Art & stories · Technology & numbers
What does a
animator do?
Makes drawings and 3D characters move for films, games, and ads.
A career guide for curious students · Grades 3–12
A day in the life
Plans scenes, draws or builds characters, animates movement frame by frame, and works with a team.
Skills to practise
Drawing, patience, storytelling.
How to explore this path
Animation courses and a showreel of your work.
Training, qualifications and professional rules vary by country. Check current local requirements with a teacher or careers counsellor.
School subjects & interests
Animator connects with Art, Computers. You may enjoy this work if you like creative, with computers.
TRY A LITTLE OF THIS CAREER
A hands-on activity
Draw a stick figure on the corners of a notebook and flip the pages to make it move.
Ask an adult to help. Follow the safety notes in the activity. Print this activity or save it as a PDF in your chosen language. Downloadable PDF files are in English.
For younger explorers: a simpler explanation
What do they do?
Animators make drawings and characters move in films and games.
What helps?
Drawing well and being patient.
Learning about the path
You take animation courses and practise.
Questions to explore next
- Which part of this work sounds most interesting to me?
- What did I enjoy when I tried the activity?
- What could I ask someone who works in this field?