Supervising Animator

Job Posting Title:Supervising Animator

Req ID:10126555

Job Description:

The Supervising Animator role at ESPN is responsible for collaborating with and leading teams to create high-caliber animations across ESPN properties. This role works directly with Animation staff and managers to deliver consistently robust animations fitting the style and pacing required by our production partners. Requires excellent collaboration and communication skills along with the ability to lead diverse teams and assignments. Must be able to manage, direct and develop other creatives, and provide regular, actionable feedback. Must be capable of performing high-level animation and troubleshooting duties and be proactive when working with partners and outside vendors. Must be able to work and coach others in a variety of animation styles and be highly skilled in both 2d/3d animation. This role regularly mentors and directly supervises less experienced animators and assists with the development and maintenance of animation production workflows. Must be proactive, have excellent communication skills and not be shy about offering up smart solutions. This is a hands-on position requiring expert knowledge of Cinema 4D, After Effects, Media Encoder, Photoshop, Illustrator. This position contributes regularly to the creation of innovative animation packages, regularly mentors and supervises staff animators and contributes to the development, evolution and maintenance of animation team workflows.

Responsibilities:

Expert knowledge of After Effects, Media Encoder, Photoshop, Illustrator

Expert After Effects Scripting and Toolkit knowledge

Expert Cinema4D knowledge

Directly supervise, mentor, coach and develop animation staff members

Direct oversight of 2 – 4 direct reports (Provide daily managerial responsibilities, such as learning oversight, commitments, evaluations, reviews, feedback, scheduling, and other daily tasks)

Advanced knowledge of industry standard CPU/GPU render engines

Working knowledge of other 3D/2D animation packages (Houdini, Unreal, Substance, Z Brush, etc.)

Advanced software and technical troubleshooting skills

Render Farm Node management knowledge

Translate assignment details and creative direction into visually compelling solutions

Displays next-level creativity within productions, actively pursues creative solutions and shares with teams

Produce high caliber animation from provided concepts as well as from scratch

Collaborates with internal and external teams (including post-houses) in the initial production stages to define production and animation expectations

Maintain monthly Animation team creative reviews and production check-ins

Pursue technology and workflow solutions for departmental efficiencies

Strong technical skills within animation, software solutions, and production pipelines

Work closely with the Animation Managers to lead the team in the creation of innovative 3D animation packages

Advanced scene optimization abilities with the ability to troubleshoot elements from post-houses and other artists

Collaborate with management to provide development opportunities to animation artists

Experience as a team leader with the ability to motivate and possessing personal initiative qualities

Assist in the building of and maintenance of new and innovative animation production workflows

Ability to quickly and independently transfer between productions when required

Maintains high-level output and efficiency

Engineer animation projects for efficient versioning and rendering

Excellent attention to detail, accuracy and adherence to quality control and delivery specs

Highly motivated, work well under pressure, and able to prioritize assignments

Confidence working independently and within a team

Strong organization, communication, collaboration skills

Receptive to creative direction/critical feedback

Proactively develop personal software and technical skills

Reliably adhere to time entry and daily reporting requirements

Ability to work flexible hours

Online portfolio/demo reel link required

Demonstrates Expert After Effects Knowledge:

All skills necessary to independently build new animation templates and toolkits for production, edit, or less experienced artists from scratch

Ability to customize scripts and code (Python, JavaScript) for more efficient Template and Toolkit delivery

Oversee the distribution of Edit Templates

Create and provide custom scripts and optimized formats for more effective delivery

Displays ability to pipeline elements into the production workflow

Aptitude for reviewing and troubleshooting internal and external AE scenes, providing guidance and technical solutions that fit within our pipeline

Advanced organization, naming, labeling, and optimization techniques

Ability to create efficient AE templates for Junior Animators, Edit, or external teams within pre-defined parameters

Intermediate to advanced knowledge of AE and third-party plugin suites (Red Giant, Sapphire, RE:Vision, etc.)

Displays ability to effectively utilize and combine plugins for next-level visual effects

Intermediate to advanced keyframing abilities including easing, spline adjustments

Understanding and aptitude to execute key-to-key, cut-to-key, and various other transition elements

ESPN Tools scripting functionality and troubleshooting knowledge

Practical knowledge of 2D tracking techniques

Import render layers for compositing

Strong understanding of different image formats utilized for advanced compositing (EXR, PNG, etc.)

Ability to utilize 3D cameras within a composition and work within AE 2.5D space

Advanced keying techniques using Primatte or other plugins

General knowledge of expressions and ability to utilize within a scene

Capable of creating batch render scripts and utilize on productions

Practical understanding of Media Encoder for AE rendering and conversion

3D Animation – Cinema 4D Expert:

Knowledge of the most recent C4D version within our production pipeline

Strong organizational techniques including naming conventions, structure, etc.

Ability to import splines and effectively model 3D logos using different techniques

Modeling of hard surface and organic objects

Ability to model in poly’s, spines, and nurbs

Practical understanding of UV texture mapping

Create unique materials, texture maps or adjust pre-built textures

Strong lighting and key-framing skills

Shows skill to use layers and takes system for compositing passes

Capable of effectively animating objects and fluid camera motion

Understanding of render setting and final sequence output

Ability to troubleshoot 3D scenes and develop effective solutions

Strong knowledge of at least one advanced renderer such as Arnold, Octane, or Redshift

Showcases technical skills to optimize scenes and renders for efficient speeds

Knowledge of a render farm, including departmental expectations and requirements for submissions and renders

Aptitude for troubleshooting renders, properly adjust settings, and utilize farm effectively

Working knowledge of different visual effects tools such as X-Particles, Turbulence FD, and others

Advanced abilities developing visual effects utilizing C4D, Mograph, X-Particles, Turbulence FD, and other solutions

Extensive knowledge of at least 2 render engines, including one CPU and one GPU, with the ability to utilize either or both within a production workflow

Ability to track 4K footage within C4D and composite 3D objects within a photo-real environment

Capable of reviewing 3D scenes from internal sources and vendors, while effectively troubleshooting and sharing recommendations and guidance

Display the skill to utilize Mixamo within character animation development

Advanced abilities in 3 render engines, showing versatility in look development and output

Other 3D & VFX:

Displays working knowledge of other departmental software applications, such as Substance, Z-Brush, or others and effectively utilizes within the animation production pipeline.

Advanced troubleshooting abilities within primary software packages and the ability quickly troubleshoot other artists scenes, providing effective solutions

Advanced knowledge of the render farm with the skills to optimize submissions, adjust priorities, provide guidance, problem solve

Research, develop, and recommend animation software, hardware, and workflows to provide the most ambitious, creative, and technically advanced animation solutions.

Display extensive and practical knowledge of a minimum of one or more additional software packages for next-level animation solutions (Houdini, Unreal, etc.).

Collaborate with external clients as the primary animation liaison for file delivery, software compatibility, and other animation solutions.

Research advanced animation techniques and develop avenues for implementation into the creative animation pipeline.

Demonstrate advanced troubleshooting abilities within multiple animation packages (2D & 3D) while being a creative problem solver

Soft Skills:

Communication, Independence, Leadership

Main animation resource on a production

Expected to provide oversight and manage responsibilities of other artists

Basic Qualifications:

Expert knowledge of After Effects, Media Encoder, Photoshop, Illustrator, Cinema 4D

Online portfolio/demo reel

Ability to work nights, weekends & holidays as assignments require

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience within the animation or graphics production industry as a hands-on animator preferred

High-level of Cinema4D knowledge preferred

Prior Animation supervision experience preferred

Interest in sports and some familiarity with ESPN show package identities

Required Education:

High School Diploma or Equivalent

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s Degree or Equivalent

Additional Information:

This position is onsite

#ESPNMedia

Job Posting Segment:ESPN Creative Studio

Job Posting Primary Business:Edit, Animation, Graphics Innovation Playout & Creative Prod

Primary Job Posting Category:Animation

Employment Type:Full time

Primary City, State, Region, Postal Code:Bristol, CT, USA

Alternate City, State, Region, Postal Code:

Date Posted:2025-07-21

10126555