Outlook for Film Animation Careers

Get the scoop on what to expect in the film animation industry.

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Industry Statistics for Film Animation Careers

There's good news for aspiring animators. Job opportunities in film animation and other sectors of the animation job market are on the rise. That doesn't mean you won't face competition in your job search. At the last count by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were about 87,000 multimedia artists and animators. However, the overall demand for animators is increasing. Animators have opportunities to work in video game design, special effects, web animation, advertising and e-learning, in addition to opportunities in traditional film animation.

Top Animation Films

The potential for growth in the film animation industry is clearly evident in the box office statistics from 2008. According to the Internet Movie Database (IMDb), four of the top 10 grossing movies in 2008 were animated films—and that's not even counting the movies incorporating computer-generated imagery (CGI) effects.

Rank	Title	Studio	Box Office (Millions)
5	WALL-E	Disney/Pixar	$223.8
6	Kung Fu Panda	DreamWorks	$215.4
8	Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa	DreamWorks	$180
10	Horton Hears a Who!	Blue Sky	$154.5

More Opportunities for Animators

Another significant source of employment for animators, the video game industry, is also growing quickly. According to the Entertainment Software Association, computer and video game software sales in 2008 came to roughly $11.7 billion—up 22.9 percent from the previous year, and more than quadruple the sales in 1996. This is a great sign for animators who want to work in the gaming industry.

If you're interested in an art career, animators will have more opportunities over the next few years than other artists, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. With employment options for animators opening up in many different arenas, this is a great time to start your career.