I wanna do graphic designing because it doesnt look very streesing, I'm artistic, i've got a good animation and it looks fun, but I dont know if the wages are good or not.
Well, I'm in broadcast graphics. I do not do animation nor on-air graphics in most cases, as I am mostly in desktop-publishing inside of a major network tv company. Some people call my group as "do everything" group, from logo designs to making props for soap, helping managers to comeup with more presentable material for high executives, etc. (kinda like kinkos, I guess.) It's not really hard work, nor difficult - but the biggest difficult that I"m having is to manage my own time - as I have to deal with various different level of "priority", and make all clients happy by end of the day. I guess it's like a "swarm" of small jobs, and believe me, it really catchs up to you. Say knocking out 10 10 different logos within 30 min from scratch with very vague description isn't actually that easy, especially something that's "on-air" worthy. (Probably that's why you see bunch of not so interesting logos/un-inspired graphics on TV most of the time, but you really don't have much choice because of time-restraint).
As for non-animation related graphic design work do not pay as much as you might want to get normally. Especially in the NYC, where there are tons of them and there are so much opportunity and resource - it's especially true. However, the work is not "stressful". Some of the larger post-production places do pay relatively well and more creative (=fun), but its far from "not so stressful". Broadcast design, especially news design (my part, mostly) are pretty hecktic. Screaming, dealing with 10 different projects by end of the day isn't anything new to me. However, thanks to the Union that I'm in, I am guaranteed to get paid pretty well. My current pay is 90k-100k, depending on how much overtime I get. I am pretty sure it's pretty high compared to other graphic designers out there in most, even considering within NYC and non-animation. However, it's not "fun" nor "creative" to be in daily graphics like news or even in sports (although they do get more fun projects off and on) - and I've been working for 7 years for one company so far. When I started, it wasn't too high - around 35k, but I got lucky. Also, 90k in the NYC isn't exactly a "real good pay", because of living expenses these days, so If you are looking for a good pay, then software engineering might work out better for you in the long run.
For someone young and just to get started in this buisness though - I'd say to go to a cable network where you can get your hands on various equipnent, and "NO UNION". I am a member of a powerful (well, used to be) Union, and our rights are relatively well protected and protects my "pay", but it has its own downfall. You don't have much access to any others equipments and it takes much longer to move up in your work place, because of seniority issues. Non Union generally pays less, but you are more opt to move up faster. CNN, is a one good example as I hear. MSNBC and Fox News are the same. However, expect a "boring" job in most cases though. If you want a real "creative" job, then you'd better really contact post-production places. While their pay scale might not be top of the line, unless you have a super-duper portfoilio - but the works out there. Wait, then again - there's MTV.
with economy down and all, a lot of big places went out of business in few years - so the big companies are now looking into more smaller, more accessible group of designers. It's cheaper for them, so I guess it makes sense.
Best thing is to build up your portfolio reel and send them out to many - but be sure to research where you want to get to - because news industry like I am in, they do appreciate "cool" or "hip" designs, but they never air. If you submit very "news like" materials to MTV, they won't take a second look unless you have very impress history behind your resume...
Hope this helps.
lachesis
