Animation Supervisor (FACS & Motion Capture)
Location: British Columbia (remote)
Start Date: TBC February/March 2026
This is a contract position
About the role
We’re seeking an experienced Animation Supervisor to lead the Facial and Motion Capture teams, bringing a hyper-realistic virtual performer to life for a live musical experience. This role requires a leader with a deep understanding of performance-driven animation — uniting facial expression, body movement, and emotional authenticity into a cohesive, lifelike digital performance. You’ll guide both the creative and technical direction, ensuring that every nuance—from micro-expressions to full-body choreography—embodies the realism and artistry that define the project.
What you'll do
Define artistic direction and quality standards for facial and motion capture animation, ensuring lifelike and emotionally compelling performances.
Supervise a team of FACS and Mocap Cleanup Animators, providing clear creative and technical guidance across all stages of production.
Collaborate closely with Directors, Technical Leads, and Production internally and externally to maintain consistent performance quality across both facial and body animation.
Review and refine animation to achieve seamless integration between facial solving, body motion, and overall performance intent.
Partner with the Rigging, Performance Capture, and Engineering teams to improve animation pipelines, tools, and workflows.
Conduct dailies, rounds, and team reviews, delivering concise, actionable feedback to elevate shot quality and maintain consistency.
Anticipate and resolve creative and technical challenges, ensuring efficient production flow and delivery of assets on schedule.
Document processes and workflows for team onboarding, pipeline consistency, and knowledge sharing.
Mentor and inspire animators, fostering growth in both technical skill and artistic expression.
Act as the primary Animation representative in cross-departmental meetings, communicating team needs, progress, and goals effectively.
Represent the animation team in internal and partner-facing meetings as needed.
Promote a collaborative and motivated team environment built on trust, respect, and creative excellence.
Qualifications
Minimum of 8 years of professional animation experience in film, games, or real-time production.
Proven supervisory or lead experience managing animation teams, ideally across both facial and motion capture workflows.
Expert understanding of FACS, facial anatomy, and performance-driven animation.
Deep knowledge of body mechanics, weight, timing, and naturalistic human movement.
Proficiency in Autodesk Maya; MotionBuilder experience is highly valued.
Experience integrating motion capture data and facial solving into cinematic or real-time pipelines.
Familiarity with Unreal Engine and Sequencer workflows.
Excellent communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
Strong ability to manage priorities, delegate effectively, and maintain quality under tight deadlines.
Applicants must be located in British Columbia.
Preferred (but not required) Qualifications:
Experience working with 4D capture, high-fidelity scanned assets, or virtual production pipelines.
Background in musical, live, or performance-based animation projects.
Demonstrated success in mentoring or training animation teams.
Strong interest in pushing the boundaries of digital performance and real-time storytelling.
