How Many Seconds Per Week?

How many seconds?

How much animation does a studio expect an animator to deliver each week? The answer depends on the studio, and what kind of work is being expected. On a high-end feature film such as the kind made by Disney and Pixar, an animator might be expected to complete around five seconds of animation each week - and sometimes even less.

On a TV series where budgets are tight and deadlines loom, an animator might be expected to complete as much as 30 seconds of completed animation each week.

An Animator's Output

The weekly output required of an animator depends on the budget of the studio, and the balance between quality versus quantity. On a feature film where the budgets are high and audiences are very demanding, quality is the priority.  By contrast, on a TV series, the priority is different - quantity is more important, because the budget is tight and you have a lot of episodes to complete.  Working on  TV Series can be a great education for an animator, because it forces you to streamline your workflow and develop your skills so that you can be both good and fast. 

For more on the experience of studying at Bucks New University, come and visit us at one of our Open Days, take a virtual tour of one of our animation studios, check out what our students think of our course, and see why we're ranked in the top 12 creative universities in the UK.