How to find the best remote animation jobs in 2021? Insights on top salaries, qualifications and skills needed!

Are you an animator? Here is a comprehensive guide to know more about how to find the best remote animation jobs. Read on!

From the days when it had to be drawn on celluloid sheets by hand to the modern way of drawing them on computers, animation has come a long way. From the games that we love to play on our smartphones or Xbox consoles to the 3d models used in medical science, the animation plays a key role in creating this content.

And for this reason, it has been in practice for a long time and is still regarded as a legit career option. In this article, you’ll learn everything about how to land the best remote animation jobs.

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Animation and its history

The process of making objects look like they are in motion is called animation. In animation, a still image or figure is shown to move using certain tools and manipulation. Any person responsible for doing this task is called an animator.

The process of animation is not something that has developed in modern times. Scientists have found proofs of early animation even in cave paintings dating back to the Paleolithic Age, where animals had been drawing in motion.

But if we come to our times, Charles-Émile Reynaud is the first person to successfully use animation in his film in the year 1892. During the 20th century, work on animation took a more serious approach when noted personalities like William McCay and Walt Disney started using animation.

In the initial days, the animator used to draw each movement of the figure on separate celluloid sheets and place them on top of each other to show motion. But as time went and technology developed, animators jobs started using computers. Nowadays, most of the animated works are done using the computer system and animation software.

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What are remote animation jobs?

Remote animation jobs are similar to regular animation jobs where the animator is responsible for creating animated works for games, websites, television shows, commercial ads, etc. The only difference between the two is that instead of doing the work in an office or studio, you do it from a remote location like your home. Thus, it is also called work from home animation jobs.

As the world is fighting the pandemic of COVID-19, the whole world is in a lockdown state. Due to this, work from home animation jobs is gaining popularity as the offices are closed for work. Anyone who is looking for animator jobs can easily opt for remote animation jobs to earn a good income.

The benefit of taking up remote animation jobs is that you get the opportunity to work from a remote location. If you live in a city or town, you can easily work from your home. You don’t need to go to the office to work. That way you don’t need to comprise with your comfort for work.

Again, if you are someone who likes traveling, you can easily do these jobs from the various places you travel to. In that way, you can visit any part of the world without having to worry about hampering your work. Because of these reasons, more and more animators are opting for remote jobs with time.

One can easily choose 2D or 3D animation works based on their skillset and preferences. But there are certain skills that one needs to have in order to do this kind of animation jobs. One needs to check the job posting and the required skills properly before accepting the work otherwise they won’t be able to reap the benefit of this job.

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The market opportunity for remote animation jobs

The market opportunities for remote animation jobs are bullish. With most of the animation, today is via software tools, working from home is no longer a problem. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for multimedia artists and animators should grow at 8% between 2016 and 2026. The Bureau reported that multimedia artists and animators work in the following industries,

1. Motion picture and video industries
2. Computer system design and related service
3. Software publishers
4. Advertising, public relations, and related service
5. Other information services

According to statistics, around 57% of animators doing animation work were self-employed. Freelance 2d animator either work from home or work in an office setting. The average annual salary of someone who has a 2d animator career is $70,530.

Experts base the projected growth on the increased demand for realistic animation and visual effects in video games, movies, television, and videos for businesses. Computer graphics on mobiles and smart devices have also fueled demand.

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Job titles and career paths under remote animation jobs

Whether animators choose to be 2D animator jobs or 3D animator jobs, they can an exciting and challenging career.

1. Art Director is the team leader in the animation team. Most of the creative staff report to the art director. To become an art director, you will need to excel in your junior roles and gradually learning about different processes.
2. Stop Motion Animator is a labor-intensive discipline. Stop motion animators use physical rigs built to specification. After filming they use specialist-software is used to bring it to life. Stop motion animators are generally self-taught and hone their skills as freelance 2d artists.
3. 3D Modeler work with various animation tools to bring rendered models and environment to life. Besides film and video games, remote 3d animation jobs are available in engineering, advertising, manufacturing, architecture, and many other fields.
4. Flash animator work primarily with the adobe suite. Flash animator combine their illustration, graphic design, and composition to create compelling 2D and 3D animation. Most flash animators work in web applications and advertising firms.
5. A compositing artist is responsible for the final appearance of the animation. A 2d animator works closely with other animators to ensure the entire project looks consistent. Composting artists work their way up from junior animators to SFX levels.
6. A storyboard artist is strictly not a part of animation jobs. But they work closely with animators to map the story from start to finish.
7. The mathematical modeler is the most specialized branch in the animation industry. They use complicated formulae to generated complex models used within the animation.
8. Forensic Animator utilizes their skills to help investigators put the crime scene together or work in the insurance claim department. They operate as freelancers or 2d animators for hire. The animation work does not require a flashy portfolio but requires attention to detail.
9. Render Wrangler helps to render the animation to make it fit for public consumption. Animation requires a lot of memory and several computers to provide the necessary RAM and storage. Render wranglers or data wrangle help to find a solution to this problem.
10. Texture artists finish the models and make them look more realistic. Texture artists are generally graphical design artists.

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Types of animation technologies used in remote animation jobs

Although there are various types of animation available in the present day, animation can be broadly classified into three types,

1. 2D animation in remote animation jobs

The 2D here refers to ‘2 Dimension’. 2D animation jobs require the animator to draw two-dimensional drawings of the subjects to show motion. Mickey mouse is one of the greatest examples of 2D animation. 2D animation jobs were done by hand in the beginning but now even software like Flash and AfterEffects is used.

2. 3D animation in remote animation jobs 

Unlike the 2D, 3D means Computer Generated Images or CGI. 3D animation jobs aren’t possible by hand and can only be done on the computer. It is because 3D animation jobs create a more accurate and detailed three-dimensional illusion. Films like Harry Potter or Toy story are great examples of 3D animation.

3. Stop motion in remote animation jobs

In Stop Motion animation, everything is shot by camera frame by frame. That means the animator will move the object, click a picture and again move it then click the second picture, and so on. Clay animations are the most popular styles of Stop Motion animation. Stop Motion was used for various parts of the original Star Wars trilogy.

There are several varieties of animations that fall under these broad classifications like sand animation, flip-book animation, typography animation, Zoetrope animation, cut-out animation, draw on film animation, erasure animation, pinscreen animation, etc.

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Qualification needed for remote animation jobs

Becoming an animator is an exciting career option to use your love of animation or art. While you do not require a college degree to pursue animation, most traditional animation jobs will require you to have a bachelor’s degree in computer animation, fine arts, or graphic designers.

In case you want to career in creating video games, a degree in Video game design or interactive media will help. A degree in animation will help you pursue a career in animation, entertainment, art and design, advertising, and other industries requiring multimedia artists. Top animation Schools for undergraduate studies are,

1. Bringham Young University
2. California Institute of the Arts
3. Carnegie Mellon University
4. DePaul University
5. Gnomon Schools of Visual Effects.

If you are interested in animation teacher jobs or certain positions in the animation industry, you need a master’s degree in animation. The top animation schools for postgraduates studies are:-

1. California Institute of the Arts
2. School of Visual Arts
3. University of Southern California
4. Pratt University
5. Savannah College of Art and Design

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What are remote animation jobs skills?

Remote animation jobs skills are not just limited to online jobs, animators doing regular animation jobs in offices or studios also need to have a similar set of skills. This makes it easier for the people who are unable to work as regular animators for companies to earn using remote animation jobs. These kinds of jobs aren’t just limited to working animators, anyone having the skills can work online and earn money. Here are the necessary skills:

1. College degrees – although it isn’t compulsory for animators to have animation degrees from colleges, companies tend to prioritize candidates having a college degree. But, there are various websites and companies that take applicants having skills even if they don’t have any college degree.

2. Drawing skills – a major part of the animation work depends on drawing, so one needs to have drawing skills to work as an animator. One can always take up drawing courses to learn or hone their drawing skills. These certificates even help them in their resumes.

3. Knowledge of animation software – Not only 3D animation but even a major part of the modern 2D animation jobs are also primarily done on computers. So, one needs to have a thorough knowledge of the animation software. There are various animation software like Flash, AfterEffects, Maya, etc for various types of animation works.

4. Creativity – One of the most important skills one needs to have, in order to be successful as an animator and earn good revenue from remote animation jobs is creativity. The more you can bring creativity to your work, the more you’ll stand out from the rest. And this, in turn, will bring more clients to you looking for animation services.

5. Time management – Animation projects are painstakingly time-taking jobs. A single project may take from a few hours to a few days. And most of the time, it becomes difficult to keep a track of the time. This may mess with the deadlines and thus you won’t be able to do more projects. Not only that, but it also affects your work ethics in front of the clients. So proper time management skills are very much necessary to crack in the remote animation jobs industry.

6. Patience – As the animation jobs have long hours, it is very easy for one to get distracted and lose concentration. This hampers both the quality of the work and the deadline. To be a good animator, one needs to learn the skill of being patient even if the hours seem to be dragging.

7. It’s all in the details – Even the minute details are important in animation. So, a person needs to pay attention to the smallest details of the project and make sure they are done in the right way. Otherwise, the whole project will look incomplete and amateur.

8. Teamwork – The animation is not a one-man job. Though you’ll be working from your home, you’ll still need to work in collaboration with various members like the scriptwriter, director, etc. So you need to know how to work in a team and coordinate amongst each other.

9. Colour theory – Colors play a key role in how the overall project will look and what mood will it portray. So a good animator needs to have a thorough knowledge of the color wheel and color theory. Otherwise, there will a miscommunication between the viewer and the animation project.

10. Graphic design skills – Drawing skills and graphic design skills are not the same even if they both seem to be similar. One cannot simply rely on his hand-drawing skills to become an animator. As most of the work is done on the computer, he needs to be able to have the necessary graphic design skills too.

11. Technical skills – An animator not only needs to draw the characters, but he is also required to add life to it using sound and other tools. So along with the drawing and graphic design skills, animators need to have an idea of audio editing and video editing. He also needs to understand how the animated character is supposed to move. Otherwise, the character won’t look real but clumsy pieces of drawing.

12. Programming and scripting skills – The area of remote animation jobs is huge. And especially in 3D animation, one needs to have at least a basic knowledge in programming and scripting.

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Certifications to get remote animation jobs

Completing certifications can improve your earning potential and offer you a more varied job profile. As new animation software becomes available you can enroll in online programs and earn certification to show your proficiency. Some of the certifications you can consider are,

1. Adobe Certified Associate certifications are industrial credentials that help to confirm your skills in Adobe digital-media software. Some courses that are offered to animators are:-

• • ACA Animate CC
  • Adobe Illustrator CC
  • Adobe Dreamweaver
  • 3ds Max certification.

2. Maya Certification is an Autodesk Certification to show your expertise and experience in using Maya. The certifications are for beginners, intermediate, and advanced users.
3. Unity certification helps to demonstrate your proficiency in core Unity skills. Unity offers four certifications with varying difficulty levels tracking range from programmer to artists. The levels offered by Unity are,

• • Certified User
  • Certified Associate
  • Certified Professional
  • Certified Expert

4. Final Cut Pro X Certification is offered by Apple Pro Application Certification.
5. Avid Certified User helps to demonstrate your skills in using Avid Technology. It is mainly used in the media industry. It is perfect if you are interested in 3d character animation jobs or character animation.

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Roles and responsibilities of remote animation jobs

If you are interested in 2d animation careers or 3d animation jobs, there are several options. As an animator, you will create animation for different media (television, movies, commercials) and video games. The roles and responsibilities profile for remote animators and digital animation jobs is similar. The 2d animator job description is as follows,

1. Read scripts and storylines to understand requirements.
2. Prepare a presentation of the raw design for the customer’s approval.
3. Create prototypes and mockups of new types of products.
4. Create models, illustrations by hand, or electronically.
5. Merge images with background graphics, and special effects.
6. Ensure synchronization of sound and frames.
7. Contribute to the editing process.
8. Collaborate with animators when required.
9. Understand and execute directions from lead animators or directors.
10. Train and assign work to animation assistants.
11. Collaborate with the production crew.
12. Brainstorm and conceptualize ideas and produce concept sketches and quick concept edits

Top 10 tools needed for remote animation jobs

Animation tools are necessary for any remote animation jobs or 2D animation hire are,

1. Animaker is an animation platform with a template and video style library.
2. Powtoon is a user-friendly and intuitive tool to make engaging videos.
3. Vyond helps animator 2d create videos with their huge library of templates.
4. Renderforest is a tool used for intros, animation, slideshows, and music visualization
5. GIF Brewery is a tool to create animated GIFs.
6. Expee in an online tool for animated whiteboard presentation.
7. Videoscribe is a user-friendly tool for creating hand-drawn videos.
8. Synfig Studio is a free open source for creating high-quality animation.
9. Sketchup is a 3D modeling tool.
10. Blender is a 3D creation suite that supports 3D pipeline, modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, etc.

Top 25 dream companies for remote animation jobs

If you are wondering where to find animation jobs here are some companies that hire remote animators. Be sure to check the career section of these companies during your animation job search,

1. Pixar is the leading animation company.
2. Vertic specialize in digital marketing and large scale websites
3. Freefolk creates stunning VFX, CGI, and other color grading.
4. Superside is a subscription design service that provides design at scales for organization and scale-ups.
5. The Meet Group owns several mobile networking services.
6. Luna Animation is a remote animation studio.
7. Remote animators are a team of animators that do their 2d animator job from remote locations.
8. Breadbox animation is a remote animation studio.
9. Mozilla corporation provides software and hardware solutions
10. GBH is a media company.
11. Trendyminds is an insurance company.
12. TLM Partners Inc is a world-class entertainment company.
13. Scientific Games is a gaming company focusing on robust iGaming and social casino solutions.
14. Method Studios produces visual effects for studios.
15. Binance is a bitcoin exchange firm.
16. Varsity Tutors offers private and group tutoring.
17. TeeTurtle is a customized apparel company.
18. Dreamview Studios make 3D CGI content for virtual scenes for retailers, 3D Modelling, and AI technology.
19. TubeScience produces huge-volume of user-centric videos
20. Group Nine Media is a family of digital media brands.
21. Blue Sky Studios has made several successful animated movies.
22. Synaptik Digital provides state-of-the-art digital medication communication.
23. Malka Media is a content studio for brands and agencies alike.
24. Discovery Channel is an info-entertainment channel.
25. Smart Course has online courses aimed at those with learning disabilities.
26. Freefolk
27. The Meet Group
28. Superside
29. Binance
30. Remote animators
31. Breadbox animation

No matter whether you want to do permanent or remote animation jobs, you can get both the options available on the net. Now that we have talked about the various aspects of it, let us know about some of the best companies for remote animation jobs. There are various such companies available, for but for this article, we have chosen these names from the long list of best companies for remote animation jobs.

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Top resume elements of remote animation jobs

You need to tailor your resume to fit the job description. Whether you are looking at freelance 2d animation jobs or 3d animation jobs, take your time while preparing for your resume. If you are a freelancer you can mention 2d animators for hire on your resume uploaded on LinkedIn. It is important to mention your 2d animation internships on your resume.

Top technical skills for animation resumes,

1. Strong understanding of animation principles
2. Drawing/sketching/storyboard
3. Animation software 3D (Maya, 3dMax, Blender)
4. Animation software 2D (Afternoons, toon Boom, etc)
5. Rigging (recommended in character animation)
6. Scripting in python (gaming industry)
7. Game engines working knowledge
8. Motion Graphics
9. FX (particle effect animation)

Soft Skills for animation resumes,

1. Problem Solving
2. Communication
3. Attention to detail
4. Time-management
5. Presentation skills
6. Teamwork
7. Analytical skill
8. Ability to work under pressure

Remote animation jobs – freelance or not?

As an animator, you can either get hired by a company on a permanent basis or you can provide freelance animation jobs to several companies based on projects.  Both permanent and freelance animation jobs have a set of pros and cons. Here are some of them:

1. As a freelancer, you’ll have more time to do personal creative projects. On the other hand, if you work on a permanent basis, you might not have that much time and energy.
2. Being a permanent employee, you will have an assured income whereas, in freelancing, it will depend on how much work you can do. Yes, there’s always a chance to earn more in freelancing as you’ll be working for various clients instead of one. But you need to sell your service in a proper way to get such a high amount of work.
3. It is more difficult to get promotions as a freelancer than on permanent employment. This is because the freelancers can only increase their daily rates with time but in the majority of the time, they will be hired for a certain kind of work. Whereas, the permanent employees have the chance of getting promoted to higher levels with time.
4. If you are not someone who isn’t doing remote animation jobs for a primary source of income, you can easily go for freelancing. Students who have just completed their degrees or people who like to do animation for a hobby can go for it. On the other hand, if you are someone who wants to earn a certain amount of income in a particular period of time and want a stable income, you can opt for permanent jobs.
5. Working as a freelancer means you are your own boss. You can work as you like. If you don’t feel like working, you can simply stop taking projects for a while. On the other hand, as a permanent employee, you won’t have the liberty to say no to work.  Even if you want to take a break, you’ll have to ask the authorities for a leave. The good thing is that, unlike the freelancer, you’ll be paid even for the leaves.

Although, both permanent and freelance remote animation jobs are good options to take up as a career. It boils down to your preferences and what you want from the job. You can easily earn a good income from both the options as long as you work hard.

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What do you need to do remote animation jobs?

The best thing about remote animation jobs is that space doesn’t matter. You can work one day from your home and the next day sitting in a café with some warm coffee. But there are certain tools you need for the job. Here are the things you need:

1. A computer system – As the majority of the animation works are done digitally nowadays, you’ll need a computer to complete the jobs. Laptops would work too, they are even much more convenient if you travel from one place to another.

2. Internet connection – As you’ll need to receive and send the work to your client, you’ll need to have a good internet connection.

3. Animation software – You’ll need to have the animation software on your system to do the animation. Although the majority of them are paid, there are few free alternatives too in the market.

4. Pen tablet – Yes, you can work with the mouse too but having a pen tablet increases the control while drawing especially on the tiny details. Also, as it resembles a pen, you’ll have the feel of drawing with hand and so you’ll have more comfort.

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Remote animation jobs pay structures

Remote animation jobs pay quite well. The average salary for most 2d animator jobs & 3d animator jobs is $69,168. The salary for entry-level animations jobs is $46,000/- while experienced animators earn $101,000. Your salary can differ as per the geographical location. Some average salaries for animating jobs are,

1. Animation jobs Austin : $ 58,000/year
2. Animation jobs Boston : $58,300/year
3. Animation jobs LA: $80,816/year
4. Animation jobs in Europe: € 3,131 per month

Entry level remote animation jobs

There are many career options for an entry-level remote animator. You can pursue remote 3D animation jobs, illustration animation jobs, character animation jobs, animation illustration jobs, or cartoon jobs online.

To pursue your career in animation it is important to build a portfolio of your work. A 2d animation internship is a great way to build your portfolio. You can look for some animation gigs in local listings or using animation jobs near me in search engines or you can search for 2D animation needed near me.

It is important to customize your resume carefully and portfolio before applying. Besides looking for an animation job listing on different job board websites, you can view career opportunities in Animation magazine. Check out the animation job listings in the magazines.

Networking and referrals are extremely important. Animation conferences provide a great networking opportunity that can lead to 2d animator jobs.

Can you work from home as an animator?

Yes, you can work from home as an animator. You can work as a freelancer or as an independent agency or Youtube animators for hire. Freelance animation jobs are usually assignment based jobs.

Is there a high demand for animators?

Yes, there is a high demand for an animator, animation is a lucrative career option. The animation industry requires candidates for 2d animation jobs and 3d animation jobs.

Who is the highest-paid animator?

Whether you call them cartoonists or animators some of the highest-paid animators have bought some beautiful stories to life. Advertising and retailing revenue coupled with royalties have generated massive income. Walt Disney is considered to be one of the highest-paid animators of all time.

What are the career opportunities in animation?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistic, 2d animators are needed for the following industries. Here are some possibilities in 2d animation careers:-

1. Motion Picture and Video Industries
2. Computer Systems Design and Related Services
3. Software Publishers
4. Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services
5. Other Information Services

Is it hard to find a job in animation?

Getting your first job may be difficult. Animation jobs are based on referrals from other animators. After your first job, it becomes easier to progress.

Which country is best for animation jobs?

Spain is considered to be the best country for animation jobs. This was followed by Japan, France, and South Korea.