Multimedia Artists and Animators

With the growing prominence of CGI in movies, cartoons, commercials and other media, an new kind of artist is being created. These new artists are Multimedia artists and animators.

They are credited under a smorgasbord of different titles like illustrator, digital artist, 3D animator, and graphic artist. “Multimedia Artists and Animators” serves as a catch-all term for all of these professionals that use creativity and extensive technical skill to create images and special effects for commercials, films, and video games.

Although a BA or BFA degree in graphic design or computer animation is not required, it will give those who hold it an advantage. The most important part in finding employment in the field is your talent, and computer skills. Make sure that you have a well put together and impressive portfolio to bring to interviews. It’s essential that you master the current software programs used in the industry, and list them on your resume.

Most multimedia artists and animators are employed in the motion picture, television, video game advertising, and information services industries. Under their employment you will be working with a team of programmers and other animators on projects, so team communication skills are important.

Some Multimedia artists and animators are self employed as freelancers. Those who freelance have the freedoms to work alone, at home, and choose their projects, but they also don’t receive a regular salary, and employment may be fickle. As freelancers, they must also know how to market themselves and network.

Regardless of working under a boss or being your own boss, you will often face strict deadlines for the projects that you are assigned. This requires patience, focus, and most importantly; the ability to sit in a front of screen for many long, uninterrupted hours. Creating your art requires long, tedious computer sessions that will often end with strained eyes and a sore back.

All of that work will go to creating amazing, computer generated characters and worlds. There are many different tasks that multimedia artist or animator takes on, from developing  two and three dimensional images and worlds, and making characters with lifelike movement. There are different areas of specialization as well. In the video game industry, three common specializations are background artists, character artists, and texture artists. Background artist create the three dimension space of the game, character artists create the characters and their motion, and the texture artist develops the surface details of all objects in the game.

You will certainly be rewarded for all of the nights spent straining your eyes at a computer screen to make a deadline; the average salary for multimedia artists and animators in 2008 was $62,380. Jobs  for multimedia artists and animators are expected to grow at a rate of 26% through 2016. Some of the reasons for the rapid expansion of the job include video games attracting bigger teams and budgets, Hollywood relying more on CGI and special effects, and CGI replacing traditional animation. Competition for these jobs, even with its high rate of growth, will be very stiff.

If you are the kind of person who can patiently sit trough marathon sessions on a computer screen and  come out with worlds and characters of your own creation, it’s a great time for you. The industry is growing fast, and pay is excellent.. So keep honing your digital deity powers, you may find yourself greatly rewarded

Links:

College board profile:

http://bit.ly/cmwiQF

Mywebume.com, a great way to get noticed in such a competitive industry:

http://mywebume.com/

Graphic Designer

A career as an artist always carries with it romantic notions; romantic in its appeal, and as a sort of lost cause. Trying to make a living as a fine artist is often a struggle. However, graphic design is a career that allows the artist to create for clients, while earning an income.

Graphic designers are those who work with type and images to arrange the look of books, magazines, advertisements, logos, catalogs, websites, and other services. To be a graphic designer, you will need to be creative, organized, and be able to cooperate with coworkers and clients.

Post secondary education is almost always required for graphic designers. Often a bachelor’s degree in graphic design from a college, or an associate’s degree from a trade school. You will need to build a strong portfolio to compete for an entry level job. Graphic design jobs are available all across the country, but are most concentrated and best compensated in New York and Los Angeles.

Most graphic designers will be employed at the offices of a publication, publisher, or and advertising or design agency. In an advertising agency, you will often find yourself working together on an ad with a copywriter, under the supervision of an art director. In these workplace environments, it’s crucial not only that u can create images, but also communicate the concept of and present these images to your coworkers and clients.  If a client insists on a part of the graphic that is at odds with your better artistic judgement, you may find yourself swallowing your pride to please a client.

25% of graphic designers are self employed. While they enjoy the freedom to choose their work, they must also have more business skills and will carry more responsibilities than graphic designers employed by publications and agencies. They must be able to market themselves and their work.

To put it in the most minimal terms, you will succeed at your task as a graphic artist if you can present information that is both memorable and accessible. While the images should be original and striking enough to catch the eye, they must also be clear enough that their message can be identified. To achieve this, be sure that you think of the target audience you are designing for. You may love a certain design, but will the people that are intended to see it?

Technology is an essential part of the job. You must be fluent in programs used to make designs, like Adobe creative suite. As the technology changes, be sure that you keep up with the latest software.

Graphic design jobs are expected to grow at a rate of 13%, which is the national average. Most of the growth will come from the internet, with increasing demands in web design, user interface design, and online advertising. Competition for graphic design is tough, and those with web skills will have an advantage.

The average salary of a graphic designer in 2008 was $46,750, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor. However, it varies between industries. Here is a breakdown:

Specialized design services: $50,190

Newspaper, book and periodical publishing: $40,680

Advertising and Public Relations: $48,140

Printing and related support activities: $38,910

Links:

Collegeboard Profile:

http://bit.ly/dj1Y3F

MyWebume.com, a great place to start the career search:

http://mywebume.com/

U.S. Bureau of Labor Profile:

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos090.htm

Photographer

Photography is a hobby among millions of Americans, ever increasing with the rise of digital photographer. What if you feel that you want photography to be more than just a hobby; what if you want to make it your career?

Although many schools offer majors and minors if photography, a degree is not required to be a sucessful photographer. Classes will help you, but holding a degree will mean nothing if you don’t have photographic talent, and regularly practice that talent. Clients don’t look at your wall for a framed degree, they look for a great framed picture.

Naturally, must people think that a photographer’s main job is to make pictures. This is not true; snapping pictures is just the most visible, easiest, and simplest part of the job. After a picture is taken,cthe photographer will spend hours archiving and retouching their pictures, and even more time trying to market and sell them. This is how you will try to land a photo in a magazine or other publication. Your chances of shooting a cover page will rely on more than talent; it often happens through “who you know.” It is valuable to develop relationships and network with editors and staff members at magazines and publications in order to get your work in. If you develop relationships where editors will ask you for photographs, make sure that you are readily available, and open to work irregular hours or travel on short notice.

Another way to freelance is by operating a local photography studio, one that specializes in weddings, family portraits, and other services for people rather than publications. As with all freelancing photography, shooting pictures will be the simplest part. Be ready to put your administrative skills and business acumen to work as you do your own marketing, advertising, networking, budgeting, and client meetings. The most talented photogapher in the world won’t be able to make a career out of his passion unless he can make himself into his business.

While shouldering all of these responsibilities can be daunting and exhausting, being your own business comes with perks. You are able to be your own boss, set your own schedule, and you won’t have to take on assignments and work that you aren’t interested in. However, unless you’re shooting the cover of Vogue or running a firmly established studio, it isn’t wise to be choosy about assignments. As a free lance photographer, you most likely won’t have an established salary, but a salary that is determined by what work that you find. There can be a lot of work at one time, and a dry spell at another.

If you are interested in the career, make sure that you absolutely want to be a photographer. If you perceive your entire world through a camera lens, the joy of working behind the camera will eclipse the responsibilities and burdens of being a professional photographer.

The U.S. bureau of Labor expects photography jobs to grow at the average national rate through 2018. Like everything else I’ve profiled, it is a career that attracts considerable competition.

An annual salary for a photographer is very hard to determine. Not only will it vary between experience levels and location, but always between different types of photographers like staff photographers and free lance photographers. The U.S. Bureau of Labor estimates the number to be $35,640.

Links:

Great interview with a professional photograher from artofmanliness.com:

http://bit.ly/diS6BW

College board profile:

http://bit.ly/bWxiQP

List of the top 100 photography blogs, and other great online rescoures:

http://bit.ly/cipZSh

MyWebume.com, a great way to start marketing yourself:

http://bit.ly/9rJiSt

Creative Director

Heavy drinking and smoking is now frowned upon is most work places

With the long awaited return of Mad Men last week, it had me and millions of other American men remembering how much we all secretly want to have Don Draper’s hair, wardrobe, charimsa – and job.

That would be the position of creative director in advertising. A creative director, like the previously discussed art director job, is a creative that rose up the ranks to manage their department. The creative director, must manage the entire creative department of his agency, and be responsible for handling the image of the client’s brand or product. Few people can simultaneously be creative and manage creative, with creative vision and presenting skills to boot, making the position of creative director a very lucrative one.

There are no programs or degrees that can be taken to make you a creative director. You won’t become a creative director after graduation day. You arrive at this much sought after position after years working as a creative in an agency; often as a graphic designer, copywriter, or art director. The experience which you learn here will be invaluable, and the basis for your performance as a creative director. You’ll learn what works and what doesn’t from the viewpoint of a creative.

A Creative director’s responsibilities are many. With clients and accounts,  creative directors must oversee a brand’s image and make sure that the advertising fits with the image of that client wants. They must be able to see not only if an ad will be effective, but if it will fit with the existing brand image. They interpret a client’s communication strategy, and make sure that all advertisements, communications and creative endeavors are in harmony with this strategy. In addition, the creative director will be representing their department to client’s and be confident, effective presenters.

Polaroid recently made Lady Gaga its creative director

Creative directors must not only manage the expectations and demands of the client, but manage the entire creative department of their agency. As former creatives themselves, most creative directors lack formal management training. Creatives are known to be difficult to manage, and it is through their experiences as “in the trench” creatives that creative directors are valued as managers.

These management responsibilities are many. Creative directors must manage projects, provide constructive criticism, make executive decisions, and give recognition when it is due. Managing can be a very difficult task and there pitfalls that must be avoided. These include being too soft and friendly with your department, micromanaging, over burdening yourself with responsibilities, and not creating. For all of the work that a creative must do between working with clients and managing, they can’t lose sight that they are still creatives. While creative directors are expected to do the do the latter two things three quarters of the time, the one quarter they spend creating is very important.

Fortunately, creative directors are well compensated for the amount of responsibilities that they carry. The average salary is $95,613 annually.  Larger firms often pay their creative directors in the hundreds of thousands. The career was also named on of the best 50 jobs in America by CNN.

Links:

Great blogpost on creative directors: http://bit.ly/cu7B3T

Advice from various creative directors: http://bit.ly/cgCevE

A great way to begin the road to making creative manager, mywebume.com:

http://bit.ly/9rJiSt

Ghostwriter

“Ghostwriting” is a term that is often considered a negative thing by the public, and writers. The public feels duped that the celebrity “autobiography” they had just finished wasn’t written by that person, and many writers are reluctant to see their work in print – without their name.

However, when one investigates the career, ghostwriting is revealed to be a lucrative and growing career that allows writers to enjoy the independent lifestyle of a freelance writer, but actually have a steady income.

Ghostwriting can most easily be defined as writing blog posts, articles, press releases, books and other texts for a client who attaches their name to the final work, in exchange for a fee.  Although it is not a necessity, having a degree in english, journalism, or creative writing will help your credentials. What you will need to work on will be your networking skills: many ghostwriting jobs are found through the referrals of satisfied clients. A beginning ghostwriter should also look at websites like craigslist and simplyhired.com to find ghostwriting jobs posted by potential clients.

80% of Americans say that they want to write a book, but less than 1% of us ever will. What does this exactly mean? That ghostwriting is a booming market. The internet has added to this boom, allowing ghostwrites to market themselves through websites, and created the market for ghostwriting blogs. The clients that you will work for will be celebrities, business leaders, and other professionals that wish to write a book, but either lack the time or talent to do so. Beyond books, these individuals will also hire ghost writers to write press releases, articles, blog posts, and even tweets. Your involvement in writing will vary; some clients will give you a carefully researched outline, while others will just send you an idea in an email.

Besides having the writing talent these people lack, ghostwriters will need to employ skills unique to writing for other people. They will need to master the voice of the client, make sure that they identify the key message, and that the writing is suited for the target audience. After the article or book chapter is finished, it is sent to the client for review. For that part of the process you will need to know how to deal with clients, particularly difficult ones who want you to make a change that goes against your writerly instincts.

Horror writer H.P. Lovecraft ghostwrote stories about ghosts for Harry Houdini in the 1920's.

The fee a client gives the ghostwriter varies greatly. For articles, press releases, and other small assignments, a flat fee is usually given, the amount of which will depend on the status of the client and the writer. For a long term project, like a book, a ghostwriter will either take a flat fee, a share of the royalties, or a share of the royalties. Most books don’t make much money from royalties, unless it is a big name celebrity whose book is guaranteed to become a bestseller. A flat fee is often the best option.

True to the name, ghostwriters will not be publicly acknowledged for their work. Sometimes they will be credited in the book in an indirect way: look for “co-authored by”, “with”, or “as told to.” While that is a downside, the career carries plenty of perks. You are fully independent, able to make your own schedule, work from home, enjoy solitude, and choose what projects you want to work on. In short, it carried the same lifestyle perks of the free lance writer, except you will be able to make a steady, satisfying salary. In addition, you do not have to be responsible for the marketing and publicity of the book, or dealing with publishers or agents. It is a “just add words” environment. It’s also great for those who love to learn; as you will find yourself researching topics and subjects that you may of never looked into otherwise.

If you want to be writer, the first thing that you should be sure of is that you enjoy your craft. Ghostwriting allows you to enjoy that craft and support yourself financially.

The median salary of a ghostwriter is $56,900. More experienced Ghost writers can earn up to $100,00 dollars or more. Ghostwriting is in increasing demand.

Some links:

Great interview with a ghostwriter, from art of Manliness:

http://bit.ly/9bwBzj

U.S. News profile on ghostwriting, with links to some great interviews

http://bit.ly/dbbF7w

An example of ghostwriter job listings:

http://bit.ly/9iK289

a great way to start any career:

http://mywebume.com/

The Independent Association of Professional Ghost Writers

http://bit.ly/d3Qxib

Video Resumes

“Video resumes” are a new tool in the job seeking field, emerging online. They allow you to literally put a face on your resume, and are a great way to stand out from the crowd. Well done video resumes will add a whole other level of professionalism to you.
Here is a link to MyWebume’s youtube channel, which includes four examples.

http://bit.ly/aQFoM5

You can upload your own onto their website

http://bit.ly/daw3do

Art Director

Sal Romano, art director at Sterling Cooper, and all around snappy dresser

This week, I’ll be dipping into my Mad Men obsession, which currently has no outlet until the 21st, to profile the career path of an art director in advertising or publication. Art director is a job that combines  every aspect of the creative side of business with the administrative side, and demands a lot skills – but is quite rewarding, both to your creative side and wallet.

In terms of education, at least a four year degree is almost always required. Often, the degree will be a Bachelor’s degree in advertising or communications, or a Bachelor of Fine Arts in design, photography, or fine arts. Art director is a job that draws heavily on experience in the industry, so it’s unlikely that you’ll fill an art director spot just after college. Rather, look for an opening in the art department at a publication or ad agency, and work hard for the promotion.

Art directors usually work at an ad agency or a publication, like a newspaper or magazine. They head the development of the visual concepts for billboards, print ads, TV commercials, websites, packaging, and more. However, their responsibilities and requirements far exceed the other members of the art team. In addition to being a creative, they must also be the management and administrative part of the department.

After the visual concept of the project is developed, the art director must coordinate with the copywriters to create the textual part of the ad or publication. After that, they must present it to the client, manage the budget and deadline of the project, coordinate the effort with other departments, oversee and approve the finished work, which is presented to the client and employer. And if client has problems or concerns over the project, it’s up to the art director to straighten them out.

As you can see, the art director’s work demands a dizzying number of talents, skills, and knowledge. They must have the talent and training of an artist, and also be an efficient manager and administrator, two sides of the business that are often at odds with each other. As the bridge between his department and the rest of the world, he must also have people skills, and be an effective communicator and presenter. It’s a job that’s not fulfilled by the stereotypical image of the bohemian, artistic introvert.

Before you write off art directors as being corporate sell outs, take note that the U.S. Bureau of Labor calculates the median income of an art director to be $88,510. That’s just the middle; art directors at  big name publications and agencies take in triple digit salaries. Surely, a better way to be an artist than working a day job and waiting to be a discovered.

The Bureau of Labor expects art director jobs to grow at the same rate as the national career average through 2012. As such a desirable job fought for among very experienced people, it is a very competitive job.

Collegeboard profile:

http://bit.ly/cJxNIQ

The Art Director’s Club. A New York based non profit member orginazation that promotes and supports the career and recognized it with annual awards. Great resource to look into for employment and inside information:

http://www.adcglobal.org/

WordPress blog about becoming an art director:

http://careerwatch.wordpress.com/2010/04/15/how-to-become-an-art-director/

Great online resource for finding jobs. Free registration, and they also offer video resumes.

http://www.mywebume.com/job-seekers