Visual effects is a growing industry, especially for young, computer-savvy artists and film enthusiasts. Technology is constantly developing, and with it being used a lot in popular media, a lot of people are being exposed to its possibilities and getting interested in it as a hobby and even a career.
When one considers pursuing something as a career, you are surely compelled to ask: how much am I going to earn from it? Annual rates for visual effects artists usually begin at around $35,000 and go up depending on your level of experience and the difficulty of the project. Rates could also differ on who is hiring you–more established tech or animation companies usually pay higher.
Read on and I am going to tell you about how much visual effects artists earn on average in the United States, depending on what you do in the visual effects production pipeline, as well as some tips on how to get more jobs and build your career.
Visual Effects Artists And Their Salaries
Just like any other job, the rates for visual effects artists depend on different factors, such as seniority in the company, the level of experience, the type or difficulty of the project, or how big/established a certain company or project is.
The rates mentioned below are the industry average, taken from publicly published rates across different companies in the United States.
Concept Artists
Concept artists work in the earliest stages of visual effects production. They create the bases for the project–how the characters, environments, and backgrounds should look. Their work would serve as the reference for any of the visual effects steps that would follow.
Hourly, concept artists could earn from $25 to $46 per hour, and they could earn from $38,000 upwards every year. The average annual income for concept artists is around $60,000+.
In other regions, their average annual income is: CA$60,000 in Canada, A$47,000 in Australia, and £25,000 in the United Kingdom.
Matchmovers
For matchmovers or matchmove artists, their job is to create 3D environments using software that draws from the 2D footage captured by the camera. This 3D environment will need to be precise and exact, since this will be the site in which the different visual effects elements are placed and matched onto the existing footage.
This job is not as popular as other disciplines, so the data gathered was rather limited, but on average, a matchmover could earn from $38 to $41 per hour, and could earn an average of $41,000 a year.
In other regions, their average annual income is: CA$55,000 in Canada, A$100,000 in Australia, and £22,000 in the United Kingdom.
Modelers
Modelers use 3D software in order to create 3D elements that would be used in the visual effects process. They can create models of characters, animals, vehicles, props, environmental elements, etc.
Their hourly rate could range from $16 to $33, and they could earn from $41,000 upwards every year. The average annual income is $55,000.
In other regions, their average annual income is: CA$56,000 in Canada, A$60,000 in Australia, and £23,000 in the United Kingdom.
Riggers
Riggers are the visual effects artists that build the “skeleton” of each 3D model. They then code this “skeleton” in order to make a 3D rig which will enable the model to be moved into different positions necessary in the animation stage.
Their average hourly rate goes at around $12, earning at least $25,000 every year. The average annual income for riggers is around $46,000 a year, with higher rates in major animation studios.
Recently however, skilled riggers have been quite sought after and i expect salary averages to rise in the next few years.
In Canada, their current average annual income is CA$54,000.
Animators
Animators are the visual effects artists that make the 3D models and elements “act” in accordance to the script, and use what the modelers and riggers have done before them. This is where the computer generated elements start coming to life.
Animators could make from $16 to $37 per hour of work, with an annual pay of $46,000 upwards, reaching an annual average of $65,000.
This is the sector i’m most familiar with.
I started out with a salary of around CA$40,000 and now charge between NZ$70.00 an 75.00 if i work freelance jobs.
My current pay at studios like Weta i can’t disclose however.
In other regions, their average annual income is: CA$55,000 in Canada, A$69,000 in Australia, and £27,000 in the United Kingdom.
FX Artists
Effects (FX) artists are the ones who create what we usually know and recognize as visual effects, such as explosions, fires, rainstorms, smoke, etc.
They could earn from $21 to $27 an hour, amounting to annual earnings of $43,000 upwards. On average, an FX artist could earn $55,000 a year.
In other regions, their average annual income is: CA$56,000 in Canada, $92,000 in Australia, and £40,000 in the United Kingdom.
Rotoscopers
In visual effects, rotoscopers or rotoscope artists create mattes of different elements in the footage by tracing over them. These mattes will enable easier manipulation and compositing of elements for realistic and seamless visual effects.
Rotoscopers earn an average of $21 per hour, amounting to an average annual income of $41,000.
Compositors
Compositors are the visual effects artists who take all of the necessary 2D footage and computer generated 3D elements and put them together in order to form the final shot that will be used in the film or project.
Their hourly rate starts at $20, and their annual income could start from $37,000. The average annual income of a compositor in the United States is $69,000.
In other regions, their average annual income is: CA$60,000 in Canada, A$70,000 in Australia, and £32,000 in the United Kingdom.
All-Around Visual Effects Artists
In many cases, visual effects artists can do multiple of the aforementioned skills, and would be assigned to work in multiple steps in the visual effects production pipeline.
These artists could earn at least $20 per hour of work, with an annual income ranging from $46,000 up to over $100,000. Their average annual income is $73,500.
In other regions, their average annual income is: CA$65,000 in Canada, A$83,000 in Australia, and £31,000 in the United Kingdom.
Remember that a lot of these numbers are entry to mid level numbers as higher level salaries are rarely disclosed and can vary much more.
I once was offered CA$160,000 for a job as an Animation Supervisor at a Visual Effects studio ( i didn’t take the job as i didn’t want to move back to Canada) and i heard rumors that in their heyday, certain studios in California used to pay US$200,000.
So, as with everything, if you’re good, you can make a whole lot more than the average artist.
Tips On Getting Visual Effects Jobs And Gigs
If you are just starting out in the industry, here are a few tips to help you land more jobs and gigs.
Create A Compelling Resume And Portfolio
These things are what you are going to show any of your potential employers, so it only makes sense for you to prioritize perfecting them. For your resume, put only what is relevant to the position you are applying for.
For your portfolio, it is good to have one ready at all times. One of the best options is creating a website to showcase your work. If you are just starting out and don’t have a lot of disposable income, you can choose some free website hosting platforms like Wix and WordPress. However, as your body of work grows and as you become more established, it is also good to invest in your own website with your own domain. Having your own domain makes you look a bit more professional.
Portfolios may look different from one visual effects artist to another, but whenever you can, only choose your best works. Keeping demo reels short and sweet would make you memorable and ensure that whoever is watching is interested through and through. An experienced artist can tell if its worth to continue watching your reel after 10-15 seconds, so put your best work first. Choosing your best paintings and artworks will surely maintain a look of having a consistently good quality of work that would appeal to clients.
Maintain A Strong Social Media Presence
Having a strong social media presence is extremely important, especially for people in creative fields, and most especially in today’s landscape with people usually working remotely due to the pandemic.
Potential clients and employers are usually on social media, and having your posts and your work reach and engage with a lot of people could give you some advantages in attracting the attention of clients.
Your social media presence on sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter could serve as an addition to your portfolio, where you could put behind the scenes footage, the projects you have worked on, the people you know, and what you have done in your career so far.
LinkedIn and Vimeo are probably where you most want to be as a VFX artist. LinkedIn allows you to find and connect with recruiters for jobs you may want, and Vimeo allows you to upload high-quality demo reels and other video content that you can password protect for security purposes.
These platforms, although a bit more informal than your actual resume and portfolio, could help in establishing your presence and making yourself known as a professional visual effects artist.
Build Your Professional Network
This is one reality of being in any creative industry. The people you know and your social network can and will affect the jobs you may or may not get. Especially when starting out, you are bound to get jobs from a friend, or a friend of a relative who wants something done. Performing well in your first few jobs little by little would build your reputation and credibility as a visual effects artist.
Making friends and connections with fellow artists across different creative fields is also important. They could help you break into the industry, especially when just starting out. Having friends also working in film or special effects could help you out a lot, and if you maintain a good quality of work, you would get recommendations for any upcoming projects that they may be involved in.
Conclusion
Visual effects, due to its highly technical and detailed nature as a field of expertise, can be an attractive career option that pays pretty well. Of course, as with all jobs, you might start off at the lower end of the pay grade, but as your experience and skills grow, so will your prospects. If you are skilled, passionate, and willing to invest your hours into this job, you will surely be able to build a name for yourself.