Lead Character Technical Director

Job Description:

• Lead a team of skilled TDs to support a complete character development pipeline including scanning, blend shape library development, rigging, skinning, and exporting
• Collaborate with Technical Art Directors, Character Artists, Animators, and Engineers to help deliver the highest quality characters possible within the constraints of real-time development environment
• Work with production to provide development estimates, track progress, and address any issues that may come up
• Mentor and manage a team of TDs ensuring that each has clear, actionable tasking and feedback as well as facilitate ownership over the TD’s respective specialties
• Design, create, test, and maintain character rigs/setups
• Responsible for using leading edge computer programs to develop the skeleton for Naughty Dog’s in-game characters
• Manipulate the geometry of characters by creating the animation that governs the characters’ interaction with their environments
• Apply expertise in the field to develop tools for the animation production processes, collaborate with modelers and animators, and develop new techniques to solve character production challenges
• Work with modelers to create a model that meets technical needs
• Collaborate with animators to design motion controls
• Develop and maintain character motion and deformation systems
• Develop new techniques and processes to solve character production challenges
• Capable of writing pipeline tools to streamline the setup process
• Work with production management to prioritize tasks

Requirements:

• Four (4) years of experience in job offered, or as a Technical Artist, Character TD, or in a related occupation.
• Require the following knowledge and experience:
  • Three (3) years of production experience
  • In-depth knowledge of Maya
  • Understanding of Both Figure and Facial Anatomy
  • Character/Vehicle Rigging Experience in Maya (in Film, Broadcast, or Game Environments)
  • Experience setting up production pipelines
  • C++ experience

Job Site:

• Santa Monica, California