Animation Lighting Artist

Even a small child munching on $12 popcorn in the movie theater can quickly spot an animation error in a film. Animation Lighting Artists do their part to keep that from happening. Using sophisticated computer programs, Animation Lighting Artists keep the lighting of each and every scene smooth, realistic, and flawless so viewers will have no errors to spot.

When it’s time for the Animation Lighting Artist to work on the project, a lot has already been done. The characters may be in rough form, the film may be plotted out, the angles of the shots may be set, and the textures of the backgrounds may be in place. Before you begin, you study all of this information carefully.

Animation films are put together one painstaking scene at a time, and you might not start at the beginning. The Director gives you a scene, and you use your computer programs to light the scene, determining how the light reflects on the people and the surfaces. The light must not be so bright that it washes out colors, but it should be bright enough that items are easy to see. Each shot must blend with the one before it, so the lighting must look the same within the scene.

Even though you have a big responsibility to be accurate in your work, many other people manage everything you do. The Director, Production Supervisor, Animation Supervisor, and others all weigh in on what you must do and how you must do it.