The Animation Supervisor is a critical leadership role within the Flying Bark Productions studio ecosystem. Working in close, hand-in-hand collaboration with the Animation Director, you will guide, mentor, and supervise our world-class 3D animation crew. Your core mission at Flying Bark Productions is to bridge the gap between creative vision and technical execution—ensuring that the clients’ and directors’ storytelling goals are beautifully realized and delivered to our elite technical and artistic standards.
This is a multi-faceted leadership position requiring a rare blend of top-tier character artistry, technical pipeline fluency, project management acumen, and exceptional interpersonal skills. Within the Flying Bark Productions team, you will act as the artistic anchor for the animation crew, a collaborative partner to other department heads, and a trusted liaison to our high-profile clients and VFX Supervisors.
Welcome to Flying Bark Productions
For over 50 years, Flying Bark Productions has stood as a premier independent producer of family-focused animation entertainment. From our state-of-the-art 2D and 3D production facility in Sydney, we have spent decades creating award-winning feature films and globally recognized television series. We are a dynamic, passionate, and innovative animation studio dedicated to pushing the absolute boundaries of character performance, technical innovation, and cinematic storytelling.
When you join Flying Bark, you are joining a legacy of creative excellence. Our current portfolio includes some of the most highly anticipated and prestigious projects in the global entertainment landscape. As an Animation Supervisor here, you will have the unique opportunity to leave your creative mark on monumental titles, including:
- Avatar: The Last Airbender (Upcoming Feature Film)
- Ghostbusters (Netflix Animated Series)
- Stranger Things (Netflix Animated Series)
- Zac Power (Upcoming Feature Film)
Position Overview as Animation Supervisor
The Animation Supervisor is a critical leadership role within our studio ecosystem. Working in close, hand-in-hand collaboration with the Animation Director, you will guide, mentor, and supervise our world-class 3D animation crew. Your core mission is to bridge the gap between creative vision and technical execution—ensuring that the clients’ and directors’ storytelling goals are beautifully realized and delivered to the elite technical and artistic standards required by Flying Bark Productions.
This is a multi-faceted leadership position requiring a rare blend of top-tier character artistry, technical pipeline fluency, project management acumen, and exceptional interpersonal skills. You will act as the artistic anchor for the animation team, a collaborative partner to other department heads, and a trusted liaison to our high-profile clients and VFX Supervisors.
Detailed Responsibilities and Duties
Creative Leadership & Style Characterization
- Establish Performance Benchmarks: Collaborate closely with the Client and Animation Director to define, drive, and solidify the specific look, emotional nuance, and physical performance style for all characters across the project.
- Asset Asset-Building & Libraries: Partner with the animation crew to conceptualize, build, and curate comprehensive asset libraries of poses and animation cycles. These libraries will serve as the stylistic benchmark and foundational blueprint for the broader team to ensure studio-wide alignment.
- Creative Briefing: Work in tandem with the Client and VFX Supervisor to distill complex narrative concepts into actionable, solid, and highly inspiring creative performance briefs for the animators.
Team Supervision, Mentorship & Quality Control
- Lead by Example: Provide strong, empathetic, and inspiring leadership to all members of the animation crew. Set the standard for artistic excellence, work ethic, professionalism, and creative curiosity.
- Continuity & Quality Assurance: Rigorously monitor and maintain absolute continuity of character performance, visual quality, and stylistic look across various sequences, episodes, and multiple animation teams.
- Constructive Daily Reviews: Lead and participate in daily animation reviews (“dailies”), offering insightful, clear, and highly constructive artistic feedback to help animators elevate their craft.
- On-Box Mentorship: Conduct regular “on-box” animation reviews and individual briefings at artists’ workstations, providing hands-on guidance, technical troubleshooting, and artistic direction.
Pipeline Collaboration & Workflow Optimization
- Rigging Collaboration: Partner early and often with the Rigging Supervisor. Review and provide deep, practical feedback on character rigs from an animator’s perspective, ensuring they possess the structural flexibility and creative range needed for high-end performance.
- TD & Pipeline Alignment: Work hand-in-hand with Animation Technical Directors (TDs) and the Pipeline crew to develop, implement, and correctly apply specialized tools and scripts that streamline the animation process.
- Efficiency Problem-Solving: Proactively identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and technical friction points within the production pipeline. Collaborate with the CG Supervisor, Pipeline team, and Animation Coordinator to implement swift, elegant solutions.
- Tool Maintenance: Assist in tracking, evaluating, and maintaining administrative and pipeline tools to ensure they remain optimized for the evolving needs of the production.
Production, Scheduling & Client Management
- Production Interventions: Participate in regular production meetings. Keep Producers, VFX Supervisors, and production management fully informed on the team’s progress, highlighting any potential bottlenecks or creative concerns that could impact final delivery timelines.
- Review Prep: Partner with Production Coordinators to organize, evaluate, and establish specific shots and sequences, ensuring they are polished and fully prepared for Client review sessions.
- Shot Tracking: Maintain a transparent workflow with Production Coordinators to ensure the real-time status of every shot is accurate, allowing for meticulous tracking of the project’s overall progression.
- Budget & Schedule Adherence: Work strategically with the production crew to establish, maintain, and respect the project schedule. Ensure the animation team consistently hits their milestones while operating responsibly within the allocated show budget.
Experience and Qualifications
Flying Bark Productions is looking for an experienced industry veteran who marries a profound love for the craft of animation with the strategic mindset needed to run a large production team.
Technical & Artistic Requirements:
- Extensive Industry Experience: A proven track record of high-level character animation, complex animation workflows, and deep rigging comprehension within a high-volume, production-based environment (Features, TV, or high-end VFX).
- Mastery of Maya: Extensive, deep-dive experience and comprehensive understanding of Autodesk Maya within a modern, complex studio pipeline.
- Dual Discipline Understanding: A strong, foundational understanding of traditional 2D animation principles, paired with proven, practical experience in both 2D and 3D animation environments. This hybrid understanding is highly valued in our studio’s cross-discipline ecosystem.
- Cinematic Eye: An exceptional, innate sense of composition, physical weight, animation timing, acting nuance, and narrative storytelling structure.
Leadership & Soft Skills:
- Team Mentorship: A genuine passion and enthusiasm for teaching, mentoring, and lifting up a diverse team of 3D animators, nurturing their professional growth.
- Elite Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with an innate willingness to openly share knowledge, techniques, and ideas across departments.
- Adaptability: True flexibility and the mental agility to respond positively and calmly to shifting creative directions, client feedback, and production changes.
- Deadlines Driven: A time-management professional with a proven ability to meet strict production deadlines without sacrificing artistic integrity.
Why Join the Flying Bark Family?
At Flying Bark Productions, we genuinely believe that a studio is only as good as its culture. Our employees frequently report that our workplace culture is the best they have ever experienced. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive, welcoming environment where everyone is celebrated for who they are.
An Unmatched Studio Environment:
Located in the vibrant creative hub of Alexandria, Sydney, our industry-leading studio space is custom-designed to foster creativity, relaxation, and community. When you are on-site, you will have full access to:
- A state-of-the-art in-house cinema for screenings and reviews.
- A dedicated Quiet Room and a peaceful, beautifully landscaped Zen Garden for moments of reflection and decompression.
- A fully-stocked games room to unwind with colleagues.
- A vibrant social calendar curated by our dedicated Culture Club, featuring regular cake days, catered movie nights, legendary wrap parties, and studio events.
- A dog-friendly workplace! We love our four-legged friends, and you will frequently see regular, fluffy companions roaming the office.
Community, Health, and Wellbeing:
- Paws for a Cause: We believe in giving back. Our fundraising arm raises crucial funds for deeply impactful charities, including Beyond Blue, the RSPCA, and the Cancer Council.
- Mental Health Infrastructure: We prioritize your peace of mind. All employees have access to robust mental health resources, including free, confidential counseling via our specialized Employee Assistance Provider, Support Act, alongside multiple on-staff members fully qualified in Mental Health First Aid.
- Complimentary Daily Breakfast: Start your mornings right with a fully provided breakfast served daily at the studio—on us!
- Holistic Wellbeing Benefits: Enjoy discounted private health insurance options through our partnership with Bupa, as well as tailored financial wellbeing initiatives provided by Media Super.
Premium Perks & Flare Benefits (For Eligible Employees):
- Flare Benefits Platform: Gain immediate access to exclusive digital discounts, cashback offers, and premium deals at hundreds of major Australian retailers to help your everyday pay stretch further.
- Health Insurance Savings: Compare and save significantly on private health cover, with potential annual savings of up to $300.
- Novated Leasing (Flare Cars): Save an average of $10,000 per year on vehicle ownership and operating costs through tax-effective novated leasing. (Note: Flare Platform, Health Discounts, and Novated Leasing are available to permanent employees and fixed-term contractors on contracts of 12 months or more).
Equal Opportunity Employer
Flying Bark Productions is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive, equitable environment for all employees. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by local laws.
How to Apply
If you have the leadership experience, the technical mastery of Maya, and a profound passion for bringing legendary characters to life, we want to hear from you. Please submit your current resume, a cover letter outlining your leadership philosophy, and a link to your latest reel demonstrating your character animation and supervising experience.
Flying Bark Productions hiring Animation Supervisor | 3D Animation
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