Lead Animator

6 days ago

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Steamroller Animation Full time

Lead Animator (FACS & Motion Capture)
Location: British Columbia
Start Date: TBC February/March 2026

***This is a contract position***

About the role

We're seeking a Lead Animator to help guide the creative and technical execution of animation for a hyper-realistic virtual performer in a live musical experience. This role focuses on leading the Facial and Motion Capture Cleanup teams—ensuring seamless integration between expressive facial performance and dynamic body motion. The ideal candidate combines strong artistic sensibility with a deep understanding of FACS and motion capture workflows, inspiring the team to deliver believable, emotionally rich animation at the highest level of quality.

What you'll do

  • Provide clear direction, feedback, and mentorship to animators specializing in facial and motion capture cleanup.
  • Collaborate closely with the Animation Supervisor, Directors, and other Leads to uphold the project's artistic vision and quality standards.
  • Review and refine animation work, ensuring consistency, performance authenticity, and technical excellence across facial and body motion.
  • Work on high-complexity animation tasks as needed, producing polished, realistic performances that merge emotional nuance with physical accuracy.
  • Partner with Production to manage team priorities, monitor deadlines, and ensure deliverables are met efficiently.
  • Participate in dailies, rounds, and reviews, providing actionable notes that elevate shot quality and maintain stylistic cohesion.
  • Support development of animation workflows and best practices for facial solving, mocap cleanup, and real-time integration.
  • Communicate effectively with Rigging, Performance Capture, and Engineering teams to troubleshoot data and optimize pipelines.
  • Lead by example through a collaborative and encouraging approach, fostering a motivated, solutions-oriented team environment.
  • Represent the animation team in internal and partner-facing meetings as needed.

Qualifications

  • Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in film, games, or real-time animation production.
  • Proven experience in both motion capture cleanup and FACS-based facial animation workflows.
  • Strong understanding of animation principles, body mechanics, and emotional performance.
  • Proficiency in Autodesk Maya; MotionBuilder experience is highly valued.
  • Working knowledge of Unreal Engine and Sequencer is preferred.
  • Ability to translate artistic vision into clear, achievable animation goals for the team.
  • Excellent leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
  • Ability to troubleshoot creatively and technically while maintaining efficiency under tight timelines.
  • Professional demeanor with a collaborative, team-focused mindset.
  • Applicants must be located in British Columbia.

Preferred (but not required) Qualifications:

  • Experience working on realistic human animation or performance-driven projects.
  • Familiarity with 4D capture or virtual production workflows.
  • Strong mentoring ability and interest in team development.
  • Passion for performance, realism, and pushing the boundaries of real-time animation.

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