What Does A Gameplay Animator Do — And How To Get A Job Doing Gameplay Animation

According to Harvey Newman, there’s no shortage of people who want to be gameplay animators — it’s just that many of them don’t quite know what the job entails.

Newman knows. He’s a seasoned animator in the video game industry, currently working as a gameplay animation director at U.K. developer Build a Rocket Boy. In a new Youtube video, he describes his relatively young profession and provides tips for prospective animators, drawing inspiration from the sorts of applications his company receives. Watch the video below:

Newman stresses that gameplay animation — which is distinct from cut-scene animation in games — combines artistry with a technical understanding of game engines. People need both to do this job. They must also demonstrate a passion for gaming; a love for animating is not enough.

The nature of gaming, he adds, results in a non-linear production pipeline that rewards close collaboration between departments. An ability to work in this way is also crucial. That said, pipelines vary between studios, which integrate the animation with the more technical process of in-game implementation in different ways. Newman recommends researching a studio before interviewing with them, and asking questions specific to their work in the interview (a tip that applies to most careers, really).

This is only the latest in a long line of smart tutorials and how-to videos from Newman. His channel also features interviews, trailer reactions and breakdowns (see below), and more — covering animation in general, not just gaming. He also runs online workshops for animation students of all levels.