Special effects artists and animators

Write custom computer code or use specialized animation software

AI code generation (GitHub Copilot, GPT-4) excels at writing animation scripts, shaders, and tool plugins for Maya, Blender, Houdini. Most custom animation code follows patterns AI has extensively trained on. Specialized animation software tasks are increasingly automated through AI-assisted workflows.

BLS evidence: Some special effects artists and animators create their work primarily by using computer software or by writing their own computer code. Many animation companies have their own computer animation software that artists must learn to use.

Research upcoming projects to create realistic designs or animation

AI can rapidly research visual references, historical accuracy, technical specifications, and compile mood boards from vast datasets. LLMs can summarize research and generate design briefs. The research-to-design pipeline is highly automatable, with humans mainly validating relevance and making final creative choices.

BLS evidence: Research upcoming projects to help create realistic designs or animation.

Create two- and three-dimensional models and animated images using computer programs

AI image generation (DALL-E 3, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion) and 3D tools (Point-E, Shap-E) can create models and animations from text prompts with increasing quality. Human artists still needed for refinement, style consistency, and complex rigging, but AI handles substantial portions of asset creation autonomously.

BLS evidence: Special effects artists and animators create two- and three-dimensional models, images that appear to move, and visual effects for television, movies, video games, and other forms of media.

Create storyboards or animatics to visualize the final product

AI can generate storyboard frames from scripts, create animatics with timing and camera moves, and produce visualization sequences. Tools like Runway and specialized storyboard AI can automate much of the visualization process, though human artists refine pacing and ensure narrative clarity.

BLS evidence: Some special effects artists use storyboards or 'animatics,' which look like a comic strip, to help visualize the final product during the design process.

Develop characters, scenery, or background designs for animated content

Generative AI excels at creating character concepts, environment designs, and background art from descriptions. Tools like Midjourney and specialized fine-tuned models can produce production-ready concept art. Human oversight needed for narrative consistency and art direction, but AI does most initial design work.

BLS evidence: Within animated movies and video games, artists often specialize in characters or in scenery and background design. Other animators design scenery or backgrounds for locations.

Edit animation and effects based on feedback from directors and clients

AI tools can parse feedback, suggest edits, and automatically apply common corrections (color adjustments, timing changes, object removal). However, interpreting nuanced creative feedback and making judgment calls about artistic intent still requires human understanding, though AI accelerates execution significantly.

BLS evidence: Edit animation and effects on the basis of feedback from directors, other animators, game designers, or clients.

Design visual effects for movies and television shows

AI can generate visual effects elements and compositing suggestions, but VFX design requires deep understanding of physics, directorial intent, and integration with live footage. AI assists significantly with rotoscoping, cleanup, and element generation, but humans drive creative decisions and technical problem-solving for complex shots.

BLS evidence: Others create visual effects for movies and television shows. Creating computer-generated images (known as CGI) may include taking images of an actor's movements and then animating them into three-dimensional characters.

Meet with clients and staff to review deadlines and development timelines

Client meetings require reading social cues, managing expectations, negotiating scope changes, and building relationships. AI can prepare materials, take notes, and suggest schedules, but the interpersonal and strategic aspects of client management remain fundamentally human activities.

BLS evidence: Meet with clients, other animators, games designers, directors, and other staff (which may include actors) to review deadlines and development timelines.

Collaborate with teams of animators and artists to produce cohesive projects

Collaboration requires real-time creative negotiation, interpersonal dynamics, reading room energy, and building consensus across artistic visions. AI can facilitate with scheduling and documentation but cannot replace the human judgment, compromise, and creative synthesis that happens in collaborative environments.

BLS evidence: Animators work in teams to develop a movie, a visual effect, or an electronic game. Each animator works on a portion of the project, and then the pieces are put together to create one cohesive animation.