Careers

Quick links to sections To jump to a particular service quickly, use these links:		How to apply for a position at Hawaii Animation Studios
Animators Modelers Lighters	Rendering Technical Directors Riggers Surfacers	From the director to the administrative support, every member of the team is vital to the success of Hawaii Animation Studios. Any candidate seeking a position at Hawaii Animation Studios must submit the following: Demo Reel (either NTSC DVD or link to online reel) and/or Portfolio (physical or online) Cover Letter Resume Shot Breakdown explaining your role in each shot and which software was used Please note that any DVD reels and physical portfolios will not be returned. If we feel you are a good match for our production needs, we will contact you.
Contact email for Careers at HAS careers@hawaiianimation.com

Animators

Summary of the Position

Animators are responsible for bringing characters to life. To be a successful candidate, Character Animators should have a background in any of the following animation disciplines:

Traditional 2D Cel animation
Computer Graphics animation
Stop motion animation
Claymation.

Prior training should cover anatomy, perspective and composition, including solving problems in weight, balance, movement, space, construction and proportion. Animators must be able to demonstrate their understanding of animation principles such as timing, clear staging, squash and stretch, anticipation and follow-through, and secondary action.

Background and Qualifications

Ability to use acting skills, which bring characters to life, as well as clearly communicate simple ideas with which an audience can empathize
Strong understanding of traditional animation principles
Strong attention to detail
An art background, which shows a thorough understanding of physical motion, weight, balance, texture, and form
Proven storytelling skills
Must have an online demo reel that demonstrates application of the principles of animation to tell a story with meaning through movement
Ability to work collaboratively
Must be open to direction and able to embrace change
Degree or certificate in classical animation, film, or related field, or equivalent production animation experience

Jared, left, among other skills he possesses, is a great modeler

Modelers

Summary of the Position

Modelers are responsible for creating complex organic models needed for character animation; prop elements for effects; and environmental sets and structures. A mastery of human and animal anatomy, perspective, weight, volume, proportion and/or architecture, industrial design or automotive design is required. Previous experience with traditional sculpting is a plus.

Produce and maintain 3D models needed for character animation, props or environmental stages to support the artistic goals and story concepts of the production team. The artists build the models from scratch and see them through the modeling pipeline. Deep understanding of human and animal anatomy, weight, proportion and perspective is required.

Background and Qualifications:

Must have a portfolio or demo reel that displays the ability to model in 3D using tools such as Maya, Modo, Topogun, XSI, Houdini or 3D Studio Max.
Experience with Mudbox and/or Z-Brush is a plus
Completed a degree or certificate in Art, Fine Art, Illustration, Visual Arts or Computer Science, or have equivalent industry experience.
Should have a good understanding of 3D computer graphics theory and practice.
Must have good understanding of shape, composition, physical motion, weight and balance.
Must have good written and verbal communication skills.
Must be able to work alone and collaboratively, often with multiple tasks and under deadline pressure.
Must be open to direction and able to embrace change.
In addition to these required qualifications, any of the following attributes will be considered a plus: Skill in drawing, sketching, or sculpting.

Billy, center, and Amanda, right, are both lighting artists at HAS

Lighters

Summary of the Position

Lighters are responsible for assembling the elements of a shot into a final composite and composing the digital lighting of the scene. Lighters must have an understanding of color, contrast and value, and lighting design, along with a solid familiarity with 3D lighting in a production environment. Lighters also possess a strong visual sense and the ability to distinguish subtle differences that affect the matching of elements created in multiple mediums.

Background and Qualifications

Formal art education such as BFA from accredited art or design school, or equivalent level of industry experience required
Must have a strong sense of light and shadow
Strong understanding of color theory
Ability to balance quality with efficiency and work within performance budgets
Strong background in traditional art and/or photography would be an asset- Solid understanding of lighting/rendering technologies
Proficient in technical problem solving
Demonstrated working knowledge of current technical lighting techniques and technologies
Experience in Lighting in any major 3D CG Package

Renders, from turn tables to full production rendered frames, help us in finalize the look and style of the production

Rendering Technical Directors

Summary of the Position

Manage the rendering of the final images that make up each of our animated films. These technical artists will use the Hawaii Animation Studios rendering software to render and composite high-resolution images, check them for defects, and help to troubleshoot and correct any problems that exist. They will provide technical support to other departments, particularly Shading and Lighting, regarding rendering software and rendering issues, and debugging and optimization of renders.

Background and Qualifications

Must have strong drive to debug and solve problems, and a good eye for visual details.
Excellent Windows / Windows Server experience is a must, Unix/Linux skills are a plus
Knowledge of shell scripting (t/csh, bash, PowerShell) and Python is a must
A good knowledge of rendering, especially the Mentalray renderer, is required. Knowledge of other renderers (PRman, Mantra, V-Ray, Arnold, etc) is a definite bonus.
Training in computer science or experience as programmer is a plus.
Experience as a Windows or Linux system administrator is a plus.
Experience in TV, film, games, or other graphics production experience is preferred.

Riggers

Summary of the Position

Riggers add animation control and bring life to digital characters. These controls are used to position, move, and pose the models. Rigging requires an understanding of anatomy and expression, and riggers work closely with animators to design a set of controls that support all of the desired range of poses and behaviors. Scripting is often used to construct more sophisticated rigs, so it is valuable for a rigger to have good programming skills. Riggers support highly versatile character rigging and animation interfaces while working closely with the Animators. A rigger oversees the characters and props rigging throughout the animation pipeline.

Background and Qualifications

Superior experience and knowledge of Maya Rigging techniques
Minimum 3 years CG Modeling and Rigging experience
Advanced understanding of 3D space
Strong knowledge of Maya polygonal modeling tools
Strong knowledge of human and quadruped anatomy
Strong knowledge of Maya skin weighting tools
Working knowledge of Maya materials editing
Some Python scripting ability a plus
Art and design background (education or work experience) an asset
Strong art and design background (education or work experience)

Surfacers

Summary of the Position

Surfacers design photo realistic textures for characters, props, and environmental settings, in conjunction with defining other attributes of the surfaces that lead to realistic looking materials for computer graphic assets.

The Texture Artist paints surface textures on animated characters, props and environments including background flats and matte painting. The Artist creates complex and technically challenging surfacing setups, while creating visual elements in accordance to the designs and visual style the project dictates.

Background and Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Film or Fine Arts or other relevant area of study and/or equivalent industry experience
3+ years experience high end production experience in Film, Commercials or Video Game industry as Texture Artist
Knowledge of a variety of rendering environments including Renderman, Mental Ray, and Maya shader nets.
Ability to adapt to a large variety of styles including integration with live-action, 2D, stop motion, cartoon and photo real elements
Strong working knowledge of Polygonal texturing and UV layout
Strong Photoshop skills
Working knowledge of Mudbox and / or Zbrush or equivalent 3D paint package
Modeling and lighting experience a plus
Experience in advanced surface types, global illumination and subsurface scattering a plus
Excellent traditional painting skills a plus

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