Recruiter's Glossary

Examples: Viewport • Rotoscoping • Arcs

Rigging

Term from Animation industry explained for recruiters

Rigging is like creating a digital skeleton for animated characters or objects. Think of it as making a puppet system that allows animators to move and pose 3D characters easily. Just as a puppet has joints and controls that make it move, riggers create virtual controls that let animators bring characters to life. This is a crucial step between creating a 3D model and animating it - without rigging, characters would be like statues that can't move. It's similar to setting up the strings on a marionette, but in the digital world.

Examples in Resumes

Created character Rigging systems for main characters in animated short film

Developed efficient Rig setups for background characters in video game project

Improved Rigging workflows that reduced animation setup time by 40%

Built custom Character Rigs for television commercial mascots

Typical job title: "Character Riggers"

Also try searching for:

Character TD Character Technical Director Character Setup Artist Character Rigger Technical Animator Character Setup TD Animation Technical Director

Where to Find Character Riggers

Online Communities

Job Boards

Events & Conferences

Professional Networks

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you approach rigging a complex character with multiple forms or shapes?

Expected Answer: A senior rigger should explain their workflow for creating flexible character setups, how they plan for different character needs, and methods for making rigs that are both animator-friendly and technically efficient.

Q: Tell me about a challenging rigging problem you solved and how you approached it.

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate problem-solving abilities, mention specific examples of complex character requirements, and explain how they developed solutions that balanced technical limitations with creative needs.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What's your process for creating facial rigging controls?

Expected Answer: Should be able to explain how they set up controls for facial expressions, how they organize these controls to be user-friendly for animators, and basic understanding of facial animation needs.

Q: How do you ensure your rigs are optimized for animation performance?

Expected Answer: Should discuss methods for creating efficient rigs that don't slow down the animation software, while still maintaining the necessary flexibility for animators.

Junior Level Questions

Q: Can you explain the basic components of a character rig?

Expected Answer: Should be able to describe the basic elements like joints, controls, and how they work together to create character movement.

Q: What's the difference between FK and IK, and when would you use each?

Expected Answer: Should explain these two basic animation control types in simple terms and give basic examples of when each is most useful, like IK for feet and FK for arms.