We’re the Rigging Department; our work happens between the evocative models and the energetic animation that’s inspired by the design and story.

From pencil, paper and clay a digital character takes shape. Through tireless hours of key-framing, every action of that character in the film is defined. But before a model can begin its memorable performance, it’s necessary to establish how that character will move. Technically, this involves creating the framework that will deform the surface of the model. We riggers write computer scripts and tools to duplicate the results that have been crafted by hand in order to provide uniformity across the movie. However, building skeletons and adding weight is only part of the task. Each character must remain true to its design once it starts moving as well as convey his or her appeal through every pose and facial expression that the story calls for. Therefore, we must fully understand both the anatomical design of a character and its emotional journey through the story.

Those of us that make up the Rigging Department come from many backgrounds. We bring academic knowledge from such fields as computer science, product design and illustration and combine that with real world experience such as video game production, film special effects and of course, feature animation. Our diversity allows us to develop innovative solutions to fulfill the needs of the directors. Rigging's key position in the production pipeline requires that we interact with all departments during the production of the film from start to finish. Remember, nothing moves without rigging.