Getting a career in professional digital animation on film or television productions can be more difficult than it may immediately appear. There is a remarkable number of competition for these jobs, after all, and so the skills you know are of utmost importance, but it can also be a wonderful advantage to have connections within the film industry. Learning to become a digital animator is not something you can typically do at a film school, which more often focuses on directing, editing, and other basic attributes of filmmaking. The odds are you will learn more about the things you truly need to know as far as digital animation is concerned if you study at an art school or attenda similar program.
Essentially, it is in art schools where a lot of digital animators go to learn what they can and harness skills and abilities required to work in the film industry. There is a huge deal of competition coming from these types of schools, however, and so other types of programs can often be more attractive for potential students looking to find any advantage they can. These programs can include internships with digital animation studios, extending connections within the industry and exposure to real world work practices, or other types of educational systems besides traditional classroom learning. The mentor-apprentice method for learning is one program being offered with these alternative courses. A professional who works in the industry will function as a mentor and is partnered with a student according to this method. The mentor then shares his or her experiences and knowledge with the apprentice, who not only learns about how the industry functions, but also learns the skills he or she will need to work as a professional.
If you have got a solid artistic background together with the interest to work as an artist, it is possible that you are already interested in becoming a digital animator. While there are plenty of artistic skills and methods that can be taught to you, there are certain fundamental aspects of artistry that you need to already have. You should find a school or program that will team you up with a mentor in your town who works in the industry and can educate you what you would need to learn to turn into a professional digital animator. Working with a mentor can also help you make contacts with other people working within the industry; these contacts might be able to assist you in entering the field of digital animation by helping you find employment opportunities.