Special Effects Artist

Create special effects or animations using film, video, computers, or other electronic tools and media for use in products, such as computer games, movies, music videos, and commercials.

O*NET reports this occupation under titles such as: 3D Animator (Three-Dimensional Animator); 3D Artist (Three-Dimensional Artist); Animator; Artist; Digital Artist; Graphic Artist; Motion Graphics Artist; Multimedia Producer

Tasks

• Design complex graphics and animation, using independent judgment, creativity, and computer equipment.
• Create basic designs, drawings, and illustrations for product labels, cartons, direct mail, or television.
• Participate in design and production of multimedia campaigns, handling budgeting and scheduling, and assisting with such responsibilities as production coordination, background design, and progress tracking.
• Create two-dimensional and three-dimensional images depicting objects in motion or illustrating a process, using computer animation or modeling programs.
• Make objects or characters appear lifelike by manipulating light, color, texture, shadow, and transparency, or manipulating static images to give the illusion of motion.
• Apply story development, directing, cinematography, and editing to animation to create storyboards that show the flow of the animation and map out key scenes and characters.

Knowledge

• Computers and Electronics
• English Language
• Design
• Communications and Media
• Sales and Marketing
• Customer and Personal Service
• Telecommunications
• Engineering and Technology
• Production and Processing
• Geography

Skills

• Active Listening
• Reading Comprehension
• Critical Thinking
• Speaking
• Writing
• Active Learning
• Monitoring

Abilities

• Oral Comprehension
• Written Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Visualization
• Near Vision
• Problem Sensitivity
• Deductive Reasoning
• Visual Color Discrimination
• Written Expression
• Originality
• Speech Clarity
• Fluency of Ideas
• Information Ordering
• Inductive Reasoning
• Speech Recognition
• Category Flexibility
• Selective Attention