jobby: Animation Director, GIANT ANT, Vancouver – 2D Animated Feature

Vancouver, BC Canada // Animation Director // FULL-TIME CONTRACT

20 Months – starting immediately

$9500/month

Giant Ant is an award winning artist driven creative studio and animation house, located in Vancouver’s historic Strathcona. With 13 years of experience crafting meaningful work Giant Ant is known for creating rich animation with depth that connects by feel as much as look and style.

Giant Ant seeks an experienced Animation Director to lead the 2D animated feature film adaptation of Sarah Leavitt’s graphic memoir, “Tangles: A Story About Alzheimer’s, My Mother and Me”. The Animation Director will manage the animation department, ensuring on-time and high-quality production. Working closely with the Director, Senior Character Designer, Art Director, and Animation Supervisors, you will establish best practices, develop the look and style of the animation, and create work that services the story.

As Animation Director, you will collaborate with department leads to establish a cohesive workflow, using your expertise in traditional animation techniques and software such as Adobe Flash/Animate and Toon Boom Harmony. You will provide creative style guides and feedback to the animation team, ensuring consistency with the established style and vision for the film. With your guidance, the animation team will produce visually stunning sequences that bring the story to life, reflecting Giant Ant’s distinct style and sensibilities.

What you will be doing:

Lead the animation department and manage a team of animators.
Work closely with the Director and Production team to develop the overall animation style and vision for the film.
Create and oversee the animation schedule and ensure that all animation production milestones are met on time.
Provide creative guidance and feedback to animators and ensure that all animation is of a high standard and consistent with the established style and vision for the film.
Collaborate with other departments, including Storyboarding, Layout, and Compositing, to ensure a seamless animation pipeline.
Review and approve all animation work before it is submitted to the Director for final approval.
Help to recruit and train new animators as needed.

What we are looking for:

Proven experience as an Animation Director on 2D animated productions.
Strong knowledge of traditional animation techniques and software such as Adobe Flash/Animate and Toon Boom Harmony.
Previous experience animating hand-drawn or tradigital.
Excellent leadership and management skills to effectively manage and mentor a team of animators.
Ability to work well under pressure, adapt quickly to meet new challenges, and meet tight deadlines.
Strong communication and collaboration skills to work closely with other departments and stakeholders.
Experience working with remote teams is a plus.
A passion for animation and storytelling.
Proactive work ethic, positive attitude, and professional demeanor.
Familiarity with Shotgrid and similar asset management tools.
Proficient in quickly learning and adapting to new software and technologies to stay up-to-date with industry trends and best practices.