Special Effects Artists and Animators

Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations

O*NET-SOC code: 27-1014.00

Create special effects or animations using film, video, computers, or other electronic tools and media for use in products, such as computer games, movies, music videos, and commercials.

Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
High· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery high
Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
Source dataset (XLSX download)
Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.357
0.000Range of values carried here0.745
Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
Source dataset (CSV download)
Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.49
0.09Range of values carried here0.70
Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
Source dataset (PDF download)

What kind of figure this source publishes

The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.

Task-level exposure

Show 8 hidden tasks

14 rated tasks · 14 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (100.0%)

β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.

Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
1 rated task is not in the O*NET 31.0 task list; its score is kept as published for O*NET 27.2.

Source: OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
Release: gh-main-0471612
License: MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI

Tasks of O*NET-SOC 2010 occupation 27-1014.00 Multimedia Artists and Animators, linked to this occupation by the O*NET-SOC 2010 to 2019 crosswalk

Task (O*NET 20.1)	Claude.aiRaw / share %
Use models to simulate the behavior of animated objects in the finished sequence. 27-1014.00	0.309752.3
Develop briefings, brochures, multimedia presentations, web pages, promotional products, technical illustrations, and computer artwork for use in products, technical manuals, literature, newsletters, and slide shows. 27-1014.00	0.156926.5
Design complex graphics and animation, using independent judgment, creativity, and computer equipment. 27-1014.00	0.116419.7
Apply story development, directing, cinematography, and editing to animation to create storyboards that show the flow of the animation and map out key scenes and characters. 27-1014.00	0.00390.7
Script, plan, and create animated narrative sequences under tight deadlines, using computer software and hand drawing techniques. 27-1014.00	0.00290.5
Create basic designs, drawings, and illustrations for product labels, cartons, direct mail, or television. 27-1014.00	0.00230.4

Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.

Task (O*NET 27.2)	βE1 + 0.5 × E2
Implement and maintain configuration control systems. O*NET Task ID 6895	1.0
Design complex graphics and animation, using independent judgment, creativity, and computer equipment. O*NET Task ID 6882	0.5
Create two-dimensional and three-dimensional images depicting objects in motion or illustrating a process, using computer animation or modeling programs. O*NET Task ID 6883	0.5
Make objects or characters appear lifelike by manipulating light, color, texture, shadow, and transparency, or manipulating static images to give the illusion of motion. O*NET Task ID 6884	0.5
Assemble, typeset, scan, and produce digital camera-ready art or film negatives and printer's proofs. O*NET Task ID 6885	0.5
Apply story development, directing, cinematography, and editing to animation to create storyboards that show the flow of the animation and map out key scenes and characters. O*NET Task ID 6886	0.5
Script, plan, and create animated narrative sequences under tight deadlines, using computer software and hand drawing techniques. O*NET Task ID 6887	0.5
Create basic designs, drawings, and illustrations for product labels, cartons, direct mail, or television. O*NET Task ID 6888	0.5
Create pen-and-paper images to be scanned, edited, colored, textured, or animated by computer. O*NET Task ID 6889	0.5
Develop briefings, brochures, multimedia presentations, web pages, promotional products, technical illustrations, and computer artwork for use in products, technical manuals, literature, newsletters, and slide shows. O*NET Task ID 6890	0.5
Use models to simulate the behavior of animated objects in the finished sequence. O*NET Task ID 6891	0.5
Create and install special effects as required by the script, mixing chemicals and fabricating needed parts from wood, metal, plaster, and clay. O*NET Task ID 6892	0.5
Participate in design and production of multimedia campaigns, handling budgeting and scheduling, and assisting with such responsibilities as production coordination, background design, and progress tracking. O*NET Task ID 6893	0.5
Convert real objects to animated objects through modeling, using techniques such as optical scanning. O*NET Task ID 6894	0.5
Show 4 more tasks ▾Show less ▴

β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.

Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Anthropic Economic Index, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page

All O*NET 31.0 task statements (13)

All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.

Task (O*NET 31.0)	Type
Design complex graphics and animation, using independent judgment, creativity, and computer equipment.	Core
Create two-dimensional and three-dimensional images depicting objects in motion or illustrating a process, using computer animation or modeling programs.	Core
Make objects or characters appear lifelike by manipulating light, color, texture, shadow, and transparency, or manipulating static images to give the illusion of motion.	Core
Apply story development, directing, cinematography, and editing to animation to create storyboards that show the flow of the animation and map out key scenes and characters.	Core
Create basic designs, drawings, and illustrations for product labels, cartons, direct mail, or television.	Core
Participate in design and production of multimedia campaigns, handling budgeting and scheduling, and assisting with such responsibilities as production coordination, background design, and progress tracking.	Core
Assemble, typeset, scan, and produce digital camera-ready art or film negatives and printer's proofs.	Supplemental
Script, plan, and create animated narrative sequences under tight deadlines, using computer software and hand drawing techniques.	Supplemental
Create pen-and-paper images to be scanned, edited, colored, textured, or animated by computer.	Supplemental
Develop briefings, brochures, multimedia presentations, web pages, promotional products, technical illustrations, and computer artwork for use in products, technical manuals, literature, newsletters, and slide shows.	Supplemental
Use models to simulate the behavior of animated objects in the finished sequence.	Supplemental
Convert real objects to animated objects through modeling, using techniques such as optical scanning.	Supplemental
Implement and maintain configuration control systems.	Supplemental

Anthropic, "What work can robots do?"2026-09

0.03/ 3· Robot exposure index

0 none3 unstructured settings

Scale, basis and source

Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time

Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks

Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.

Source dataset

The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.

Tier of each physical task

Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)

E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site

Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.

Task (O*NET 29.3)	Robot environment tier
Assemble, typeset, scan, and produce digital camera-ready art or film negatives and printer's proofs.	E2 structured facilities
Create pen-and-paper images to be scanned, edited, colored, textured, or animated by computer.	E0 none

Employment outlook (BLS)

Employment, 2025: 52K
Projected employment, 2035: 52K
Change (2025–35): -0.3%
Median annual wage, 2025: $102,030
Typical education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree

lowest $30,890median wage across 825 detailed occupations, BLS EP 2025–35highest $559,030

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — Employment by detailed occupation, 2025 and projected 2035

Korea classification links (KSCO)

Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.

KSCO code	KSCO title	Relation	Status
29432	만화영화 작가	This occupation is broader	confirmed
29555	실감형 콘텐츠 디자이너	This occupation is broader	confirmed
29552	멀티미디어 디자이너	Overlapping, not the same	confirmed
29553	게임 디자이너	Overlapping, not the same	confirmed
29431	만화가	Related, not a match	confirmed
29491	영상 및 미디어 예술가	Related, not a match	confirmed

Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)

ILO occupational description

AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.

ISCO-08 2166Graphic and Multimedia Designers

The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.

Graphic and multimedia designers design visual and audio-visual content for the communication of information using print, film, electronic, digital and other forms of visual and audio media. They create graphics, special effects, animation or other visual images for use in computer games, movies, music videos, print media and advertisements.

Tasks

(a) determining the objectives and constraints of the design brief by consulting with clients and stakeholders;
(b) undertaking research and analysing functional communication requirements;
(c) formulating design concepts for the subject to be communicated;
(d) preparing sketches, diagrams, illustrations and layouts to communicate design concepts;
(e) designing complex graphics and animation to satisfy functional, aesthetic and creative requirements of the design brief;
(f) creating two-dimensional and three-dimensional images depicting objects in motion or illustrating a process, using computer animation or modelling programmes;
(g) negotiating design solutions with clients, management, sales and production staff;
(h) selecting, specifying or recommending functional and aesthetic materials and media for publication, delivery or display;
(i) detailing and documenting the selected design for production;
(j) supervising or carrying out production in the chosen media.

Example occupations

Animator · Commercial artists · Computer games designer · Digital artist · Graphic designer · Illustrator · Multimedia designer · Publication designer · Web designer

Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits

ESCO occupational vocabulary

Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.

3D animatorESCO 2166.3.1This occupation is broader
3D animators are in charge of animating 3D models of objects, virtual environments, layouts, characters and 3D virtual animated agents.
3D modellerESCO 2166.1This occupation is broader
3D modellers design 3D models of objects, virtual environments, layouts, characters, and 3D virtual animated agents.
animation layout artistESCO 2166.2This occupation is broader
Animation layout artists work with the cameramen and director to coordinate and create optimal 3D animation shots. They translate 2D storyboards into 3D animated shots and are responsible for camera angles, frames and lighting of animation scenes. Animation layout artists decide which action takes place in which animation scene.
animatorESCO 2166.3This occupation is broader
Animators use software to create animations, these are rapidly sequenced together images to create an illusion of movement.
special effects artistESCO 2166.12This occupation is broader
Special effects artists create illusions for movies, videos and computer games. They use computer software.
storyboard artistESCO 2651.11This occupation is broader
Storyboard artists draw out the scenes of a motion picture or television series according to the script in order to see what will be possible during production. They work together with the producer and video and motion picture director.
video artistESCO 2651.12This occupation is broader
Video artists create videos using analogue or digital techniques to obtain special effects, animation, or other animated visuals using films, videos, images, computer or other electronic tools.
digital artistESCO 2166.6Overlapping, not the same
Digital artists create art which applies digital technology as an essential part of the creative process. Digital art is usually created using computers or more specialised digital equipment. It may be enjoyed using the same instruments, shared over the internet, or presented using more traditional media.

Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)

License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)

View original

ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.

France classification links (ROME)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.

ROME code	ROME title (French)	Relation
E1207	Motion designer	This occupation is broaderprovisional
L1510	Animateur / Animatrice 2D 3D - films d'animation	This occupation is broaderprovisional
E1214	Superviseur / Superviseuse de production virtuelle	Overlapping, not the sameprovisional
E1104	Concepteur / Conceptrice de contenus multimedia	Related, not a match
L1522	Opérateur / Opératrice d'effets visuels physiques audiovisuel et cinéma	Related, not a match

Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.

ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)

Spain classification links (CNO-11)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.

CNO-11 code	CNO-11 title (Spanish)	Relation
2484	Diseñadores gráficos y multimedia	This occupation is narrowerprovisional
3739	Otros técnicos y profesionales de apoyo de actividades culturales y artísticas	Related, not a matchprovisional

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)

Germany classification links (KldB)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.

KldB code	KldB title (German)	Relation
23224	Berufe im Grafik-, Kommunikations- und Fotodesign - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten	Overlapping, not the same
23223	Berufe im Grafik-, Kommunikations- und Fotodesign - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten	Related, not a match
93323	Kunstmaler/innen und Zeichner/innen - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten	Related, not a match

Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)

Japan classification links (JSCO)

AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.

JSCO code	JSCO title (Japanese)	Relation
224	デザイナー	Related, not a matchprovisional
591	生産関連作業従事者	Related, not a matchprovisional

Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.

(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)

Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources