Flash Animator - Career Profile

Flash animators create animation for online and offline marketing including web sites, eContent, banners, multimedia CDs, and multimedia presentations. They also create animation for software such as educational software or games. Flash animators coordinate with the creative directors to ensure that the animation compliments the design and that it works in harmony with the technology used to drive the finished product.  

Flash Animator Jobs

Flash animators create animation for marketing materials ranging from banners to web sites. They use a variety of software including Adobe Suite, 3D Max, Macromedia Flash, After Effects, Adobe Premier, and Macromedia Dreamweaver. Flash animators have excellent design, art, and layout skills as well as an outstanding command of high-end 3D packages.

Flash animators work for advertising agencies, marketing firms, public relations firms, software publishers, educational publishers, web design firms, graphic design firms, and game companies.

Flash Animator Salaries  

Average salaries for Flash animators vary by industry, experience, company, and even region. Flash animators working in advertising, public relations, and related services average around $58,910 per year, while animators working in software publishing average $68,310 per year. Specialized design services flash animators average $59,120 per year. The states with the highest average salaries for Flash animators are California ($74,560), New York ($66,340), Oregon ($62,690), District of Columbia ($62,670), and Connecticut ($62,410).

Becoming a Flash Animator  

A bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement to become a Flash animator. Common degrees include animation, computer animation, art, fine art, graphic design, illustration, or game development. Experience with a variety of software programs is also required as well as excellent hand drawing skills. The types of software used in the industry include Adobe Suite, 3D Max, Macromedia Flash, After Effects, Adobe Premier, and Macromedia Dreamweaver.  

Job Trends for Flash Animators

Employment growth for multimedia artists and animators is expected to average 14 percent for the 2008-2018 decade. The demand for more realistic images and special effects in films, video games, advertisements, and web sites will drive growth.

Flash animators work all over the United States, but several states have the highest employment levels. California, New York, Washington, Texas, and Illinois may offer the most job opportunities for the 2008-2018 decade.

Source: www.animationcareerreview.com