Facial Rigger (DNEG VFX)

DNEG; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading visual effects company in the United Kingdom is seeking a Facial Rigger who will be crucial in creating animation rigs for characters and creatures. The ideal candidate should have over 5 years of experience in character projects, extensive knowledge of Maya, and strong communication skills. This role demands collaboration with Leads, and a proactive attitude towards problem-solving. If you have a firm grasp of technical aspects and artistic skills, this position is made for you.

Benefits

Collaborative work environment

Opportunities for technical development

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience with creature/character projects.
• Thorough knowledge of character specialisation.
• In depth knowledge of FACS and Animal FACS.
• Full working knowledge of Maya.
• Comfortable with technical aspects of character work.
• Familiarity with typical post-production environment.

Responsibilities

• Create animation rigs for specialist characters.
• Advise Leads on pipe friendly rigs.
• Develop intuitive and responsive rigs.
• Collaborate with Rigging Supervisors and Animation Leads.
• Work with R&D department for tools and technologies.

Skills

Collaboration

Strong communication

Technical skills

Visual and artistic skills

Problem-solving

Tools

Maya

MEL

Python

C++

Job description

Facial Riggers at DNEG are crucial to the making of our world famous creatures and assets. Working closely with the CG Lead and Animation Lead, they are responsible for the creation of animation rigs for specialist characters.

Key Responsibilities

Our Facial Riggers have the ability to see the bigger picture and advise the Leads on pipe friendly rigs for texturing, grooming, lighting and rendering. Animators and modellers will lean on you to develop intuitive and responsive rigs for characters so it’s important you are collaborative and a strong communicator.

Technical minds are always fostered at DNEG and we encourage our teams to work with the R&D department to help deliver the tools and technologies needed to deliver high-quality rigs. From time to time, it may be necessary to implement proprietary tools to aid in creating animation rigs. This is a team effort, so you'll work closely with our Rigging Supervisors and Animation Leads/Supervisors to develop the most suitable rigging solutions.

Must Have

• 5+ years of experience with significant creature/character projects
• Thorough knowledge of their area of character specialisation (i.e., body, face, mechanical rigs)
• In depth knowledge of FACS and Animal FACS
• Full working knowledge of Maya
• Needs to be comfortable with the more technical aspects of character/creature work where appropriate and have strong visual and artistic skills
• Familiarity with pipeline issues and a typical character/creature-heavy post-production environment
• Extensive understanding of human and animal anatomy
• Understanding of the fundamental laws of physics
• Proficiency in mathematics (linear algebra)
• Fundamental animation knowledge

Nice to Have

• Programming or scripting skills (i.e., MEL, Python, C++)
• Experience in USD / Solaris / Houdini
• Knowledge of Facial Capture, MetaHuman, and other facial capturing tools

About You

• Good communication skills
• Team oriented
• Courteous and helpful
• Pro-active
• Adaptable
• Able to take direction well
• Good organisational skills