What does a computer animator do?
Computer animator responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real computer animator resumes:
- Lead a team of artists to create the art and animation for motion comics aspects of the show.
- Design and produce animation and graphics for local television commercials and corporate videos.
- Facilitate product marketing, in-house video production and YouTube video development.
- Base on personal interest and curiosity, create and direct group project exploring animation using OpenGL graphics library.
- Analyze and troubleshoot equipment and software reliability to identify and define problem areas to establish computer and telecommunication performance levels.
- Analyze and troubleshoot equipment and software reliability to identify and define problem areas to establish computer and telecommunication performance levels.
Computer animator skills and personality traits
We calculated that 62% of Computer Animators are proficient in Animation, Adobe Photoshop, and Motion Graphics. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Computer skills, and Creativity.
We break down the percentage of Computer Animators that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Animation, 62%
Designed and produced animation and graphics for local television commercials and corporate videos.
- Adobe Photoshop, 10%
Animate characters and backgrounds using both Adobe PhotoShop and Flash.
- Motion Graphics, 9%
Created 60-second internal motion graphics video highlighting the automotive fleet management company s features and statistics.
- Character Animation, 8%
Provided key support in the development of character animations and concepts.
- Autocad, 7%
Created 3D animations and rendering presentations for National Guard Bureau with AutoCAD Architecture 2011 software.
- Body Mechanics, 4%
Animated tests with the school provided rig, concentrating on acting, physics and body mechanics including walk cycles.
Most computer animators use their skills in "animation," "adobe photoshop," and "motion graphics" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential computer animator responsibilities here:
Computer skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling computer animator duties is computer skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "many special effects artists and animators use computer programs or write programming code to do most of their work." According to a computer animator resume, here's how computer animators can utilize computer skills in their job responsibilities: "created 3-dimensional computer renderings and animations for use as technical evidence in court cases. "
Creativity. This is an important skill for computer animators to perform their duties. For an example of how computer animator responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "artists and animators must be able to think creatively to develop original ideas and make them come to life." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a computer animator: "participated in game design as part of a creative team. ".
Time-management skills. A big part of what computer animators do relies on "time-management skills." You can see how essential it is to computer animator responsibilities because "the workdays required by most studio and game design companies can be long, particularly when there are tight deadlines." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical computer animator tasks: "key achievements created original key-frame animation under tight deadlines"
Compare different computer animators
Computer animator 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.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between computer animators and storyboard artist. For instance, computer animator responsibilities require skills such as "video screens," "autocad," "autodesk," and "body mechanics." Whereas a storyboard artist is skilled in "fine arts," "feature film," "storyboard pro," and "sketch." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Storyboard artists earn the highest salaries when working in the finance industry, with an average yearly salary of $127,446. On the other hand, computer animators are paid more in the technology industry with an average salary of $95,510.On average, storyboard artists reach similar levels of education than computer animators. Storyboard artists are 2.6% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Computer animator 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.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real computer animator resumes. While computer animator responsibilities can utilize skills like "video screens," "motion graphics," "character animation," and "autocad," 3d modelers use skills like "visualization," "uv," "auto cad," and "unity."
3d modelers may earn a lower salary than computer animators, but 3d modelers earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $86,312. On the other hand, computer animators receive higher pay in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $95,510.In general, 3d modelers achieve similar levels of education than computer animators. They're 0.6% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Computer animator vs. Special effects specialist
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from computer animator resumes include skills like "animation," "video screens," "adobe photoshop," and "motion graphics," whereas a special effects specialist is more likely to list skills in "data entry," "product knowledge," "quality customer service," and "iep. "
Special effects specialists typically earn higher educational levels compared to computer animators. Specifically, they're 6.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 3.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Computer animator vs. Artist assistant
Even though a few skill sets overlap between computer animators and artist assistants, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a computer animator might have more use for skills like "animation," "video screens," "motion graphics," and "character animation." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of artist assistants require skills like "video shoots," "photography," "sculpture," and "art projects. "
Artist assistants reach similar levels of education compared to computer animators, in general. The difference is that they're 1.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of computer animator
Updated January 8, 2025
