Animator in Buffalo, NY

Animator Job Description

Animators breathe life and personality into characters, scenes and other animation elements used to tell stories in cartoons, films, video games, commercials, social media and more. These creative professionals create and sequence multiple images, referred to as “frames,” to give the illusion of movement. An animator might employ digital images, hand-drawn illustrations, models or other types of images and props to create special effects and other animations using computer-generated animation, 2D or 3D model-making, or stop-frame tools and techniques. Employers seek animators with a vivid imagination who are collaborative and receptive to feedback and can work diligently under pressure. Multimedia experience, including in emerging areas like virtual reality (VR), and video editing expertise are highly valued. A bachelor’s degree in computer animation, fine arts or graphic arts is often preferred for this role. Most employers will require candidates to provide a solid portfolio of relevant creative work, including hand-drawn character designs and animation clips.

Typical animator duties:

Creating character sketches, designing backgrounds and other elements, and developing storyboards for animation projects

Reading through scripts, and brainstorming and conceptualizing compelling images to help tell stories in an engaging, memorable way

Working closely with a wide range of team members throughout projects, including artists, story editors, photographers, designers, other animators, voice actors and producers

Ensuring final deliverables are high quality and delivered on time and on budget

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Adobe Flash

Adobe Illustrator

Photoshop

Adobe Creative Cloud

SAN - Storage Area Network

Animation

Design controls?

Characters

Story Boarding

Video

Salary for Animator in Buffalo, NY

59606 - 85319

25th percentile

59606

New to the role, with little or no experience; requires more than casual instruction or supervision to perform day-to-day duties

50th percentile

71528

Has the experience to consistently perform core responsibilities without direct supervision; very comfortable with processes and subject matter associated with the role

75th percentile

85319

Value to the organization goes far beyond the ability to perform normal job duties; has rare qualifications that enable consistent contribution in unique ways; ready for next career level when available

Projected salaries for related positions

Position title

25th percentile

50th percentile

75th percentile

Art Director

74566

91396

107993

3D Animator

60541

71528

88124

3D Modeler

53061

65918

80878

Digital Artist

52360

65216

81579

Presentation Designer

54931

68723

79008

Graphic Designer

47685

61710

72930

Packaging Designer

50490

61243

75034

Illustrator/Infographics Designer

47451

57269

70125

Photo Retoucher

43244

56801

72930

Photographer

40906

53996

67788

Production Artist

48386

57035

63580

Production Coordinator

43478

46750

55165

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