Production Technical Director I: The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney Television Animation)

The Technical Director I is responsible for leading and managing all aspects of an animated project as it passes through the various post-production processes and pipelines at TVA. This position works closely with the Producer, Studio Lead Technical Director, Creative Leadership, Production and overseeing other Technical Directors assigned to a project. When required this position will also participate in ongoing pipeline improvement efforts as software use continues to grow and evolve. Responsibilities in this position range from managing and ingesting materials from our partner studios and working with editorial to ensure a smooth transition of material. The ideal candidate is comfortable digging into complex shots created by our international animation partners and improving them with surgical precision and artistry. Supervising and ensuring the technical fidelity of final Broadcast materials through our mastering and finishing pipeline. Extensive knowledge of all stages of 2D/Harmony production including importing, creation of new scenes, compositing, and the file structure of ToonBoom Harmony is required. This position requires technical skills combined with refined artistic skills, including an eye for composition, color, and lighting and a strong knowledge of animation principles. Extensive knowledge of the CG Pipeline with respect to assets, including Character, Prop, Sets and VFX.

What You Will Do

• In this role, the TD I will collaborate with the project Producer on managing expectations to deliver a series. This includes, but is not limited to, helping with complex shots, prioritization to ensure the series stays on target, and raising flags to their respective production and Post-Production Department with any concerns that may affect an episode delivery.

• Ensure that animation service providers are following approved delivery specifications and collaborating with Studio Lead Technical Director on any and all issues that may arise.

• Lead and perform shot work as needed, including fixes at any stage of the pipeline. For 2D/Harmony series this would include creating shots, adjusting color, adjusting lighting, adjusting animation timing, re-animating, fx and compositing.

• Leading the production in facilitating creative and technical workflows that pertain to pre-production artwork, necessary technical assets for production, or tool creation and retake calls within series approved assumptions.

• If applicable, for CG shots, lead the production via shot or asset troubleshooting, artistic or technical input, research and development, or tool creation.

• Facilitate creation and delivery of final domestic source master materials to broadcast and streaming business units in collaboration with other series assigned Technical Directors.

• In collaboration with Studio Lead TD, create, recommend, and innovate tools or pipelines to increase efficiency.

• Ingest incoming shot data for editorial as needed.

• Provide occasional technical support for shot and asset data for subcontractors and other groups in the Walt Disney Company specific to the pipeline of the assigned production.

• Promote a positive, productive, and highly collaborative work environment.

• Additional duties as necessary, or as defined by individual contracts.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in animation production.

• Expert knowledge of all stages of 2D/Harmony workflows.

• Expert knowledge of ToonBoom Harmony and Photoshop required.

• TV Paint, or Adobe Animate (Flash) and CG experience a plus.

• Familiarity with other CG technologies such as Houdini, BiFrost, Blender, After Effects, Maya, Arnold, Nuke, and Unreal Engine is a plus.

• For CG series, Python and MEL experience utilizing the Nuke and Maya APIs, and Unix shell scripting experience strongly preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong leadership qualities including strategic thinking, communication skills, both written and verbal, adaptability, and abilities to identify efficiencies.

• Solution-oriented outlook and a proactive personality; willing to directly fix shot, data, or asset issues.

• Demonstrated ability to integrate artistic vision with technical expertise.

• Must be able to work in a collaborative, fast-paced environment.

• Experience working with subcontractor animation studios a plus.

Education

• Bachelor of Science in Computer Science or Computer Graphics, or Bachelor of Arts in Film and Animation Production, or equivalent industry experience required.

The hiring range for this position in Burbank, California is $2,126.40 to $2,480.80 per week based on a 40 hour work week, which follows the pay scale agreed upon in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The base pay actually offered may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, among other factors. Select benefits may be provided as part of the compensation package, such as medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered. To learn more about our benefits visit: https://jobs.disneycareers.com/benefits.