CG Layout Artist

Atomic Cartoons is hiring a CG Layout Artist for its Vancouver studio, with a start date of early to mid September 2026. This role sits within the 3D animation pipeline, where the CG Layout Artist is responsible for translating storyboards into fully staged sequences, establishing camera positions, blocking character placement, and driving the cinematic language of each shot before the animation department takes over. It suits an artist who thinks like a cinematographer and works fluently inside a series animation production environment.

About the Role

The CG Layout Artist works closely with the Layout Supervisor and directors to ensure every sequence serves the story and holds to the visual direction established in pre-production. Atomic Cartoons produces animated content across multiple genres and has a track record on major licensed properties alongside original series, so the pipeline here is structured and the creative bar is high. Day to day, this means moving between shot construction in 3D space, attending review sessions, and iterating quickly based on directorial feedback.

Key Responsibilities

• Build sequences of shots that apply traditional filmmaking principles, including lens choice, shot framing, and pacing, within a 3D computer animation environment.
• Establish character blocking and camera positioning for each shot, then animate camera movement to support performance and story clarity.
• Read and interpret storyboards in collaboration with the storyboard team, using layout to strengthen or clarify the intended narrative beats.
• Attend production meetings with the Layout Supervisor to ensure all work aligns with the directors’ established visual approach.
• Deliver shots on schedule according to deadlines set by production management across the animation studio pipeline.
• Stay current with relevant tools and technologies as the CG animation pipeline evolves.

What You Bring

• Hands-on experience with Maya or comparable professional 3D animation software used in series or feature animation production.
• Strong foundational skills in layout, camera animation, and cinematography applied within a CG environment.
• Demonstrated ability to read a storyboard and translate it into staged, camera-driven sequences with clear visual storytelling.
• Working knowledge of character posing and how lighting affects readability within a shot.
• Familiarity with a feature or series animation production pipeline is a meaningful asset, as is any background in modeling, lighting, or texturing.
• Applicants must be legally eligible to work in Canada and must have resided in BC as of December 31, 2025, with documentation available to confirm this.

Why This Role

Atomic Cartoons is a B Corp certified studio with a genuine reputation for artist-led production, and credits that include work on LEGO, Star Wars, and The Last Kids on Earth. The Vancouver team is staffed by artists who have grown within the studio, which reflects how the company actually treats its people. BC-based artists are preferred for this role, and the September 2026 start gives candidates time to plan accordingly.

If you are a CG Layout Artist ready to bring real cinematographic thinking into a structured animation studio pipeline, apply to Atomic Cartoons now.