Art Director - Featurette

For more than 35 years, Bardel Entertainment has been growing and evolving, yet at our core, we remain grounded in the creative roots of the craft of animation.  Our pursuit of fresh ideas, techniques, and technologies is driven by the belief that together, through creativity and collaboration, we can accomplish anything!  If you want to be part of an environment that empowers you to experiment, learn, and contribute to exciting projects, come and join us.

As an Art Director at Bardel, you will be responsible for defining and maintaining the creative vision of this TV featurette production. You will collaborate with the Directors, Production Team, and Head of Visual Development to ensure consistency in style, storytelling, and visual appeal. Your role will include leading and mentoring a team of designers, managing artistic workflows, and optimizing creative processes to produce visually stunning animation. 

• Lead and mentor a team of designers, fostering creativity and professional growth. 

• Set clear objectives, monitor progress, and manage performance within the art team. 

• Proactively address workflow, and design challenges by providing solutions. 

• Assist in the recruitment process by reviewing portfolios and interviewing candidates. 

• Establish and implement the Director’s creative vision, ensuring artistic consistency and appeal. 

• Oversee design, cinematic lighting and composition to enhance visual impact. 

• Review and approve designs, providing clear feedback and direction to maintain high-quality standards. 

• Identify and resolve artistic and technical challenges in the design pipeline. 

• Ensure seamless integration of 3D assets and environments with the animation process. 

• Work with Production to manage schedules, track progress, and meet deadlines. 

• Identify potential delays and provide proactive recommendations to keep production on schedule. 

• Work closely with other Supervisors, Leads, and Directors to ensure a cohesive artistic vision. 

• Mentor team members by sharing knowledge, techniques, and industry best practices. 

• Experience as an Art Director in the 3D animation industry. 

• Strong creative leadership with the ability to analyze and solve creative and production challenges. 

• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills to effectively lead the design team. 

A strong portfolio that demonstrates: 

• An appealing style with a cartoony aesthetic. 

• A strong understanding of cinematic lighting and storytelling. 

• Previous experience designing assets and environments for 3D. 

• Proficiency in Photoshop and other relevant design software.  

• Knowledge of 3D software is a bonus.  

Location: Candidates must be based in and legally able to work in Canada

Pay Range: CAD $2,000 - $2,600 per week   

This salary range provided reflects our current expectations for these roles as of this posting’s date. Your final salary offer will consider various key factors, including your education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographical location, as well as the needs and requirements of the business. 

Flexible work environment, Extended Health and Wellness from day 1, RRSP matching are just some of the benefits. For more details, check out our website. 

At Bardel, we recognize that flexibility is key to doing great work. Our hybrid work environment is a valued perk designed to support individual accountability and empower our teams to work where they’re most productive. We offer the choice to work remotely, balanced with intentional in-person time for collaboration, creativity, and team building. This role requires in-studio attendance at our Vancouver studio during onboarding and predetermined Rush Weeks. 

If this seems like a good fit, what are you waiting for, get your application in!