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Visual Development Apprentice
Skydance Animation
Job Summary
Skydance Animation offers a dynamic, inclusive, and ever-evolving culture where innovative ideas are welcomed and growth is fostered. The company combines unique creativity with technological advancements to deliver bold, entertaining, and relevant storytelling. Skydance Animation is looking for pioneers who push the limits of collaborative art and help build a new studio doing something different. This apprenticeship program provides emerging Visual Development Artists with opportunities to hone their craft while working on a real feature production, supported by a designated mentor and a tailored learning curriculum.
Key Responsibilities
- 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, aligning with leadership’s vision while adding creative flair with depth, humor, emotion, and resonance to visual concepts.
- Perform research to inform design work.
- Take notes, implement feedback, and make 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.
Required Qualifications & Skills
- 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 (including internships or trainee experiences).
- Available full-time (40 hours per week) for 6 months between June 9th and December 12th.
- Located in, or willing to relocate to, the Los Angeles Metropolitan area.
- Portfolio demonstrating visual development skillset; 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.
Experience Requirements
Approximately 1 year of experience as a visual development artist and/or related roles in feature animation, including internships or trainee experiences, but no more than 2 years total.
Benefits & Compensation
The hourly rate for this non-exempt position in Santa Monica is $44.11/hr. The position requires full-time availability from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (PT), Monday through Friday, for the duration of the program (June 9 to December 12).
About Skydance
Skydance is a diversified media company founded by David Ellison in 2010 to create high quality, event-level entertainment for global audiences. The company brings to life immersive stories across feature film, television, interactive, and animation divisions.
Application Process & Security Notice
Skydance will only contact applicants from official @skydance.com email addresses. If you suspect fraudulent activity or suspicious correspondence, do not click any links or attachments and report concerns to the information security team at https://skydance.com/report-suspected-fraud/.
