Visual Development Apprentice

Skydance Animation is excited to welcome an emerging Visual Development Artist as an apprentice. The Visual Development Apprentice will join the studio in a rotational program having opportunities to, with the help of their designated mentor, hone their craft while working on a real feature production and getting an in-depth look at Skydance Animation’s studio culture, including our filmmaking process and our people. In addition, a learning curriculum will be built around the apprentice to help support future growth as an artist.

Candidates must be 18 years or older and have approximately 1 year of experience as a visual development artist and/or background painter, background designer, prop designer, etc., but no more than 2 years in feature animation.

#Animation

• Use artistic skills to bring characters, settings, and stories to life
• Work alongside mentor and team to visually explore and design different aspects of a film while keeping in mind the story needs and narrative
• Create character and environment concepts, color scripts, color keys, lighting studies, mood paintings, and production illustrations
• Innovate and elevate ideas, keeping in mind leadership’s requests and vision while adding your own creative flair with depth, humor, emotion, and resonance to visual concepts
• Perform research that will inform the design of the work
• Take notes, implement feedback, make any changes or revisions when necessary
• Communicate progress of work to mentor and other appropriate staff
• Ensure quality and style of show is consistently achieved
• Participate in brainstorming sessions with other visual development artists
• Attend and contribute to relevant meetings as needed

• Must be 18 years or older
• Approximately 1 year of experience as a visual development artist and/or background painter, background designer, prop designer, etc. but no more than 2 years in feature animation (this can include previous internships, trainee experiences, etc.)
• Available full-time (40hrs per week) for 6 months between June 9th-December 12th
• Located in, or willingness to relocate to, the Los Angeles Metropolitan area
• Portfolio that demonstrates visual development skillset; exhibit proficiency in drawing, anatomy, design, perspective, composition, painting, lighting, and color theory
• Advanced knowledge of Photoshop
• Eagerness to learn and actively participate in studio offerings

The hourly rate for this non-exempt position in Santa Monica is $44.11hr.

You must be available to work full-time from 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM (PT) for the duration of the program (Mon-Fri, June 9 to December 12).