Expression of Interest - Rigging Artist

AGBO Films; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a talented Rigging Artist to join their creative team. This role offers the chance to work in a dynamic environment, where you will design and create intricate rigs for characters and creatures in various projects. Collaborating closely with animators, you will ensure that movements are realistic and expressive, utilizing your expertise in software like Autodesk Maya and Blender. If you have a passion for animation and a strong portfolio showcasing your skills, this is an exciting opportunity to contribute to innovative storytelling in film and digital media.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience as a Rigging Artist in animation or VFX.
• Strong portfolio showcasing rigging work and proficiency in 3D software.

Responsibilities

• Design and build character and creature rigs using industry-standard software.
• Collaborate with animators and modelers to ensure realistic movement.

Skills

Problem-solving skills

Communication skills

Leadership abilities

Understanding of anatomy

Creativity within technical constraints

Education

Bachelor's degree in Animation

Bachelor's degree in Computer Graphics

Tools

Autodesk Maya

Houdini

Blender

Python

Job description

Join to apply for the Expression of Interest - Rigging Artist role at AGBO.

About Us
Founded by award-winning, record-breaking directors Anthony and Joe Russo, AGBO is an artist-led entertainment company focused on creating content born of innovative story universes across film, television, and digital platforms. This position is working for a prestigious and prolific production company run by directorial talent. This is an amazing opportunity for the right candidate to work in the heart of a fast-paced, well-connected, highly creative environment with competitive compensation commensurate with experience.

The Role
The Rigging Artist is responsible for designing and creating complex character and creature rigs and pipeline for use in various projects. They collaborate closely with animators, modelers, and other team members to ensure that characters and creatures move realistically and convincingly within the context of the project.

This is an Expression of Interest role.

Responsibilities

• Work with department heads to design and build sophisticated character and creature rigs using industry-standard software like Autodesk Maya, Houdini, Blender, or similar tools. This may include creating skeletons, muscle systems, deformations, and control setups.
• Prepare characters for animation by setting up skinning and weighting to ensure that the mesh deforms correctly as the character moves.
• Develop facial rigs that allow animators to create expressive facial animations, including lip-syncing, blinking, and emotive expressions.
• Implement realistic body mechanics in rigs, such as joint limitations, muscle simulations, and secondary animations like cloth and hair.
• Write scripts and use automation tools to streamline rigging processes and improve efficiency.
• Troubleshoot rigging issues and provide creative solutions to technical challenges that may arise during the animation process.
• Collaborate closely with animators, modelers, and other team members to ensure rigs meet the artistic and technical requirements of the project.
• Maintain detailed documentation and guidelines for the rigs to facilitate smooth handovers to animators and other team members.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to junior rigging artists, sharing best practices and helping them develop their skills.
• Keep up-to-date with industry trends, tools, and techniques related to rigging and animation to ensure the team's work remains at the cutting edge of the field.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Animation, Computer Graphics, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• 5+ years of proven experience as a Rigging Artist in the animation or VFX industry, with a strong portfolio showcasing your rigging work.
• Proficiency in industry-standard 3D software, such as Maya or Blender.
• Solid understanding of anatomy, kinematics, and character movement.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work creatively within technical constraints.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Leadership abilities and experience in mentoring junior artists is a plus.
• Metahuman experience is a plus.
• Familiarity with scripting languages like Python for automation is a bonus.

AGBO Labs, LLC is committed to operating fair and unbiased recruitment procedures allowing all applicants an equal opportunity for employment, free from discrimination on the basis of religion, race, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, color, ethnic or national origin or any other classification as may be protected by applicable law. We aim to recruit the right people for the jobs we have to offer, and to assess applications on the basis of relevant skills, education and experience.

Seniority level

Mid-Senior level

Employment type

Temporary

Job function

Design, Art/Creative, and Information Technology

Industries

Entertainment Providers