Skydance Animation is seeking an experienced Visual Development Artist to join our team on an upcoming feature film. In this role, you will help shape the worlds our story takes place in by developing compelling, immersive environments that support narrative, mood, themes, and character.
You will generate a wide range of visual development materials, including environmental designs, drawings, models, floor plans, and set dressing elements, all while ensuring consistency with the film’s established style, story themes, and overall visual quality. Working closely with Production Designer, art department, and creative leadership you will help define the look and feel of fully realized worlds that enhance storytelling and create a rich cinematic experience.
The ideal candidate has a strong sense of design, composition, and storytelling through environments, with the ability to translate narrative needs into believable, visually engaging spaces.
Previous experience on a feature animated film is required.
This position is based in Los Angeles, California, and requires the selected candidate to work in an on-site hybrid capacity.
Responsibilities
- Create art for project concepts, environments, set designs, and related visual development elements (textures and surface details are a plus)
- Generate work across all stages of development, including sketches, rough explorations, refined designs, and final environment concepts
- Develop environment designs, including turnarounds, floor plans, and layout studies to support spatial storytelling and production needs
- Create set dressing and environmental detail callouts to help define world-building elements and visual continuity
- Produce 2D and/or CG visual development models to explore scale, composition, and cinematic staging of environments
- Conduct visual and narrative research to inform design decisions and ensure environments feel grounded, intentional, and story-driven
- Develop presentation materials that clearly communicate design intent, mood, and storytelling purpose
- Brainstorm and explore inventive environmental ideas that enhance storytelling, deepen world-building, and reinforce tone and emotion
- Apply strong knowledge of architecture, landscape design, and spatial composition to create believable and engaging environments
- Contribute creative solutions, respond effectively to feedback, and iterate on designs throughout production
- Meet production schedules and deadlines while maintaining a high level of artistic quality and consistency
- Maintain organized files following show-specific versioning and naming conventions
- Proactively communicate questions, issues, or production concerns to supervisors and production staff
- Revise and resubmit work as needed based on feedback from the Production Designer or Art Department leadership
- Collaborate closely with the Production Designer, art team, leadership, and production staff regarding status updates, progress, and any production challenges
Requirements
- 8+ years of experience in environment design/ visual development on animated feature films
- Strong visual storytelling skills, with the ability to design environments that support narrative, mood, and character action
- Advanced proficiency in Adobe Photoshop
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to present work clearly and respond effectively to feedback
- Strong understanding of architecture, perspective, composition, and spatial design
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, as well as collaboratively within a team environment
- Adaptable and responsive to evolving creative direction and production needs
- Working knowledge of Autodesk Maya, Blender, or ZBrush is a plus
- Must be, or be willing to become, a member of The Animation Guild Local 839
What We Do
About Skydance Media Skydance is a diversified media company founded by David Ellison in 2010 to create high quality, event-level entertainment for global audiences. The Company brings to life stories of immersive worlds across its feature film, television, and interactive platforms. Its feature films include Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Annihilation, LIFE, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, Star Trek Beyond, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Terminator Genisys, World War Z, Star Trek Into Darkness, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Jack Reacher, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, and True Grit. Skydance’s upcoming film releases include Top Gun: Maverick, Gemini Man, The Old Guard, 6 Underground and the nwe untitled Terminator film. In 2017, Skydance formed an animation division to develop and produce a slate of high-end feature films and television series in partnership with Spain’s Ilion Animation Studios. Skydance Television launched in 2013. Its current slate includes Emmy-nominated Grace and Frankie on Netflix, Altered Carbon on Netflix, Jack Ryan on Amazon, and Condor on AT&T Audience Network. Skydance Interactive launched in 2016 to create and publish original and IP-based virtual reality experiences and video games. Skydance Interactive recently debuted its first original title – Archangel, a story-driven VR shooter. About Skydance Interactive Skydance Interactive creates and publishes original and IP-based virtual reality games. The division of Skydance Media was launched in 2016 through the acquisition of The Workshop Entertainment. Skydance Interactive’s first VR offering is Archangel, launched on July 18th 2017. Skydance Interactive in 2017 partnered with Skybound Entertainment to develop a number of original virtual reality video games based on the expansive world of The Walking Dead universe. The Walking Dead VR game will be the inaugural co-developed title from both companies. The studio is located in Marina del Rey, CA. About Animation In 2017, Skydance formed an animation division to develop and produce a slate of high-end feature films and television series in partnership with Spain’s Ilion Animation Studios. Skydance’s first three animated features are Luck, Split (working title), and Powerless (working title). Luck, directed by Alessandro Carloni (Kung Fu Panda 3) and written by Jonathan Aibel & Glenn Berger, is a comedy that pulls back the curtain on the millennia-old battle between the organizations of good luck and bad luck that secretly
