Junior Animator

Junior Animator

On a junior animator apprenticeship course, you’ll help produce the motions, gestures, expressions and performance of dimensional characters and inanimate objects.

A junior animator creates assets and content by animating two-dimensional and three-dimensional creatures and inanimate objects with movements, gestures, emotions, and performance.

Since this is a junior-level job, you will work closely with your colleagues, clients, and team members. You must take direction and criticism to create your animation character’s behaviours depending on the story and the director’s objectives.

You’ll learn how to interpret a storyboard and any character layout/scene planning that has been done ahead of time to help with this. In addition, the animated story will teach you about time and space and develop your drawing skills.

You’ll be able to view the character/object/creature in various positions and efficiently arrange them according to the scenario design, utilising model sheets and any supplied reference material.

You’ll learn about character development and your role in it, anatomical principles and how they’re utilised.

What you’ll learn

On a junior animator apprenticeship course, you’ll learn to:

  • Analyse briefs, requirements, visual references, technical and production aspects to decide what is required for their position as a junior animator.
  • Read and analyse the key information sources for the production, such as the script, animatic, x-sheet or dope-sheet, character, colour, model reference, and music.
  • Adapt to and meet the project’s requirements of the selected animation style or genre.
  • As a junior animator, always be aware of your current goals, limits, and opportunities.
  • Comply with all relevant laws and organisational policies and procedures, such as Health and Safety.
  • Determine the information you need to do your work per the requirements for each animation production.
  • Work well both alone and as part of a bigger animation team.
  • Adhere to and follow agreed-upon organisational norms, standards, and processes.
  • Always be aware of the current priorities, constraints, and options in the client’s budget or production requirements.
  • Contribute ideas to the creative development of the character, shot, and overall production.
  • Create animations using particular camera angles, or modify camera animations depending on production requirements and deadlines.
  • Create materials that meet the requirements of the animation department.
  • Create storyboards or playboards to help the team or consumers understand key ideas.
  • Make storyboards or storyboards that reflect the script and plot.
  • Respond to questions with care, ensuring to provide the information the audience is searching for.
  • Create animations for the major and minor characters, objects, animals, and components.
  • Create animation in line with production specifications, and ensure that the output is appropriate for the next stage in the process.
  • Select and use the industry standard software package required for the particular animation production.
  • Adapt to the many styles, techniques, procedures, and software required for animation production.
  • Prepare and store files in line with production standards to enable a seamless transition to the next stage of animation production.
  • Determine the render settings that will give the required appearance while allowing for compositing.
  • Make use of render settings that enable you to achieve the required degree of realism.
  • Determine the render times and storage space required to meet production needs.
  • Organise the animation, and create a series of key frames appropriate for animation creation.
  • Provide the necessary frames and collaborate with the director to ensure they meet the needs of the production.
  • Examine animated sequences to verify that the effects and continuity meet the requirements.
  • Create animation in line with the project’s requirements.
  • Review the output with the appropriate individuals and provide recommendations to help others with the production.
  • Respond favourably to comments on your animations, making changes as required.
  • Adjust lighting and camera equipment as needed during the production to meet the production and aesthetic requirements of certain circumstances.
  • Create a pop-through or practise movie and agree with the director on an appropriate sequence of key frames to organise the animation.
  • Prepare and re-animate each shot in response to the director’s feedback.
  • Examine models with relevant people and provide suggestions to assist others in developing animations.
  • Examine your stop motion animation characters and sequences against the production specifications.
  • Examine animations created with the right people, giving suggestions to assist others with the production.
  • Respond favourably to comments on your stop motion animations, making changes as required.
  • Maintain constant flexibility and adaptation to changes in the creative requirements of the production.
  • Prepare and store assets and data in line with production standards to enable a seamless transition to the next production stage.
  • Create animation layers that work on existing motion capture data, then fine-tune recorded performances to meet production requirements.
  • In between the animations, create the movement and performance required by the production by altering the curves and adding extra keys as needed.
  • Animated figure script rigs created in line with production requirements
  • Ensure that proper rigging techniques and references are utilised. create convincing animation with realistic movements for the kind of object depicted and the animation style required
  • Check that the animations maintain character/performance consistency with other shots in the sequence and/or the work of other animators.
  • Create animations with particular camera angles or modify camera animations depending on production requirements and deadlines.
  • Examine animations created with the right people, giving suggestions to assist others with the production.
  • Respond favourably to comments on your 3D animations, making changes as required.
  • Create animations within the confines of the chosen platform and medium.
  • Make animations that are visually attractive, easy to use, and useful.
  • Organise animations by following appropriate file and name conventions so others can locate them easily.
  • Communicate with coworkers, like designers and developers, to verify that your animations are appropriate and meet the requirements.
  • Test the animated assets you’ve created against the production specifications to ensure they’re easy to use and fit the bill.
  • Review assets generated with the relevant people and provide suggestions to assist others in development.
  • Respond positively to feedback on your products, making adjustments as needed.

Entry requirements

You’ll usually need:

  • A-levels such as art and design, graphic design or computer science, or a level 3 Diploma in games, animation and VFX skills.
  • Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this before taking the end-point assessment.

Assessment methods

The End Point Assessment consists of two distinct assessment methods: 

  • Animation project – creating and presenting an animation project
  • Professional discussion underpinned by portfolio

Duration, level, subjects and potential salary upon completion

  • Duration: 18 months
  • Level: 4 – Higher Apprenticeship
  • Relevant school subjects: Art and ICT
  • Potential salary upon completion: £22,000

Apprenticeship standard

More information about the Level 4 Junior Animator Apprenticeship standard can be found here.

Apprenticeship end point assessment

For more information about the End Point Assessment Process, please read the Institute of Apprenticeships’ information page.

Updated on January 23, 2024

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