For this week, I was tasked with researching into the types of jobs available to people within the animation industry, identify entry level positions, and find individuals already making their way into the industry for jobs I wish to enter in the future.
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TASK 1: PIPELINE RESEARCH
I went to Google and searched through some websites before finding ScreenSkills ( www.screenskills.com ), which neatly presented the different departments and jobs that take part in the creation of a full scale animation production in the UK.
For the basis of an animated production, you need Production Management to put together the team and keep on top of the work being done. This includes the creative vision of the Director, who makes sure the quality of the animation is to their own and to the studio’s standards by directing and critiquing the work from each department to fit with their vision. Then there is the over-seeing eye of the Producer, who manages the production from the departments so they can finish the final product within the schedule and budget that they arranged and agreed to in the beginning. And then there is the middle-man position of the Production Coordinator, who keeps the animation pipeline working smoothly by handling important files for the team while also scheduling meetings and even delivering final work out to distribution partners. There is also the junior position of the Runner, an entry-level job which allows for people new to the industry to gain experience at a studio by helping production management with smaller tasks.
After this, both the Development and Pre-Production departments get to work on creating concept work and refining the art style, characters and story presentation. The Development department would include the Scriptwriter, who develops the narrative and script that will inform the proceeding departments’ works. And then there is the Concept Artist, who create visuals that conceptualise the ideas being formed for the script, including characters, objects and environments.
The Pre-Production department would include the Storyboard Artist, who draw out panels to create a visual representation of the script’s storyline. There there is the Character Designer, who takes descriptions for the characters and information from the story to inspire the style for the designs of the characters. Then there is the Background Designer, who designs the different environments needed for the characters to progress through the story. And then there is the Modeller, who takes all of the concept art and designs previously made and develop them as full 3D models to be used in the final product.
With the concepts and designs set in stone, it was time for the Production department to get to work on properly making the final product. This would include the Rigger, who develops a skeleton rig for 3D models which will clearly organise the tools needed to animate them. Then there is the Animator, who will take whatever moves in the frame and achieve the final animation by using individual images played at a specific speed to simulate movement. Then there is the Layout Artist, who generally determines the depth and perspective of the environments like that of a cinematographer would in live-action film. Then there is the Lighting Artist, who will add multiple lights to a 3D environment to create atmosphere within the final animation. And then there is Compositor, who will take all the separate elements previously spoken about and overlay them together to create the final animated shots as shown through the storyboard.
And after the animation has been produced, it is the Post-Production department’s job to put the final crucial pieces together. This would include the Composer, who create original music to be used to set the tone and atmosphere of the project, and can be shown through a background score or through full musical numbers. Then there is the Sound Designer, who creates sound effects and foley to add credibility and realism to the animated world. And then there is the Editor, who collaborates and discusses the timing, arrangement and edits that would be made to convey the story of the final product.
And last but certainly not least, there is the Distribution department, which handle the finances and marketing during and after the completion of production. This would include the Sales Executive, who negotiates deals with platforms to present their production with estimated fees and commercial benefits. And then there is the Marketing Executive, who discusses and sets up a marketing campaign (involving physical and digital ads) that will promote the animation to it’s targeted demographic.
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TASK 2: JOB RESEARCH
Storyboard Artist:
A Storyboard Artist takes a written script and adapts it into visuals that convey the storyline using composition, framing and other film languages. They will generally sketch out panels that will map out the key elements of the story and emphasise key features through a visual medium. This will involve considering the camera angles of each shot and how the framing of those shots visually convey the narrative being told, such as having a scene with someone who holds a lot of power in the narrative and conveying that information visually by having that person take up a lot of space in frame and have them tower over other characters from the camera’s perspective.
Depending on the type of production (Such as TV animation, where a lot of animation can be out-sourced), a Storyboard Artist may need to learn a specific art style to stay accurate to how the final product should look. They may also be required to include background elements in the specified perspective and work on revisions for other people’s storyboards.
The salary for a Storyboard Artist can range depending on seniority, with a range of £16,000 to £40,000 and a potential average of around £26,000 in the UK.
To become a Storyboard Artist, there appears to be a quite a few different paths that can be taken. You can directly aim to get the job by tailoring your portfolio and finding a junior position to apply for, or making your way into storyboarding through being in related job roles such as Illustration or Animation. Any level of experience in the industry, including an internship, will always appear positively in your favour to an employer, and would also let you get crucial hands-on experience with whatever roles or studios you planned to apply for in the future. For your portfolio, you would mainly be attempting to display your base drawing skills alongside knowledge in composing and framing scenes.
( https://www.cgspectrum.com/career-pathways/storyboard-artist )
( https://www.screenskills.com/job-profiles/browse/animation/pre-production/storyboard-artist/ )
( https://www.salaryexpert.com/salary/job/storyboard-artist/united-kingdom )
( https://www.planitplus.net/JobProfiles/View/836/20 )
( https://www.productionbase.co.uk/blog/2019/07/05/become-storyboard-artist/ )