Careers in digital media are wide-ranging— from print media to web design video editor to photographer sound technician to script writer animator to gaming developer. We’re going to take a closer look at a few specific careers. C AREERS IN D IGITAL M EDIA

 Desktop Publisher  Graphic Designer  Photographer  Commercial Photographer  Videographer  Web Developer  Animator

D ESKTOP P UBLISHER  Desktop publishers use computer software to produce high quality, printed documents that combine text and graphics  Desktop publishers may also be called:  Publications specialists, electronic publishers, DTP operators, desktop publishing editors, electronic prepress technicians, electronic publishing specialists, image designers, typographers, compositors, layout artists, and Web publications designers.  There is generally no educational requirement for the job of desktop publisher. Most people learn on the job or by taking classes online or through local learning centers that teach the latest software.

G RAPHIC D ESIGNER  Graphic designers—or graphic artists—plan, analyze, and create visual solutions to communications problems.  Graphic designers develop the overall layout and production design of magazines, newspapers, journals, corporate reports, and other publications.  They also produce promotional displays, packaging, and marketing brochures for products and services, design logos, and develop signs and signage systems for business and government.  A bachelor’s degree in graphic design is usually required for most entry-level and advanced graphic design positions.

P HOTOGRAPHER  A person who takes photographs, either as a hobby or a profession  Employers usually seek applicants with a “good eye,” imagination, and creativity, as well as a good technical understanding of photography.  Photojournalists or industrial or scientific photographers generally need a college degree. Freelance and portrait photographers need technical proficiency, gained through a degree, training program, or experience.

C OMMERCIAL P HOTOGRAPHER  A career that involves taking pictures of subjects such as people, buildings or merchandise to be used in a variety of media  Commercial photographers may contract with a client to take specific pictures.  They may license the use of their photographs through stock-photo agencies or market their work directly to the public. Stock-photo agencies sell magazines and other customers the right to use photographs, and pay the photographer a commission.  Self-employed photographers must have a thorough understanding of copyright laws in order to protect their work.

V IDEOGRAPHER  Videographer is a broad term that describes television, video, and motion picture camera operators who produce images that tell a story, inform or entertain an audience, or record an event.  They usually acquire their skills through formal postsecondary training at film schools, colleges, universities, or photographic institutes.

W EB D EVELOPER  Web developers are responsible for all the technical aspects of website creation and modification.  They determine the information that a site will contain and how it will be organized, and may use Web development software to integrate databases and other information systems.  They may also be responsible for the visual appearance of a site. However, this job may fall to the graphic designer or desktop publisher.

A NIMATOR Animators work primarily in motion picture and video industries, advertising, and computer systems design services. They draw by hand and use computers to create the series of pictures that form the animated images or special effects seen in movies, television programs, and computer games. Demand for multimedia artists and animators will increase as consumers continue to demand more realistic video games, movie and television special effects, and 3D animated movies. Because of the level of technical expertise demanded, animators typicallly need a bachelor's degree.