Chances are good that if you've seen animated movies like The Incredibles and Shrek 2, or played video games like Halo 2 and Half Life 2, you're amazed by how realistic animation is becoming. For anyone who likes to be creative, modern animation offers an expressive power that's irresistible. The good news is that microprocessor power and computer storage keep getting cheaper, and the digital tools and computer software tricks for creating animation keep getting better. The end result is that animation is more and more accessible for students. Meanwhile the demand for good animators keeps increasing.
Your ticket to a job in animation is a great portfolio. A strong animation school can teach you the skills you need. The key choice you'll make before long is what area of animation you'd like to specialize in.
Your Animation Options...
Animated Movies
Check the websites of production houses like Pixar (The Incredibles, Finding Nemo) or DreamWorks Animation (Shark Tale, Shrek 2), and you'll see they're on the lookout for top production talent. It can take a large team of animators and other professionals several years and a hundred million dollars to complete a major feature. But the possible returns, as you've seen, make the risks worth it.
Movie Special Effects
Watch the Lord of the Rings trilogy or many other modern features and you can see the benefits of combining CGI (computer generated imagery) and real footage to make a heightened reality. It's an appealing challenge.
Video Games
The "Hollywood" model of employment is in effect in this industry. Teams of specialists come together to put in 1-2 years of long days and long weeks of work. Like movies, most video games struggle to break even, and a few are spectacular hits. To see want ads for video game developers, check out industry sites like gamasutra.com.
TV Graphics
High-end television graphic design is a world of tight deadlines and healthy pay. TV stations and networks and specialty video graphics houses all in need of top animation talent.
Internet
Web page design has been revolutionized by Macromedia Flash, and there are many opportunities for good Flash designers.
Visualization and Walk Through
From architecture to manufacturing, from the Defense industry to museums, there is a huge need for people who can bring plans and visions to life in 3D animation and multimedia.
About the Author
Alan Drummer is a writer and video producer based in Burlingame, California. His features have appeared on the History Channel and in publications such as Better Homes and Gardens, the Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Magazine. Trained as an advertising copywriter, his commercials for kids won some of the industry's top awards. He has a degree in English Literature from Harvard.
Sources
SIGGRAPH: The State of Computer Animation 
