A Visual Effects Rigger builds digital skeletons and control systems for 3D models, enabling animators to move characters or objects realistically in film, TV, or games.
The role of the Rigging Department is a vital one as it binds together the disciplines of modelling and animation.
The task of the rigger is to build the internal structure and the controls of a model that will be used by an animator to manipulate it.
Riggers are responsible for adding the internal structure that enables a 3D model to move, much like attaching strings to a puppet. They are the team that add life and movement to the lifeless 3D models and give the animators the tools they need to bring out a believable performance.
A rigger must have a clear understanding of how a model needs to animate and deform. To achieve this, a solid grounding in anatomy and kinesiology (movement) is essential. Riggers should have an in-depth knowledge of how real-world creatures move before attempting to recreate them in CG.
While rigging is one of the more technical departments, the primary goal is to enable engaging and believable performances.
The quality of a character rig directly affects the range of expression and motion that the animation team can achieve. It is important that a rigger possesses not only strong technical skills, but also an artistic sensibility and an appreciation for the emotional and physical range required by the script.
To work in the rigging department, you should have a broad understanding of CG production and be comfortable with both the artistic and technical aspects of the work. Rigging can be complex and sometimes repetitive, so coding and automation skills are highly valuable, along with a focus on reusability, scalability, and pipeline efficiency.
You need to be a creative problem-solver, capable of overcoming technical challenges to deliver rigs that support expressive, believable animation. Many riggers have interests that span art, animation, coding, mathematics, anatomy, and physics.
Riggers work closely with the modeling department to ensure that the construction of models allows for the necessary deformations to achieve the required performance for the animation team.
As the rigger ultimately publishes their work for use by the animation team, there should be an open dialogue to define the rig’s performance requirements. Any specific or custom animation needs must be discussed and considered to ensure the rig supports the desired performance.
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Interests - Visual Effects Rigger
This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:
Creative
Creative people are drawn to careers and activities that enable them to take responsibility for the design, layout or sensory impact of something (visual, auditory etc). They may be atrracted to the traditional artistic pursuits such as painting, sculpture, singing, or music. Or they may show more interest in design activities, such as architecture, animation, or craft areas, such as pottery and ceramics.
Creative people use their personal understanding of people and the world they live in to guide their work. Creative people like to work in unstructured workplaces, enjoy taking risks and prefer a minimum of routine.
