25/09/2021 – 03/10/2021
Audio Blog Recording
Homework/My Research
After my first class on Friday, I was given 3 tasks, based of:
- finding a job,
- roles in the media industry involving animation and researching someone new in that industry, and
- how they made it there.
These tasks are explained in more details below.
Task 1
For this first task I am to list down some of the job roles relating to the animation industry before then choosing one of the job roles. Then writing a short paragraph going into a bit more detail about the work type and their role in the creation of an animation.
- Director
- Producer
- Production coordinator
- Writer
- Concept artist
- Modeler/model maker
- Storyboard artist
- Character designer
- Art director
- Background designer
- Rigger
- Animator
- Animation technical director
- Lighting artist
- Layout artist
- Compositor
- Effects technical director (FX TD)
- Sound Designer
- Composer
- Editor
- Edit assistant
- Sales executive
- Marketing executive
In-depth description:
Concept artist
The concept artists job is to come up with the visual ideas and the overall look for the animation projects. They would usually draw up all the first sketches for the project and would work on multiple designs for each asset before a chosen design is finalized. These drawings would include characters (playable, not playable, enemies) environment and props as well as any VFX or movement effects, like running or shooting. They will work both using physical means and digital with both paper and tablet. Concept art starts in the early part of any new project, and it is very common that the early drawing will be used as part of the overall pitch, used to sell the animation, and see if the project gets greenlit.
This is concept art for League of Legends’ newest champion, Vex and while this is related to a video game, it shows both how the overall art looks, not just what the character could look like, but also how they display her body language and spell effects.
Task 2
The second task requires me to search through several job websites, and record down several junior, intern or entry level positions relating to the animation industry. I would also pick one of these entries and write a small description on it.
The job entry I will be looking at in more detail is a Junior/mid-level animator for Rockstar. The first thing I find interesting is that while this job is for a USA game company, they also happen to have a branch in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is also a job position at one of the biggest video game developers of all time, with games series like Red Dead Redemption, Bully, Manhunt, and the legendary Grand Theft Auto. To those who grew up with these games, to take such a job seems like a dream, especially when the only qualifications needed are a Bachelor’s Degree in Art/Animation and a Demo reel demonstrating strong animation principles preferably utilising implementation in a real time engine. Some large studios don’t allow new employees unless they have 10 years’ experience, even for an entry level job making it hard to get started in the industry.
The skills required for this job are:
- Proficiency in a major animation package (e.g. Maya, MotionBuilder, etc.).
- Positive, solution-orientated individual, with a deep-rooted interest in video games, and game development.
- Strong skills in animating the human figure to create realistic character animations.
- Some understanding of development issues in getting animations into a game.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills and ability to work closely with Artists, Designers and Programmers.
Additionally I discovered there is also a job role for Warner Media in a more traditional animation. As of writing, this job entry has been taken down ndicating someone has already successfully applied for this job. Warner Media is a American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate corporation that owns and manages brands like Warner Bros, DC comics, Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, HBO, Cartoonito and many more. The job was for a keyframe animator for their London studio. It does not state which brand the job is for, but given that Cartoon Network has cartoons made in the UK and they are expanding UK and European cartoons under the Hanna Barbara, it likely for them.
Task 3
This task was not the easiest for me to carry out. It required me to find a junior to mid level artist/animator in a role I like and research that person, gaining information about their career. In the end I did find one, but this information is not the easiest to get, as most know names in the animation industry are big name veterans or are simple named by studio.
The profile i found was one Max Greene, a Junior Technical Animator located in Redmond, USA. He is currently working for Firaxis Games, the world-renowned game development studio behind games like X-com, Civilization and the upcoming Marvel’s Midnight Suns. He graduating BFA at Digipen, Institute of Technology and then when looking for a job. At the time, Firaxis games was hiring for a new project due to the studio making more new games, so they picked him due to his skills.
<iframe title=”vimeo-player” src=”https://player.vimeo.com/video/251471484?h=30557b270a” width=”640″ height=”360″ frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>
While there is not that much information on him, Max Greene dose show me that if I work hard and get a great grade, due to the increasing demanded in visual entertainment, I should be able to get a job at the starting level and work my way up the latter.
References
- https://www.screenskills.com/starting-your-career/job-profiles/animation/
- https://www.screenskills.com/starting-your-career/job-profiles/animation/development/concept-artist/
- https://www.leagueoflegends.com/en-us/news/dev/champion-insights-vex/
- https://uk.linkedin.com/jobs/junior-animator-jobs?currentJobId=2619501699&position=2&pageNum=0
- https://www.artstation.com/digitalhobo/profile
- https://firaxis.com/
04/10/2021 – 10/10/2021
Disclaimer: This homework was to find 2 demo reels we like and add them to the blog. This is short, so short that it is simple an extention to this week’s blog page as apposed to one of its own. The first reel highlight movement in daily life (e.g. walking, talking, working out, lip movement), while the second one goes over more action orientated movement (e.g. running, punching, kicking, air combos).
CGI & VFX Showreels: “3D Animation Demo Reel 2019” – by Rodrigo Raygoza | TheCGBros
CGI Animation Showreel HD “Animation Show Reel” by AnimationCafe Studio | CGMeetup