What does an animation director do?
Animation director responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real animation director resumes:
- Manage animation department, promote to manage video and animation departments.
- Lead a team of artists to create the art and animation for motion comics aspects of the show.
- Translate storyboards into rough previz animations and work with director adjusting cameras and actions.
- Assist with QA of code within Xcode environment.
Animation director skills and personality traits
We calculated that 37% of Animation Directors are proficient in Animation, Maya, and Motion Capture. They’re also known for soft skills such as Artistic talent, Communication skills, and Computer skills.
We break down the percentage of Animation Directors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Animation, 37%
Apply story development, directing, cinematography and editing to animation.
- Maya, 16%
Used Autodesk Maya, ZBrush, Adobe Photshop, Premiere, and Protools to create the piece.
- Motion Capture, 6%
Created camera movement and animated characters using both hand-key and motion capture techniques.
- Unity, 5%
Co-created the games Goat Basement and Mr. Late in Unity for mobile devices.
- Medical Care, 5%
Provided medical care for wild and educational animals.
- CG, 4%
Modeled CG body doubles for the male actors.
"animation," "maya," and "motion capture" are among the most common skills that animation directors use at work. You can find even more animation director responsibilities below, including:
Artistic talent. The most essential soft skill for an animation director to carry out their responsibilities is artistic talent. This skill is important for the role because "animators and artists should have artistic ability and a good understanding of color, texture, and light." Additionally, an animation director resume shows how their duties depend on artistic talent: "assisted with artistic direction of characters and environments / stylization of game art on zooballs. "
Computer skills. animation directors are also known for computer skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to animation director responsibilities, because "many special effects artists and animators use computer programs or write programming code to do most of their work." An animation director resume example shows how computer skills is used in the workplace: "design complex graphics and animation, using independent judgment, creativity and computer equipment. "
Creativity. A big part of what animation directors do relies on "creativity." You can see how essential it is to animation director responsibilities because "artists and animators must be able to think creatively to develop original ideas and make them come to life." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical animation director tasks: "work with animation producer and creative director to outline department needs and guide animators towards an optimal and efficient animation pipeline. "
Time-management skills. Another crucial skill for an animation director to carry out their responsibilities is "time-management skills." A big part of what animation directors relies on this skill, since "the workdays required by most studio and game design companies can be long, particularly when there are tight deadlines." How this skill relates to animation director duties can be seen in an example from an animation director resume snippet: "supervised animation staff managing deadlines, budget, and training. "
The three companies that hire the most animation directors are:
- Electronic Arts2 animation directors jobs
- University of Pennsylvania2 animation directors jobs
- Activision Blizzard1 animation directors jobs
Choose from 10+ customizable animation director resume templates
Build a professional animation director resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your animation director resume.
Compare different animation directors
Animation director vs. 3d modeler
A 3D modeler is responsible for designing project models by utilizing various software applications and computer tools to represent high-quality digital content that would help the team and clients visualize the object. 3D modelers work closely with the design team to evaluate ideas and identify its feasibility scope on an enhanced digital view, giving them the ability to adjust and revise structures as needed. A 3D modeler must have excellent technical and critical-thinking skills to understand the clients' specifications and recommend solutions through graphics analysis.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between animation directors and 3d modeler. For instance, animation director responsibilities require skills such as "maya," "medical care," "advisory boards," and "music videos." Whereas a 3d modeler is skilled in "visualization," "texture," "uv," and "auto cad." This is part of what separates the two careers.
3d modelers earn the highest salaries when working in the technology industry, with an average yearly salary of $86,312. On the other hand, animation directors are paid more in the technology industry with an average salary of $90,848.The education levels that 3d modelers earn slightly differ from animation directors. In particular, 3d modelers are 1.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than an animation director. Additionally, they're 0.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Animation director vs. Storyboard artist
A storyboard artist specializes in creating and designing storyboards to visualize scripts for film, TV, advertising, and animation production. They utilize their talents in sketching and storytelling to help the production process run smoothly and accurately. A storyboard artist's responsibilities revolve around coordinating with the production team, collaborating with directors and writers, conceptualizing imagery, and conducting revisions and edits as needed. Furthermore, as a storyboard artist, it is essential to adhere to the production's deadlines and goals.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, animation director responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "motion capture," "unity," "medical care," and "advisory boards." Meanwhile, a storyboard artist has duties that require skills in areas such as "fine arts," "storyboard pro," "sketch," and "camera angles." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
On average, storyboard artists earn a higher salary than animation directors. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, storyboard artists earn the most pay in the finance industry with an average salary of $127,446. Whereas animation directors have higher pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $90,848.storyboard artists earn similar levels of education than animation directors in general. They're 0.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Animation director vs. Concept artist
The job of a concept artist is to make visual representations of creatures, characters, environments, vehicles, and other artistic assets. You should know about the design and how to create one that needs to blend well with any creative project. Your typical job includes drawing or painting these creative assets and providing references for any ideas you need to illustrate. The general qualifications needed to become a successful concept artist include illustration skills, design understanding, and knowledge of Photoshop.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from animation director resumes include skills like "unity," "medical care," "advisory boards," and "music videos," whereas a concept artist is more likely to list skills in "storyboards," "sketch," "ui," and "design concepts. "
Concept artists earn the best pay in the technology industry, where they command an average salary of $98,110. Animation directors earn the highest pay from the technology industry, with an average salary of $90,848.Most concept artists achieve a similar degree level compared to animation directors. For example, they're 1.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 1.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Animation director vs. Texture artist
Updated January 8, 2025
