DreamWorks Feature - Animation TA

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. 

Comcast NBCUniversal has announced its intent to create a new publicly traded company ('Versant') comprised of most of NBCUniversal's cable television networks, including USA Network, CNBC, MSNBC, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and Golf Channel along with complementary digital assets Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, GolfNow, GolfPass, and SportsEngine. The well-capitalized company will have significant scale as a pure-play set of assets anchored by leading news, sports and entertainment content. The spin-off is expected to be completed during 2025.

The TA performs specifically designated tasks for the Character teams to help facilitate the quality and fidelity of the character rigs going into Animation. In addition they will troubleshoot software and shot specific issues as well as perform simple animation. They will work closely between the Animation and Character TD departments and help to improve processes and workflow.

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?”

• Complete first pass of quality control between Character departments by:

  • confirming joint placements and basic deformation.

  • creating body and facial calisthenics animations (Rigging, CFX, Animation).

  • creating poses and simple animation (i.e. walk cycles) to test rigs.

  • creating shots for the Head of Character Animation and Animators as needed.

• Verify consistency of tools and character rig features/controls within a show and among other shows:

  • rotation order, mirroring, manipulators, regions, textures, parenting, post scaling, matching constraints etc.

  • character controls behavior is as expected.

  • initial pose library is setup and other templates as needed.

• Help monitor that character deformations are adhering to the show’s visual language and flag any issues to the Head of Character Animation.

• Assist in building the characters’ Animation Interface.

• Assist the Character TDs with crafting and updating Animation Parts for each character.

• Assist the Character TDs and Animators in making sure the Animation Parts are ordered accurately.

• Evaluate upcoming sequences to flag potential character rig requirements.

• Follow-up with other departments while troubleshooting issues until a resolution is reached.

• Test new software maps and/or features as needed (Premo and/or Rig).

• Look at QA tests, movies and models and develop efficiencies for future character tests.

• Work closely with Head of Character Animation, Animation Supervisors, Character TD Supervisors and Leads to determine quality level and criteria at handoff from Character TD to Animation.

• Help communicate areas of concern or special features requested by Animators for each character. (i.e. spine movement or clavicle location).

• Help communicate character rig features from other shows that can improve the rigs within the assigned show. Also, communicate the new features being developed on the assigned show with other shows.

• Help gather notes and feedback from Animators in order to complete rig wrecking.

• Attend relevant meetings and document new processes and procedures.

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

• A solid understanding of the principles of animation, body mechanics, and facial animation.

• Proficient in 3D Character Animation, Character Rigging, and some basic knowledge of 3D Modeling.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Problem solving and troubleshooting in a technical environment.

• Experience with unix/linux.

• 2D graphics software knowledge, such as Gimp.

• Willingness to work overtime if/when necessary. 

Desired Qualifications: “What can I offer?”

• Production experience.

• Drawing skills (traditional, digital, etc.)

Hybrid: This position has been designated as hybrid, generally contributing from the office a minimum of three days per week.

Salary Range: $78,312  - $95,000

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].