Film, TV, Multimedia Art Career

Film Artists

filmmaker

Filmmaking depends on cooperation and coordination of many talented people contributing toward the final work of art - the film.

Film arts include ...

  1. Producers who is the overall coordinator of all the other talents, including scheduling and budgeting.
  2. Directors give directions to actors to develop the characters.
  3. Cinematographers direct the camera operators to record sets, scenes and actors.
  4. Art Directors work on the overall look of the film. Their work overlaps with set designers and cinematographers.
  5. Set Designers start with drawings, then models, then full size sets with appropriate furnishings and props.
  6. Costume Designers outfit actors using clothing already available or from a sewing/costume workshop.
  7. Special Effects Artists often rely on computers for desired effects - such as tornado (created in the indoor computer studio).
  8. Film Editors review film daily to sequences and edit portions of the film to work toward a final version.

Film Animation Artist

Youthful, new talent is always needed in the animation industry.

Animation Arts include ...

  1. Visual Development Artists - work with writers, directors, and studio executives to interpret and develop designs for characters and scenes.
  2. Storyboard Artist - create a visual script of a series of small drawings (comic book fashion).
  3. Layout Artist - render scenic designs that will eventually be painted by background artists.
  4. Background Painters - work from layout drawings to create detailed backgrounds for animations.
  5. Animators - use skills, including life drawing and knowledge of animation mechanics, to give expression and personality to drawings.
  6. CGI Animators - (Computer-Generated-Imagery animators) combine technical expertise and drawing skills.
  7. Clean-up Artists - render sequential drawings with proper proportion from rough sketches.
  8. In-between Artists - use familiarity with animation mechanics and body and facial movements to build a complete series of animation drawings.
  9. Effects Animators - bring objects and phenomena to life on the screen.
  • helpful qualifications - drawing ability; ability to meet deadlines, ability to work in teams.
  • preparation - take drawing (especially figure drawing), painting, art history, drafting, and animation design classes. Observe others' work and prepare you own portfolio.


CGI-heroCGI Hero

Game Designer

Blending artistic ability and technical prowess is a good step toward becoming a game designer. This highly competitive field continues to develop new games and new formats.

A game designer not only researches and builds scenes, but develops an interactive electronic form of entertainment, built on artistic ability and imagination.

  • helpful qualities - familiarity with varieties of software; a solid art background; desire to keep up with new technologies.
  • preparation - study special effects, animation, film, electronic games; seek an art education that combines with technology.

Digital Designer/Multimedia Graphic Artist

Complex images combining several elements in a computer is one description of multimedia. elements may include CGI, video, animation, and special effects.

The film industry uses multimedia to help build their movie environment and ambience. Such a production may call on powerful computers and artistic experts to complete the filmmaker's concept.

Manufacturing also uses specialized image making for innovating new designs.

Multimedia artists are behind commercials, feature films, advertising, digital graphics, animation,.

  • helpful qualities - artistic ability equal to technical/computer strength; knowledge of a variety of computer programs; ability to work in teams; solid drawing and design background.
  • preparation - study drawing, design, art history; seek an art education that combines with technology.

Other Careers in Film, TV, and Multimedia

  • Advertising Agency TV Art Director
  • Background Artist (Scenic Designer)
  • Camera Operator
  • Cinematographer
  • Continuity Artist
  • Costume Designer
  • Film Editor
  • Makeup Artist
  • Model builder
  • Storyboard Illustrator
  • Theme Park Designer
  • Title Designer
  • Web-Site Designer

Art Colleges