Facial Animator (FACS)

We are seeking a skilled Facial Animator (FACS) to bring a hyper-realistic virtual performer to life for a live, musical production. This contract role involves creating high-fidelity facial performances, collaborating with animation and performance teams on FACS-based facial solving, and ensuring expressive and lifelike animation across musical and cinematic sequences. The animator will also refine the facial animation pipeline and troubleshoot workflow challenges to achieve next-generation entertainment experiences.

Must Have

• Create, polish, and integrate feature-quality facial animation
• Collaborate on FACS-based facial solving
• Ensure facial performances blend seamlessly with full-body motion and musical timing
• Maintain continuity and emotional clarity in performances
• Refine the facial animation pipeline and establish workflows
• Analyze and refine key facial shapes
• Troubleshoot facial solving and animation workflow challenges
• Participate in feedback sessions to elevate animation quality
• Communicate effectively with Production, Engineering, and Rigging teams
• Contribute to animation tests, previs, layout, and shot finalization
• Minimum 3 years production experience in film, games, or real-time performance
• Expertise in FACS-based facial animation, facial anatomy, and expression
• Proficiency in Autodesk Maya
• Experience with keyframe and motion capture facial workflows
• Ability to create cinematic, emotionally rich, and believable facial performances
• Strong understanding of animation principles, timing, and performance
• Excellent problem-solving and communication skills
• Collaborative, team-focused mindset
• Ability to maintain high-quality work under tight production timelines
• Passion for character performance and innovation
• Must be located in British Columbia

Good to Have

• Experience with 4D capture or high-resolution scanned facial assets
• Background in live or virtual production settings
• Experience mentoring or leading other animators
• Demonstrated interest in musical or performance-driven storytelling
• Familiarity with Unreal Engine and Sequencer, with the ability to work adaptively inside real-time pipelines

Perks & Benefits

• Fun-loving and passionate work environment
• Opportunity for growth and learning
• Welcoming atmosphere
• Culture dedicated to helping you grow and thrive
• Ample opportunity to advance

About the role

We’re seeking a skilled Facial Animator (FACS) to help bring a hyper-realistic virtual performer to life through expressive, emotionally authentic animation. This role focuses on delivering high-fidelity facial performances for a live, musical production—where artistry, technology, and realism meet to create a next-generation entertainment experience.

*This is a contract position*

What you'll do

• Create, polish, and integrate feature-quality facial animation that captures nuanced emotion and realism for a hyper-realistic virtual performer singing and dancing live on stage.
• Collaborate closely with the Animation and Performance teams on advanced FACS-based facial solving, ensuring expressive and lifelike performances across musical and cinematic sequences.
• Work directly with Animation Directors, Supervisors, and Leads to ensure facial performances blend seamlessly with full-body motion and musical timing.
• Maintain continuity and emotional clarity in performances that combine body and facial animation.
• Assist in refining the facial animation pipeline, helping to establish workflows and tools that support both cinematic and live performance environments.
• Analyze and refine key facial shapes, ensuring accurate anatomical deformation and expressive believability.
• Troubleshoot facial solving and animation workflow challenges proactively, contributing to creative and technical problem-solving.
• Attend dailies, rounds, and reviews; actively participate in feedback sessions to elevate animation quality.
• Communicate effectively with Production, Engineering, and Rigging teams to ensure facial performance integration meets technical and artistic standards.
• Contribute to animation tests, previs, layout, and shot finalization for musical and performance-based sequences.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of production experience in film, games, or real-time performance environments.
• Proven expertise in FACS-based facial animation, with a deep understanding of facial anatomy and expression.
• Proficiency in Autodesk Maya; MotionBuilder experience is a plus.
• Experience with both keyframe and motion capture facial workflows.
• Proven ability to create cinematic, emotionally rich, and believable facial performances, especially for realistic human characters.
• Strong understanding of animation principles, timing, and performance.
• Excellent problem-solving and communication skills with a collaborative, team-focused mindset.
• Ability to maintain high-quality work under tight production timelines.
• Passion for character performance and innovation in animation technology.
• Applicants must be located in British Columbia.

Preferred (but not required) Qualifications:

• Experience with 4D capture or high-resolution scanned facial assets.
• Background in live or virtual production settings.
• Experience mentoring or leading other animators.
• Demonstrated interest in musical or performance-driven storytelling.
• Familiarity with Unreal Engine and Sequencer, with the ability to work adaptively inside real-time pipelines.