Animation TD (Barbie Productions) (OLD)

At Mainframe Studios, we’re creators first. We eat creative and technical challenges for breakfast and come back for more. We’ve been doing this for 25+ years, and we’re still going strong. We’re lucky enough to have the best team in the business. From our artists to our technical and production folks, everyone is passionate about collaborating on some kickass projects. We’ve partnered with the biggest names in the business to create a huge library of content. With partners like Mattel, Netflix, DreamWorks, Sony, Silvergate, and Nickelodeon, it's no wonder we’ve established ourselves as a creative force to be reckoned with.

WE WANT YOU (and your mad skills)!

Under the guidance of the VP Creative Technology and R&D provides creative and technical mentorship to the animation teams.

While our studio remains in beautiful Kitsilano, Vancouver, we have transitioned all of our staff to work from home during these difficult times of the COVID-19 outbreak. Our technology allows our employees to log in remotely to our on-site workstations with little or no noticeable difference from the way they worked in our studio. We now have team members working all across BC, and are happy to consider that option into the future for many positions!

Responsibilities and Duties

•    Facilitates efforts to maintain the creative and technical standards for the project.
•    Collaborates with Animation Directors and Animation Supervisors to define and implement techniques and processes that help realize and enhance the performance of characters.
•    Motivates, mentors and supports the crew to consistently strive towards excellence within the parameters of the production plan.
•    Work with Animation supervisors to assist in the creation of Studio and Production animation libraries.
•    Works with the Rigging Department to develop the most efficient and performance delivering character rigs within the confines of the production schedules.
•    Work with Directors to identify areas of improvement with animation teams
•    Create educational animation tutorials to help animators improve specific skill sets for example facial acting, weight transfers, eye animation techniques.
•    Oversees character consistency throughout the studios individual productions.
•    Evaluates and tasks animators to characters tutorials to best improve their skill set.
•    Collaborates creatively and technically with staff to ensure animation feasibility within the confines of schedule and budget.
•    Review Productions quotas/schedule with production teams
•    Seeks creative and technical options to maximize re-use for productions when applicable.
•    Collaborates with Producer and HR on managing performance.  
•    Attends meetings and coordinates efforts with other production staff and supervisors to facilitate optimal studio production flow. 
•    Provides feedback, motivation and support to the team.
•    Partners with production management and Animation Directors to establish and manage the department workflow in order to facilitate high quality animation and consistent delivery of weekly quotas and high quality shots.
•    Ensures that the animators are achieving balance, composition and timing requirements in a way that enhances story and character performance.
•    Guides animators, and leads to creatively enhance material in order to achieve set standards of performance and complexity.
•    Adheres to digital file management protocols.
•    Aligns and engages with the values of Mainframe: a culture of community, connectivity, creativity and collaboration.
•    Interacts respectfully and professionally with colleagues, staff members and clients.

Qualifications and Skills

•    Degree and/or diploma in fine arts or animation or equivalent experience required.
•    4-6+ years of experience working in a professional environment within their discipline.
•    Highly skilled in traditional animation, 
•    Expertise in principles of animation (i.e. squash and stretch, overlapping action, weighting and timing).
•    Superior knowledge anatomy, perspective and composition.
•    Expertise in acting skills that in turn set the standards for the project's character performance.
•    Advanced knowledge of modeling, character rigging and facial animation.
•    Superior knowledge of software is required. Advanced knowledge of Maya animation tools.
•    Excellent storytelling skills along with expertise on how to enrich acting performance.
•    Excellent at communicating ideas clearly both verbally and visually; and has inter-personal skills.
•    Practices attentive and active listening.  Shares information, methodologies and ideas with others.
•    Excellent at collaborating and facilitating feedback requested by executives and/or clients.
•    Demonstrated excellent leadership skills inspiring the team to work as a cohesive unit and deliver high quality animation.
•    Ability to communicate process, plans and concepts and set clear expectations.
•    Ability to liaison with production management to define and articulate production requirements; Ability to predict potential problems and troubleshoot as necessary.
•    Adaptable and able to change course of action quickly per production needs. 
•    Highly motivated, solid work ethic and positive attitude, flexible and calm demeanor. Ability to work well under pressure. Consistently strives to expand knowledge base.
•    Creatively and technically solves problems, makes decisions in a timely manner and accepts accountability for own actions.
•    Outstanding organizational and time management skills. Ability to multi-task and delegate. Thorough knowledge of the production process and pipeline.
•    Outstanding problem solving skills and ability to work collaboratively. Actively improves skill set to remain at cutting edge of industry trends.
•    Ability to oversee and deliver the highest quality animation feasible within the production parameters and consistently meet departmental production quota requirements.

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Mainframe Studios is an Equal Opportunity Employer, which means we will not discriminate against any individual based on race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, military or veteran status, disability, or any factors prohibited by applicable law. This policy applies to every aspect of employment at Mainframe Studios, including recruitment, hiring, training, advancement, and termination. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and partners. Should you require accommodation throughout the recruitment process, please let us know your requirements when contacted.