Animation Technical Director Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

DreamWorks Animation is looking for more adventurous dreamers who shoot for the moon. We tell stories about the journeys our unconventional heroes take to make dreams come true. As a growth-minded studio, we pride ourselves on being one of the world's leading producers of high-quality, award-winning, animated films and series, reaching consumers around the globe. We push to feel more, laugh more, and build immersive new worlds.

DreamWorks creates a diverse array of original content in a variety of formats, delivering compelling stories with unique characters. We place tremendous value on the experiences our talent brings to the table from their own non-traditional paths to success. We believe in frequent communication and that transparency and trust yield the best work. We are a community of artists, technologists, innovators, and creators, who are passionate about animation and also happen to love eating lunch together. 

At DreamWorks Animation Television, our Animation Artist provides noted direction for our Partner Studio(s) to a standard set by the CG Animation Director and Lighting/Compositing Supervisor. The Animation Artist also animates characters and composites scenes when requested and ensures that all deliverables align with the production's schedule and creative vision of the series.

DreamWorks Animation Television has an exciting new opportunity for an Animation Artist to join its team based in Glendale, California. This position is covered by the Animation Guild.

If you are part of the fandom and believe teamwork makes the dream work, join us in #livingthedream and #doingyourdreamwork!

Responsibilities: "What would you say you do here?"

• Review animation deliveries from Partner Studio(s) and provide clear and courteous notes while keeping in mind the overall workload of the animation team(s)

• Attend primary animation reviews to gather notes from show Creative Leadership

• Generate BG references for Partner Studio(s) that provide direction for staging of shots in usable areas of the sets

• Responsible for having a strong working knowledge of sets, characters and props and knowledge of the limitations of each

• Review designs, scripts and breakdown decisions to assist the CG Animation Director

• Create Maya set dresses for specific episodic requirements under the guidance of the CG Animation Director

• Responsible for the final composite and output of the animation scenes that are tasked

• Work closely with the Lighting/Compositing Supervisor to ensure that the shot matches the aesthetic of the surrounding scenes

• When requested, animate characters in a variety of styles 

• Attend storyboard and animatic reviews as workload allows

• Work closely with the Crowd animation team to deliver crowd sims in the style of the show

• Address any issues and retakes that come up during the final editorial/post review, issues may include the reworking of a shot to conform to the Harding Test standard

Basic Qualifications: "What do I need to have in order to do this job?"

• Strong animation skills

• Solid technical understanding of models and rigs

• Strong knowledge of Maya

• Experience with Nuke and After Effects

• Fundamental skills for troubleshooting and identifying problems with files 

• Ability to work in a fast-paced production environment under tight deadlines

• Creative problem solving and adaptability skills 

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and enjoys working in a team environment

Desired Qualifications: "What can I offer?"

• At least 3 years of production experience in television animation, feature animation, VFX and/or video games

• Experience with asset management software, Shotgun preferred

• Experience working with international Partner Studio(s) is a plus 

• Bachelor's degree preferred

Hybrid: This position has been designated as hybrid, generally contributing from the office a minimum of three days per week.
Salary Range: $89,752 - $110,000

As part of our selection process, external candidates may be required to attend an in-person interview with an NBCUniversal employee at one of our locations prior to a hiring decision. NBCUniversal's policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, membership in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

NBCUniversal will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories, or arrest or conviction records, in a manner consistent with relevant legal requirements, including the City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative For Hiring Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, where applicable.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and require support throughout the application and/or recruitment process as a result of your disability, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation. You can submit your request to [email protected].