| School | City |
|---|---|
| Louisiana State University | Baton Rouge |
| Southeastern Louisiana University | Hammond |
| University of Louisiana at Lafayette | Lafayette |
| University of Louisiana at Monroe | Monroe |
| Northwestern State University of Louisiana | Natchitoches |
| Tulane University | New Orleans |
| University of New Orleans | New Orleans |
| Louisiana Tech | Ruston |
| Nicholls State University | Thibodaux |
While New Orleans is often the first place to come to mind when visitors think of Louisiana, the Pelican State is home to many other beautiful towns and small cities that have been the setting for numerous novels and hundreds of movies and television shows. Natchitoches, Cajun County, St. Francisville, Grand Isle, and Thibodaux are just a few. With so many beautiful places to explore, it’s not surprising that the state has a record-breaking tourism industry that saw 28.7 million visitors in 2014, who brought in $836 million in state tax revenue.
Also not so surprising is Hollywood’s fascination with Louisiana. Gorgeous scenery, combined with a sub-tropical climate that allows for year-round filming without interruptions, attracted 18 big-budget films in 2013 alone. In 2014, the state was a Top 10 Production Location, sharing the list with heavy-hitters such as California, New York, the UK and Canada.
Just a few movies made in Louisiana include Fantastic Four (2015), G.I. Joe Retaliation (2013), 21 Jump Street (2012), Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012), Looper (2012), The Lucky One (2012), The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 (2011), The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 (2012), and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008). And who can forget classics such as and King Creole (1958), A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), and Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1918).
Louisiana is also home to multiple film commissions, festivals, and initiatives. The Red Stick International Film Festival (Baton Rouge), The Louisiana Film & Television Commission (Baton Rouge), The Southwest Louisiana Film Commission (Lake Charles), and AVATAR (Baton Rouge) are just a few. AVATAR (Arts, Visualization, Advanced Technologies and Research), Louisiana State University’s (LSU) digital media initiative, establishes a “university-wide faculty focus on the intersections among art, technology and computation, creating new research areas in virtual environments, digital art, electroacoustic music, animation, video game design, scientific visualization and more.”
Thanks to the state’s active film scene and initiatives such as AVATAR, the Louisiana animation industry is also thriving. Of the state’s 21,350 salaried artists, designers and other related professionals, around 240 are animation and multimedia artists, and the population is on the rise. In 2012, the state was home to 140 salaried multimedia artists and animators. They work in industries from advertising and television & film to technology. Just a few animation studios and creative agencies in the state include BBR Creative in Lafayette, Digital FX in Baton Rouge, Maison Post Production, New Orleans, MESH, Baton Rouge, Moonbot Studios, Shreveport, Ormaq Studios, Baton Rouge, Millennium Studios Studios, Shreveport, Parker Brand Creative Services, Sulphur, and Vidox Motion Imagery, Lafayette.
With so much activity in the world of animation, the state’s academic institutions have taken notice. In fact, some of Louisiana’s top schools offer programs for aspiring animators, and others have expanded existing programs to meet the demand. Just a few top options for aspiring animators include LSU, University of New Orleans, and Northwestern State University of Louisiana.
Louisiana Animation Schools
Scroll through the list below to review Louisiana’s best options for aspiring animators and the programs they offer.
Baton Rouge
Louisiana State University - Degrees Offered: BFA, MFA Studio Art with a concentration in Digital Art. Note: “Students refine their skills in classes that provide an integrated understanding of animation, visual effects, 3D modeling, and interactive systems.”
Hammond
Southeastern Louisiana University - Degrees Offered: BA Art with a Concentration in New Media and Animation
Lafayette
University of Louisiana at Lafayette - Degrees Offered: BFA Visual Arts with a Concentration in Animation and Computer Arts or Media Art
Monroe
University of Louisiana at Monroe - Degrees Offered: BA Communications with a Concentration in Digital Media. Note: This program covers the creation of web media content, websites, mobile applications, motion graphics, 3D animation, communication design, and digital cinematic stories (video).
Natchitoches
Northwestern State University of Louisiana - Degrees Offered: BFA Fine and Graphic Arts, with Concentrations in Graphic Communication and Studio Art
New Orleans
Tulane University – Degrees Offered: BA Digital Design. Note: This program features animation and illustration coursework; BA Digital Media. Note: This undergraduate major educates students in the art, craft, and technology of film, television, video, animation and sound production.
University of New Orleans - Degrees Offered: BA Studio Art with a Concentration in Digital Media (animation, film, sound production, television, video); MFA Studio Art
Ruston
Louisiana Tech - Degrees Offered: BFA Graphic Design. Note: The curriculum requires four elective art courses. Students may choose to use some or all of these courses for the pursuit of individualized study in subjects of personal interest such as computer animation or illustration.
Thibodaux
Nicholls State University - Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s in 3-D Animation (beginning Fall 2016)
More Animation related programs to consider:
- San Francisco & Online
- Top 50 Nationally for Animation (#14) - 2021
- Top 50 Nationally for Game Design (#37) - 2021
- Top 50 Nationally for Illustration (#24) - 2021
- Top 50 Nationally for Graphic Design (#38) - 2021
- Winter Park, FL & Online
- Computer Animation - Bachelor's - Online & Campus
- Game Programs - Bachelor's & Master's - Online & Campus
- Graphic Design & Digital Arts - Bachelor's - Online & Campus
- Film & Digital Cinematography - Bachelor's & Master's - Online & Campus
- Mobile Development - Bachelor's - Online
- Simulation & Visualization - Bachelor's - Campus
- Top 50 Nationally for Animation (#11) - 2021
- Top 50 Nationally for Game Design (#10) - 2021
- Top 25 in the South for Graphic Design (#10) - 2021
- Online
Employment and Salary Trends for Louisiana Animators
As discussed earlier, Louisiana is home to 240 salaried multimedia artists and animators, up from 140 in 2012. They average around $60,490 per year, up from $52,950 in 2010. Figures for 2011 and 2012 were not reported. Nationwide, the median annual wage for animators and multimedia artists was $63,630 as of December 17, 2015 and overall employment for this group is expected to increase by six percent for the 2014-2024 decade, which is as fast as average for all occupations.
It is important to note that many animators and multimedia artists are self-employed. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers” has the second highest concentration of employment (not highest employment level) in the nation for animators and multimedia artists. This means, it’s safe to assume that the population of animators and multimedia artists in Louisiana is much higher. These individuals typically to earn more as well. According to the Bureau, “Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers” is the fourth highest paying industry for animators and multimedia artists. As of 2015, the average salary for this group was $75,150.
The industries with the highest concentration of employment for animators and multimedia artists are:
- Motion Picture and Video industries
- Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers
- Software Publishers
- Specialized Design Services
- Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services
The industries with the highest levels of employment are:
- Motion Picture and Video industries
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services
- Software Publishers
- Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services
- Other Information Services
The top five highest paying states for animators and multimedia artists are:
- California ($82,170)
- Washington ($75,740)
- Massachusetts ($73,470)
- New York ($70,660)
- Idaho ($69,450)
The top paying industries for animators and multimedia artists are:
- Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers ($81,760)
- Other Information Services ($80,310)
- Software Publishers ($76,090)
- Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers ($75,150)
- Motion Picture and Video Industries ($73,950)
The states with the highest employment levels for animators and multimedia artists are California, New York, Washington, Texas, and Georgia. However, Louisiana-based animators can do a few things to increase their chances of landing a position. See what the top industries for animators have to offer first, and consider major cities such as New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Metairie Terrace, Metairie, and Lafayette.
Awesome Animation Fact: Pixar films can take four to seven years to make. The bulk of the production though, such as animation and lighting, only takes about six to eight months. -YoungZine