Senior Facial Character TD

PlayStation Network; United States; Remote; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a pioneering team at a leading entertainment company as a Senior Facial Character TD. In this innovative role, you will craft photorealistic facial rigs and collaborate with talented artists and engineers. Your expertise in facial anatomy and cutting-edge technology will drive the creation of immersive characters for games and films. Embrace a culture of diversity and inclusion while working on groundbreaking projects that push the boundaries of visual storytelling. If you are passionate about facial rigging and eager to make a significant impact, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Benefits

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Qualifications

• Expert-level experience with Maya and facial rigging.
• Strong understanding of FACS and facial anatomy.
• Experience with machine-learning solutions for facial scanning.

Responsibilities

• Author high-quality photorealistic facial rigs based on FACS.
• Collaborate with Character Art and Animation teams.
• Develop systems for integrating head and body rigs.

Skills

Maya

ZBrush

Mudbox

TensorFlow

PyTorch

facial anatomy

FACS

facial performance capture

deformation transfer workflows

innovative thinking

Tools

Unity

Unreal Engine

Wrap3

Job description

PlayStation isn’t just the Best Place to Play — it’s also the Best Place to Work. Today, we’re recognized as a global leader in entertainment producing The PlayStation family of products and services including PlayStation5, PlayStation4, PlayStationVR, PlayStationPlus, acclaimed PlayStation software titles from PlayStation Studios, and more.

PlayStation also strives to create an inclusive environment that empowers employees and embraces diversity. We welcome and encourage everyone who has a passion and curiosity for innovation, technology, and play to explore our open positions and join our growing global team.

The PlayStation brand falls under Sony Interactive Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation.

CONTRACT ROLE

Insomniac is looking for its next Senior Facial Character TD. In this role, the Senior Facial Character TD is responsible for authoring facial rigs from scratch or utilizing a variety of high-resolution scan-data; participate in facial research & development efforts; pioneer and recommend new tools, techniques and technology for pushing visual boundaries, performance and efficiency. Responsible for a strong understanding of FACS and facial anatomy, as well as cutting edge approaches to facial technology.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following:

1. Author high quality photorealistic facial rigs based on FACS using blendshapes.
2. Author rigging systems to support blendshape-based facial rigs.
3. Develop systems/workflows for integrating head and body rigs.
4. Collaborate with Character Art, Animation, and Engineering teams to deliver high-quality assets with animator/mocap friendly interfaces that run smoothly in engine.
5. Contribute to tools for authoring and editing facial rigs (python/pyqt/pyside).
6. Contribute to automated tools and workflows for runtime optimization.
7. Contribute to tools for ingesting 3rd party facial rigs.
8. Work on facial animation systems such as facial solvers and R&D (python/C++/Machine Learning).
9. Sculpt FACS from scratch if necessary, using deformers and sculpting tools.
10. Process and clean 3D or 4D scan data from FACS sessions.
11. Stay updated with state-of-the-art approaches to facial rigging for photorealistic characters in film and games.
12. Understand facial shape transfer techniques and implement shape transfer pipelines.
13. May direct actors during FACS facial acquisitions.
14. Ingest and integrate facial assets from 3rd parties.
15. Maintain relationships and provide feedback to external vendors.
16. Adhere to lawful and ethical business practices supporting a diverse team of artists.
17. Other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities: This role has no supervisory duties but may mentor other TDs regarding facial mechanics, rigging, sculpting, or solving techniques.

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities.

Computer Skills:

• Expert-level experience with Maya.
• Experience sculpting details with ZBrush, Mudbox, or comparable; processing scan data with Wrap3 or comparable; deformation transfer workflows.
• Preferred experience with machine-learning solutions for facial scanning/authoring/solving (TensorFlow, PyTorch, etc); authoring plugins in python or C++; working with faces in real-time engines like Unity or Unreal.

Other Skills:

Strong understanding of state-of-the-art facial rigging for film or games; knowledge of FACS and facial anatomy; ability to identify primary action units; familiarity with facial performance capture & solving; modern scanning approaches including lightstage and 4D scanning; expert understanding of facial skeletal and muscle anatomy; passion for detail, iteration, and refinement; innovative thinking and collaboration skills.

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At SIE, base pay ranges are set considering market data, location, knowledge, skills, and experience. This role is eligible for benefits including medical, dental, and vision. Click here to learn more.

The estimated base pay range is $75 - $87 USD per hour.

Equal Opportunity Statement:

Sony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons will receive consideration without regard to gender, race, religion, age, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected categories. We strive for an inclusive environment and encourage everyone to apply.