Special Effects Artists and Animators

Overview

Special Effects Artists and Animators has a national median salary of $102,030 per year, with -0.3% projected job growth from 2025–2035. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation.

Description

Create special effects or animations using film, video, computers, or other electronic tools and media for use in products, such as computer games, movies, music videos, and commercials.

Work Values

• Independence
• Achievement
• Working Conditions

Work Styles

Responsibilities

Tasks

• Design complex graphics and animation, using independent judgment, creativity, and computer equipment.
• Create basic designs, drawings, and illustrations for product labels, cartons, direct mail, or television.
• Participate in design and production of multimedia campaigns, handling budgeting and scheduling, and assisting with such responsibilities as production coordination, background design, and progress tracking.
• Implement and maintain configuration control systems.
• Script, plan, and create animated narrative sequences under tight deadlines, using computer software and hand drawing techniques.

Work Activities

• Working with Computers
• Thinking Creatively
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Getting Information
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Processing Information
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards

Detailed Work Activities

• Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
• Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

T-A-S-K

Technology, Abilities, Skills & Knowledge

Education

Education Levels of Current Workers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation. The chart below shows the highest level of education held by people already working in this field, ages 25 and older. It includes workers who earned more education than the job requires and workers who entered the field under earlier requirements, so the largest bar is not the entry requirement. For example, if someone finished a master's degree and then started working in this field, they are counted under “Master's degree” here, but the job itself typically asks for a bachelor's degree.

Certificates

Certifications applicable to Special Effects Artists and Animators:

Video Resources