Employment and progression researchEmployment

Since I was pretty sure I wanted to be a RIGGER in the future, I didn’t ask the artist for advice about my future direction. I only asked about things I cared more about in the industry. Because I’m pretty sure I want to go back to China to work in the future, most of the artists I’m looking for are also Chinese.

I questioned three riggers and one modeler, where the riggers all worked in the film and TV industry and the modeler worked for a games company.

Here is my questions:
1、What are the most common challenges you face in your work? How do you tackle these challenges?

2、What communication barriers have you encountered when collaborating with other departments (such as animators, modelers, etc.)? How do you overcome these barriers?

3、What is the frequency of communication between your department and others during a typical project cycle? Are there any fixed meetings or schedules for progress updates?

4、How do you adjust when unexpected situations or changes occur in a project, and how do you ensure that each department can respond promptly?

5、What abilities do you hope a new colleague in your department will possess?

I’ll put translations of all the responses below the pictures.

This rigger works for Hollywood, as a department head of rigging.

1. The most common challenge is encountering unfamiliar characters during rigging, not knowing where to start or what details to add. Typically, at the beginning of rigging, a significant amount of time is spent researching materials, such as skeletal anatomy diagrams, real-life video references, and even scientific papers published by researchers. Constant communication with animators is also necessary to jointly determine a feasible rigging solution.

2. Other departments are generally less technical and may not understand rigging well. They may sometimes request modifications that they perceive as simple but would actually require a significant amount of time from the rigging department. In such cases, it’s essential to explain the technical challenges encountered in rigging simply and understandably. Additionally, providing a rough schedule update, such as how many days it will take to implement the first part of the requested functionality and achieve the second part in a few weeks, can help manage expectations.

3. At the beginning of the project, especially when dealing with unfamiliar characters, communication frequency tends to be higher. Typically, there are asset daily meetings, held approximately twice a week. In these meetings, various departments, including modeling, texturing, look development, rigging, and CG supervisors, participate. Animators and CFX artists may also join to conduct animation and shot tests on characters. Each department expresses its viewpoints, requirements, and proposed solutions, and continuous testing is conducted until a satisfactory result is achieved. Once the character process is determined, each department works on its respective tasks. If a particular shot requires functionalities that the existing rigging cannot achieve, new features are discussed in a meeting.

4. When changes occur, the VFX supervisor and CG supervisor typically communicate with the supervisors or leads of each department to explain the required adjustments. Each department then discusses potential challenges and proposes feasible solutions based on its circumstances. Finally, the VFX and CG supervisors compile all suggestions and formulate a response plan.

5. On one hand, they need to have good learning abilities to continuously improve on the job. For example, if a supervisor provides some notes, they should consciously pay attention to avoid making the same mistakes when performing similar tasks in the future. On the other hand, they need to have a good work attitude. In a project, there are not only exciting hero assets but also many relatively mundane tasks. Ultimately, this is a job, and everyone may be assigned some boring tasks. Therefore, it’s important to maintain high-quality completion of these tasks.

Here is Rigger NO.2

1. Assigned tasks that I haven’t done before. I search for materials and references, and learn from people with relevant experience through communication.
2. Many modelers often overlook the rationality of structure when creating mechanical models. It’s necessary to provide them with relevant references or demonstrations to help them understand how to modify the models.
3. Unless there are problems with rigging or specific downstream requirements, communication is generally not conducted.
4. Usually, it’s notified by the team leader, supervisor, or relevant responsible person.
5. I hope to work with outstanding experts who can mentor me and help me excel.

Rigger NO.3, He’s talking a lot. I suggest you read the translation.

Allow me to introduce the situation at my company. We primarily focus on producing anime series, with funding provided by the first party. Both the scripts and productions are entirely original to us. Apart from anime series, we also produce short films. Our team comprises around 50 individuals, including scriptwriters, animators, and editing staff.

My role encompasses rigging and tool development.

One of the most common challenges I face is dealing with a large volume of modification feedback within a short timeframe. While the initial production starts from scratch, every effort contributes substantially to the production. However, due to changes in directorial preferences and inadequate preparation in the early stages, we often find ourselves making multiple revisions to content that has already been completed. Most of our time and energy is spent on modifications, sometimes even starting over from scratch. Since the primary goal of any project is to deliver the required content within a set timeframe, any modifications shouldn’t delay the project. Therefore, the time for modifications must be absorbed internally by production staff, often through overtime. To address this issue, I have developed some tools. Due to the specific nature of rigging content, some convenient and user-friendly tools can expedite the production process, allowing more time to handle tedious feedback revisions. Additionally, through communication with the pre-production department such as the director, I express concerns about the impracticality or time consumption of new modifications, prompting reconsideration or the adoption of alternative approaches.

When collaborating with upstream and downstream departments, a common obstacle is that many production staff are only familiar with the content of their own departments, lacking understanding of their upstream and downstream counterparts. This leads to incorrect judgments in file specifications or requirements during handovers. For example, the modeling department needs to wire models based on the reasonable ranges and shapes of model movement joints, and organize scene naming, history nodes, and transformation information. However, some modelers neglect or overlook these specifications. Consequently, the rigging department has to check whether the model files comply with the specifications before proceeding. If they don’t, revisions are required, resulting in additional time and effort costs. To address these issues, I recommend the modeling department to use some automated checking tools. People are not always capable of making 100% correct decisions, but computers can. Letting computers handle specification checks can significantly reduce the checking and resolving of regular problems between the modeling and rigging departments. Furthermore, differences between departments may also lead to instances where one party doesn’t understand the other’s requirements or how to address them. In such cases, departments should proactively learn about the production content and habits of upstream and downstream departments. While it’s impossible to be proficient in all areas, having a basic understanding can greatly reduce communication costs and rework frequency.

In a project, we typically hold a meeting after finalizing the script to discuss the production schedule, ensuring what needs to be completed within each timeframe. Any delays will compress the time available for downstream departments. We also discuss any unique or challenging shots in the script, requiring relevant departments to study and test in advance to ensure smooth production or explore alternative methods. During production, we usually hold weekly meetings on Fridays or Mondays, where each department reports on what they’ve accomplished, what remains, what they plan to do next week, and any encountered issues. Additionally, there are occasional meetings involving representatives from several departments to discuss specific issues or unexpected situations due to changes in the production cycle or special shots.

When unexpected situations arise, the response should be based on the specific circumstances. As our company’s management system operates on a hierarchical structure comprising team members, team leaders, directors, and producers, if an unexpected situation cannot be resolved at the corresponding level, personnel from higher levels or interfacing departments will step in to assist. This also requires leaders from various departments to have a high level of understanding of the project and other departmental work content, enabling quick resolution of unexpected situations through minimal communication and time consumption.

When it comes to new colleagues, I prioritize learning ability. Learning is a continual process, and those who are humble and eager to learn will grow faster. Additionally, clear self-awareness of one’s abilities is essential. Regardless of whether one’s abilities are stronger or weaker compared to others, maintaining humility is crucial. Progress is more important than the destination. I also value communication skills. Those at the top of the pyramid are often more willing to share their knowledge, fostering cooperation and mutual benefit. In our industry, technology and innovations evolve rapidly, and relying solely on individual searches for learning is inefficient. Interacting with peers broadens one’s horizons and provides a clearer and faster understanding of industry trends in advanced technology development. Furthermore, as a team project, effective communication between colleagues in different roles is crucial. Inefficient communication can delay production and is unfavorable for the company. It’s also uncomfortable for both parties involved, as dealing with obscure and incomprehensible information not only reduces efficiency but also drains production resources.

This Modler is my friend who works for a famous game company in China.

1. Time – The project timeline is tight, so we need to act quickly.
2. Feedback issues from downstream have been addressed, but problems persist, requiring technical support.
3. Complete it within the cycle and deliver it to rigging promptly.
4. Model issues are generally solvable; if not, make changes.
5. Hopefully, a competent person.