Animation

Graduates from our Animation course can pursue a wide variety of creative and technical roles in the animation, film, and gaming industries. Below are some of the potential career paths and average starting salaries in the UK:

1. Animator (2D/3D): Create animated sequences for films, television shows, commercials, and video games using 2D or 3D animation techniques. Average Starting Salary: £20,000 - £30,000
2. Character Designer: Design unique characters for animation, video games, or visual media, bringing them to life through sketches and digital modelling. Average Starting Salary: £22,000-£35,000.
3. Storyboard Artist: Create detailed storyboards that visually represent the narrative, scenes, and character actions for animation and film production. Average Starting Salary: £25,000 - £40,000
4. VFX (Visual Effects) Artist: Develop and implement visual effects for films, television shows, and video games, enhancing live-action footage with CGI elements. Average Starting Salary: £25,000 - £40,000
5. 3D Modeller: Create detailed 3D models of characters, environments, and objects used in animation, video games, or visual effects. Average Starting Salary: £23,000 - £35,000
6. Motion Graphics Designer: Design and animate motion graphics for advertising, digital content, television, and film. Average Starting Salary: £25,000 - £38,000
7. Game Animator: Work in the gaming industry to create character animations, special effects, and environments that bring video games to life. Average Starting Salary: £25,000 - £40,000
8. Animation Director: Oversee the creative direction of an animation project, managing a team of animators, designers, and technical artists to bring stories to life. Average Starting Salary: £45,000 - £70,000
9. Illustrator: Create illustrations for books, magazines, marketing materials, or digital media with the potential to incorporate animated elements. Average Starting Salary: £20,000 - £30,000
10. Stop-Motion Animator: Specialise in creating animations using physical models or puppets, captured frame by frame to create movement. Average Starting Salary: £20,000 - £30,000

The salaries mentioned represent an industry estimate and are just the starting salaries, which can grow exponentially based on experience, skillset, and industry. 

1. Creative Freedom and Expression Animation is a highly creative field that allows you to bring stories, characters, and entire worlds to life.
2. Diverse Career Opportunities An animation degree opens the door to various career paths across multiple industries, including film, television, video games, advertising, and digital media. 
3. High Demand for Animation Skills The demand for skilled animators is growing in many sectors, particularly in video games, film, and digital marketing. 
4. Cutting-Edge Technology and Software Animation is at the forefront of technology, and studying animation provides you with hands-on experience using industry-standard tools like Autodesk Maya, Adobe After Effects, and Blender. 
5. Global Career Prospects Animation is a global industry, with opportunities to work for companies and studios all over the world. 
6. Collaboration and Teamwork Animation projects are often team-based, requiring collaboration with designers, writers, producers, and sound engineers. 
7. Portfolio Development Throughout your studies, you’ll create a portfolio showcasing your best work. 
8. Growing Opportunities in Digital Media With the rise of digital content, social media, and streaming services, animators have more opportunities than ever to create content for a wide range of platforms.
9. Strong Earning Potential Animation professionals, particularly in senior roles like Animation Director or VFX Supervisor, can earn competitive salaries. 
10. Constant Innovation and Creativity Animation is an ever-evolving field, driven by innovation in technology and creative approaches to storytelling. 
11. Opportunities for Specialisation Animation offers a wide range of specialisations, from character animation and visual effects to 3D modelling and motion graphics. 
12. Contribution to Pop Culture and Entertainment Animators play a vital role in creating the content that shapes popular culture.
13. Entrepreneurial Opportunities Many animators go on to start their own studios or work as freelance artists. 
14. Transferable Skills The skills you develop in animation, including storytelling, visual communication, and technical proficiency in software, are highly transferable. These skills are valuable in other areas such as graphic design, marketing, filmmaking, and interactive media.
15. Personal Satisfaction and fulfilment Few careers offer the satisfaction of seeing your creative ideas come to life on screen.