What kind of degree do you need to become a 3D animator for a company like Disny or pixar?

Question

I have always wanted to be 3D animator for a big company such as those. Unfortunatly i do not know anyone who works for these companys to tell me imporntant things i need to know about this type of career like what kind of degree i would need to become one. Also i would like to know if anyone knows how much the averge 3D animator makes a year and other helpful and interesting facts you might know about this job.

Answer 1

To become a Computer Animator, or any type animator for that matter you NEED to develop your artistic skills. The number one advice you get from an animator is draw, draw, draw. To get a job at a big studio like Disney or Pixar you DO NOT need a degree of any kind. It is reccomended you take classes in the subject at an art school and get a degree but again, it is NOT necessary. You do need skills and a demo reel to prove it. Art schools and animation schools help you learn skills to be able to do this. A demo reel is basically a visual resume of your work which studios use to see what you can do. For Pixar in particular, you do not need to learn a specific software package (until you get the job) because theirs is proprietary and they don't judge you on what you can do on a computer but mostly on how well you can perceive movement in 3 dimension, that can be on paper, with clay, or on a computer. So what I would do is just get your art skills at their very best by taking art classes and drawing a lot! Also make sure you like what you're doing, becasue it's not all funa nd games, unfortunately.

Regarding salaries, it is very varied, from $30,000 a year to $90,000 depending on where you work and what position you have.

Here are some links taht may help you:

Pixar (http://www.pixar.com/companyinfo/jobs/ca...

Quote: A Pixar Animator should be able to bring life to any object or character, showing the character’s internal thoughts and feelings through its physical external motion. To do this, the Animator must be a good actor.  His or her work should communicate clearly, containing simple ideas with which an audience can empathize.  The animation should be entertaining to watch, employing good timing and relying on individualized, believable characters to put forth humor and emotion.

Software doesn’t matter; learning to animate matters

Disney (http://www.disneyanimation.com/careers/f...

Quote: Generally, any open position will require a strong resume, and if applicable a portfolio and/or reel, shot breakdown and submission form which address the requirements of the position. You must love making movies, solving creative problems, and working in a team environment.

Hope I could help. :)

Answer 2

You will need a degree in computer animation, or one which strongly incorporates it (such as an animation degree which incorporates 2D and 3D). Search online for good animation schools in your area/country and look at the computer animation courses they offer. If you can draw, you will have an advantage - you don't have to be a great artist to be a 3D animator, but you will probably also study 2D animation principles initially because they are important to 3D animation, and having it in your skillset is a bonus. You will also learn modelling and rigging, which is the process of building a character in 3D software and preparing it for animation. After your degree you will probably take an internship with an animation company (if you're very good, you may even be lucky enough to get an internship with Pixar/Dreamworks/Disney, though obviously those places are extremely competitive). You will have to work hard on your skills if you want to be employed somewhere like Pixar. There is also a lot of demand for animators in the games industry, and that's not a bad place to start your career either, even if you want to work in feature film animation later.

There are many different roles in a 3D animation company - modellers, riggers, effects animators, character animators, facial animators, and others. You may find a specialism you want to aim for as you study, or you can just work on all-around skills. Salaries vary a great deal because there are so many different jobs and levels of responsibility. You will probably start out on a low wage as an assistant, but there's plenty of scope for moving up the ladder, and if you are in demand you can earn quite a lot.

Hope this was helpful!

Answer 3

Wow, that's a pretty big goal... You need tons of experience, not only with computer software, but storyboarding, understanding animation principles... Going to college for animation does help, for 3D you get hands on learning on how to develop / understand computer animation, plus learning traditional animation does help... Pixar is a top company, you should try other companies in animation, the more experience you gain, and the more you develop your animation skillz... You have a higher proficiency into gaining a job in companies such as Pixar... Don't rely to much as Pixar as a job source, there are tons of other companies that will hire you (but don't expect special benefits, because your only starting out)... If your heart set into this career, without a doubt, try to do more research on your career... I have some sites you should try, certain colleges to look at, etc... But remember, being a great animator takes alot of work, and sweat... Including 3D animators, the masters of 3D animation have tons of exp. if you ever have a chance, contact those masters to ask how they do it...

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