Animator -VFX ILM

Industrial Light & Magic is hiring a VFX Animator at all levels for their London studio, with contract start dates running from August to December 2026. This role sits within ILM’s animation department, where the work is shot-based and focused on delivering hero character, creature, and object animation for feature film and episodic VFX production. It suits animators who have moved through the CG pipeline on credited productions and can hold their own in a dailies room.

About the Role

ILM London is one of the flagship VFX facilities in the world, and this animator position places you directly on active feature film or episodic projects, working within a structured shot-based workflow. Day to day, you are animating assigned shots through the CG production pipeline, attending dailies, and iterating based on supervisor feedback. The role is hybrid, requiring a minimum of two days on-site per week at the London facility.

Key Responsibilities

• Animate a sequence of shots across a specific feature film or episodic VFX project, maintaining continuity of performance and motion across the sequence.
• Attend dailies regularly, offer constructive feedback on peer work, and respond to notes from animation supervisors in a timely and professional manner.
• Apply traditional animation principles including weight, timing, and acting to CG characters and creatures within the ILM production pipeline.
• Work within Maya and supporting software to complete shots to brief, using constraint techniques and an understanding of basic rigging to solve animation problems.
• Manage personal shot workload to meet production deadlines without sacrificing the quality standard expected on ILM feature film productions.
• Navigate UNIX-based systems and use shell scripting as part of the day-to-day VFX pipeline workflow.

What You Bring

• A credited background in CG animation for feature film or high-end episodic television, with a strong demo reel and shot breakdown ready to submit.
• Expert-level knowledge of traditional animation principles, acting, compositional design, and film production fundamentals.
• Proficiency in Maya, with working knowledge of UNIX and shell scripting in a studio pipeline environment.
• Familiarity with constraint techniques, basic rigging, and how animation sits within a full CG production pipeline.
• Background in cel, stop-motion, or computer animation for theatrical or streaming productions is considered relevant experience.

Why This Role

ILM has built more iconic screen creatures and characters than any other VFX facility, and working inside that pipeline on current productions is a genuine career marker for any animator. Contract durations vary, with start dates from August through December 2026, giving applicants across experience levels a realistic entry point. London remains one of the most active hubs for high-end VFX animation work globally, and this position puts you inside one of its most respected studios.

Submit your application for the VFX Animator role at Industrial Light & Magic London through the apply button on this listing.