I have a school assignemt due soon, and I decided to do it on CGI animators. Figured it would be easy. I’d just put “CGI animators” and “how to become a cgi animator” into the search engine at google or yahoo and something would pop up. Well nothing has. Are the people that create movies like Toy story even called “CGI Animators”? I really don’t know anything about this paticular career…it is a career right? 
Someone point me in the right direction please. I’m completely lost 
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Hollywood animators often use a program called Maya. It is a bit on the pricey side (about $10,000 US) for the complete version, but you can obtain a free Personal learning edition here:
Maya is perhaps the industry standard when it comes to this stuff. It’s been used for everything from Star Wars Episode 1, to The Perfect Storm, to Lord of the Rings, to even those Blockbuster Video commercials featuring the rabbit and Guinea Pig
http://www.navone.org/HTML/Index.htm
This guy did the “Alien Song” video that did the rounds in the late '90s. I visited his site recently to get a copy, and it turns out he went on to work at Pixar. He has quite a lot of info and links on his site.
Well, hello there; I´m not a professional animator, but I do know the business quite well, and I´m currently working as a texture artist (I do the painting for CGI stuff)
That being said CGI animation is quite a broad term, it´s much more than just the final dancing baby. So if you have specific questions just post them there and I´ll do my best to answer them.
Thanks for help 
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I’ll be sure to ask questions when I need answers Ale.
I fit the description I guess, although I don’t actually “animate”, I model, texture and light worlds. I’m currently working on a full CG movie for disney. Ask away (hopfully I’ll have time to respond!)
-n
oops, I guess you did kind of ask a question or two…
Yes, it is a career. Quite a nice one too. I’ve been doing it for a little more than four and a half years and make the same sort of money as a doctor.
Generally to get into the industry people have (possibly) a degree in fine art and a diploma from a technical school that specializes in computer graphics. Here in Canada there are lots of places to take course - Vancouver Film School, BCIT and Sharidon College are examples. I’m sure there are lots more in the US. You could try doing a search on film schools to get a list. I’m an odd one in that I’m self taught - I started working in the industry more or less out of highschool. This is very unusual these days, though.
During your school years it’s generally required that you make a demo reel of some kind. This is a video (or just rendered stills) of work that shows off your skills as an artist. If your demo reel shows real talent, or at least posibility, you could end up with a job. These days film schools pump out huge amounts of potential artists, but only a very few of them have the skills necessary. A REALLY good grad class may place 50% after the first year. As recently as 5 years ago grad classes were placing 90% in the same amount of time, so as you can see the competition has become a little more stiff.
Once you get into your first job… well, forget everything you ever learned in school. Generally the real job is so far out on the bleeding edge of technology that there is no chance you would ever have had an opportunity to use it. Every job you’ll learn new software and new techniques particular to that production. People right out of school generally just irritate the hell out of everyone else as they come up to speed. Not their fault of course. As an example, the software I’m using right now for my job is being updated every couple days. The (separate) company that develops the software has set up a studio inside our studio where they are making changes to it on the fly as we request them. All these changes will probably make their way to the release software that other people will then be able to purchase once our movie is done.
Anyway, there’s a brief overview. I’m not going to do your homework for you, but at least you can start by looking at film school websites. Then maybe check out studeo websites as well - they’ll generally have a list of what they’re looking for in an applicant.
good luck.
-n
I can’t help you with the specifics of what the career experience is like (alas), but CGTalk is a professional forum that I’ve been visiting. Their affiliate site, CGNetworks, should be a good resource for you.
Welp, my teacher gave us an extra week (for the third time*), otherwise I would have revived this thread sooner. Does anyone here know the average begging salary of a CGI animator, or does it vary too much? I’m hoping to learn enough about how much money they make for the first few years out of college to make a graph.
*You’d think since I’ve given so much time I’d have this done by now. You’d be horribly horribly wrong. It’s due tomorrow (or rather today since it’s 1am) and I’ve gotten very little of it done. I might have had it done, but my mom wanted me to run some errands with her for some reason, and then me and some other family memebers went out to a five star resteraunt. Good times, but damn, I have piles of homework to catch up on now. Damn spring brake right around the corner, causing all of the teachers to give us huge heaps of homework all at the same time mumbles.
Not currently an animator. But my father has had his own CG (and editing) studio since I was 10. I’m 23 now. And I’ve spent a LOT of time there. And even steered the ship when my parents are off on vacation. So, ask away…
Umm, isn’t Maya 2 grand now?, Maya (Unlimited or Advanced, whatever, with Fur and Cloth…etc) is $8,000.
Besides, Maya sucks, XSI is IT.
/let the flamin’ begin…
Can anyone what the beggining average salary for a computer animator is?
Well, tough question to answer, there are too many factors, but a complete beginer (competent, but without any experience) can start at $20 per hour for animation work; good, seasoned animators can expect as much or more than 60K per year, lead animators at big studios can make obscene amounts of money.
Measured in different terms 3D animation is valued at 1000/1500 (or more, depending on quality and/or complexity) per second for broadcasting.
Thank you .
Can anyone here tell me the differences between XSI and Maya? Is one better than the other, or do they both have there pros and cons?
Oh, and if I was looking to get into animation, what would be the ideal PC to buy?
Wrong question to ask. Unless you intend to start a flamewar. ok, maybe not on the dope.
Just hop over to CGTalk. As for software, check out this thread. Do a search there for newbie computer setup. If you don’t mind posting your budget and immediate needs, I could suggest something, over here as well.
Say, do you happen to have a cite for that?
Not a cite, but my dad did subcontract work for some US state govt. (Michigan, I think) in mid-90s and we got paid about half that rate (and this was a subcontract overseas).