Brown Bag Films, a subsidiary of 9 Story Media Group, is one of the world’s most exciting, creative, and dynamically-led animation studios. With a motto that rings true in every frame we produce—“We Love Animation™”—we pride ourselves on being an artist-centric environment. From our award-winning work on Doc McStuffins and Vampirina to Ada Twist, Scientist and Karma’s World, our Dublin-based studio is a hub of international talent dedicated to storytelling excellence.
We are currently seeking a highly skilled and technically proficient Previz Asset Modeller to join our production team. This role is pivotal in the early stages of our 3D pipeline, ensuring that the creative vision of our directors and storyboard artists is translated into functional, optimized, and stylistically consistent assets that facilitate the pre-visualization and layout process.
Role Overview : Previz Asset Modeller
| Category | Details |
| Company Name | Brown Bag Films |
| Position Title | Previz Asset Modeller |
| Function | Computer Graphics (CG) |
| Office Location | Smithfield, Dublin, Ireland |
| Employment Type | Full-time, Fixed-Term Contract (4 Months) |
| Work Model | Hybrid (Minimum 2 days per week in-studio) |
| Salary Range | €40,500.00 – €48,500.00 (Pro-rata) |
| Primary Software | Maya, ZBrush, Photoshop, Unreal Engine |
The Vision of the Previz Asset Modeller
In the world of high-end animation, the Previz (Pre-visualization) stage is the bridge between a 2D storyboard and a 3D reality. As a Previz Asset Modeller, you are not just building shapes; you are building the playground where the story comes to life. Your work allows directors to experiment with camera angles, blocking, and timing long before the final high-resolution assets are even textured.
The ideal candidate understands that “Previz” does not mean “low quality.” It means efficiency. You must possess the unique ability to create assets that look aesthetically pleasing and serve the story’s staging needs while remaining light enough to be manipulated in real-time environments like Unreal Engine.
1. Asset Creation & Optimization
Your primary objective is the creation of optimized props, sets, and environments. This involves:
- Hard Surface & Organic Modeling: Building everything from complex architectural structures to natural landscapes and character-proxies.
- Style Adherence: Ensuring all models fit the specific “look and feel” of the show, maintaining consistency across the entire asset library.
- Performance Optimization: Modeling with clean topology and efficient polygon counts to ensure smooth playback during the animatic and layout phases.
2. Previz Build Scouting
You will collaborate with the Previz Supervisor and Art Directors to “scout” virtual locations. This involves:
- Determining the scale and scope of sets required for specific sequences.
- Identifying potential technical hurdles in a set’s design before it moves into the main production pipeline.
3. Pipeline Integration & Publishing
Efficiency is key in our Dublin studio. You will be responsible for:
- FBX Workflow: Creating and managing optimized FBX files for asset publishing.
- Storyboard Handouts: Translating 2D storyboard requirements into 3D space, ensuring that the technical handouts provided to the animation team are accurate and functional.
- Asset Management: Maintaining organized naming conventions and folder structures within our proprietary pipeline.
4. Technical Rigging & Setup
While you are primarily a modeller, a foundational understanding of movement is required:
- Basic Rigging: Applying simple joint systems or pivot point setups to props (e.g., doors, wheels, or basic character proxies) to allow the Previz team to perform basic animations.
- Constraint Management: Ensuring assets behave predictably when imported into different software environments.
5. Collaborative Review
You are a vital part of the creative feedback loop:
- Animatic & Script Reviews: Participating in meetings to analyze scripts and animatics, identifying which assets are needed and how they can best serve the narrative.
- Problem Solving: Offering creative solutions to technical limitations during the early stages of production.
Essential Knowledge
- Story-Driven Design: A deep understanding of how assets impact staging, camera movement, and character performance.
- Pipeline Awareness: Comprehensive knowledge of the end-to-end 3D animation workflow, specifically how Previz assets transition into final layout and lighting.
- Architectural Logic: An understanding of scale, proportion, and spatial relationships to create believable environments.
Professional Experience
- Proven track record as a Previz Artist, Modeller, or a similar CG role within a broadcast television or feature film environment.
- Experience working within a fast-paced studio setting where meeting deadlines and maintaining quality are paramount.
Technical Mastery
- Maya: Expert-level proficiency in modeling and basic rigging.
- ZBrush: Strong sculpting skills for organic elements and high-detail displacement maps.
- Photoshop: Ability to create quick textures and reference sheets.
- Unreal Engine: Working knowledge of how to integrate assets into UE, understanding the nuances of a real-time animation pipeline.
- SpeedTree (Desirable): Experience in procedural vegetation modeling is a significant plus.
Joining Brown Bag Films means becoming part of a community that values diversity, creativity, and the pursuit of excellence. We believe that a happy artist is a productive artist.
What We Offer:
- Mentorship: Work alongside some of the industry’s most veteran CG supervisors and directors.
- Cutting-Edge Tech: Access to the latest tools in real-time rendering and animation.
- Culture: A vibrant studio atmosphere in the heart of Dublin (Smithfield), known for its social events, inclusive environment, and passion for the craft.
- Hybrid Flexibility: We respect the need for work-life balance, offering a hybrid model that blends the collaborative energy of the studio with the focus of home-working.
Legal Requirement: All applicants must have the legal right to work in Ireland for the full duration of the 4-month contract. Brown Bag Films cannot provide visa sponsorship for this specific fixed-term role.
Contract Length: This is a 4-month, fixed-term contract. Please ensure your availability aligns with an immediate or near-future start date.
Location: Our studio is located in Smithfield, Dublin 7. While we operate a hybrid model, candidates must be able to commute to the studio at least two days per week to participate in “in-person” creative reviews and team builds.
How to Excel in Your Application
To stand out, your portfolio should demonstrate more than just “pretty renders.” We are looking for:
1. Topology Checks: Show us your wireframes. We value clean, efficient modeling over high poly counts.
2. Breadth of Work: Include both hard-surface (vehicles, buildings) and organic (foliage, terrain) examples.
3. Process: If possible, show a brief “Before and After” of a storyboard panel being translated into a 3D Previz set.
4. Unreal Engine Integration: Highlight any experience you have with real-time shaders or lighting.
Brown Bag Films is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to delivering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We encourage applications from all backgrounds and communities.
Brown Bag Films hiring Previz Asset Modeller, Dublin
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