AnimatorのCV例

Choose the right format for an Animator resume

Use a reverse-chronological format unless you are transitioning into animation from an unrelated field. Studios and game companies scan resumes fast, so keep yours to one page if you have under ten years of experience, and never exceed two pages regardless of seniority.

Lead with a portfolio link directly below your name and contact information — this is non-negotiable in animation hiring. Recruiters at studios like Pixar, Riot Games, or mid-size VFX houses will click your reel before they read a single bullet. Make sure the link is live, labeled clearly (e.g., 'Demo Reel — vimeo.com/yourname'), and points to work relevant to the role you are applying for.

• Use clean, single-column layouts; avoid heavy graphic design that breaks ATS parsing
• Set margins to 0.75–1 inch and use a readable sans-serif font at 10–12 pt
• List your specialization (character animation, motion graphics, VFX, stop-motion) near the top so it is immediately visible
• Include software version awareness where relevant — e.g., Maya 2024, Blender 4.x

Write a professional summary that gets you past the first cut

Your summary should be three to four sentences that name your specialization, your years of experience, your primary tools, and one quantifiable achievement or notable credit. Skip phrases like 'passionate storyteller' and replace them with specifics.

Example: "Character animator with 7 years of production experience in AAA game studios and feature film pipelines, specializing in creature and combat animation using Maya and Motion Builder. Shipped four titles with combined sales exceeding 12 million copies, including two shipped on Unreal Engine 5. Known for clean, rig-friendly curves and fast turnaround on director revisions in agile sprint environments."

Write work-experience bullets that show output, not just duties

Every bullet should follow an action-verb + task + measurable result structure. Hiring managers at studios want to know what you shipped, how fast you worked, and what feedback you received. Vague bullets like 'animated characters for various projects' will not move you forward.

Quantify wherever possible: frame counts, shot counts, turnaround times, file optimization results, team size, or project scope. If a number is under NDA, use a range or describe the project scale.

• Animated 47 in-game combat sequences in Maya for a AAA action RPG, delivering an average of 3 polished shots per sprint cycle and receiving zero revision requests from the lead animator on final pass
• Reduced average render time per shot by 22% by rebuilding deformer stacks and optimizing joint hierarchies across a 12-character ensemble cast in a 90-minute streaming feature

Skills and certifications recruiters and ATS systems look for

Animation job postings consistently filter on specific software names and pipeline terms. Build a dedicated skills section that mirrors the language in job descriptions — ATS systems at larger studios and game companies will rank your resume on keyword density for tools like Maya, Blender, After Effects, Nuke, Houdini, and Unreal Engine. Also include pipeline-adjacent skills like Python scripting for rigging tools or USD workflows if you have them.

Certifications matter more in motion graphics and VFX than in traditional character animation, but they are worth listing. Autodesk certifications carry weight, and completing programs through Animation Mentor, iAnimate, or CGMA signals craft investment to senior leads reviewing your application.

• Software: Autodesk Maya, Blender, Cinema 4D, After Effects, Nuke, Houdini, MotionBuilder, ZBrush
• Engines: Unreal Engine 5, Unity (Animator Controller, Mecanim), Godot
• Pipeline: USD, Alembic, FBX, Python scripting, Git/Perforce version control
• Certifications: Autodesk Certified Professional (Maya), Animation Mentor graduate, CGMA coursework
• Soft skills worth naming: shot ownership, director feedback integration, sprint-based delivery

Education, licenses, and extras that round out your resume

List your degree, institution, and graduation year. A BFA in Animation, Computer Animation, or Film is common, but studios hire from game design, fine arts, and even self-taught backgrounds regularly — your reel outweighs your degree. If you attended a vocational program like Gnomon, Vancouver Film School, or Ringling, name it explicitly because those programs have strong industry recognition.

Use an 'Additional' or 'Recognition' section to list film festival credits, shipped game titles by name, published motion graphics campaigns, or speaking appearances at events like SIGGRAPH or GDC. These credits function as social proof and differentiate you from candidates with similar technical skills.

• List IMDB credits or shipped game titles by name if they are publicly available
• Include SIGGRAPH, GDC, or CTN Animation Expo participation if applicable
• Note any union affiliation (IATSE Local 839 for feature film animators) if relevant to the role

Mistakes to avoid

• ×Linking a demo reel that mixes unrelated styles — a feature film studio reel should not include motion graphics work unless you are applying for a hybrid role.
• ×Listing software you used once in a class at the same level as tools you use daily, which sets you up to fail a technical screen.
• ×Omitting shot counts, frame counts, or project credits and replacing them with vague descriptors like 'large-scale projects' or 'complex scenes.'
• ×Using a heavily designed, multi-column resume template that looks impressive as a PDF but breaks into unreadable fragments when parsed by studio ATS platforms like Workday or Greenhouse.

Frequently asked questions

Should I include my demo reel on my animator resume?

Yes — place the reel link directly under your name and contact details, not buried in a skills section. Use a permanent, branded URL (Vimeo is the industry standard) and make sure the link works before every application. A broken or private reel link is an immediate disqualifier at most studios.

How long should an animator resume be?

One page is standard for animators with fewer than ten years of experience, even if you have shipped multiple titles. Senior animators with extensive film or game credits can go to two pages, but the reel and credits list do more work than resume length. Cut old or irrelevant roles before adding a second page.

Do animation studios use ATS software to screen resumes?

Larger studios and publishers — including major game companies and streaming-era VFX houses — use ATS platforms like Workday, Greenhouse, or Lever, which parse your resume for software names and job title keywords. Smaller boutique studios often have a recruiter or lead animator read resumes directly, but formatting your resume to be ATS-safe costs you nothing and protects you either way.