Join the Team

NOTE!!!

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This is draft, just because it’s the only way to keep the page hidden :) Do not delete. (ton)

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The target for Mango is to work with a team of 5-7 artists and 2-3 developers here in Amsterdam, during a period of 6-7 months. We cannot finalize these numbers yet, until the final budget (and story/script) is known.

Based on Sintel crew feedback, we also will more explicitly open up positions for specialists; people who come over to help here for only a shorter period (like 2-3 months) on specific tasks. That can also work well for people to join us without dropping existing commitments (jobs, study).

This call for applications is for establishing the team; 3D artists who will reside in Amsterdam and work full time on the project. If you like to help out online, please wait with sending portfolios, we will do a call later for that.

Submission of portfolios is during the full month of November, starting 1st and ending the 30th.

The project duration is estimated to be six months, from February/March until September 2012. People can join for a shorter period as well. This also because of visa regulations, which might limit your stay in the Netherlands to 3 months max.

Artist positions

We have 4 to 6 positions (depending budget) for artists.

Our preference is to find multi-talented people with a wide range of skills in several areas, but especially

  • Modeling/texturing/sculpting
  • Animation
  • Lighting / Rendering / Compositing
  • Visual effects, physics simulation
  • Graphics design (print, web, DVD interface)

Software Proficiency:

The primary programs for the project will be Blender for nearly everything (modeling, animation, rendering, compositing, motion tracking, video editing) and GIMP/MyPaint/Krita/Inkscape for 2D, in a Linux environment. Additional open source software will be decided on at a later date. Aim is that all software tools as used in the studio will be free/open source. Artists are expected to have a good working knowledge of the programs used – enough to hit the ground running, since the time-line for the project is so short.

Requirements:

  • Being available to work in the Amsterdam studio, for at least several months in period of march-august 2012.
  • We are looking for team players, people with an enthusiastic attitude towards using Open Source and Blender.
  • Proven track of record in creating 3d art or animation projects with Blender.
  • All verbal and written communication will be in English

In our previous open movie project we had some submissions from experienced 3D artists without Blender portfolios. You have to realize that these might be rejected for that reason.

Developer positions

A call for Blender developers will be done via the regular development channels. Only people who have contributed significantly to Blender sources before are being evaluated in this stage.

Benefits

Team members, those who participate in the project in Amsterdam, will become part of the “Artist in Residence” program of the Blender Institute.

Participants will receive the following benefits;
– Travel expenses (also for the pre-production workshop)
– Housing in Amsterdam (shared apartment with own room)
– Compensation Fee
– Use of all Institute facilities and specialist support

The compensation fee is humble, but (including housing costs) above minimum wage here, more than sufficient to cover all living expenses for the duration of the project. We – unfortunately – cannot afford to pay wages on a competitive entertainment industry level, also to enable as many people as possible to participate in Amsterdam.

A fee might depend on personal situation, or urgency for the project to have someone hired. This will be negotiated with candidates in good faith during the submission procedure.

Key benefit of course is that the participants will be facilitated – and credited – to work on an outstanding artistic creation! Participants won’t become Blender Institute employee, but be involved as external independent contractors. Thanks to our Open Content targets you can also fully execute your own rights on all material (and use from the others!) after the project.
Our staff is available to help with legal/taxes issues and insurances.

Submitting applications

If you are interested in joining the core team, please submit during the month of November. At least we need to know:

  • Your name and address and nationality
  • Period of time you are available to work on the project
  • Preferred team role(s)
  • Area/s of interest and ability, both with regard to skill and software used
  • A single URL to your portfolio (optionally with password); a website that shows your previous work and working experience. We don’t accept emailed attachments or links to downloads!
  • Use free streaming services like Vimeo or YouTube to present animations, we won’t download movie files.

Submit via email to ton at blender.org. All submissions will receive a confirmation email, usually the same day. We will keep all submissions private and confidentially.

Ultimately December 10th you’ll get the reaction from us.

We may ask you to be avaliable for an online (IRC) interview or to do an on-line “audition”, a small assignment that can be done within a day.

Submissions will be reviewed by Ian Hubert, Ton Roosendaal, Jeremy Davidson, Sebastian Koenig, Andy Goralczyk and probably other open movie artists who have worked here, each respecting all information to be confidential.