Lead Keyframe 3D Animator DIGIC Pictures, Hungary

Lead Keyframe 3D Animator Job Summary

Company Overview : DIGIC Pictures

For more than twenty years, DIGIC Pictures has stood at the global forefront of high-end 3D animation. As an award-winning studio, we specialize in creating visually striking, emotionally complex, and technically precise digital films. Our portfolio spans some of the most iconic universes in modern entertainment, including jaw-dropping cinematics for the Call of Duty franchise, standalone masterworks for Netflix’s critically acclaimed Love, Death & Robots, and contributions to Amazon’s highly anticipated Secret Level series.

Currently, DIGIC Pictures is embarking on a massive expansion of our long-form animation division. Our teams are diving deep into several premium, high-profile projects. Most notably, we are crafting the brand-new, world-renowned animated film series based on the legendary strategy card game Magic: The Gathering for Netflix.

We pride ourselves on an artistic culture that refuses to compromise on quality. At DIGIC Pictures, you will work alongside world-class directors, technical innovators, and veteran animators who are all dedicated to redefining the bleeding edge of computer graphics.

The Role

This is an exceptional leadership position designed for an artist with a profound mastery of character performance and cinematic choreography. As our Lead Keyframe 3D Animator, your primary focus will be directing and executing nuanced, character-driven acting alongside dynamic, heavily choreographed, and stylized set pieces.

DIGIC Pictures is looking for an individual who is entirely comfortable taking absolute ownership of a character’s emotional performance across an entire sequence. You will use a versatile mix of classical and modern techniques to push the boundaries of our animation style. Your objective is to ensure that even the most stylized performances remain grounded, intensely believable, and deeply true to the established psychology of the characters. As a Lead, you will sit on our forward-looking leadership team, directly shaping how our long-form animation division delivers excellence creatively, operationally, and culturally.

Key Responsibilities as 3D Animator

1. Creative Execution & Shot Ownership

• Performance Authoring: Execute highly complex, keyframe-animated character shots with precision, emotional nuance, and impeccable timing, always delivering on schedule.
• Sequence Continuity: Take artistic ownership over a character’s physical choices, expressions, and behavioral arcs across multiple interconnected scenes, ensuring visual and narrative continuity.
• Stylized Choreography: Design and polish high-energy, complex action sequences and stylized set pieces that align seamlessly with the director’s overarching aesthetic vision.

2. Leadership, Mentorship & Collaboration

• Team Guidance: Actively mentor junior and mid-level animators. Provide them with constructive artistic feedback, clear technical breakdowns, and continuous professional guidance to help elevate their skills.
• Knowledge Transfer: Participate in, lead, and foster internal knowledge-sharing sessions, masterclasses, presentations, and specialized pipeline training.
• Cross-Department Alignment: Collaborate proactively with layout, rigging, lighting, and asset production departments to streamline workflows and guarantee the successful, uncompromised delivery of project milestones.

3. Technical Problem Solving & Pipeline Innovation

• Independent Resolution: Troubleshoot, diagnose, and solve complex animation and pipeline issues independently, presenting elegant creative or technical workarounds to the Head of Animation when blockers arise.
• Tool Testing: Actively stress-test new proprietary studio tools, external animation plugins, and evolving engine workflows, offering structured feedback and actionable optimization suggestions.
• Communication Mastery: Maintain transparent, proactive communication regarding shot statuses, technical constraints, and workflow blockers through our internal production management tracking tools.

What You’ll Bring to the DIGIC Picture

Essential Technical Qualifications as 3D Animator

• Industry Longevity: A minimum of 6 years of professional production experience operating within high-end VFX, AAA games, feature films, or premium episodic animation.
• Animation Fundamental Expertise: A definitive, master-level understanding of core animation principles (weight, torque, timing, staging, anticipation, and body mechanics).
• Software Command: Deep, confident fluency within Autodesk Maya or equivalent industry-standard professional animation software.
• Review Ecosystem Fluency: Highly confident using RV (or equivalent native review players) for framing, shot evaluation, and precise dailies/animation review notes.
• Pipeline Literacy: A solid, comprehensive understanding of modern 3D feature-film pipelines, tracking software, asset production workflows, and dependencies between departments.
• Language Proficiency: An intermediate or higher command of the English language (both written and spoken) is required to ensure seamless communication across an international team.

Crucial Soft Skills

• An independent, highly efficient, and reliable work style that thrives under organized production timelines.
• Uncompromising precision, reliability, and an established history of consistently hitting tight production deadlines.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with a fundamentally collaborative, team-oriented mindset.
• A naturally proactive, curious attitude paired with a continuous, internal drive to improve your personal artistic capabilities.
• An intense attention to detail and a passion for finding creative visual answers to script problems.

Desirable Skills (Bonus Points)

• Prior experience building curriculum, technical documentation, or running structured training modules for digital artists.
• A proven track record working as a remote freelance contractor within a highly distributed, international studio pipeline.

What We Offer You

• A Prestigious Portfolio Highlight: The career-defining opportunity to lead and animate on a globally anticipated Netflix project based on Magic: The Gathering.
• Flexible Employment Structures: Access to secure, full-time local employment contracts within Hungary, or stable, long-term freelance contract structures for remote professionals residing within a European time zone.
• A Fully Remote Setup: A mature, highly optimized remote work ecosystem that respects your geographic independence while keeping you completely synchronized with production.
• A Progressive Culture: Work alongside a supportive, open-minded, and diverse leadership team that heavily prioritizes your creative growth, personal well-being, and work-life balance.
• World-Class Infrastructure: Access to an inspiring, cutting-edge technical environment that provides the horsepower needed to create true digital magic.

Application & Submission Guidelines

If you are ready to do more than just complete tasks—if you are ready to actively shape the future of motion and premium character performance—DIGIC Pictures wants to welcome you.

To apply, please submit your comprehensive CV, an explanatory breakdown sheet, and a link to your current animation showreel.

Showreel Requirement: Your reel must showcase exceptional, high-fidelity keyframe character animation, highlighting deep psychological acting, subtle facial movement, and highly coordinated physical choreography. Please clearly specify your exact contributions to every shot shown.