Job Description

For the last century, Walt Disney Animation Studios has been combining the best in artistry and storytelling with cutting-edge technology to bring wonderful new characters and visual spectacle to the big screen for audiences around the world. We currently have an exciting opportunity for Effects Animators to join our world class award winning team at our Vancouver studio. Effects Animators create a wide variety of visual effects that range from hyper-realistic simulations of natural phenomena, to realizing the futuristic and the completely fantastical. They are expected to exercise their technical and artistic talents in collaboration with other artists from all disciplines to create the appealing, compelling and unexpected images that support the emotional beats of the film. Hybrid and Remote opportunities for our Vancouver Studio are specific to remote work within the province of British Columbia.

Responsibilities

• Bring a strong sense of personal authorship and art direction to visuals, while meeting the artistic vision of the Director and Production Designer.
• Ability to execute on a range of visuals, from the photoreal to the wholly imagined.
• Collaborate with other artistic departments to achieve desired look for effects elements.
• Communicate regularly with the production team to establish and meet expectations and deadlines.
• Develop innovative tools and workflows necessary to achieve technical and visual goals.
• Generate effects with an awareness of how they will be received and used by other departments, with a mind towards data efficiency and consumability.
• Participate in team discussions and critiques, to give feedback on visuals or technical solutions in an effort to push artistry and efficiency.
• Work with Effects department leadership to develop and enforce artistic and technical goals for projects and/or teams.
• Provide artistic and technical expertise on Effects Animation.
• Solve complex technical and artistic Effects Animation problems.
• Work independently, requiring guidance in only the most complex artistic and technical
• situations.
• Train, mentor or guide other junior members of the Effects Animation team.
• When needed, serve as artistic lead on major Effects Animation initiatives, identifying innovative solutions to challenges and identifying best practices.

Requirements

• 5 + years of professional experience in CG visual effects production for animation, live-action film, television or games.
• A breadth of experience and understanding of SideFXs Houdini.
• Extensive experience using, or willingness and ability to learn, various effects animation techniques including procedural animation, keyframing and simulations such as rigid bodies, soft bodies, fluids, particle dynamics, etc.
• Open to taking technical and artistic direction, as well as receiving and addressing notes and feedback from peers and leadership.
• Attentive to detail and quality in work.
• Intrinsic drive to improve technical and artistic skills and embrace a studio culture that strives to innovate and change.
• Ability to clearly convey artistic and technical concepts, challenges and processes.
• Extensive understanding of animation and film making fundamentals, including timing, silhouette, appeal, light, color, composition, etc.
• Familiarity with Linux and Python scripting is a plus.

Visual examples of images exemplifying work in this area are requested for review. Please include a resume and reel breakdown with your online profile.
The Walt Disney Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer.