Gamers Find New Resources For College And The Job Market

It's amazing to think, but slightly over two decades ago the animation industry was considered a moribund industry in the U.S. Even the mighty Disney nearly closed its animation wing due to lack of profits. Then in 1989, the debut of the film 'The Little Mermaid' and the TV show 'The Simpsons' sparked a turnaround that has saved the production process.

These days, animators are a high demand profession, primarily thanks to two key developments. First and foremost was the advent of the computer. The other reason was the incredible expansion of video games in large part thanks again to the computer. The video game industry brought in $21.4 billion in 2008, and 26% of its 80,000 employees are a new kind of animator, one who specializes in gaming.

From the outside, an animator who specializes in gaming has the same skill set as one who works in TV or film. One must be equally as skilled in front of a Mac, as with pen and ink. Both must also be good storytellers, understand the principles of acting, and such painting concepts of conveying depth, shadowing and the use of color. They also should know animation programming such as Flash.

When it comes to going to college, a young high schooler should quickly learn to develop a demo reel (or now disk) as well as graphic portfolio. Basic knowledge of the entire production process is now becoming standard at the good animation schools such as NYU or Cal Arts.

What makes gaming animation different from others is what the animators work on. In traditional animation, the viewer is passive and just follows whatever is on the screen. A gamer is the extreme opposite, actively participating in the game's story through manipulating the lead character. Thus, the game animator has to create a scene for whatever the gamer can do with his console. This means a ton of repetition for each scene.

Financial aid for animators is pretty much on the same track as for any other art student, only with a number of studios like Disney, Sony and Dreamworks adding their revenues to the pot. It's not uncommon for Disney to lock up a particularly promising student with a full scholarship to Cal Arts (a school they founded). For those less blessed, there are the usual routes for grants, other scholarships and loans out there. The best thing to do is consult with a financial aid advisor.

What does work in an animator's favor though is it's a very small field. The Bureau of Labor Statistics believes there are about 20,000 as of 2009, half them employed in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Salaries can go up to $80,000, depending heavily on where one works. California, the heart of America's entertainment industry, pays higher than any other city. From there, one can move on to a director or producer's job.

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