Questions for a Concept Artist

[Sbolearb]

Hello everyone. I'm a student trying to decide where I would like to go to college, and I'm having some trouble deciding what I want to do. I really like digital artwork, drawing, and overall designing. I live in Minnesota and plan on going to college in Minneapolis. I would love more than anything to be a concept artist. Unfortunately, I know very little about what the job entails. Could someone who knows what it means to be a concept artist fill me in on what I should be aware of? Some questions I have are:

- Is the employment rate good?

- How much traveling/moving is involved?

- What can I expect for pay?

- How important is a college education (community vs art/design college)

- How likely is it to have a stable job?

Thanks. An answer to any of these questions or anything else I should be aware of is greatly appreciated.

[anthony]

There is a lot of need for digital artists (generalists) in the film industry. With some specific training you would find yourself a very well paying and rewarding career.
If you train as a generalist you will make yourself more valuable to the studio. I made the "mistake" of specializing in one specific department (animator); as a result I find it more challenging to keep in steady work, as when the contract is ended there is a lull between projects.
Being a generalist gives you more of an opportunity to stay steadily employed, because especially in a smaller studio you can put a different hat on, so-to-speak.
If you are interested in this then just explore the different film schools that are available to you - beware of their credentials and get multiple opinions before making a decision.
Good luck with your options and your decision, and all the best to you. Tony