3D Animator at Skymagic Drone Shows

3D ANIMATOR (BLENDER SPECIALISM)

Location: Leeds based
Contract: Permanent, PAYE
Start Date: ASAP – no later than 15th August
Salary: £36,000 – £44,000 (dependent on experience)
Application deadline: 10.00am Wednesday 11th June

Who We Are

SKYMAGIC is a world-leading drone light show studio working at the intersection of technology, creativity, and live performance. From global ceremonies to cultural festivals and brand launches, we tell bold visual stories using the sky as our canvas. As our studio continues to grow, we’re looking for a talented and forward-thinking 3D Animator to join our creative team. You’ll work alongside designers, creative leads, and technical specialists to bring stunning drone shows to life — crafting powerful visual moments that are both technically accurate and creatively exceptional.

What You’ll Be Doing

You will play a central role in animating and visualising SKYMAGIC’s drone shows, taking storyboards and creative concepts and transforming them into flyable 3D animations using our in-house software and workflows. This is not animation for screen — this is animation for the sky. Your work will help define the visual identity of high-profile live shows across the world, blending creativity, motion, form and flight into memorable experiences. You’ll be part of an integrated team with visibility across the full production cycle — from concept to delivery — and will collaborate closely with creative and technical leads to ensure each project delivers both visual impact and technical precision.

Key Responsibilities

Animate scenes for drone shows based on creative briefs, visual references, and storyboards
Use our proprietary in-house software to produce flyable 3D formations
Work with Creative Leads to develop the flow and narrative of each show through movement and timing
Collaborate with our Technical Director to ensure animations meet flyability and airspace regulations
Review, refine, and optimise animations in response to creative and technical feedback
Participate in internal reviews, sharing your work and contributing to the development of others
Maintain clean, organised project files and documentation for internal and client use
Bring a curiosity for movement and form, always exploring how to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the medium

What We’re Looking For

Proficiency in Blender is essential – you should be confident working within Blender to produce high-quality 3D animations
A creative eye for timing, choreography, and spatial design
Ability to interpret storyboards and develop narrative-led sequences through animation
Comfortable working with 3D coordinates and spatial orientation (e.g. XYZ axes, viewport navigation)
Organised, proactive and capable of managing multiple projects to deadline
Confident collaborating with both creative and technical stakeholders
Open to learning new tools and workflows, including SKYMAGIC’s bespoke animation software
A portfolio or showreel that demonstrates relevant skills in movement, storytelling, and visual design
Experience animating for large-scale live shows, installations, or motion graphics is desirable but not essential.

Why Join Us?

At SKYMAGIC, you’ll be joining a close-knit, international team of creatives, technologists, producers and show directors who are reimagining how stories are told in the sky. Our studio is collaborative, ambitious, and constantly evolving — with an exciting roster of global shows and creative challenges ahead. You’ll have the chance to:Animate work that is experienced by live audiences worldwide
Collaborate on cross-disciplinary projects with a highly supportive team
Be part of a company pioneering a new creative medium
Shape and grow your role within a fast-moving creative studio

How to Apply

To apply, please submit the following:
Your CV
A cover letter telling us why you’re excited about this role and what you can bring to the team
A portfolio or showreel, or a link to your website showcasing relevant animation work