Blend Shape Artist

POSITION DESCRIPTION:
An M2 Animation Blendshape Artist  will collaborate closely with the Art, Animation, and Rigging teams, transforming artistic concepts into expressive facial animation for a diverse cast of characters, elevating the quality of our character performance across all productions and genres.

REPORTS TO: Supervisor
LOCATION:
Will be primarily located onsite, in studio, in Bangkok Thailand.  Requirement to travel to other M2 locations is rare, but possible, as determined by the Facilities and Human Resources Manager via the Head of Studio.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum 3 years of professional experience in facial blend shape creation for high-end television productions, games or features.
• Strong familiarity with Facial Action Coding System (FACS) or equivalent facial animation techniques.
• A passionate commitment to bringing animated characters to life through expressive facial animation.
• A robust portfolio or demo reel showcasing expertise in facial blend shapes.
• Proficiency in Maya, specifically its blend shape functionalities.
• A solid grasp of character topology, including edge flow and polygon optimization.
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, deadline-driven environment.
• Strong communication, time management, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Collaborate with teams across Animation, Art, Rigging, and Modeling to develop blend shapes for comprehensive facial rigs, catering to both realistic human, stylized and fantastical character designs.
• Actively engage in troubleshooting topology to enhance model quality and animation feasibility, providing constructive feedback to the Modeling team.
• Execute facial motion tests, refine blend shapes based on feedback, and strive for continuous improvement in facial animation.
• Operate within established blend shape pipelines, proposing innovations and improvements to enhance workflow efficiency.
• Mentor peers and junior artists in blend shape creation, fostering a collaborative team environment.

GENERAL:

• Experience working with Unreal Engine preferred
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Good team player with great attitude, dependable and flexible
• Takes direction well and exercises close attention to detail
• Leadership and management skills, with an ability to multitask various tasks 
• Excellent understanding of English both spoken and written