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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 Visual Arts pathway.

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In this field, it's all about your portfolio. The most important thing an aspiring animator can do is draw, draw, draw. Observe people, animals and objects in motion. Observe facial expressions. Practice capturing on paper everything around you.

"There is no official education required to be an animator," says Todd Ramsay. He co-owns an animation studio. "It's all based on a strong portfolio that can demonstrate your art skills and a demo reel showcasing strong principles of animation."

"An education is not necessarily a huge deal," agrees animation supervisor Emily Cooper. "When hiring a prospective artist, where they went to school isn't important. It is what their demo reel and portfolio look like." That said, formal training can help you develop your skills and expose you to the latest technology.

"Anything that offers to teach the principles is good, and any school that offers a shorter course rather than a three- or four-year course is better, in my opinion," says Cooper.

"I know of a few animators that didn't go to school, but most have graduated from an animation school," says Ramsay.

Contact

  • Email Support
  • 1-800-GO-TO-XAP (1-800-468-6927)
    From outside the U.S., please call +1 (424) 750-3900
  • North Dakota Career Resource Network
    ndcrn@nd.gov | (701) 328-9733

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