Lead Animator (Crowds) - Expression of Interest

Summary
The Lead Animator (Crowds) will work closely with the HOCA (Head of Character Animation), Supervising Animators, Asset CG Supervisor, VFX Supervisor, and other department heads to ensure the artistic and technical integrity of crowd animation across the production. This includes overseeing pipeline workflows, shot production while developing or improving tools and technology to meet the creative needs of the project.

The Lead Animator (Crowds) is both a creative and leadership role, responsible for leading a team of Animators (Crowds), managing workflow processes, and troubleshooting technical or creative issues. They are accountable for delivering high-quality crowd animation that aligns with the vision of the Directors and HOCA, on time and within budget.

This role involves facilitating communication across departments, mentoring artists, and ensuring the department operates efficiently while meeting artistic goals. The Lead Animator (Crowds) will also play a key role in driving pipeline development and contributing to studio-wide initiatives.

Role Specifics

• Work closely with HOCA, Supervising Animators, Asset CG Supervisor and VFX Supervisor to realize the creative vision for crowd animation and meet the artistic goals of the production.
• Oversee the shot production and pipeline workflows for Crowd Animation
• Troubleshoot creative and technical issues, providing hands-on support to the team.
• Facilitate communication and problem-solving across departments to address dependencies and challenges.
• Approve department deliverables and ensure quality standards are met.
• Bid crowd sequences and cycles in partnership with HOCA/Producers, identifying requirements and potential challenges.
• Present crowd elements in reviews and dailies, providing clarity to the team on feedback and creative direction.
• Guide Crowd Animators, critiquing work, resolving technical problems, and determining when shots are ready for review.
• Collaborate with Dev, HOD and Anim TD’s to improve the production pipeline, tools, and methodologies.
• Participate in meetings with leadership to align on technical and creative goals.
• Drive efficiency in achieving creative objectives, including proposing reusable setups where applicable.
• Support studio-wide initiatives and contribute to the unification of pipeline methodologies.

Leading People

• Create an inclusive and collaborative work environment, encouraging open communication and addressing any challenges.
• Mentor and support the growth of Crowd Animators, providing guidance, constructive feedback, and opportunities for learning.
• Set clear expectations and hold artists accountable for meeting quotas and quality standards.
• Work closely with Production Coordinators to cast shots to animators based on their skill sets and strengths.
• Foster team morale, ensuring a positive, inspiring, and productive work atmosphere.
• Play an active role in recruiting, training, and onboarding new team members.
• Provide regular written feedback to Management, and conduct feedback touchbases with Animators. 

Communication

• Provide regular updates to the HOCA and Production Management on progress, challenges, and team health.
• Communicate potential schedule delays or technical challenges proactively.
• Actively participate in dailies, reviews, and department meetings, ensuring clear feedback and alignment.
• Collaborate with other departments to address creative and technical dependencies.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in feature film animation or related production environments.
• Proven leadership experience, including mentoring and managing teams of artists.
• Strong technical proficiency with Maya. Some knowledge of Houdini is a plus not a requirement.
• Experience developing or improving animation pipelines is an asset. 
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot creative and technical problems effectively.
• Exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to clearly present ideas and feedback.
• Strong organizational skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines and quotas.
• Demonstrated experience balancing creative ambitions with production constraints.
• A collaborative mindset, with the ability to inspire and support teams in achieving their best work.

We value unique perspectives, and want diverse, unique talent to work with us.  We encourage candidates from all identities to apply.

Please note that you must be able to provide a demo reel that illustrates your relevant artistic and technical experience that also includes the nuances for this specific role.

*Sony Pictures Entertainment is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other protected characteristics.