A junior position in the British and International animation industries involving the creation of animated 2D or 3D characters and inanimate objects.
Overview
Approved for delivery on the 13/05/2020, the junior animator, Higher apprenticeship standard provides a level 4, upon completion. This apprenticeship will typically take 18 months to complete, not including the End-Point Assessment Period.
What the course covers
Animation companies throughout the UK work for several different clients, all with varying services of output. They work across the film, television, advertising and commercial industries, creating animated images to fit the desired brief. Animation is a series of still images in a rapid sequence to give the illusion of movement; a junior animator uses digital, illustration and pictures of 3D objects to create this illusion.
A junior animator is responsible for producing animated content and assets that meet the character or story brief. They should be extremely familiar with the storyline and storyboard, with an awareness of spacing and timing, as this will determine what kind of animation is needed. A large part of the role is planning the sequences, taking into account the storyboard sequence and character layout. You will require excellent drawing skills and will become accustomed to using digital drawing equipment to create digital images.
A junior animator will work collaboratively within a team of animators, animator lead, supervisors, and directors, as well as other team members and clients. You will learn to take on board feedback and constructive criticism to create the animated characters to the desired standards and vision of the director; you must be able to reflect on the standard of your work and recognise areas for improvement.
There are four main areas for a junior animator. Depending on the specialism of the employer, you will either work in 2D animation, Stop Motion, 3D animation or interactive media and immersive reality.
Careers and jobs associated
- Senior animator
- animator
- director
If you would like to find out more about this apprenticeship standard, including possible duties of the role, skills and assessment method visit the Institute for Apprenticeships.
