Rigging is where our static character
models are given the possibility of life. Using technical and artistic
skills, our Character Technical Directors build digital puppets that
can be used by animators to craft their performances. The skeletons,
deformations, and facial expressions the Rigging department places
within the models are a delicate balance between complexity and
simplicity. The complicated parts of the body are also the complicated
parts of the rig. The recreation of these parts in the computer doesn't
need to be literal, but it does need to ring true. Because of this,
analyzing why parts work the way they do is the first crucial step,
followed by the more critical choices of how to make those parts simple
to use while delivering pleasing results in shape and movement.We
collaborate with the animators to design character rigs that can act
believably with the minimum number of controls. We strive to build
flexible, appealing characters that can be refined artistically;
characters that are ready for their moment in the spotlight.
