"There has never been a better time to have a career in animation and comic books. Jobs for web and visual effects animators, comic book artists, and even graphic novelists are opening up thanks to growing demand in industries tied to entertainment and the internet. What these jobs entail, what they pay, and future prospects are discussed along with insights from industry insiders"--

Computers have reinvigorated the traditional art of animation, leading to a proliferation of digital images everywhere we turn. Live-action films, television graphics, screen crawls and online ads, video and computer games, mobile apps—we are surrounded by digital animation 24/7. This insider's guide shares crucial industry information with readers about the best courses of study, academic programs, internship opportunities, and career-building activities that will lead to successful and gratifying employment. It details the many distinct jobs within the field and their academic, technical, experiential, and professional requirements. It also discusses how best to build and present one's portfolio of work, how to search for jobs, how to prepare for and ace the job interview, and how to engage in lifelong learning in order to advance one's career and rise to the top of the field. Its emphasis on career-preparedness and digital literacy meets the Common Core curriculum reading standards for informational texts.

Animation is everywhere—from the Internet to the silver screen—and due to the rapid growth of animation in virtually every field and industry, so are animation jobs. Fueled by the worldwide explosion of film and television productions, new and original animated films, and apps and videos for mobile computing devices, the fields of animation and special effects, video games, and e-learning are all expected to grow. This is in addition to the phenomenal widespread growth of industries like mobile gaming, television advertising, digital media, and science and technology. With the high demand for qualified individuals to work in these industries, there has never been a better time to start or advance a career in animation. Career Opportunities in Animation describes 60 careers in many fields of animation, including art, backgrounds and layouts, design, directing, engineering, film and television animation, game and Web design, painting and texturing, performing, producing, technical production, and writing. Appendixes in this comprehensive new resource include Educational Institutions; Major Trade Periodicals, Newsletters, and Other Publications; Professional, Industry, and Trade Associations; Guilds and Unions; Recommended Animation Industry Web Sites; and U.S. Animation Studios and Production Companies. Career profiles include: Art director Character designer Effects animator Flash animator Graphic artist and graphic designer Inbetweener (cel animation) Layout artist/scene planner Motion graphics artist and motion graphics designer Production designer Software engineer Storyboard artist Visual development artist.

Digital media has become a ubiquitous part of modern life. People consume digital media of all kinds, content on websites, special effects of movies, and photographs, videos, and graphics shared on social media are just a few examples. As digital media continues to become dominant, skill in the field is in demand and the rate of job growth is high. A range of jobs in digital media and a description of the preparation needed for a successful career, such as qualifications, education (including high school classes), practical steps for obtaining a job, and strategies for long-term advancement are outlined.

If you're a student who wants a job in the animation industry, then an animation internship is the best way to improve your chances of getting into this exclusive and exciting industry! Animation internships give you vital experience and networking opportunities and can be a stepping stone for a job in the industry.

"A manual of methods, principles and formulas for classical, computer, games, stop motion and internet animators"--Cover.

"Learn all the tips and tricks of the trade from the professionals. Highly illustrated throughout, points made in the text are demonstrated with the help of numerous superb drawn examples."--

Lighting for Animation is designed with one goal in mind - to make you a better artist. Over the course of the book, Jasmine Katatikarn and Michael Tanzillo (Senior Lighting TDs, Blue Sky Studios) will train your eye to analyze your work more critically, and teach you approaches and techniques to improve your craft. Focusing on the main philosophies and core concepts utilized by industry professionals, this book builds the foundation for a successful career as a lighting artist in visual effects and computer animation. Inside you’ll find in-depth instruction on: • Creating mood and storytelling through lighting • Using light to create visual shaping • Directing the viewer’s eye with light and color • Gathering and utilizing reference images • Successfully lighting and rendering workflows • Render layers and how they can be used most effectively • Specific lighting scenarios, including character lighting, environment lighting, and lighting an animated sequence • Material properties and their work with lighting • Compositing techniques essential for a lighter • A guide on how to start your career and achieve success as a lighting artist This book is not designed to teach software packages—there are websites, instructional manuals, online demos, and traditional courses available to teach you how to operate specific computer programs. That type of training will teach you how to create an image; this book will teach you the technical skills you need to make that image beautiful. Key Features Stunning examples from a variety of films serve to inspire and inform your creative choices. Unique approach focuses on using lighting as a storytelling tool, rather than just telling you which buttons to press. Comprehensive companion website contains lighting exercises, assets, challenges, and further resources to help you expand your skillset.

Francis Glebas, a top Disney storyboard artist, shows how to reach the ultimate goal of animation and moviemaking by showing how to provide audiences with an emotionally satisfying experience. Directing the Story offers a structural approach to clearly and dramatically presenting visual stories. With Francis' help you'll discover the professional storytelling techniques which have swept away generations of movie goers and kept them coming back for more. You'll also learn to spot potential problems before they cost you time or money and offers creative solutions to solve them. Best of all, it practices what it preaches, using a graphic novel format to demonstrate the professional visual storytelling techniques you need to know.

In Cartoon Animation, acclaimed cartoon animator Preston Blair shares his vast practical knowledge to explain and demonstrate the many techniques of cartoon animation. By following his lessons, you can make any character—person, animal, or object—come to life through animated movement! Animation is the process of drawing and photographing a character in successive positions to create lifelike movement. Animators bring life to their drawings, making the viewer believe that the drawings actually think and have feelings. Cartoon Animation was written by an animator to help you learn how to animate. The pioneers of the art of animation learned many lessons, most through trial and error, and it is this body of knowledge that has established the fundamentals of animation. This book will teach you these fundamentals. Animators must first know how to draw; good drawing is the cornerstone of their success. The animation process, however, involves much more than just good drawing. This book teaches all the other knowledge and skills animators must have. In chapter one, Preston Blair shows how to construct original cartoon characters, developing a character’s shape, personality, features, and mannerisms. The second chapter explains how to create movements such as running, walking, dancing, posing, skipping, strutting, and more. Chapter three discusses the finer points of animating a character, including creating key character poses and in-betweens. Chapter four is all about dialogue, how to create realistic mouth and body movements, and facial expressions while the character is speaking. There are helpful diagrams in this chapter that show mouth positions, along with a thorough explanation of how sounds are made using the throat, tongue, teeth, and lips. Finally, the fifth chapter has clear explanations of a variety of technical topics, including tinting and spacing patterns, background layout drawings, the cartoon storyboard, and the synchronization of camera, background, characters, sound, and music. Full of expert advice from Preston Blair, as well as helpful drawings and diagrams, Cartoon Animation is a book no animation enthusiast should be without.