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 79,000 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 2010. According to the Box Office Mojo, five of the top 10 grossing movies in 2010 were strictly animated films—and that's not even counting the computer-generated imagery (CGI) effects, which the other five movies in the list used.

Rank	Title	Studio	Box Office (Millions)
1	Toy Story 3	Buena Vista	$415
7	Despicable Me	Universal	$251.5
8	Shrek Forever After	Dreamworks	$238.7
9	How to Train Your Dragon	Dreamworks	$217.6
10	Tangled	Buena Vista	$199.7

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 2009 came to roughly $10.5 billion. Employment in the industry has grown 8.6 percent from 2005 to 2009. This is a good 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.