Job Description
The role of the artistic director entails demonstrating leadership and creativity in formulating a project vision that not only meets but surpasses studio standards and adheres to production guidelines. They play a crucial role in the creative and qualitative aspects of the project within the boundaries set by the client and creative director. With the supervision of the creative director and in collaboration with the VFX supervisor, the artistic director transforms the client’s vision into a visual work of art. Moreover, they keep track of the project’s overall artistic vision at significant junctures during production, working alongside the CG supervisor and the production team.
Responsibilities
YOU ARE
- Someone with exceptional creativity and a very sharp artistic sense;
- A team player;
- Flexible;
- An excellent communicator;
- Rigorous, with great attention to detail;
- Adaptable;
- Able to work under tight deadlines;
- Able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of team members.
YOU HAVE
- The ability to work in a wide range of styles, with expertise in animation;
- Excellent attention to detail;
- A reference pool in TV series and films, with a high critical capacity for framing, compositions, colourimetry, lighting and aesthetic style;
- A minimum of 8 years in artistic direction, production design, conceptual work or illustration, in the field of Animation;
- A sense of initiative for exceeding expectations;
- The ability to manage, prioritize and assign tasks and solve problems;
- Thorough knowledge of Photoshop;
- Knowledge of After Effects or Nuke is an asset.
- Completes and rationalizes the creative vision (Art): builds the artistic bible from the elements received from the client’s brief and the creative director;
- Supervises, guides and validates conceptual illustrations of characters and/or environments (references, mood boards, etc.); makes assignments and follows up accordingly (Set/Props Designers/Character Designers team);
- Ensures, at key times determined with the VFX sup, that character and environment models, textures/shading, surfacing, lighting/compositing and 2D special effects match the graphic rules determined in the bible; supervises/performs paint overs if necessary;
- Works closely with the production manager and human resources regarding talent management, training needs, performance evaluations, and downtime optimization to ensure that the departments he supervises develop, and have the right teams with the right profiles to deliver projects on time and in quality.
About the Company
Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Squeeze Animation Studios, located in Montreal and Quebec City, is a top-notch animation creation company that works with the world’s biggest entertainment companies in film, video games, TV and immersive installations. Our clients include Marvel, Illumination, Ubisoft, Warner Games, Supercell and many others. Squeeze is also the creator of its own brands, including the children’s series Cracké, distributed in over 210 territories worldwide. Squeeze is a human-sized studio with a great inclusive company culture, where telecommuting is also fully supported.