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Senior Graphic Design Specialist

admin — Fri, 07 May 2010 07:37:11 +0000

Also called a Senior Graphic Artist, this individual creates visual solutions to communication problems. Using a knowledge of type, art, composition, illustration, photography, and all of the visual arts, Graphic Designers also use computers to put together visuals for advertising, packaging, promotions, layout of newspapers and magazines, branding, just about everything that uses graphic arts. The Senior Specialist, in a book or magazine publishing house or a design firm, would be like an advertising Creative Director. This person would oversee other graphic artists and help plan larger projects.
Average Salary:

The average salary for a graphic designer is $50,000 at a newspaper; and $75,000 at a magazine. Those working on advertising are usually freelance and can make any amount of money.
Average Hours (per week):

The average work week usually exceeds forty hours, depending on the average deadline, which almost certainly demands working late nights.
Union:

No, except possibly if working in the newspapers.
Certifications:

Even a senior artist needs to keep up a good portfolio of work.
Training Period:

Six years at least as a graphic artist is required before one may get the title Senior Graphic Artist. A Bachelor’s degree in graphic design with a broad liberal arts background, computer courses, and marketing or psychology courses form a good foundation. The senior graphic artist needs to keep up with new forms of computer graphic software, as well as new type fonts, and design trends.
Strongest Market(s):

For senior graphic design positions in magazines, the top ten most populated cities all have a good number of publications, though New York is still the center of the magazine publishing world. For graphic arts in general, the top fifty cities in population are the top-fifty strongest markets.
Entry Level Salary:

$35,000. This is the very low-end of a senior position in graphic design. Most good graphic designers should be making this much in two or three years out of college.
Top Salary:

$75,000 to $100,000. Freelance graphic designers with regular clients can make more than that.
Job Growth Forecast:
Job growth for senior graphic artists is about 10 percent over ten years, about par with the general growth of the job market.

Graphic Design Specialist

admin — Fri, 07 May 2010 07:35:40 +0000

Also known as graphic artists, graphic design specialists create visual solutions to communication problems, meaning they are particularly adept at telling stories or communicating messages using graphic elements. When words are part of the message, they use skills with type fonts to augment the power of the words.

Graphic artists have an understanding of all the visual arts and apply them as needed to advertising, newspapers and magazines, Internet pages, and virtually anything that can be a visual communication. They employ type, illustration, composition, photography and other visual arts into one graphic design. Most graphic designers work on computers, using graphic design software to help them create works faster.
Average Salary:

Advertising graphic designers (salaried) average $44,000. Those on the staffs of newspapers and magazines average $35,000. Many graphic designers are freelance, too.
Average Hours (per week):

Salaried graphic designers work a typical 40-hour week. Freelance designers often have to work after hours when they can meet the client, or otherwise be available when the client needs them.
Union:

Possibly those designers working in newspapers are required to join unions.
Certifications:

A portfolio of one’s best work is the best certification. There are technical certificates for those without a bachelor’s degree who wish to master the technical side of composing ads, or putting together the work of others under their direction.
Training Period:

A college degree in graphic design is useful, as are courses in computer design, psychology, marketing, and general liberal arts.

Strongest Market(s):

The fifty cities with the largest populations are the best bet. Graphic designers must count on a certain level of clients other than grocery stores or the average retail business or small-town newspaper.
Entry Level Salary:

$25,000 – $34,000
Top Salary:

For salaried graphic artists, before moving on to a supervisory role, the top salary is $64,000. Self-employed graphic designers in demand can make more than twice that.
Job Growth Forecast:

The ten-year job forecast is 10 percent growth, about par with the general growth of the job market.

Print Production Manager

admin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 16:11:04 +0000

The print production manager is the print equivalent of the commercial producer.

This position entails both business aspects of choosing the right vendors – printers, artists, graphic designers, photographers, and other print production people – as well as understanding the finer aspects of printing.

The print production manager (PPM) works with the art director and the creative director to understand exactly what they need in the proper completion of print ads, collateral, or anything that needs to be printed. The PPM then works with the vendors to negotiate the best price, and often to negotiate a faster schedule than the vendor would want. The PPM handles many such tasks in various stages of completion and must stay on top of them all because each stage depends on the timely completion of the previous stage.
Average Salary: $77,000
Average Hours (per week):

The average week is 40 hours, though sometimes more to meet deadlines or deal with unexpected changes. Generally, though, good PPM’s are expected to get their work done during office hours.
Union:

No.
Certifications:

Project management certification would be a good idea. PPM’s must also keep up on changes and techniques in printing.
Training Period:

Generally requires a bachelor’s degree and many years of experience in graphic arts and printing. Also requires organization; project management; and, an exceptional attention to detail, both with numbers and with printing, illustration and art.
Strongest Market(s):

Anywhere there is an ad agency, or a company that is creating much of its own printed material, there is a job for PPMs. Since print is infinitely more common than broadcast, and still quite complex in its variables, there is a need for print production managers in all but the smallest markets.
Entry Level Salary:

For managerial level, the salary is $50,000.
Top Salary:

$105,000.
Job Growth Forecast:
Job growth over the next ten years is 12percent, generally on par with growth in all areas of employment.

Production Assistant

admin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 16:03:04 +0000

If one desires to get into the film production or the commercial production business (or sometimes television production), the Production Assistant (PA) is a good entry position.

As the title implies PA’s do any and all jobs to help the production along. So, a great attitude is essential, as PA’s may often suffer the misdirected verbal abuse of directors and producers who are under a great deal of pressure. Filming is extremely expensive, so every minute is valuable. So, the PA’s must cheerfully be go-fers, chauffeurs, etc. In all those odd jobs, though, the PA’s can pick up a lot, and gather a great practical understanding of the production business.

Though PA’s work with production companies and not advertising agencies, the job is a first step into being a commercial producer for an agency. The PA’s who have a knack for numbers, organization and business will be able to help the producers with all the paperwork required. They may help work out the budgets, or tabulate receipts. This affords them the opportunity to understand the business side of production. In an advertising agency, they would be Assistant Producers, helping the Agency producers do the same “number-crunching” or budgeting. They would also help in the more creative details of production, such as supervising post-production.

Average Salary: $30,000
Average Hours (per week):

The limits of a shoot day are 12 hours… usually. Still, the PA is working before the shooting starts and long after it’s wrapped for the day. Pre-production usually consists of 12-hour days, too. Also, even though the crew gets a day off each week, the PA doesn’t.
Union:

Not for work with advertising agencies, but membership is required for most positions in the film industry.
Certifications:

Certification in project management is certain to help.
Training Period:

Though a bachelor’s degree is not required, most PA’s have some college education, with an emphasis on both the business sides as well as the communications/artistic/ technical sides, for those who would want to be advertising producers. However, the very definition of PA is on-the-job training. It may take three years to warrant responsibility as a producer, depending on a person’s organizational skills and ability to handle intense pressure.
Strongest Market(s):

Those who live in Los Angeles or New York (or Vancouver) have the advantage of being freelance PA’s and assistant producers for both agencies and film companies. In order to move up fast, one has to live where they make most of the commercials.
Entry Level Salary: $22,000. Almost all of your meals are paid for by the company.
Top Salary: $35,000
Job Growth Forecast:
Job growth of 12 percent is the general expectation for producers, writers, directors, and the production business in general.

Why You Should Attend 3D Animation Schools

admin — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:24:01 +0000

Many people are interesting in becoming 3D animators. Cartoons and animated movies and television shows have done so well that they have inspired a generation to come up with ways to enhance 3D animation and turn it into a booming industry. Movies like Alice in Wonderland, Avatar, Wall-E, and others have amazing graphics. So much so that people now go to see movies for the graphics.

In order to become an animator and work on one of these movies, you must attend 3D animation schools. Animation schools will teach you all of the tools you need to be successful in this industry.

In school, students will take art classes, which is necessary to be able to create basic cartoons and animations. There will also be graphic design classes, which are key to 3D animation, film classes, because knowing what goes into a movie is vital, editing classes, and actual animation classes themselves. A lot of work goes into becoming a 3D animator.

Most studios will not hire someone who is inexperienced or lacks education. In order to get hired, you must have a portfolio. If you do not have prior experience, and no way of getting any, the best way to get a portfolio together is through 3D animation schools. Schools will give you the experience and the technology to play with to learn how to do 3D animation. You can put together clips of what you’ve done as a portfolio.

It is also important to have connections if you want to get hired for a job with a Hollywood studio. The best place to make those connections is in school. All of your peers, everyone around you is going into the same industry. Professors and teachers are also professionals in the industry.

Most schools will also have job and internship placement programs for students, in order to get them hands on work and experience in the field. This too can be used to construct a better resume and portfolio.

Animations schools benefit students in many ways. Attending 3D animation schools will also allow you to practice your craft on the latest technology, mostly free of charge.

There are many advantages to attending an animation school over a four-year college. While many animators start out at four-year colleges, this can actually prove to hinder you. Four-year schools take up a lot of time that most individuals do not possess. They are also extremely expensive and to go to a good four-year school that has a 3D animation program can cost even more. Plus, there are all of the classes that students are forced to take that have nothing to do with their chosen field of study.

Why You Should Attend 3D Animation Schools

How to Pick a 3D Animation School

3D Animation Schools

Careers in Animation

Career in Animation

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