Animator

An animator makes pictures move. On a normal day, they sit at a desk with a drawing tablet or a computer and draw a character, then draw it again a tiny bit different, over and over. When all those pictures play fast, a ball seems to bounce or a puppy seems to wag its tail. For example, an animator might spend the morning working out how a sleepy bear should walk so it looks slow and heavy. They share their work with directors, sound artists and musicians, and they fix anything that looks a little off.

Animation helps us understand things we can't easily see. A short cartoon can show how a seed grows, how to wash your hands well, or how a bridge is built. Animators also give characters faces and movements that feel friendly, so a new idea seems easier and a little more fun. When you laugh at a silly cartoon or learn something from a moving picture, an animator made those tiny drawings work together for you.