You’ve mastered animation techniques and principles, and you pour your soul into every scene you touch.
But deep down, you know you want more.
You don’t just want to animate a story. You want to create it.
Directing isn’t just about calling the shots: it’s about leading a vision, making creative decisions, and bringing an entire team with you!
The problem? There’s no clear roadmap for animators who want to become directors.
In this article, we break down what it really takes to make that leap.
What Does a Director Do?
The animation director is the person who turns storyboards, scripts, and sketches into a unified vision.
They decide how the story should feel, look, and move. From pacing a dramatic scene to shaping character expressions, the director calls the shots.
But directing animation doesn't follow a strict template. Sometimes, directors are involved in everything from script rewrites to final color grading. In Japanese animation studios, series directors often set the vision, but episode directors and animation supervisors carry it through.
Directors are often confused with supervisors or technical directors, but supervisors focus on specific areas like animation quality or character consistency while technical directors are more problem solvers—rigs, pipelines, tools.
Why Is A Director So Important
A director defines the vision, unites the team, and makes final calls.
They set the creative tone and narrative direction, keeping the story, emotion, and visual style aligned across the entire project. Without a clear vision-holder, an animated film or series risks becoming a patchwork of mismatched ideas in a big animation studio.
Animation involves dozens, sometimes hundreds, of artists, animators, writers, designers, and technicians. The director is the unifying voice making key decisions and giving feedback to keep everyone moving toward the same goal.
From camera angles, performances, color palettes, etc., to timing, creative choices are infinite. The director is the one who decides what works and what doesn’t: whether it's cutting a scene for emotional clarity or pushing a character's performance to hit harder, their calls directly affect the story's impact.
Sounds exciting to you? We came up with a clear, realistic roadmap to becoming an animation director. It’s not a one-size-fits-all path, but these steps reflect how many animators rise to the director’s chair.
1. Build a Strong Foundation in Animation
Everybody starts by building a strong foundation in animation.
- You begin by learning the core principles of animation, either through a formal animation program or self-directed study to focus on essential skills like drawing, storytelling, timing, and cinematography, all of which are critical for visual storytelling.
- As you progress, you'll gain a clear understanding of how the animation production process works from start to finish—pre-production (such as storyboarding and layout), production (where the animation is created), and post-production (including editing and sound design).
- Proficiency with industry-standard software is also vital, so you should invest time in mastering DCC tools commonly used in both 2D and 3D animation workflows like After Effects, Maya, or Blender.
For example, Satoshi Kon took a graphic design course at Musashino Art University, then became a manga artist before jumping into animation, background design, layout, storyboarding, and even script writing! It took him 15 years to work on his directorial debut, "Perfect Blue" with Madhouse.
2. Specialize in a Core Discipline
Most animation directors master a specific craft within the production pipeline—whether it's storyboarding, character animation, layout, editing, or even technical direction. Choose a core discipline that genuinely excites you and commit to becoming exceptional at it.
- You have to build credibility through real work, so seek out opportunities to contribute to real projects—whether through internships, freelance gigs, indie productions, or studio work. A strong, focused portfolio that shows your technical skills, storytelling ability, and creative voice is key to establishing yourself in the industry.
- Collaboration is critical. Directors must understand the entire animation pipeline, so while you deepen your expertise in one area, make an effort to learn how other departments operate. It'll help you cultivate empathy for the challenges your teammates face. The best directors speak the language of animators, editors, sound designers, and technical artists.
- Be obsessed with the process. What separates future directors from skilled technicians is an obsession with how and why things are done, not just what is being done. Develop a curiosity about the decision-making behind every creative and technical choice, and learn to think strategically: how does a scene support the story arc? What mood does this lighting setup evoke?
Walt Disney began his career as a cartoonist in 1919. He then worked for a company producing cutout animations for commercials, before switching to cel animation, convinced of its potential. In 1923, the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio was formed, and in 1928, Mickey Mouse appeared for the first time on-screen.
3. Build a Portfolio and Reputation
As you work in a studio, leverage every project as an opportunity to develop and showcase your unique directing voice.
- These projects aren’t just jobs: they’re building blocks for your future career. Use them as much as possible to experiment, refine your storytelling style, and create a body of work that clearly reflects your artistic identity.
- Submitting your work to animation festivals can lead to awards and recognition that elevate your profile in the industry. This visibility helps attract collaborators, creative partners, or even larger clients who will be drawn to your vision.
- Over time, a studio that consistently produces compelling, stylized, or emotionally resonant work can punch well above its weight. Examples like Studio Colorido, Spindle, or independent filmmakers who emerged from Gobelins show how a strong reputation opens doors far beyond what budget or size might suggest.
Henry Selick went to work for Walt Disney Studios as an in-betweener and used the opportunity to master his craft and meet the person who would eventually fund his directorial debuts: Tim Burton, for none other than the brilliant "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and "James and the Giant Peach".
4. Take on Leadership Roles
As you progress in your animation career, actively seek out leadership opportunities like becoming a lead animator, supervisor, or episode director.
- These roles are crucial stepping stones toward becoming an animation director because they provide valuable experience in guiding teams, managing production workflows, and making key artistic decisions.
- Taking on these positions allows you to develop essential skills like giving constructive feedback, coordinating across departments, and maintaining a consistent creative vision—all while meeting tight deadlines and staying within budget constraints.
- Leadership roles not only build your credibility but also give you firsthand insight into the complex balance of creativity and management required to direct an animated production successfully.
Award-winning Jennifer Yuh Nelson started out as a cleanup artist, then moved on to storyboarding. When Kung Fu Panda was being developed, she stepped up to become head of story and director of the opening sequence. The CEO of DreamWorks Animation ended up offering her the direction of Kung Fu Panda 2 and 3.
5. Develop a Strong Creative Voice
You need to cultivate your own creative identity to stand out as an animation director.
- One of the best ways to do this is by working on personal projects or animated shorts where you have full creative control.
- These passion projects allow you to experiment with storytelling, visual style, pacing... anything you can use to define your unique voice.
- Beyond the creative aspects, it's important to build key directing skills like pitching your ideas clearly and confidently.
- Like we previously mentioned, once your work is polished, you have to share it widely. Submit your films to festivals, post them online, or participate in anthology projects. These platforms not only showcase your talent but also signal to the industry you're a director with vision and initiative.
If you look at Hayao Miyazaki's directorial debut "Lupin the Third Part I", you can already have a feel of what made Studio Ghibli famous: an emphasis on mature, complex characters and storylines, as well as an attention to the details of vehicles.
6. Build Industry Relationships
Who you know can be just as important as what you know.
- Building strong relationships within the industry—especially with producers, fellow directors, and studio leads—can open doors that talent alone might not.
- Networking isn't just about attending events or exchanging business cards: it's about cultivating genuine, professional connections over time. Collaborate on projects, support your peers, and stay active in the creative community.
- Many directing opportunities aren't publicly advertised—they come through word of mouth, referrals, and the trust you build with others in the industry.
Madhouse producer Masao Maruyama invited Satoshi Kon because he was impressed with Kon's work on the 1993 OVA JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
Conclusion
If you’re waiting for someone to anoint you as a director, stop. No one’s coming. You don’t get invited to direct: you earn it by showing up like one long before the title is on your email signature.
The road to directing isn’t glamorous. It’s long nights, tough calls, and learning to guide a vision without steamrolling your team.
But every storyboard you lead, every short you direct, every tiny team you rally around an idea—that’s you stepping into the role.
Master your craft. Specialize, then zoom out and learn how the whole machine runs. Build a voice people recognize. Lead projects. Lead people. Earn trust. Build something real. And when the time comes, don’t blink.
There’s no one path to becoming an animation director. But there’s one thing every director has in common: they decided to be one before anyone else did.
Running your own studio also makes you a director by default, so consider this alternative path as well.
