Special Effects Artists and Animators
Create special effects or animations using film, video, computers, or other electronic tools and media for use in products, such as computer games, movies, music videos, and commercials.
64 alternate job titles:
3D Animator (Three-Dimensional Animator)
3D Artist (Three-Dimensional Artist)
3D Designer (Three-dimensional Designer)
3D Modeler (Three-Dimensional Modeler)
3D Specialist (Three-Dimensional Specialist)
Animation Artist
Animation Producer
Animator
Anime Artist
Anime Designer
Artist
Cartoon Animator
Cartoon Artist
Civil 3D Designer (Civil Three-Dimensional Designer)
Computer Artist
Computer Graphic Artist
Computer Graphic Designer
Computer Graphics Illustrator
Concept Artist
Content Producer
Digital Artist
Digital Content Producer
Digital Designer
Digital Experience Designer
Digital Media Designer
Digital Media Specialist
Environment Artist
FX Artist (Effects Artist)
Game Artist
Game Developer
Graphic Artist
Graphics Specialist
Interaction Designer
Interactive Designer
Interactive Digital Media Specialist
Media Designer
Media Producer
Media Specialist
Motion Designer
Motion Graphics Artist
Motion Graphics Designer
Motion Pictures Cartoonist
Multimedia Artist
Multimedia Author
Multimedia Authoring Specialist
Multimedia Designer
Multimedia Developer
Multimedia Graphic Designer
Multimedia Producer
Multimedia Specialist
Multimedia Technician
Special Effects Artist
Special Effects Designer
Special Effects Specialist
Special Effects Technician
Storyboard Artist
Studio Designer
Technical Animator
Texture Artist
Video Game Animator
Virtual Reality Specialist
Visual Effects Artist (FX Artist)
Visual Interaction Designer
Web Graphic Designer
Salary Information
Special Effects Artists and Animators: $99,800 (median) per year.
Starting salary (10th percentile).
Required expreience: Varies by Company
Data source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Daily Tasks & Responsibilities
| Task Description | Category |
|---|---|
| Create computer-generated graphics or animation. | Development |
| Operate photographic developing or print production equipment. | Development |
| Develop artistic or design concepts for decoration, exhibition, or commercial purposes. | Development |
| Assemble equipment or components. | General |
| Prepare film for distribution or use. | General |
| Prepare production storyboards. | General |
| Draw detailed or technical illustrations. | General |
| Convert data among multiple digital or analog formats. | General |
| Coordinate logistics for productions or events. | Management |
| Maintain equipment or systems to ensure proper functioning. | Maintenance |
| Maintain computer equipment or software. | Maintenance |
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Technology Requirements
| Technology | Description |
|---|---|
| Adobe After Effects | Video creation and editing software |
| Adobe Creative Cloud software | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Adobe Illustrator | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Adobe InDesign | Desktop publishing software |
| Adobe Photoshop | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Figma | Graphical user interface development software |
| Hypertext markup language HTML | Web platform development software |
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software |
| Microsoft Office software | Office suite software |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | Presentation software |
| AJAX | Web platform development software |
| Adobe Acrobat | Document management software |
| Apple macOS | Operating system software |
| Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D | Computer aided design CAD software |
| C | Development environment software |
| C++ | Object or component oriented development software |
| Cascading style sheets CSS | Web platform development software |
| Drupal | Web platform development software |
| Extensible markup language XML | Enterprise application integration software |
| JavaScript | Web platform development software |
| Microsoft Visio | Process mapping and design software |
| Microsoft Windows | Operating system software |
| Microsoft Word | Word processing software |
| PHP | Web platform development software |
| Python | Object or component oriented development software |
| Trimble SketchUp Pro | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| UNIX | Operating system software |
| jQuery | Object or component oriented development software |
| Adobe Premiere Pro | Video creation and editing software |
| Autodesk Maya | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Unreal Technology Unreal Engine | Development environment software |
| ACD Systems Canvas | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Ability Photopaint | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Adobe AIR | Development environment software |
| Adobe ActionScript | Development environment software |
| Adobe Director | Video creation and editing software |
| Adobe Dreamweaver | Web page creation and editing software |
| Adobe Flex | Web platform development software |
| Adobe FreeHand MX | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Adobe ImageReady | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Ambient Design ArtRage | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Apple DrawBerry | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Apple Final Cut Pro | Video creation and editing software |
| Aqsis Renderer | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| AutoDesSys form Z | Computer aided design CAD software |
| AutoQ3D | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Autodesk 3ds Max | Video creation and editing software |
| Autodesk 3ds Max Design | Computer aided design CAD software |
| Autodesk Alias Design | Computer aided design CAD software |
| Autodesk Alias Surface | Computer aided design CAD software |
| Autodesk Combustion | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Autodesk MotionBuilder | Video creation and editing software |
| Autodesk Mudbox | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Autodesk SketchBook Pro | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Autodesk SoftImage | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Blender | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Bohemian Coding DrawIt | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Bunkspeed HyperDrive | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Bunkspeed HyperMove | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Caligari Corporation trueSpace | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Celsys RETAS | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Chaos Group V-Ray | Video creation and editing software |
| Character Studio | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Cheetah3D | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Code libraries | Development environment software |
| Component libraries | Development environment software |
| Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Corel Painter | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Crytek CryEngine | Development environment software |
| Cybermotion 3D Designer | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| DAZ Productions Bryce | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| DAZ Productions Carrara | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| DX Studio | Development environment software |
| Dynamic hypertext markup language DHTML | Web platform development software |
| Electric Rain Swift 3D Xpress | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Extensible hypertext markup language XHTML | Web platform development software |
| Freeverse Lineform | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Google Sites | Web page creation and editing software |
| HASH Animation:Master | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Indigo Renderer | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Inivis AC3D | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Luxology Modo | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Luxrender | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| MagicTracer | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Massive Jet | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| MaxScript | Development environment software |
| Maxon BodyPaint 3D | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Maxon Cinema 4D | Video creation and editing software |
| Maya Embedded Language MEL | Development environment software |
| Mental Images Mental Ray | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Microsoft Expression Design | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Microsoft Silverlight | Web platform development software |
| NVDIA Gelato | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Nevercenter Silo | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| NewTek Lightwave 3D | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Next Limit Maxwell Render | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| NodeBox | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Object-oriented programming languages | Object or component oriented development software |
| Perforce Helix software | Configuration management software |
| Pixar RenderMan Studio | Video creation and editing software |
| Pixarra TwistedBrush | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Pixelmator | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Pixologic Zbrush | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Quad Software Grome | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| QuarkXPress | Desktop publishing software |
| RealFlow | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Satori Paint | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Serif DrawPlus | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Side Effects Software Houdini | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| SideFX Houdini | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Skencil | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| SmithMicro Anime Studio | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| SmithMicro Manga Studio | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| SmithMicro SoftwarePoser | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Social media sites | Web page creation and editing software |
| SplutterFish Brazil | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Sunflow Render System | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| TechSmith Camtasia | Video creation and editing software |
| Three-dimensional graphics software | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Trapcode Particular | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Two-dimensional graphics software | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| Unity Technologies Unity | Development environment software |
| VectorDesigner | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| XML User Interface XUI | Development environment software |
| Xara Designer Pro | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| YouTube | Video creation and editing software |
| e-on software Vue | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| sK1 | Graphics or photo imaging software |
| solidThinking | Computer aided design CAD software |
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Relevant Certifications
Industry certifications that may be valuable for this career role:
| Certification | Issuing Organization | Practice Test |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Certified Pro - Logic Pro X | Apple Computer, Inc. | Not Available |
| Apple Certified Pro- Final Cut Pro X | Apple Computer, Inc. | Not Available |
| Autodesk Certified User | Autodesk, Inc. | Not Available |
| Autodesk Moldflow Insight Associate Certification | Autodesk, Inc. | Not Available |
| Autodesk Moldflow Insight Expert Certification | Autodesk, Inc. | Not Available |
| Autodesk Moldflow Insight Professional Certification | Autodesk, Inc. | Not Available |
| Avid Certified Operator: Pro Tools | Music | Avid Technology, Inc. | Not Available |
| Avid Certified User for Pro Tools | Avid Technology, Inc. | Not Available |
| WOW Certified Web Designer Apprentice | World Organization of Webmasters | Not Available |
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