Press Release: Most Czech companies involved in the development of computer games and animations went through the challenging year 2020 very well. For more than two-thirds of them, the past twelve months were better than 2019. They saw more interest in their products and had higher sales. They also see the future of their industries optimistically and are looking for additional reinforcements. This is based on a survey of the platform Creatool, which helps to connect these sectors with each other and also with other people and institutions. At the end of 2020, 19 leading Czech companies from the field of animation and computer games took part in the survey.
A total of 70% of the surveyed companies stated that their situation and sales were better in 2020 than the previous year, two companies from this group even recorded a significant improvement. Another 15% do not see any big year-on-year shift, the remaining 15% have seen a deterioration, but mostly only a slight one. In the gaming world, the situation improved for all respondents during 2020, in the field of animation the range of answers was more varied. Even there, however, overall improvement and the need to recruit more people prevail.
Dozens of experts are wanted
The survey also shows that the majority of the approached studios want to grow and if something is holding them back in the boom, it is most often the lack of experts in various fields. Among the specific open positions, a number of special skills appear, for example, CG Character Animator, FX Simulation Specialist, Storyboard artist, CGI supervisor, VFX generalists, 2D Senior animators, 3D artists, Senior tools programmer, Build system programmer, Senior key frame animator, Lead cutscene editor, Senior lighting artist and many others.
"The fields of animation and computer games are opportunities especially for creative people, but also for systematists, for example production, who help to organize everything well. They are also suitable for people who want to develop further. The advantage is that these industries have a good future, they are thriving and they also reward hardworking and experienced experts very well,” comments Marek Toušek from the Creatoola platform, which connects individuals, studies, but also, for example, educational institutions with the aim of contributing to their mutual cooperation and development.
In the anonymous survey, most of the interviewed companies also mentioned the amount of salaries they offer to experts in their fields. They do not increase compared to previous years, with a few exceptions, but they are significantly above average. Some salaries noticeably exceed the threshold of one hundred thousand crowns per month. The majority is in the higher tens of thousands per month, and few of the respondents stated that the regular monthly salary for new reinforcements in professional positions would not reach the limit of 35 thousand crowns.
14 studios out of 19 approached companies are currently looking for new reinforcements. Although the company reduced the number of open positions compared to the original plans at the beginning of 2020, they are still looking for more than a hundred new people. Some studios currently have only units of vacant positions, but others are looking for dozens of experts.
"In addition to financial stability, these companies also offer the opportunity to participate in projects that go far beyond the boundaries of our market. Many Czech studios have already achieved significant global success and are working on projects where their people can learn a lot and use the most modern technologies and procedures." concludes Marek Toušek from the platform Creatool.
About Creatool
We are a platform that helps with orientation in the world of animation, games and VFX in the Czech Republic. We support the interest of future talents in the field of animation, computer games and VFX. This is a project initiated by the Association of Animated Film, implemented in partnership with the Game Cluster Brno, the Anifilm festival and the Game Access conference. Creatoola wants to contribute to the development of creative fields and help to find and educate qualified professionals for productions and studios.
