Profile -- by Tim Fox

If you enjoy a variety of movie flicks such as Madagascar, The Incredibles, and Racing stripes and find yourself overly intrigued by the creation of such fine art work and movement, then the life of an animator might just be for you.

Richard Reeves is a member of the Quick Draw Animation Society and has been in the animation film industry for 15 years. When asked what led him to this career he stated, "the mix of arts and science (music, painting, photography) all the things I enjoy, all in one art form."

A day in the life of an animator consists of, "same picture / different frame' (just kidding). Actually the process of completing an animated film can be lengthy, and often the days can be very different as work continues towards completion." It all comes down to, "Storyboarding, sound creation, recording, breakdown, artwork creation, filming, film editing and eventually a print. The process is usually spread out over months or even as much as 2 years. It depends on technique used."

There are programs and schools that offer animation, but as for Richard, he went a different route. "Depends if you decide to work for a company or become independent, aside from a workshop at Quick draw Animation Society in 1990, I am basically self taught."

There really is no "average" salary for an animator. It varies from what commercial companies offer to art grants from funding agencies. Its "negotiable." "Patience, endurance and imagination are helpful temperaments for this type of work."

If you want to get a foot in the door "create a demo reel of your work. Prepare a portfolio and keep a resume up to date. Then, attend as many animation festivals as you can. The Industry companies always have scouts at large animation festivals."

"I have been sent to festivals in Norway, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, Brazil and all across Canada to present my work, instruct workshops or serve Jury Duty for competitive festivals. I did not get into animation as a way to travel, it just happened."

As far as opportunity for advancement "if you are independent, yes. I always try to improve techniques or create a new concept in my art. Perhaps those are personal improvements, yet I hope they lead to more opportunities. If you work for a company, it depends on that company what type of opportunity they offer."

Advice? "for Independent Animators, remember, the idea to make a film is to complete it. When you are working on the film, there is alot to do. When the film is complete, so is the work (aside from distribution). Be kind to everyone, the animation community is very small around the world."

Alberta Occupational Profiles (OCCInfo) - Animator

National Occupation Classification - Animator/Graphic Designer

Job Futures - Graphic Designer

Alberta College of Art and Design

Vancouver Film Studio

Sheridan College - School of Animation Arts and Design

Quickdraw Animation Society

New Machine Studios

Animatters

Fire Toad Software

Bioware Corp

	Bill Schultz - of Mike Young Productions  [See this Emmy-award winning animation producer and hear more about the process of production. You might recognize Bill Schultz from such great shows as "The Simpsons", "The Critic", "The New He-Man" and "Clifford the Big Red Dog".] - Interview provided by Kidz Online	Running Time Approx. 9:44 min
	Gregory Eckland - Director of Animation, THQ Heavy Iron Studios  [Gregory Eckland combined his artistic skills and interest in animation and works as an animation artist for a leading video gaming company. He has great advice for teenagers interested in a similar career.] - Interview provided by Kidz Online	Running Time Approx. 7:46 min