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Special Effects Artist/Animator

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AVG. SALARY

$55,540

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EDUCATION

Bachelor's degree

What To Learn

High School

What high school courses should you take if you're interested in this career? Get your answers from the Arts, Audio-Video Technology and Communications cluster Audio and Video Technology and Film pathway, Visual Arts pathway.

Education Level

Education training and experience are required at different levels for success in different occupations.

Bachelor's degree

Special effects artists and animators typically need a bachelor’s degree in computer graphics, art, or a related field to develop both a portfolio of work and the technical skills that many employers prefer.

Insider Info

Additional Information

There are many post-secondary education programs for those wanting to study visual effects. Russell Heyman heads a digital animation program at a technical institute. He says that having an art history background can also be an asset. After all, visual effects technicians are, in the end, artists.

Your education will depend on the kind of studio you hope to work for and the area of expertise you wish to specialize in. "You can take the basic animation course as a start or you can take, if you wanted to, a four-year animation program and get a degree out of it at one of the many schools," says Heyman. "That would definitely be an asset."

Tom Bertino says knowing how to draw is an important skill. Bertino currently heads an animation and visual effects program at an arts university in San Francisco. "You want to learn how to deal with 3D media in the computer efficiently, but you really want to sort of open up your eyes and your mind from a generally creative standpoint," he says.

"Learn how to draw, learn how to deal with the proportions of the human figure," says Bertino. He adds that students may never need to draw again, but the importance of that skill is not the actual drawing. "It's more about learning how to see," he says. "That 'developing your eyes' is essential to this business."

"Education is only a small part of the puzzle though," adds Mark Breakspear. He is a visual effects supervisor at a post-production company. Breakspear says client skills and knowing how to talk to people are a big part of getting ahead in this career.