Job Type: Contract

Company: Brown Bag Films (Part of 9 Story Media Group) Office Location: Toronto, Canada Position: Full-time Contract Reporting to: Head of Animation Brown Bag Films, a global leader in creative-led animation and home of the motto “We Love Animation™,” is seeking an experienced, driven, and talented Animation Director to join our Toronto studio. This is a senior leadership role responsible for translating the director’s vision into exceptional on-screen performance and managing the entire animation pipeline for a designated project. Job Purpose and Core Deliverables The core purpose is to proactively lead the Animation Team in the creative and technical delivery of animated content. You will ensure character performance, acting, and animation style are maximized to enhance the project’s entertainment value, working closely with the Director and Producer. Key Deliverables: Show-Specific Animation Style: Clear and comprehensive Animation Bible, style guides, and launch documents. Final Animated Output: High-quality animation that aligns with creative expectations, scope, and schedule. Team Development: A sustainable, developed, and engaged Animation Team and a robust workflow/pipeline. Key Responsibilities 1. Creative Leadership & Style Management: Style Definition: Collaborate with Creative Leads, the Director, and the Client to establish and maintain the core animation style that is both engaging for the audience and technically achievable. Direction: Provide clear, concise direction to the team through bibles, launch documents, examples, drawovers, and other visual references. Quality Control: Lead the review and approval process for all key animation stages (Posing, Blocking, Animation Passes, Cycles, Revisions), ensuring final quality meets the highest aspirations. 2. Team Management & Mentorship: Supervisory Management: Manage and mentor Animation Supervisors, optimizing creative and technical workflow across the team. Talent Development: Identify and mentor key animation talent and contribute to fostering an encouraging and engaging work culture. Collaboration: Ensure the team understands the creative intent and entertainment value of scenes, translating this into clear guidance for animators. 3. Pipeline & Production Oversight: Workflow: Manage the Animation team to ensure creative and technical output stays on target for scheduled delivery. Resource Strategy: Influence the creative and technical resourcing for the project. Issue Management: Proactively identify potential creative issues related to the schedule and collaborate with Production teams to address them in advance. Notes Vetting: Manage the system for processing Director and Client notes, ensuring creative expectations are met within production constraints. Required Experience and Technical Acumen Experience: Proven leadership experience in managing and mentoring teams. Experience on at least 6-7 long-form Film/TV animation productions is essential. Knowledge: Extensive knowledge of animation production pipelines, workflows, and a strong understanding of character performance. Technical Proficiency: Familiarity with asset tracking and workflow management software (e.g., ShotGrid). Proficient in data analysis for reporting. Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, MS Project, PowerPoint). Why Join Brown Bag Films? Join our vibrant Toronto office in Liberty Village and benefit from a competitive compensation package, a fun work environment, and industry-leading perks, including: first-rate health benefits, Summer Hours, and paid Health and Wellness Days. We actively support diversity and career growth.

Company: Brown Bag Films (Part of 9 Story Media Group) Location: Toronto Office Position: Full-time Contract Reporting to: Art Director Brown Bag Films, a successful creative-led animation studio driven by our motto, “We Love Animation™,” is looking for an experienced and highly skilled Background Supervisor. This role is based in our Toronto studio and is essential for leading, managing, and mentoring our Background Paint department, ensuring the consistent artistic quality and integrity of the production. Job Purpose and Core Deliverables The primary purpose of this role is to manage, mentor, and develop the BG Paint Team in the creation of all background paintings. You will interpret and create key background paintings and master backgrounds under the direction of the Art Director, ensuring output is on schedule and on style. Key Outputs: Final Background Paintings that consistently meet quality standards and maintain the established visual style. A well-trained, highly motivated, and efficient Background Painter/Artist team. Key Responsibilities (Team Management, Quality Control & Production) 1. Leadership and Team Development: Lead and develop the BG paint team, ensuring all painted backgrounds strictly adhere to the production’s visual style. Provide clear, concise upfront direction, regular one-on-one mentorship, and feedback to the team. Resolve technical or artistic questions and foster an encouraging, engaging work environment. Act as an exemplar by maintaining an inspiring personal production quota. 2. Artistic Oversight & Reference Creation: Create Master Backgrounds and provide necessary color keys for the team’s reference. Review storyboards/animatics and layout lists to effectively cast and distribute backgrounds. Work closely with the Art Director and Director to find optimal solutions for technical and artistic challenges. 3. Quality and Schedule Management: Review and approve backgrounds to ensure they are painted in the correct style, layered correctly, and technically ready for Scene Planning and Animation. Keep the background paint production on schedule by proactively anticipating problems (technical/scheduling) and offering solutions. Track progress against goals and milestones (e.g., using ShotGrid), managing staffing and asset issues in collaboration with Production. Required Knowledge, Experience, and Technical Skills Category Essential Requirements Knowledge Strong foundation in art and design for Animation. Expert knowledge of color theory and color styling. Experience Professional experience in Background Paint or environmental color visual development for a TV Series or Feature Film. Leadership Proven experience managing, mentoring, and leading art teams in an animation environment, including project forecasting. Technical Skills Expert proficiency in Adobe Photoshop. Experience with painting backgrounds for animation production. Familiarity with asset tracking/workflow software (e.g., ShotGrid).