<font size="+1"><b>A Fascinating Career</b></font>

You are sitting in front of the television. Maybe you are watching The Lord of the Rings or playing War Craft. The characters look so real. They move like real people but they aren’t real. You wonder... how does it happen?

In the past, most special effects were very difficult to do. Artists and filmmakers spent weeks designing and creating puppets and models to simulate animals and scenes. For cartoons, they drew thousands and thousands of pictures that were made into films. Nowadays, most special effects are done using computers. Computer animation is used in films ranging from The Avengers to Iron Man. Who makes it all happen? Computer animators, of course! A computer animator is a person who makes these pictures move.

Computer animation is a changing field. In the beginning, computer animators usually worked on films, but now they also work on games, websites, and advertisements. In fact, the largest growing industry for computer animators is now video games. Computer games are getting more and more sophisticated, and they need better animation. There are many types of training courses for video game design.

If you are interested in computer animation as a career, there are several things you must do. First, most computer animators should have a bachelors degree. You could major in art or media. Next, you may want to go to an animation school for a training program. Then, decide on your specialty. You could specialize in web animation, video game animation, advertising, or animation for films. While you work on your bachelors degree or training program, you should start to create a portfolio. A portfolio is a collection or all your best work. When you are ready to begin your career in computer animation, you will want to show your portfolio to your future employers.

Computer animation requires artistic skills such as creativity, in addition to technical skill. Computer animators also have to spend a lot of time thinking about small details. They may also have to work with tight deadlines which means they have to work quickly. However, there is a lot of competition for jobs because many people want to become computer animators. It is a challenging career, but it is never boring!

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In boxes 1-10 below, answer the following questions using <b>NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER</b> in your answers.

<b>1</b>What do the characters in animated films move like?

<b>2</b> Filmmakers often spent weeks designing and creating what?

<b>3</b> What do puppets mimic?

<b>4</b> When it comes to character animation, who might the responsible parties be?

<b>5</b> What phrase refers to the mutable nature of computer animation?

<b>6</b> For computer animators, what do video games represent?

<b>7</b> What is one necessity for becoming a computer animator?

<b>8</b> What key decision do you have to make?

<b>9</b> Prior to applying for a job, what do you need to assemble?

<b>10</b> Why do computer animators have to work quickly?