Company: Brown Bag Films (Part of 9 Story Media Group)
Location: Toronto Office
Position: Full-time Contract, Supervisor
Reporting to: Art Director
At Brown Bag Films, we are one of the world’s most exciting and successful creative-led animation studios, driven by our motto: “We Love Animation™.” Our Toronto team is searching for an experienced and talented Background Supervisor to lead and mentor our Background Paint department, ensuring the highest visual quality and artistic integrity across the production.1
🎯 Role Summary: Purpose & Deliverables
Purpose: To lead, manage, and mentor the BG Paint Team in the creation of all background paintings, interpreting the artistic style and working with the Art Director to create key master backgrounds that maintain quality, style, and schedule.2
Key Deliverables:
- Background Paintings: Final painted backgrounds that consistently meet high quality standards and maintain the established artistic style throughout the production.
- Team Success: A cohesive, well-functioning, and continually developed team of Background Painters/Artists.
Success Metrics:
- Background Paintings meet all creative and managerial requirements within stylistic guidelines and schedule.
- Timely approvals from the Art Director and Director/Client.
- Demonstrable team development and sustainability.
✅ Key Responsibilities
1. Team Management & Mentorship:
- Leadership: Manage and develop the BG Paint team, ensuring all backgrounds adhere strictly to the production’s style.
- Feedback & Training: Work one-on-one with Background Painters to mentor, provide regular feedback, and resolve any technical or artistic questions.
- Direction: Provide clear, concise upfront direction, including adjustments and clarifications as needed.
- Morale: Create an encouraging work environment, advocate for the team regarding quality, morale, and schedule, and set an inspiring quota as an exemplar.
2. Artistic & Technical Oversight:
- Casting & Distribution: Review storyboards/animatics and layout lists to cast backgrounds and distribute them effectively to the BG Paint team.
- Reference Creation: Provide Master Backgrounds and, when necessary, color keys for the team’s reference.
- Quality Control: Review background paintings to ensure they are painted in the correct style, layered correctly, and technically ready for Scene Planning and Animation.
- Problem Solving: Work closely with the Art Director and Director to find the best artistic and technical solutions for challenges encountered.
3. Production & Schedule Management:
- Tracking: Keep the background paint production on schedule, track progress against goals and milestones, and proactively identify and act on issues (staffing, missing assets, etc.).
- Forecasting: Anticipate both technical and scheduling problems and offer timely solutions.
🔍 Essential Knowledge & Expertise
| Category | Requirements |
| Knowledge | Strong knowledge of art, design, and composition with a focus on Animation. Strong expertise in color theory and color styling. |
| Experience | Proven professional experience in Background Paint or environmental color visual development for an animated TV Series or Feature. |
| Leadership | Prior leadership experience managing and mentoring teams in an animation environment, including forecasting project solutions and requirements. |
| Technical Skills | Expert proficiency in Photoshop. Experience painting backgrounds for an animation production environment. Well-founded experience with asset tracking systems & workflow management software (e.g., ShotGrid). |
💖 Why Join Brown Bag Films in Toronto?
As a successful creative-led studio, we value our artists and focus on career growth.
- Location: Work in our fun and supportive Toronto office in the cool and trendy Liberty Village.
- Benefits: Competitive compensation, first-rate health + dental benefits, Summer Hours, paid Health and Wellness Days, and a vacation policy that rewards tenure.
Diversity & Inclusion: 9 Story Media is committed to equity and encourages applications from all diverse backgrounds, including Indigenous peoples, Racialized, LGBT2SQ+ communities, and individuals with disabilities. We strive to build a workforce that is truly representative