artist or an animator, is agreed. It’s vital to get as much thinking done as possible during the pre- animation industry. learn the skills through formal education production stage because it becomes much more labour intensive – and Statistics courtesy of ScreenSkills (Annual ScreenSkills Assessment 2019), UK Screen Alliance or though teaching yourself. Sites like therefore expensive – to change mistakes further down the pipeline. (Inclusion and Diversity in the UK, Visual Effects, Animation and Post-Production, 2019), UK animation studios Animation industry skills and jobs Khan Academy’s Pixar in a Box can show Make a list of the animation companies for which you would like to work. Check their Animation UK (We Need to Talk about Skills, 2018), British Film Institute (Screen Business 2018) you how. You can start honing your skills Production There are various sizes of UK animation The skills needed to work in animation are websites to see if they are advertising for studios. Approximately one third of broad and varied. Within a smaller studio, from an early age through the wide Design by Dave Gray (iamdavegray.com) availability of free industry-standard apprenticeships or junior roles. This is where the assets are built. The characters are rigged and animated. animation companies in the UK have it’s not unusual for an individual to have Visual effects are added. Any problems with rendering are sorted out. The software like Blender or Synfi g. Share your With thanks to Helen Brunsdon, (British Animation Awards); Tom Box (Blue Zoo); Anna Lord fewer than fi ve full-time employees, one a wide spectrum of skills and be asked to Get to know the industry layers are put together (compositing) and a rough edit is assembled. third have more than 50 and the rest are work across a number of roles. In a larger creations through forums, blogs and video (Locksmith Animation); Adam Jackson-Nocher (Lupus Films); Greg Boardman (Three Stones In the animation industry, the most somewhere in between. company, it’s more likely that people will sharing sites. Get feedback. Media); Tony Reed (BBC); Alison Taylor (Aardman Animations); Marion Edwards (Red and Blue common way in which people get jobs Post-production specialise. Make a showreel of what you have made. Productions); Mole Hill (Mole Hill Animation); Sarah Fell (Cartoon Network) The output and remit of studios vary. is through word-of-mouth – 54% of In post-production the fi nal edits to the animation are made. The music Employers will want to see a portfolio Some specialise in a particular type of Less than one third (27%) of people in the employers say it’s their most used means is put in. And the whole thing is rendered, colour-corrected (graded) and Originally commissioned by Yen Yau from Into Film of your work in addition to your formal animation, while others are capable of animation industry work outside London. of recruiting. The second most common quality controlled. Different versions of the production are made. If the qualifi cations. Visit ScreenSkills’ page on several; some specialise in making content However, there are hubs of animation way of getting a job is through company animation is going to be broadcast, it gets delivered to the broadcaster at Based on an original concept by Ian Murphy and Allan Burrell (www.compositingcoach.com) building a portfolio for details of how to do for a particular audience, such as children; companies in Bristol, Cardiff and websites (34%) and then through social this point. some specialise in making content for TV Manchester. Have a look at Animation this (screenskills.com/portfolio). media sites (18%). channels (such as CITV, CBeebies, Cartoon UK’s directory to see where the employers Sales and marketing Network and Nickelodeon), while others are (animationuk.org/directory). Choose the right course So check out the websites of animation make fi lms shown in cinemas. In general, animation is a combination companies. Sign up to newsletters. Read Once a project is completed or nearing completion the sales and marketing There’s a shortage of animators, of art and technical skills, so, if you can industry publications. (Look at the list of team makes sure the audience knows about it. They do this through Increasingly, animation studios make storyboard artists, artists and technical combine art or art and design with recommended websites on the back page making a campaign involving trailers, newsletters, billboards and posters. content for on-demand and subscription directors in the industry, so people physics, maths or computer programming of this map). Watch animations. Find out This team is also responsible for the merchandising, which is a particularly services like Amazon, Netfl ix and Sky, with those skills are likely to be in high in your A-levels or Highers, you have the who made them by looking at the credits. important way in which animation companies recoup costs. and for apps like Azoomee, Hopster demand. There’s also a need for creative good basis for a career. It’s also worth and YouTube Kids. Studios also provide people with business skills; producers who considering vocational qualifi cations Go to events like ScreenSkills Open animation services for commercials, for Doors to meet people in the industry can organise an animation pipeline and that focus on animation, digital media Content © 2019 ScreenSkills. All rights reserved. education videos, for games, visual effects raise the money for productions. production or graphic design. In (screenskills.com/events). Find out where (VFX) and virtual reality companies. production and marketing roles, good there are animation festivals or related

Compositor Production management Development Character designer Lighting artist and storyboard. They plan the different scenes Creates the fi nal image of a frame, Creates the look of individual Lights the scenes in an animation. and shots. Once the production work has Producer Writer shot or sequence. Compositors take Careers in characters. They draw them working Lighting artists decide what lights to been done, they arrange the fi nal footage and Has overall responsibility for an Writes the script. Writers come up with different elements, like the animations, from the script, the director’s notes and use and where to place them. They use prepare a rough cut. They add in the sound animation. Producers use the script a story, outline what happens in each background plates, graphics and the concept art. They communicate the software to create the lighting effects, showing effects and music, and prepare a director’s cut and the concept art to raise the scene and then write all the dialogue effects and put them together to make characters’ personalities through their facial the source of the light and enhancing the and fi nal cut. The animation industry money for a fi lm or TV programme with very specifi c actions. The script a believable picture. They make sure the can be used as the basis for the animation. It’s expressions and physical poses. mood, tone and depth of a scene. by getting fi nancial backing from distributors shots are well composed and they enhance Edit assistant – entry level or broadcasters. They propose a budget and also used to sell the idea for a fi lm or TV series to Background designer Junior artist – entry level the lighting. They are also responsible for Supports the editor in putting all the appoint a director. Producers also have a deep an animation producer or studio. Designs the scenery where the Might work in pre-production, continuity, ensuring that the art from different parts of the animation together in understanding of animation and its creative Concept artist animation happens. Background production or post-production with any sources and different artists looks the same. the right order. Edit assistants keep possibilities. They allow the animators the Draws the very fi rst sketches of the designers use the storyboard panels as artist roles. Junior artists could be junior They ensure the overall look of the animation is a log of all materials coming into freedom to experiment, at the same time as animation, conceptualises how it will a basis from which to create detailed layout artists, junior lighting artists or in line with the director’s vision. the editorial department. This can include keeping the production on schedule. look. The artwork of concept artists backgrounds for each scene. junior modellers. They might help with rigging, storyboard panels, animated scenes, dialogue is used as a reference point for the rendering and compositing too. Some help Junior compositor – entry level and sound effects, and the musical soundtrack. Director Works closely with the compositor animators and designers further down the Modeller – entry level with editing and ensuring the synchronisation They output the fi lm in different formats for Holds the creative vision of an to help create the fi nal image. Junior animation pipeline. Like the script, the concept Translates concept art, character designs of frames and audio. clients and other departments as required. animated fi lm or TV series. Directors art is used in the pitch to sell the fi lm or TV and environment designs into models compositors take on simple tasks Sometimes they are asked to cut rough work out the style of the animation; series, before production is underway. ready to be animated. In stop-motion Animator like matching colours and adding in assemblies for the editor. its mood, how it will look and how it will animation the role is known as ‘model maker’. Makes still images that are played shadows. The also help with rendering and sound. When an animation involves voice They make models from materials, such as in a rapid sequence to create the ensuring the quality of the rendered assets. actors, directors work with them to get the Pre-production Plasticine or metal. In 3D computer-generated illusion of movement. There are The junior compositor role is sometimes Sales and marketing kind of performance that they need. They are animation, they are known as ‘modellers’ and different types of animators. Some draw frames combined with a junior lighting artist role. also responsible for the quality of the edited Head of story Junior compositors might help any of the make models with computer software. by hand in 2D, others create 3D animations Sales executive fi lm. When all the animation frames have Turns the writer’s words, the concept using computer software and others move artists or technical directors in the production Works on behalf of the producer to been assembled and edited with the sound artist’s drawings and the director’s vision models by tiny amounts, one frame at a department. license the rights of the production added, the director signs it off. into a visual representation of the story. Production Heads of story produce series of panels time. But whatever the medium, the basis of across the world, so that the animation animation is the same. Animators know how Production manager to plan the action, staging and camera Animation technical director (TD) Post Production can be screened. Sales executives characters show emotion. They have a good, Responsible for managing the choices. They work closely with the director Programs digital tools to help the negotiate fees and commercial terms with technical understanding of the way things Sound designer production schedule of an animation to develop the story, often contributing to the artists. Animation TDs work with the platforms or channels. They estimate how move. They make a believable world through Creates the soundscape for an and ensuring that all the deadlines writing and editing of a fi lm or series. They animation software, developing and much money the production will make at the the blend of realism and artistry. animation. In animation, there are no are met. They report to the producer and create animatics, which is where they put the testing tools, custom features and add-ons, box offi ce or through advertising or the sale storyboards into an editing program and these making sure it does the best job possible for natural sounds to work with (as there of merchandise. They are also responsible for work closely with them to oversee the crew. Junior animator – entry level are cut together with the correct timing and the animators and layout artists. would be when fi lming live action) promoting the animation at festivals and TV They are often the main point of contact with Helps senior animators create the pace of the fi lm, including basic sound effects, so sound designers create all the sounds from and fi lm markets. any third-party contractors such as post- animations. In 2D animation, they dialogue recordings and a scratch soundtrack. Layout artist scratch. They might record sounds from real production houses or studios. might be called inbetweeners or This is used as the basis for the production. Decides the depth and perspective life or create sounds on a computer. They have Marketing executive clean-up artists, where they fi ll in Production coordinator of what’s being displayed on the to be highly imaginative, especially when Persuades people to watch the the frames produced by a senior animator Keeps everything in the animation Art director screen. In 2D hand-drawn animation, designing the sound of a fantasy creature or animation. Marketing executives or apply the fi nal ‘line’ to a senior animator’s pipeline running smoothly. Is responsible for the visual style of layout artists do this by drawing the environment. plan, develop and implement drawings. In 3D animation, they help test rigs, Production coordinators are the animation. Working with the backgrounds and showing the relative size of marketing campaigns to let research the way things move and fi lm them Composer responsible for keeping a record of concept artist, art directors decide the objects in the foreground. In 3D animation, audiences know that a production is about to for reference. They animate small scenes or do Writes original music for an all the assets that are created to make the how the characters, props and environments layout artists are the directors of photography be launched or broadcast. The campaign might tasks like lip-syncing, in which the movement animation. Composers write music to animation. They are responsible for checking are going to look. They supervise the other in a virtual space. They make decisions about involve print, TV, cinema, promotional events of a character’s mouth is matched to the voice communicate the atmosphere, emotion stocks and reordering studio supplies, as well artists, such as modellers, character designers lenses, camera angles and camera movements and digital advertising. They write copy and track. of the characters and the story. They as organising couriers and shipments. They and background designers. They are and use 3D animation software to affect develop promotional material. are usually given a brief in pre-production at also help with accounts and keep the petty responsible for ensuring all art work is of a high this. Layout artists begin their work once the Effects technical director (FX TD) the storyboarding stage, when the storyboard Marketing assistant – entry level cash. quality and in line with the director’s vision. storyboard has been agreed. Makes physics-based digital effects, is edited to a soundtrack (animatics). They Does anything to help a marketing Rigger such as explosions, smoke and water, compose music for the animatics and keep campaign, from scheduling tweets Runner – entry level Storyboard artist – entry level Creates digital skeletons for 3D for the artists to use in their shots revising it until they have the fi nal score, to ordering lunch for meetings. Does any administrative jobs as Helps the head of story create a computer-generated (CG) characters. and sequences. They make sure the responding to feedback from the director, Marketing assistants help with proofreading the most junior member of the storyboard, the visual representation of These skeletons, or rigs, are like puppets effects look believable and are consistent with producer and editor. copy, fi ling, and inputting contact details into department. Runners take notes the animation’s narrative. Storyboard that defi ne the range of movement of the style of the animation so that they blend research spreadsheets. They often coordinate in production meetings and do artists may be asked to complete partly- a character or creature; such as how a big cat seamlessly with the other art assets. Editor market research projects and use the data to general offi ce jobs like answering the phone, drawn panels and ensure they are in the right runs or how a person’s face moves when they Crafts the telling of the story from the help assess the effectiveness of campaigns to fi ling paperwork, entering data, booking travel style for the animation project. They might fi ll sing. Rigs are used by animators as the basis for start of the production to the fi nish. help with future ones. and accommodation. in background details or revise scenes already drawn by senior artists. the movements of their characters. Editors work with the writer, director and producer, discussing the script