{"id":15924,"date":"2026-09-04T23:52:22","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T23:52:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/?page_id=15924---813aa5fe-d83d-4cf5-af0f-fb9ff1b5f87a"},"modified":"2026-10-01T00:11:13","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T00:11:13","slug":"can-you-be-an-animator-and-work-on-movies-that-arent-animated","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/can-you-be-an-animator-and-work-on-movies-that-arent-animated\/","title":{"rendered":"Can You Be an Animator and Work On Movies That Aren\u2019t Animated?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"What<\/p>\n

It is apparent that animators are adapted to work on animated movies, but when it comes to non-animated movies, the answer is not as clear-cut. At the core, animators train themselves to work in the world of animation and when they leave that world for non-animated films, the transition might not be so simple.<\/p>\n

Animated Movies<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s certainly evident that animated movies are here to stay. A Forbes<\/a> article pointed out that as far back as 2008, there were a total of 20 animated movies playing in theaters and their combined gross was more than one billion dollars. Since then, animated movies have continued to make their presence known to audiences around the world, providing ample job opportunities for those individuals who are animators. However, what about jobs in movies not animated? Is there room in there for animators?<\/p>\n

Opening Title Sequences<\/h2>\n

Live-action movies can have animated opening sequences, as seen in the classic \u201cPink Panther\u201d films of Blake Edwards. The clever animation opening in the original \u201cPink Panther\u201d film became identified with both director Blake Edwards and actor Peter Sellers. The animated character of the Pink Panther eventually became part of the Owens Corning\u2019s mascot.<\/p>\n

Live-Action Filmmaker<\/h2>\n

Animators can become live-action filmmakers and with the various techniques they\u2019ve learned in animation, they can apply some of those same principles to live-action movies. John Lasseter of Pixar and Disney fame, for example, worked on the live-action film \u201cYoung Sherlock Holmes,\u201d assisting the director and production team with computer animation.<\/p>\n

Producer<\/h2>\n

One can be an animator and can also be involved in movies not animated as a producer. The late Walt Disney, although known as a producer of some of the most classic children’s non-animated films of all time, was also a talented animator. He holds the record for the most Academy Awards given to an individual, having acquired an incredible 22 Oscars.<\/p>\n

Screenwriter<\/h2>\n

Since many animators create their products, it stands to reason they have writing abilities, in addition to being able to animate their creations. Tim Burton, the creator of \u201cThe Nightmare Before Christmas,\u201d came up with the idea for his iconic film while he was an animator at Walt Disney Feature Animation. Burton went on to be the writer and director of several well-known non-animated movies, including \u201cBatman\u201d and \u201cBig Fish.\u201d<\/p>\n

Production Design<\/h2>\n

Animators are notorious for having an eye trained for design. This skill becomes useful when working on a non-animated film. It\u2019s the responsibility for the production design team to create a film\u2019s unique \u201cworld look.\u201d The production design team also works on finding just the right location for any particular scene, always ensuring the area in question is in keeping with the overall look of the film.<\/p>\n

While an animator is most effective when working on an animated film, an animator\u2019s skill set can be quite useful in a non-animated film. Sometimes, it is an animator\u2019s touch that elevates a non-animated film from the mundane into the exquisite.<\/p>\n

Related Resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n

What Degree Do I Need To Be An Animator?<\/a><\/p>\n

What Can I Do With An Art Degree?<\/a><\/p>\n

What is the Median Salary for an Animator?<\/a><\/p>\n

What is a Typical Day in the Life of an Animator?<\/a><\/p>\n

What Does an Animator Do?<\/a><\/p>\n

Is it Easy to Work for Myself as an Animator?<\/a><\/p>\n

Are Their Certain Parts of the Country Where It’s Easier to Find a Job as an Animator?<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is apparent that animators are adapted to work on animated movies, but when it comes to non-animated movies, the answer is not as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":0,"parent":15890,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"mobius_hide_qdf":false,"mobius_hide_el":false,"mobius_limit":"","mobius_degree":"","mobius_category":"","mobius_subject":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-15924","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCan You Be an Animator and Work On Movies That Aren\u2019t Animated? - DegreeQuery.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.degreequery.com\/animation-degrees\/can-you-be-an-animator-and-work-on-movies-that-arent-animated\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Can You Be an Animator and Work On Movies That Aren\u2019t Animated? 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