Feature Animator – Expression of Interest – ILM Vancouver

Job Position(s): Feature Animator - Expression of Interest - ILM Vancouver

ILM Vancouver is collecting expressions of interest for a Feature Animator position to staff up on an upcoming animated feature film production. This role sits within the animation department and is responsible for executing character performances, from initial blocking through to final polish, on a stylized theatrical feature. It suits an experienced character animator who has worked in feature animation pipelines and understands how performance and musicality intersect in a narrative context.

About the Role

ILM Vancouver is in pre-production on “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”, a theatrical animated feature co-produced with Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and Bad Robot, directed by Jon M. Chu and Jill Culton, with a scheduled 2028 release. The Feature Animator will work within the character animation department under the Animation Supervisor and Lead Animator, contributing to a stylized, musical-driven visual language across the film. Day to day, this means owning assigned shots through the full animation workflow, attending dailies, and delivering consistent quality against production deadlines in a hybrid work environment at the Vancouver studio.

Key Responsibilities

• Animate a diverse cast of stylized characters and creatures, maintaining clear acting choices and musical timing that serve the directors’ creative vision.
• Own assigned shots from blocking through final polish, ensuring performance consistency and stylistic continuity across sequences.
• Take direction from the Lead Animator and Animation Supervisor, and where applicable, from Senior Animators as determined by the Animation Supervisor.
• Attend dailies regularly and contribute constructive feedback to peers as part of the production’s collaborative review process.
• Apply traditional animation principles within a Maya-based feature animation pipeline, using proprietary software and chaining and constraint techniques as required.
• Maintain productivity levels that meet production scheduling demands without compromising the quality expected of theatrical feature animation work.

What You Bring

• A minimum of three years of professional feature animation experience, supported by a Bachelor’s degree in traditional or computer animation, or equivalent training.
• Expert working knowledge of Maya, along with proficiency in Linux and familiarity with proprietary animation software tools used in feature film production.
• A strong demo reel demonstrating character performance, shot breakdown capability, and experience with stylized animation or musical features.
• Deep fluency in traditional animation principles including weight, timing, acting, and compositional design as applied to computer-generated animation.
• The ability to manage delegated shots independently, with strong organizational and communication skills suited to a structured VFX pipeline environment.

Why This Role

ILM is one of the most established names in visual effects and animation, and this production represents a significant feature film credit on a high-profile theatrical release with a recognized directorial team. Disney’s hiring range for the Feature Animator position in Vancouver is C$87,200 to C$111,600 per year based on a 40-hour work week, with a full range of medical, financial, and variable benefits available depending on level and position. Getting ahead of the hiring curve on a film of this scale, at a studio with this reputation, is a practical career move for any animator working in feature animation.

Submit your expression of interest now for the Feature Animator role at ILM Vancouver and position yourself for consideration when production staffing opens.