Outlook for Film Animation Careers

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Industry Statistics for 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 US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were about 94,000 multimedia artists and animators working in the US. However, the overall demand for animators is increasing. Animators have opportunities to work with video games, special effects, web animation, advertising and e-learning, in addition to opportunities in traditional film animation.

The potential for growth in the animation industry is clearly evident in the box office statistics from 2006. Four of the top 10 grossing movies in 2006 were animated films:

Rank	Title	Studio	Box Office (Millions)
2	Cars	Pixar	$244.1
7	Ice Age: The Meltdown	Blue Sky Studios	$195.3
8	Happy Feet	Animal Logic	$192.1
10	Over the Hedge	DreamWorks	$155.0

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 2006 came to roughly $7.4 billion—up six percent from the previous year, and almost triple 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 US Bureau of Labor Statistics. With employment options for animators opening up in many different arenas, this is a great time to start your career.

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