Crystal Dynamics is looking for a Tech Animator
Crystal Dynamics is looking for a Technical Animator for one of its unannounced next-gen titles currently in production at its studio in Menlo Park at the heart of northern California's Silicon Valley.
Title Description:
The primary focus of the Technical Animator is designing, implementing, and maintaining animation related tools and the animation pipeline. In addition, the role requires providing support and development of tools, documentation and procedures, which extend and enhance the pipeline. This person would report to the Art Director.
Essential functions:
# Rig characters for next-gen 3rd-person adventure game. Emphasis on allowing animators to work as easily as possible while allowing for maximum fidelity and quality
# Act as liaison between art, design, and programming. Responsible for assisting in defining and enhancing the studios next-gen character production pipeline and workflow
# Work with the, art director, and animation lead to establish and maintain the workflow of the character art/animation team, and make recommendations for improvement of the pipelines
# Design, document, create, and integrate MEL scripts with studio-wide sensibilities in mind
# Assist in the Creation, and lead the maintenance of technical art pipeline documentation
# R & D software that improves efficiency and raises the visual quality of the art department
# Understand custom toolsets, and the confines of real time engine constraints
# Creation advanced skeletal set ups with set driven keys and expressions
Preferred skills:
# 2-5 years industry experience with at least one shipped title.
# Previous experience Rigging characters
# Thorough understanding of motion capture workflows
# Expert understanding of all standard art tools and plug-ins in that include Maya, Motion Builder, Photoshop, and 3DMax.
# Previous experience in MEL scripting
# Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
Please apply through our careers site - http://tbe.taleo.net/NA4/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=VAM&cws=1&rid=190, and include a link to your work samples.
Crystal Dynamics has consistently pursued excellence in third-person action adventures, earning critical acclaim for setting new standards in visuals, game design, animation, storytelling, soundscape and character development utilizing internally developed state-of-the-art technology and tools. Successful games developed at Crystal include Tomb Raider: Legend (www.tombraider.com), the Legacy of Kain series, Project: Snowblind, Whiplash, Mad Dash Racing and the GEX series. Crystal Dynamics was founded in 1992 and acquired in 1998 by Eidos Interactive (www.eidos.com), the well known publisher of Tomb Raider series, Deus Ex, Thief, and the Hitman series.