How much do animators make?
That depends. It can be as low as nothing if you are working on a speculative project or your own personal project. Or all the way to six figures, if you are a director on a major feature length animated film. And of course, the grandslam homerun is an animator/cartoonist who creates a character or characters that becomes a tv series with multitude of spin-off merchandising. Can you say, “The Simpson’s”? There is obviously a huge span in there. Back in 1987, Will Vinton Studios hired apprentice animators at $1000 a month. This was a starting wage for the duration of one of the TV specials. After the special was completed, animators were then evaluated on an individual basis and paid accordingly. Back to the actor analogy, your pay will probably be based on your talent,productivity and track record.
