Senior Rough Layout Artist - Feature Animation

Bardel Entertainment, a pioneering force in the animation industry for over 35 years, is in search of a talented Rigging Artist to join our vibrant team. At Bardel, we pride ourselves on our creative roots and our relentless pursuit of innovative ideas, techniques, and technologies. Our culture fosters creativity and collaboration, allowing you to unleash your artistic potential in a supportive environment that encourages experimentation and new approaches without the fear of failure. As part of our dynamic team, you will play a crucial role in bringing our animated characters to life, enhancing their functionality through seamless rigging and controls. If you are passionate about animation and wish to contribute to projects that challenge the imagination, we invite you to be part of our journey in creating mesmerizing animated experiences that resonate with audiences worldwide. Join us at Bardel Entertainment and help shape the future of animation through your expertise and creativity.

The Layout Artist works with the Layout Supervisor and/or Sequence Director to create 3D sequences of the story.    

As a layout artist, you are responsible for creating shots and elevating the visual storytelling of the project. You will stage the scene, place and animate cameras, establish timing of the action, animate characters, and roughly edit the flow of the sequence. Your shots will become the blueprint for the downstream department, allowing the project to be enhanced in a creative, appealing and cohesive way. Your passion for artistry and your technical skills will be integral in shaping our projects. 

Responsibilities

• Establish the staging and camera positioning of scenes in a CG environment  
• Collaborate with Layout Supervisor to align the cinematography with director's vision  
• Interpret storyboards into 3D, offering solutions and pitching new ideas to improve the visual story  
• Animate elements and characters for framing and story beats   
• Proactively communicate and collaborate across teams  
• Ensure alignment with project leads for technical and aesthetic goals  
• Meet and maintain project deadlines consistently    
• Support and mentor junior artists, offering guidance and instruction   
• Scout and Previz assets, teaming up with Design, Modeling and other departments   
  

• 5+ years of relevant experience as a camera and staging artist in the animation/previz/VFX industry  
• 1 Animation TV production or 1 Animation Feature Film or Game Cinematics delivery experience as a layout\previz\cinematic artist   
• Experience with Maya   
• Editing software (Adobe Premiere Pro, Avid Media Composer, Final Cut Pro) experience is a plus 
• Maya’s Camera Sequencer experience is a plus   
• Demo Reel that demonstrates a variety of sequences made of continuous shots, and showcase the ability to place camera and stage the action of a scene   
• Demonstrate strong camera animation skills