Talent Development Program - Crowds Artist Trainee

Job Description

Join us for an opportunity to experience the art of animation and be a part of Walt Disney Animation Studios. The Talent Development Program is available for emerging artists and offers up to a 1 year paid position at Walt Disney Animation Studios. We offer an immersive Trainee experience, where participants will work under the guidance of a Disney Mentor to develop craft skills while applying them in a real world environment.

The Talent Development Crowds Artist Trainee Program begins February 2022. Please note, the safety and well-being of our teams is very important to us. We will determine whether this program will be in-person at our Burbank, CA studio or virtual in the coming months based on local state and county ordinance. The deadline for applications is October 31, 2021, 11:59PM PST.

The Crowds Artist Trainee
A crowds artist uses procedural animation techniques to populate Walt Disney Animation Studios' projects with world-class crowds. They apply their technical and creative skills to develop the tools and perform the tasks necessary to bring worlds to life, from initial design to final rendering.

Specific Responsibilities Include:
• Develop and maintain crowds technology and tools
• Design crowd character behaviors and set ups
• Supporting the story by populating scenes with crowd character assets and animation
• Working closely with the Crowds Supervisor and mentors, collaborating with peers to address creative and technical notes
• Identify opportunities to share knowledge and educate others on the production process

Am I Eligible To Apply? What We're Looking For:
• 18 years or older
• Emerging artists with less than 3 years industry experience
• Recent graduates with a degree or equivalent experience

Resume/Demonstrated Skills Should Include:
• Experience with commercial graphics packages such as Maya and Houdini
• Experience with the Linux or Unix operating system
• Solid understanding of the production processes and pipelines of CG Animation, VFX, or Video Game productions
• Understanding of rigging and animation techniques
• Strong interest in Particle Systems, AI/Machine Learning, or Crowds Systems (agent/brain design, simulation, and behavior)
• Experience with scripting languages such as Python
• Strong problem solving skills required
• Ability to work in a collaborative environment, taking direction well
• Experience with Object Oriented Programming such as C++ a plus
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Graphics, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field or equivalent experience

WDAS continues to build on its rich legacy of innovation and creativity, from the first fully-animated feature film, 1937's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, to 2019's Frozen 2, the biggest animated film of all time, to our 60th animated feature, Encanto, releasing November 2021. Among the studio's timeless creations are Pinocchio, Sleeping Beauty, The Jungle Book, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Frozen, Big Hero 6 and Zootopia.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-gke0j0-18-222-117-109-42 in your application.