Job description
NovaFrame Studios is seeking a talented Senior Character Animator to join our growth-focused team in Los Angeles. You will collaborate with directors, designers, and riggers to create expressive characters for feature films, commercials, and episodic content. This role blends artistry with pipeline-driven efficiency, pushing the boundaries of 2D and 3D animation.
We value curiosity, collaboration, and a commitment to storytelling. If you thrive in a fast-paced studio environment and want to contribute to award-winning projects, we want to hear from you.
What you bring: a strong portfolio, fluency in animation timing, acting, and character appeal, and a proactive approach to feedback and iteration.
Responsibility
- Lead the animation process for assigned characters and sequences, ensuring style consistency and narrative clarity.
- Collaborate with directors, story artists, and riggers to plan timing, acting choices, and performance beats.
- Develop and refine character animation cycles, lip-sync, and expressive posing for scenes across formats.
- Iterate quickly using feedback from reviews, delivering polished sequences on schedule.
- Mentor junior animators, share techniques, and contribute to the team's growth and quality standards.
- Export and integrate animation into pipelines, ensuring compatibility with lighting, rigging, and compositing teams.
- Help define and maintain asset libraries, reference materials, and shot lists for efficient production.
Qualification
- 5+ years of professional character animation experience in film, TV, or games, with a strong showreel.
- Proficiency in industry standards such as Maya or Blender; experience with Toon Boom Harmony and After Effects is a plus.
- Solid understanding of acting, timing, rhythm, and storytelling; ability to convey emotion through performance.
- Experience with rigging integration, pipeline tools, and working within a production schedule.
- Strong collaboration and communication skills; comfortable receiving and applying direction from directors and leads.
- Bachelor's degree in Animation or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
- Portfolio demonstrates versatility across styles and ability to adapt to different genres and audiences.