Overview

Waterproof Studios is looking for Lead Rigger with a preference for Vancouver based candidates. Our riggers will work with our directors and animation supervisors to bring our characters to life. We have a range of projects from In-Game Cinematics to Pre-Rendered Trailers and VFX creature work.

The Lead Rigger must assume responsibility for delivering assigned Rigging work, and more specifically:

• Sets up rigs for optimal performance and efficient animation output while collaborating closely with Design, Modelling and Animation departments.
• Must have extensive articulation and deformation skills.
• Must have motion capture production experience, he/she must establish the technical requirements of how a motion capture rig can be used to create the template to generate animation.
• Devises and innovates methods of working with skeletons, modelling geometry and weighting that meet the project’s creative objectives.
• Build and/or integrate face shapes, muscle simulations, cloth simulations, dynamics and hair.
• Collaborates with the animation team in the testing of characters and provides timely solutions to any technical or performance related issues. 
• Responsible for evaluating any issues that may arise in the rigging and enveloping of creatures and devises efficient solutions.
• Collaborates with FX and Character FX to provide them with information needed to integrate characters and digital effects.
• Assists in the development of a creature pipeline for film, TV and game productions.
• Develops and maintains leading-edge proprietary tools/plugins/scripts to improve the rigging process.
• Research new techniques and tools.
• Maintains contacts with academia/industry to keep current on new research and recent developments.
• Lead rigging team to ensure schedules are met.
• Create and maintain documentations for tools and processes.
• Also responsible for a range of 3D tasks, including modelling, animation, texturing, lighting and rendering when required.
• Able to take direction and constructive criticism from the Supervisors and feedback from the Directors.

Required Qualifications

Education/Experience:

• Diploma in fine arts or animation or equivalent experience is required.
• Honours Degree in Computing Animation, Computing Science, or related disciplines.
• 2-5 years of experience working in a professional environment within their discipline preferred however not required.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Strong understanding of human anatomy.
• Strong understanding of some animal anatomies (dogs, birds, etc) and a desire to learn more depending on the requirements of the project.
• In-depth knowledge of geometry creation, weighting and skeleton rigging.
• In-depth knowledge of animation principles and practice.
• Experience in both cartoon and realistic creatures and characters.
• Production knowledge of Maya, Mel and Python required.
• Thorough knowledge of procedural and object-oriented programming languages.
• Ability to create script in Mel or Python allowing for automation of specific tasks.
• Strong artistic skills; demonstrable ability to make creative and aesthetic judgement calls.
• Thorough knowledge of CG Feature Animation.
• Traditional arts background as well as technical.
• Evaluates and recommends relevant external plugins/scripts.
• Experience in dynamics, hair and cloth.
• Experience in modelling, animation, texturing, lighting and rendering.
• Experience in motion capture tools, including data cleaning, characterization , retargeting and using optical data.
• Clean up and retarget motion capture data, removing jitter and adding key-frame animation while retaining the original essence of the movement.
• Ability to communicate and/or demonstrate ideas clearly and concisely both verbally and visually.  Practices attentive and active listening.  Incorporates feedback and direction received from the Lead, Supervisor and/or Studio CG Supervisor.
• Ability to mentor and train.  Open to and encourages feedback and new initiatives.  Shares information and techniques with team members.
• Adaptable to change, he/she can alter course of action quickly per production needs.  Solid work ethic and positive attitude.  Ability to work under pressure.  Self-motivated and pro-active.  Consistently strives to expand knowledge base.
• Makes decisions in a timely manner.  Accepts accountability for own actions.  Creatively solves problems, eliminates road blocks and focuses on issue at hand.
• Efficient and detail oriented.
• Strong problem solving skills and ability to work collaboratively.
• Ability to deliver work on time and meet set performance objectives.

To apply please send your reel and CV to jobs@waterproofstudios.com