Lead Character Modeller
Job Summary
Job Description
- Extensive animation production experience
- Maya & Zbrush proficiency
- Clean topology & subdivision modelling
- UV mapping & texturing skills (Substance Painter, Photoshop)
- Team leadership & communication skills
- Creative problem-solving abilities
- Lead role experience
- Blender knowledge
- Redshift rendering experience
- Ftrack experience
- Flexible working
- Inclusive shorts programme
- Social events
- Staff feedback programme
- Comprehensive benefits package
- Online wellbeing programme
- Profit share (after 2+ years)
11 skills required
Job Details
About The Role
We are currently looking for a Lead Character Modeller to work on a brand new production.
Our Lead Modelling Artists are incredible character builders and excellent motivators. They build characters with charming details that help tell the stories. They also support their team members and lead by example, making sure their entire team is delivering consistently high quality assets.
Your day-to-day will focus on creating detailed, stylised Characters based on informative concept designs, whilst meeting production deadlines and that all important brief from our Directors, Art Director and Clients.
Day to Day:
- Modelling, UV mapping, texturing and shading stylised character assets.
- Effectively realising a 2D concept through to 3D, as well as being able to work with minimal design.
- Leading a team of modelling artists, and regularly communicating with our Rigging Department, CG Supervisor, Art Director and Directors.
- Responding positively to, and acting on notes and feedback from our Asset Supervisor, Art Director and Directors.
- Communicating with and addressing fixes from our Rigging and Surfacing Departments.
- Delegating and Managing your team’s assets and time efficiently to meet those deadlines.
- Giving constructive feedback to improve asset quality across the team.
- Communicating with and responding to the other departments to manage any fixes and notes.
- Reporting to Production Manager and Asset Supervisor if there are any issues to flag that would affect the schedule.
- Responsible for training the new team members on the project and studio pipeline.
- Initial approval of your team’s assets before they are passed on to the Asset Supervisor, Art Director and Directors.
- Assisting our Asset Supervisor with character asset problem solving both creatively and technically.
- Always be inclusive and supportive of your colleagues to match the studio’s values of inclusion and opportunity.
About You
Must Have:
- Extensive demonstrable animation production experience
- Interpreting volume, form and texture when creating models from concept designs
- Working with modelling tools both in Maya and Zbrush
- Knowledge of clean topology and subdivision modelling principles
- UV mapping with Maya
- Knowledge of texturing assets using Substance Painter and Photoshop
- Creative problem solving
- Work independently and manage a team, leading by example.
Bonus Points:
- Previous production experience in a Lead role
- Knowledge of Blender
- Experience in using Redshift for rendering in Maya
- Experience using Ftrack
About Us
Blue Zoo is a leading animation studio in the UK, with a world-class reputation as the go-to place for creating bold, fun and characterful animation. Established in London in 2000, the studio has grown to become the largest dedicated CG animation studio in the UK, picking up a shelf full of BAFTAs, an Annie and an Emmy along the way!
We couldn’t be prouder that Blue Zoo is the first major animation studio in the world to receive We’ve been independently certified by B Lab, a non-profit organisation who award the B Corp certification. The certification verifies companies who are working to improve the lives of employees as well as industries as a whole. The certification process involves over 170 rigorous metrics to improve the lives of our staff, customers, suppliers, and the local community, ensuring we are not just saying we are ethical with empty gestures, but independently evidencing it.
We are going through an exciting period of growth and are building a studio that is full of amazingly talented, happy artists, making work they are proud of, which in turn makes a small contribution to a happier world. Blue Zoo believes that a healthy balance in our lives - whatever our situation - is key to supporting the wellbeing of our staff. We offer flexible working to support this.
We look for people who have expertise, enthusiasm and are motivated to make things better. You’ll work alongside a talented and diverse group of people who respect each other's differences and seek to understand and embrace fresh perspectives.
What we’ve got for you:
- Winner of Best Places to Work in TV 2019, 2020 and 2022
- Inclusive self-funded shorts programme
- Many fun social events throughout the year - even though some of them have to be remote for the foreseeable!
- Bi-monthly staff feedback and engagement programme
- Friday "beer o'clock" and talks programme!
- Comprehensive benefits package, including loads of discounts and offers
- Online wellbeing programme
- Profit share (for staff who have been with us for 2+ years)
Blue Zoo is committed to creating and nurturing an inclusive studio that promotes and values diversity and invites everyone to ‘bring their whole selves’ to work. We believe that companies that truly embrace and value diversity, and create an environment where everyone from any background can do their best work, are better companies.
To be engaged our people have to feel included and valued. We work hard to build and nurture a culture where inclusiveness is embedded in the way we work, not just an initiative. We strive to engender a studio community that feels a deep sense of pride and commitment that transcends any role, department or level and works together to produce excellent and engaging work.
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About The Company
Celebrating over 20 years of Blue Zoo! We’re one of the UK’s leading animation studios with an enviable client list and a shelf full of BAFTAs for our trademark CG character animation. We’ve produced some of the most well-loved kids shows on TV, memorable commercials, and our animated shorts are rapidly gaining recognition for artistry and innovation.
Our passion for our craft and storytelling in the most engaging way has always been at the core of what we do, and that integrity has earned us a worldwide reputation for creating brilliant animation for broadcast, commercials and digital content.
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